Elon Musk exposes massive Social Security database flaws, sparking fraud investigation
Shreedhar Rathi | Feb 21, 2025, 09:51 IST
Elon Musk has raised concerns about massive fraud in the Social Security Administration, revealing that millions of deceased individuals are still listed as beneficiaries, including some purportedly over 360 years old. This revelation has highlighted potential systemic issues and could lead to significant reforms. An investigation is underway to determine the extent of fraudulent payments.
A bombshell revelation from Elon Musk has ignited concerns over widespread fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA), with data suggesting millions of deceased individuals are still listed as eligible beneficiaries—including some reportedly over 360 years old.
The findings, released by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have raised alarms over potential systemic failures within one of the nation’s largest federal programs. Musk’s disclosure has also drawn criticism from some who argue that he shouldn’t have access to such sensitive government data.
In response to these concerns, Musk fired back in his signature blunt style: “Bruh, if I wanted to rummage through random personal stuff, I could have done that at PayPal.”
He added, “Having tens of millions of people marked as ‘ALIVE’ in Social Security records when they are definitely dead is a HUGE problem. Some of these people would have been alive before America even existed. Think about that for a second.”
The investigation into the SSA’s records began after Musk shared data on X revealing that over 20 million Americans are listed as being over 100 years old. The figures, published in a detailed spreadsheet, include:
- 3.9 million people recorded as aged 130-139
- 3.5 million aged 140-149
- 1.3 million between 150-159
“Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security,” Musk joked on X.
These revelations have intensified calls for reform amid rising concerns over government spending. According to Musk’s analysis, the SSA database lists around 310 million eligible beneficiaries—an implausible 92.5% of the U.S. population, which currently stands at 334.9 million.
At a White House press conference alongside President Donald Trump, Musk underscored the absurdity of the situation. “We’ve got people in there that are 150 years old. Do you know anyone who’s 150? I don’t. They should be in the Guinness Book of World Records.”
DOGE officials confirmed they are investigating the matter, aiming to determine the extent of fraudulent payments and why such glaring discrepancies went unnoticed.
This latest probe comes as part of a broader federal cost-cutting effort led by Musk, who has already overseen sweeping agency reforms, including the dismantling of USAID and the restructuring of FEMA. The administration has also terminated billions in federal contracts and launched a voluntary buyout program, allowing 40,000 federal employees to accept full pay through September in exchange for leaving their positions.
As the investigation unfolds, taxpayers will be watching closely to see just how deep the problems within the SSA run—and how much money has been lost to fraudulent claims.