What is the problem at the Social Security website?

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What is the problem at the Social Security website?

I’m wondering if anybody knows anything about the Social Security website at:
https://secure.ssa.gov/mySSA/start

My wife and I both created accounts years ago, and until a few months ago, the logon procedure worked correctly. But now the logon procedure works only occasionally. When it works, the website seems to work correctly and all information is correct . At all other times, both my wife and I receive this message:

https://www.ssa.gov/admin/error500.htm
Social Security Online Message: Program Error
We’re sorry but this program has terminated unexpectedly.
We apologize for the inconvenience and suggest that you try again later.

I have tried using both Chrome and MS Edge on both of our Windows 10 PC’s with the same results. I am quite sure that all the passwords and usernames are correct. I haven’t found any explanation for this problem. If it is a system problem, I would expect lots of online comments, but I haven’t found any. Social Security itself does not respond to questions about the situation.

So, do other persons with Social Security accounts have this problem? And/or does anybody have any information about this problem?

Thanks for any comments.

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CADesertRat, geekdom

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Roger,

Try using this URL: https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action

It will take you directly to the Login Page, I have it stored in my RoboForm and it works.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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TechTango, snissen, cesmart4122, CADesertRat, geekdom, Just another Forum Poster, Roger, SueW

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Many thanks, RetiredGeek, for the webpage that you mentioned.  I used it for both me and my wife and everything worked just fine.  When I went back and used the webpage that I have used in the past ( https://secure.ssa.gov/mySSA/start ) the login failed again in the same way.  Do you have any idea why my login page (which I have used for years) does not reliably work any more?

 

 

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Roger,

Read this: https://blog.ssa.gov/social-security-launches-redesigned-website-at-ssa-gov/

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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cesmart4122

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Same here.

Two weeks ago, the PW I KNOW WAS CORRECT wouldn’t work. I got locked out and had to wait for a temp PW to come in the mail.

Today, it took an HOUR to reset my password. I changed my PW received an email saying my PW was changed BUT IT DIDN’T WORK!!!

Finally, I decided to use the PW that wouldn’t work two weeks ago…the one I kept using that locked me out and voila!

It worked. So now, the site asked me for my back up code. I entered the first back up code that I created whenever that was…and it’s INVALID.

THIS IS JUST INSANITY.

So now, I have to delete my account and start over. I don’t think I am the problem. I am online All Day Long entering PW…doing the two-step, following instructions. It is only with government websites that I go round and round.

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Yup, been using that specific link for quite a while and it always works.

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That has always been my chrome bookmark for SSA and have never had a problem, thanks for posting RG so that others will have success

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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Sometime during signing in, it crashes to the error window before completing connection.

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I too have been getting that error message Roger mentioned every time I login at the same URL Roger identified for nearly a year, now. I use the Chrome browser exclusively. I have found that the FIRST login attempt always fails; but when I immediately retry a second login attempt, it is always successful despite being only about 90 seconds later. I’ve just been dealing with it as is, assuming it was some kind of security measure. Thank you RG for the different URL address; I’ll try that next time for sure and replace my old bookmark with your new URL if it works better. Thanks.

 

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The easiest way to login to SSA if the link you have saved isn’t working for you is to go to SSA.gov and the click on the “Sign in” link at the top of the page.

That will direct you to the current login page that RG linked to above.

Windows 10 Pro 22H2

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CADesertRat

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There is a problem with cookies. Roger’s posted link works with the following Block –

In Firefox (and Windows 7):
Tools > Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Manage Exceptions
Create a Block for [ https://secure.ssa.gov ], or just [ https://ssa.gov ].
Either works, but I suggest the one with ‘secure’. OK out of any warning message.
I have no evidence that Cache is involved as this Block is sufficient.

In older Firefox, in ” > Manage Data” there are 8 cookies indicated for ‘secure’.

I haven’t tested this/these with Chrome, or in later Windows.

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I used these mentioned Login sites forever but made the mistake of signing up for Login.gov, thinking it was an easier Path to SS and Medicare logins. It SAYS you can STILL login to — https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/ — BUT it No Longer recognizes me. So I go TO THAT same site BUT Clk — Sign in with Login.gov — and it works.

Be prepared for anything …..

W10 Pro 22H2 / Hm-Stdnt Ofce '16 C2R / Macrium Pd vX / GP=2 + FtrU=Semi-Annual + Feature Defer = 1 + QU = 0

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Yes, I have tried for weeks to get into the SSA and it says the same thing. No idea.

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Dude…You are a God!!!

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We’ve been having the same problem the last couple of weeks. It always worked perfectly in the years past and now it’s impossible to access it.

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Which problem? What messages do you get?

cheers, Paul

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I see this topic has been around for a little while, but I will add my 2 cents anyway.

But, don’t fix what ain’t broken.

If Retired Geek’s link works for you, use that.

For a very long time, I have successfully used this link
https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.do

But, it takes me to the exact link that Retired Geek posted.

https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action

Then, I just click on:
“Sign in with Social Security username”
“For accounts created before September 18, 2021”

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SueW

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I am also having issues with ssa.gov.   I finally managed to get to the site by first deleting the ssa.gov cookie in my Firefox browser.   Then I went to ssa.gov and used the signin link it provided, which was https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action.  This is crazy to have to go to all this trouble.  It used to work fine for me.

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rChaz, dutchjim

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Mark’s solution:

marklang wrote:

first deleting the ssa.gov cookie in my Firefox browser

Deleting the ssa.gov cookie also worked for my Firefox browser.  Prior to that, I was receiving the error:

“Bad Request – Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.”

 

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Placing a comment so I can vent out steam too….. it’s pathetic – the thing is random either if you try to login with id/pw or id.me or login.gov – a lot of times it plain fails.

I’m sure it was tested but they probably was not tested it under stress (many, many connections at once) so it’s simply not resilient … 

Other annoyance is the “For accounts created before September 18, 2021″ could use id/pw however it fails a lot AND what is aggravating is that I created an account for my wife using id/pw before, it worked as I have all the stuff saved on “1Password” but the login doesn’t work anymore – at least I should get a message that the accound needs to be accessed using login.gov or id.me and not plain fail like the login information was deleted and never existed.

Grumbles….. yah.

 

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These issues are related to expired browser cookies that get out of sync with the main SSA site.
How to fix this is a little Geeky, so sorry for that in advance, but here are the steps to fix it:

1. Close all your open browser tabs to SSA.gov
2. Then in ONE, and only ONE, tab navigate to https://ssa.gov but DONT LOG IN.
3. Now in Chrome hit your F12 key to open the Chrome Developer Tools
4. Next, navigate to the “Application” tab within the Developer Tools
5. In the left “Storage” pane you will see things like “Cookies” and “Session Storage”
6. Delete what is there and then refresh your browser window.
7. With those cleared, new cookies will be provided to your browser and everything should just work like expected.
8. So login as normal and enjoy your normal experience.

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rChaz, Cybertooth

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My two cents worth on SSA, Medicare, and IRS.  They all now REQUIRE login.gov to access.  What made the feds think that having all my logins the same was a secure way to do business?  If one gets compromised, they all do now.

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wavy, Cybertooth

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Ralph has stated the CORRECT current answer!

Be sure to have ALL your current SSA information at hand FIRST.

The help number you will need to call when you can’t figure it all out is:
(800) 772-1213

I just made the transition to login.gov last week.
When tech-savvy people like many of us here find it difficult to figure out what they really want us to do, maybe the whole process is a bit cumbersome.

First, clear your cookies.
Log into your SSA account the way you normally would.
Then, you will need go thru the transition process to login.gov.
Be sure to choose login.gov and NOT the other 3rd-party provider option that is also available.

I will pray for you. LOL

FYI, you want to do this soon and not wait on it.
It is NOT optional; You MUST do this!
If you wait past the deadline dates, it will become much more difficult (and you may not even have access to your account until you get the login.gov requirement resolved).
I suggest you don’t wait until you and MILLIONS of others are all trying to speak to a human being to fix your problem(s) at the same time.

Will probably make trying to talk to a human being at Comcast/Xfinity like a day in the park. ROFL

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wavy, SueW

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I still get this message:
Bad Request
Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Size of a request header field exceeds server limit.

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Take a look at post # 2719002 (clicking the link will open it in a new tab) above in this thread. That person had the same problem until they purged their browser’s cookie for ssa.gov and then returned to the Social Security site.

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SueW

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