LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. (WFLA) — Sandra Utterback was stunned to get a letter from the Social Security Administration, confirming a request to divert her benefits check to a new financial institution where she didn’t have an account.

She says that was done by a crook who has now stolen her $1,617 dollar payment. She’s been fighting with the government ever since to get that money back.

“It was their fault,” she said. “It’s not like I did this.”

This happened in February, and even though Social Security is now sending her money to the correct account, Utterback still hasn’t received her missing payment.

“One lady told me I would probably get it by Friday,” she said. “That didn’t happen, so I called again, and I was told that until the treasury department retrieves the money, I won’t get it.”

Without her money, she tells me she has had to borrow from family. She says she’s made numerous calls to the government, and her federal representative and is tired of waiting for the money that was stolen from her.

“They should give me my money and then get their money back,” she said.

When Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken reached out to Social Security, a spokesperson said they could not comment because of privacy laws but that they would reach out to Utterback. We will follow this story until every penny is returned.