Good Question: Are those '24 hours left' Social Security benefit ads legal?
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LEXINGTON, Ky. — For today’s Good Question, Sharon asks, “I see advertisements for Social Security death benefits and other benefits that say you only have 24 hours left to apply, but you see it for months, so you know it’s fake. How is that legal?”
Whether the ads are legal depends on the wording the company uses and whether someone reports it to the government.
Why the 24-hour claim keeps resetting
The companies say viewers have only 24 hours to respond, but that window may start when that specific ad aired. The company then runs a new ad the next day, and the 24-hour countdown resets. It is a known loophole shady advertisers use.
When the ads cross the legal line
Depending on what the ads claim about the benefits, the companies could be breaking the law. Private companies are not allowed to give a false impression that they are associated with the Social Security Administration. In addition to misleading ads, some companies send mail or create websites that attempt to look official but are not.
Many of these companies advertise services that the Social Security Administration already provides for free.
Why the ads keep running
Enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission is complaint-driven. The agency takes action once someone notifies it of the issue.
How to report a misleading ad
Viewers who see a misleading ad can report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If someone falsely implies they are with the government, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General can be notified.
If you have a Good Question you’d like us to try to answer, send it to goodquestion@wkyt.com.
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