Embassy and banking issues

Engir,

I would suggest that you telephone SS in the States asap.  Yes, you'll be on hold for quite a while but my experience has been that they answer eventually.  I had a semi-similar experience in the past due to the incompetence of the employees of SS at the U.S. embassy here.  It was easily corrected once I reached the SS office in the States.  It also included a re-issue of a check because San Jose insisted on sending it to my physical location which no one has ever been able to drive directly to - even when I want them to.

- Expat Dave

Some of us would appreciate it if you toned down the language 

when I call SS they only tell me to contact the embassy that they cannot help me which is like being told to complain to the thief that is robbing you about your money being taken from you?? 

Anyway, thank you for the input after I post I decided to go to BAC and ask if they knew what happened, if there was a issue? the lady said and showed me on the computers there that the money was in my account it turns out that it was in there the entire time just the website was not showing the deposit for some unknown reason?
So it was a good thing I went to the bank and not set here waiting for a reply from the embassy who still has not done so?

I think you should drive down to the embassy AFTER you make an appointment.  with the advent of terrorism, our embassy's now require all US expats to make an appointment or they won't see you.  You can do this online.  YES, the embassy won't answer phone calls , even when they give you a phone number that is reserved for US citizens.   really lousy customer service but if your american, you have to be used to this type of BS that serves for customer service.   

I am pretty sure you can also go online and change the designated bank account that receives your SS funds.  Have you tried that?   If you don't have an account, register at mysocialsecurity.gov.

I have it straightened out now thanks but two things I cannot have an account on the website because according to the at SS there is this thing that creates questions to ensure your identity based on like bank loans and credit, since my injury that made me disabled in 90 I filed bankruptcy in 93 and have not done anything to establish credit I save and pay cash so when the site looked for things to make the questions it could not find anything.
I know this makes me a bad American not having debt like the government tries to tell people they should have because America runs on debt?
Lastly because we are out of the country you cannot make changes to direct deposit on the site or by calling the number it has to go through the embassy no exceptions according to SS?

I would imagine you can make changes to your direct deposit of s.s. by calling Social Security in the states but not sure. Good question and I'd be curious to know the answer...

As to your first question I am not clear - are you talking about using a bank web site or the SS web site?
I would think that even though you may have no credit since 93 they'd still have a credit record for you which would show your previous addresses, previous accounts etc, some of which you would be able to answer to prove it's  you.

Also some banks now have secure links they can send to you which you can take a photo with your smart phone and send it to them to confirm who you are. I question the security of this because if I have a pic of my passport on my phone anyone finding my phone could send that to the bank and "prove" they are me.

Admittedly probably not a good idea to have passports or other id pix on your phone but I imagine many people do. I think answering those credit report questions is much safer. Tried to tell the bank that the other day when they put me through 2 and 1/2 HOURS of trying to prove who I was by sending them photos of my passport and driver license which did not work again and again (due to their technology deficiency; i.e. it was not working!) then finally I forced them to stop the b.s. and just ask me questions from my credit report!

A manager finally agreed to that and I got through and he agreed to solve the problem I had...
Then I found out he didn't do what he said! ARGGGHHH! Now I gotta call again...