Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Social Security mess

When David Kane got a weird phone call at his home in Webster, he ignored it.

David Kane
"At that point, I just thought it was a wrong number."

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"So, then it happened again?"

David Kane
"Yes, then it happened again."

Then ,it got out of control.

David Kane
"I would probably say it averaged about 10 to 20 calls a day. It was like a circus. It was crazy, people constantly calling. The phone constantly ringing."

And all wrong numbers!

Callers were not trying to reach the apartment David shares with his grandson. They were all trying to get the U.S. Social Security office!

David recorded a few on his answering machine.

Each told David they'd gotten letters like this from Social Security, tracking down recipients with outstanding arrests warrants at Dudley Court. They were threatening to cut off benefits and giving out David's phone number to call. And call they did.

David Kane
"Some were elderly. Some were women. Some of them were crying."

David made a call to D.C.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Didn't you tell Social Security that these people were calling you?"

David Kane
"Yes I did."

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"What did they say?"

David Kane
"They asked me for my Social Security number and said that they would mark it urgent and someone would get back to me."

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"And?"

David Kane
"Never, it never happened."

So, David dialed again.

David Kane
"I finally gave 'Help Me Hank' a call."

Clearly, David's cozy apartment in Webster is not the courthouse in Dudley. And their phone numbers aren't even close. So what happened?

We called the Social Security Administration, and it seems the letters are real, but officials finally admitted that someone inside had been giving out a wrong number. Well, why?

"We are unable to determine where it happened," Social Security told us.

But they must have determined something. The phone calls have stopped.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"So, you got your life back?"

David Kane
"Yes, I did. I got my life back."

Well, OK, the phone still does ring sometimes. But now, that's a good thing.

David Kane
"I know it's for me. So, it’s really, really great."

The Social Security Administration is still contacting people with outstanding warrants. If you get a letter like the one we showed, don't ignore it, or you could lose your benefits.