You might guess all elderly in NYC have their own smart phones for making calls. However, the current NYC Comptroller and AARP research state 15-20% of New Yorkers aged 65 and over don’t own any mobile phones.
That can make life difficult because many official state and federal websites require two-factor authorization to use them. That includes the NY DMV, the Social Security Administration and Medicare. This means customers are required to verify with their email AND get a code by text or phone call. Common VOIP phones are classified as not valid to receive these codes. This makes it almost impossible to complete the verification process.
Until a third security verification option not requiring a cell phone is put into practice, seniors will have to ask for assistance from family, friends or IT professionals to access and monitor their benefits.
