ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Plans by the Social Security Administration to create stronger identity checks to combat fraudulent claims could weigh heavily on Alaskans who must fly hundreds of miles to reach agency field offices in cities, Alaska and community leaders warn.

Unreliable internet, language difficulties for elderly Alaska Native speakers and a lack of access to DMV offices and access to identification papers add more complications, they say.

The federal agency said in a statement Tuesday that the changes take effect March 31.

The agency will not complete a claim for benefits over the phone, it said. That now must be done in-person at field offices. People who cannot properly verify their identity using the agency’s “my Social Security” online service must visit a field office in person to complete the verification process.

The new rules will apply to new Social Security applicants and existing beneficiaries seeking to change their direct deposit information. The agency will expedite processing of direct-deposit change requests — both in person and online — to one business day from 30 days, the statement from the agency said.

Teresa Holt, Alaska director with the American Association of Retired People Alaska, said “the abrupt decision to require in-person identity verification will create unnecessary hurdles for older Americans.”

“Many Alaskans will have no choice but to fly from their villages and communities to reach the nearest SSA office,” she said in an email. “For rural Alaskans and those with mobility challenges, this is a huge barrier to accessing services, maybe even preventing them from getting the benefits they’ve earned.”

Supporters of the plan say it will increase efficiency, eliminate fraud and enhance security.

Critics of the agency’s plans argue that the effort will reduce beneficiaries, as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency move rapidly to shrink the size of the federal government. The agency plans to close dozens of Social Security offices throughout the country and has plans to lay off thousands of workers, raising concerns that access to benefits will be limited for millions of people.

Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a video statement outside the Sitka airport that the plan can work for much of America, but Alaska will face challenges. She said some residents flying from the town of Sitka to Juneau will spend $400 round-trip to file for Social Security benefits.

“You might say, ‘Well, they’ve got internet here (in Sitka),’ ” Murkowski said in the video. “They do most of the time, although there’s a scheduled (weeklong) outage because of a break in the fiber line, and Sitka is one of the lucky ones in terms of being able to have good internet access.”

Alaska has only three Social Security offices, in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.

“We cannot deny individuals the opportunity to make timely claims, to file for their Social Security,” she said. “This is an issue that your delegation is going to be all over. It means too much to us here in Alaska to have access for our Social Security beneficiaries.”

More than 100,000 Alaskans receive Social Security benefits, amid more than 70 million recipients nationwide, including retirees, children and people with disabilities.

Villages outside the Western Alaska hub community of Nome will have to pay more than $1,000 for two flights to reach Anchorage and return, said Melanie Bahnke, president of Kawerak tribal government based in Nome, representing 20 tribes in the Bering Strait region.

“And you have to get your lodging and transportation,” she said.

“You’re discriminating against people in rural America,” Bahnke said. “I’m not even putting race into this. It’s based on your location and internet access. People with limited financial means and people who don’t have access to a brick-and-mortar Social Security office are going to be hurt.”

“We’re talking about low-income, elderly people here,” she said. “Probably their only source of income might be the Social Security check, and that is not likely going to be used for Starlink so they can have internet.”

Alaska Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan strongly supports protecting Social Security and has taken steps to improve access in Alaska, including advocating for a fourth field office in the fast-growing Wasilla-Palmer area, said his spokesperson Amanda Coyne.

Last summer the Social Security agency held a “traveling” office in communities off the road system, including Nome, Dillingham and Sitka, Coyne said. Sullivan is pressing for similar innovations to the program in Alaska to overcome challenges posed by Alaska’s vast size, Coyne said.

“The senator does support rooting out fraud in Social Security where it exists, which only undermines a system that millions of Americans rely on, but does not support efforts that interrupt or block access to benefits rightfully due to Alaskan beneficiaries,” Coyne said in an email. “He and his team will be reaching out to the Acting Commissioner before March 31 to impress upon him the importance of phone-based and virtual appointments in a state with hundreds of communities not connected by roads.”

Alaska Republican U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III supports the efforts to “implement stronger identity verification procedures,” said his spokesperson, Silver Prout, in an email.

“By requiring in-person identity checks for those unable to use online services, SSA is taking a necessary step to protect Americans from identity theft and fraudulent claims,” she wrote.

“Alaskans have worked hard for their Social Security benefits, and these commonsense measures will help prevent fraud while ensuring that their personal information remains secure,” Prout said. “By requiring in-person identity checks for those unable to use online services, SSA is taking a necessary step to protect Americans from identity theft and fraudulent claims.”

“At the same time, we recognize the challenges these changes may pose for Alaskans living in rural communities, particularly those with limited or no access to broadband,” Prout said. “If someone you know faces difficulties accessing SSA services due to connectivity issues, we encourage them to reach out to our office.”

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