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SSI Funds are being abused and being manipulated held back from being my own representative payee

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Recon86

Member
What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

My mother is abusing my funds, she is making PayPal charges on my account. These charges are sporadic from what I can see. She also admitted to making an charge thru PayPal to pay for malware bytes an anti malware software for PC, when I asked her that I'd like to benefit from that as well she told me that if I don't like it I can leave. I can't become my own representative payee because of her refusal to cooperate with me to pay my part of the utilities in the home she refuses to let me do so if my funds and my account become independent and out from her control. I am also unable to effectively store to refrigerate my own food resorting to nonperishables since November of last year. The house is crowded, she now has 2 refrigerators setup plus an chest freezer and expresses reluctance for me to use them as well as an appliances to cook my food. She refuses to communicate with me to budget food with me so that I can fairly contribute to food in the house. My mother takes 200 dollars out of my account for utilities, I ask for transparency in this because of an break in trust to ensure that this is the same across the board with her and my 3 siblings who are also on social security whom my siblings are also beneficiaries under my mother with her being representative payee, she refuses. She has now blocked me from using internet which is part of the utilities that I'm paying, she took 300 instead of 200 out of my account this month.

She took 100 dollars out of my account (I found out she used this to buy boxes to packup belongings to leave her boyfriend's house, I was not living at her boyfriend's house at the time) when she sparked an disagreement with me (she also exhibited this behavior after an heated session of family therapy this week by making 4 sets of PayPal charges on my account) when confronted about this she did not say why was condescending about it and refused to say why. I opened up another account to put my money in as suggested by an friend/acquaintance my mother retaliated by shutting off my cellphone which was on an at&t family plan that I had just paid an 100 dollars to. I could not keep this account open as she threatened to close the joint account that has my SSI deposited into as I was trying to work and figure out things to become my own representative payee.

The home is not her name or owned by her it is my grandmother's house. The bills are in my grandmother's name as well as the account she deposits money in for the utilities that once had my grandmother's finances being deposited into the account but is no longer. My grandmother is in New Jersey, she suffers from alzheimers and dementia. My mother has Durable POA signed in 2014 but my uncle has gotten POA 4 years later enacted in August 2018.

I am under extreme emotional distress with anxiety and stomach pains, chest pains and depression. I have contacted the office of inspector general and city officials and still working on obtaining an legal representative. Looking for any and all advice that I can get.
 


t74

Member
If you are disabled and 18 or older, make a report to Adult Protective Services (in PA 1 800 490 8505). See their website. I believe what you have described is both physical abuse/neglect and financial exploitation.

You should also check with Vocational Rehabilitation Services in order to make yourself employable in an appropriate career since SSI is not adequate for even a basic level of survival.
 

Recon86

Member
I don't think that would hurt your case at all. I think it would be irrelevant.
It shouldn't but what if there's already a line for internet being run through the house? There's a line of cable running through the house into her room out of her room and went into an modem that connected to an router that distributed the internet throughout the house. What I think she has done is gotten another modem and taken cable that ran off an splitter to outside the room and disconnected it and just set it up in her room. So even if I get prepaid internet they are going to have to access that sane line right?
 

Recon86

Member
If you are disabled and 18 or older, make a report to Adult Protective Services (in PA 1 800 490 8505). See their website. I believe what you have described is both physical abuse/neglect and financial exploitation.

You should also check with Vocational Rehabilitation Services in order to make yourself employable in an appropriate career since SSI is not adequate for even a basic level of survival.
APS has been contacted just about 4 times. They are horrible. The guy I have now won't really listen to me and hasn't even addressed the things she's done. He came on the case and then disappeared for an month and an half then came back as soon as he was notified I had called APS to get another worker. If the person you have isn't working out how do you get another?

I have been trying to work on employment, I'm concerned about whatever I would make since she still has access to my money. Trying to figure out how to get setup an part time job and not lose my benefits since I still need help. I was working on self employment through making Decals, Shirts etc since I took graphic design in vocational school. Will Vocational Rehabilitation set you up with an sustainable career based on your strengths that you can build on over time rather than work an simple job you barely earn enough to? I have skills that could let me get access to better jobs though I might need some help depending on what they find. It's just that when I encounter these services they seem to completely ignore anything relevant in my skill set and accomplishments. My greatest fear is being stuck in a minimum wage job where the amount of hours I work get me kicked from my benefits and stuck in an slave wage position that I'm unable to get out of knowing that I'm capable of so much more. I have depression, anxiety, PTSD and Autism. I have an supports coordinator through the Autism weaver she's trying to get me into life sharing services. I'm trying to figure out what to do I have no reliable family or friends that are willing to let me stay with them. I also don't want my mother to get away with any of this.
 

Recon86

Member
Is there any other legal outlets that I can contact in regards to my situation? I have sent an report to the Office of Inspector General 4 times. I haven't heard back from them at all. I also contacted an different attorneys, I got in touch with Community legal after half a week the person I contacted said there was an conflict of interest and that he was sending my case to PLA. Before that I contacted 2 other places because I wasn't sure about my chances with the first firm I contacted.

Is there any thing through 311 or 211 that would help?
 

t74

Member
APS has been contacted just about 4 times. They are horrible. The guy I have now won't really listen to me and hasn't even addressed the things she's done. He came on the case and then disappeared for an month and an half then came back as soon as he was notified I had called APS to get another worker. If the person you have isn't working out how do you get another?

I have been trying to work on employment, I'm concerned about whatever I would make since she still has access to my money. Trying to figure out how to get setup an part time job and not lose my benefits since I still need help. I was working on self employment through making Decals, Shirts etc since I took graphic design in vocational school. Will Vocational Rehabilitation set you up with an sustainable career based on your strengths that you can build on over time rather than work an simple job you barely earn enough to? I have skills that could let me get access to better jobs though I might need some help depending on what they find. It's just that when I encounter these services they seem to completely ignore anything relevant in my skill set and accomplishments. My greatest fear is being stuck in a minimum wage job where the amount of hours I work get me kicked from my benefits and stuck in an slave wage position that I'm unable to get out of knowing that I'm capable of so much more. I have depression, anxiety, PTSD and Autism. I have an supports coordinator through the Autism weaver she's trying to get me into life sharing services. I'm trying to figure out what to do I have no reliable family or friends that are willing to let me stay with them. I also don't want my mother to get away with any of this.
Services vary by state with vocational rehab. Get with your support coordinator and impress upon her the desperation you are feeling.

Dispute the Paypal charges you did not make.

I do not understand why APS is not being helpful. If you believe yourself to be in danger from your mother's actions, call 911. I am concerned with you reporting depression and anxiety in addition to autism. Check with the legal clinic at your local law school. Drexel would be the place to start. Look at the contact information on the phillyautismproject's website:

https://www.phillyautismproject.org/

They should also have additional referrals to services.

Please post back next week and report your progress.
 

Recon86

Member
Thank you
Services vary by state with vocational rehab. Get with your support coordinator and impress upon her the desperation you are feeling.

Dispute the Paypal charges you did not make.

I do not understand why APS is not being helpful. If you believe yourself to be in danger from your mother's actions, call 911. I am concerned with you reporting depression and anxiety in addition to autism. Check with the legal clinic at your local law school. Drexel would be the place to start. Look at the contact information on the phillyautismproject's website:

https://www.phillyautismproject.org/

They should also have additional referrals to services.

Please post back next week and report your progress.

Thank you so much, I just sent them an email. I also like to dispute everything else as well, are those things legally viable? I know the law to be weird with what someone thinks should be applied to the law sensibly, but I want her to pay for the other stuff she's done to me as well. I need to strategize where I can win and not where I can fail. As soon as I can get an lawyer, I can strategize within the law and make every whim of it work for me.

Now, for the meantime I'm trying to figure out internet access, not having it destress me and the fact that I paid for it hurts more that I'm not getting what I paid for. There has to be an solution, I don't want to be.... the word escapes me but I'd at least like internet that's 100 mbps. The current internet in the house is comcast. I'd deal with an long term deal but know cable companies are ticky I'd cancel as soon as it would dry up but I know there's things in place to screw me. She pretty much removed the router I'm currently connected to from the router. There's two in the house I was thinking of splitting it off from the line in the backyard but I think comcast restricts how many you have on the same account. What should I do?
 

t74

Member
I am sorry that I have no fast solution to your situation. I suggest you document all of your efforts = date, agency,name of person talked to, summary of conversation, promised or to do for both of you, etc... - and ask to speak to a person's supervisor if you do not get satisfactory answers to yur questions.

In other times I would suggest you go to the ER for a mental health evaluation. Unfortunately with the current national crisis, I would do this only in a life or death situation. If you can get out of the house, take your computer to a restaurant patio with internet access when you need to use it.

I my city we have a mobile mental health unit. I suggest you look at all agencies providing services in your city. A web search shows several with different emphases, but your disabilities are included.
 

Recon86

Member
I am sorry that I have no fast solution to your situation. I suggest you document all of your efforts = date, agency,name of person talked to, summary of conversation, promised or to do for both of you, etc... - and ask to speak to a person's supervisor if you do not get satisfactory answers to yur questions.

In other times I would suggest you go to the ER for a mental health evaluation. Unfortunately with the current national crisis, I would do this only in a life or death situation. If you can get out of the house, take your computer to a restaurant patio with internet access when you need to use it.

I my city we have a mobile mental health unit. I suggest you look at all agencies providing services in your city. A web search shows several with different emphases, but your disabilities are included.
That's good to know, I'll start making an log from memory and text and phone conversations of everyone I dealt with.

I have mobile data on my phone for the time being. What will an mobile mental health unit do?

The property is in my grandmother's and grandfathers name I have proof of this so I have rights against her trying to lock me out or changing the locks or something like that right?
 

t74

Member
That's good to know, I'll start making an log from memory and text and phone conversations of everyone I dealt with.

I have mobile data on my phone for the time being. What will an mobile mental health unit do?

The property is in my grandmother's and grandfathers name I have proof of this so I have rights against her trying to lock me out or changing the locks or something like that right?
Our mobile health unit deals with people in crisis and may take the person to a health care facility if the person needs inpatient care. They would also be able to assess the conditions at the caller's location so that if someone there is aggravating the situation they could take additional action (such as a APS referral or the police if the the caller is in danger).

I believe your first action is to call the Philly group to which I referred you in an earlier post to see what they can do to help. Please post back if you do not get satisfactory answers to your questions and referrals to immediate assistance. Your report that you are being denied access to proper food preparation is a serious concern.

You realize, I am sure, that the issue is that your mother has access to your SSI and is using it to support the family. In my community there are (too limited IMO) supportive living communities for the disabled where the people have their own apartments and there are social services on site (These likely include assistance in locating appropriate employment). It is my understanding that the rents are based on income. When the only income is SSI, the rent would be very small. In a city your size, thre should be something similar so inquire of the various agencies.
 

t74

Member
If you are locked out, call the police. While they are unlikely to get you back into the house, they can get you to a place of safety until you get a court order. If you are in danger, the police might even remove the person threatening you so you can get an order of protection.

Unfortunately, you have a lot of issues colliding. I hope you can find a family member or other advocate to assist you. If you are a member of a religious group, contact the leader of it. Many have resources among their congregations that could be of help.
 

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