Politics
No, Millions of Dead Americans Aren’t Collecting Social Security—Musk Gets It Wrong: Experts
By Jake Beardslee · February 21, 2025
Musk and Trump Claim Widespread Social Security Fraud
In the wake of accusations from Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump regarding widespread fraud in the Social Security system, top officials at the Social Security Administration (SSA) have stepped down. The claims, which some experts say are based on a misinterpretation of agency records, have sparked controversy and misinformation about the state of government benefits, according to ABC News.The controversy began last week when Musk, speaking in the Oval Office for the first time since the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiated an aggressive federal overhaul, claimed to have uncovered "crazy things" within the SSA, including supposed records of people "150 years old" receiving benefits. He later amplified these claims in a post on X, stating, "Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security." The White House / Wikimedia
Trump Amplifies the Allegations
Trump echoed these assertions at a Mar-a-Lago press conference, citing Musk's data and questioning, "Now, the big thing is, how many of these people got paid? Where are they getting paid? Where are they getting paid? How many of them were getting paid Social Security, because that's - if that's the case, it's a massive fraud." Greg Lovett / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Experts Question Claims About Social Security Records
However, some policy experts and economists have challenged these claims, arguing that Musk and Trump have misunderstood the SSA’s databases. Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, pointed out that of the 67 million Social Security recipients, only 0.1% are over the age of 100. "So, when they're throwing around numbers like tens of millions of dead people are getting Social Security, well there's only 67 million total. What are they talking about? Half the people are actually dead? The numbers are so ridiculous. It's not true," she said, according to ABC News. Markus Winkler / Pexels
Understanding SSA Databases and Historical Records
The SSA maintains multiple databases, including one sent to the Treasury Department to track active benefit recipients. Another, known as Numident, contains records of all individuals ever assigned a Social Security number, including those who died before electronic records were standardized. Musk may have pulled his data from Numident, which contains nearly 19 million pre-1920 births lacking recorded death dates, according to a 2023 inspector general's report. Carol M. Highsmith / Wikimedia
SSA Acknowledges Payment Errors, But Says Fraud Claims Overstated
SSA does acknowledge some improper payments. A July 2024 inspector general’s report found that from 2015 to 2022, the agency issued $71.8 billion in erroneous payments—about 1% of its annual $1 trillion in benefits. Most of these cases involved overpayments to living beneficiaries rather than deceased individuals receiving funds.The SSA has policies to prevent fraudulent payments, including automatic termination of benefits at age 115 and verification measures tied to Medicare usage. The agency opted not to fix Numident discrepancies due to the estimated $9 million cost and the limited practical impact of such corrections, according to Time. United States Social Security Administration / Wikimedia
Social Security Chief Responds to Benefit Concerns
On Wednesday, Social Security’s acting commissioner, Lee Dudek, responded to reports regarding the number of individuals over 100 years old who may be receiving benefits. He clarified that the reported figures represent people in the agency’s records with a Social Security number but no recorded date of death, noting that “these individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits.”Dudek expressed confidence in the agency’s operations, stating, “I am confident that with DOGE’s help and the commitment of our executive team and workforce, that Social Security will continue to deliver for the American people.” U.S. Government / Wikimedia
