WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Major changes are coming to the Social Security Administration as President Trump and his team continue to shake up the federal government. Advocates and seniors are worried the planned reforms will prevent people from getting the benefits they rely on.  This week the Soci al Security Administration announced starting March 31st people can no longer do identity checks over the phone. Instead, those applying for benefits or recipients changing bank information will have to do that online or in-person at a Social Security field office.  Senior VP for Govt. Affairs at AARP Bill Sweeney says he's very concerned about that shift. "I think it's going to be terrible if they go forward as scheduled," Sweeny said "It's a really big burden to put on people who are just trying to get the money that they've earned." The Trump administration argues the changes are meant to weed out fraud that they say is rampant in the Social Security system.  Shannon Benton with the Senior Citizens League says the speed at which they're changing their policies doesn't give recipients enough time to adjust.  "We think it's asking too much. We do applaud social security's efforts to combat fraud 100%, just not at the expense of those who are trying to draw benefits legally," Benton said.  She points out a lot of seniors don't have the access or expertise to use the online system. And the in-person visits could be tough for people in rural areas who may have to drive hours, or those with mobility issues or who don't drive anymore.  "You're throwing an awful lot at seniors right now who are already stretched thin financially," Benton said.  Plus, the Department of Government Efficiency is planning to close 47 Social Security field offices across the country, making it harder to visit one at a time when more people will need to.  "It's kind of a catch 22," Benton said.  Sweeny adds that, ironically, this is the perfect recipe for more scams. He says because the deadline is coming up quickly and people are scared their benefits may get cut off, they're more vulnerable to giving away personal information.  "We're actually making it more likely that people could get defrauded, could get scammed, and think that it's social security on the phone," Sweeney said.  Both advocates are urging the administration to slow down and reconsider.  ...read more read less