Social Security Fraud? The Truth Behind Trump and Musk’s Allegations
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| Are Millions of Dead People Getting Social Security |
Are Millions of Dead People Getting Social Security? Here’s What the Data Really Says?
They claim that millions of deceased individuals, some purportedly over 150 years old, are still receiving benefits, suggesting massive fraud and mismanagement within the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, upon closer examination, these assertions appear to be significantly overstated and not supported by existing evidence.
Read more: Are Millions of Dead People Getting Social Security? Here’s What the Data Really Says
Claims of Payments to Deceased Individuals
President Trump, in his address to Congress on March 3, 2025, echoed Musk's earlier statements by asserting that approximately 20 million Social Security numbers associated with deceased or extremely aged individuals are still drawing benefits, contributing to the federal budget deficit. He suggested that eliminating these fraudulent payments could substantially reduce the deficit without affecting legitimate beneficiaries.
Inspector General's Findings
Contrary to these claims, a 2023 report from the SSA's nonpartisan Office of the Inspector General found that while there were about 18.9 million records of individuals aged 100 and above without recorded dates of death, none of these individuals were actively receiving benefits. This discrepancy is largely attributed to outdated or incomplete data within the SSA's systems, rather than evidence of fraudulent activity.
Improper Payments and Overpayments
The issue of improper payments within the SSA has been documented, but the scale is relatively minor. A July 2024 report from the SSA's Inspector General indicated that less than 1% of total payments were improper, with the majority being overpayments rather than fraudulent disbursements. These overpayments often result from administrative errors or delays in updating beneficiary information and are typically recovered over time.
SSA's Response and Data Management
The SSA acknowledges challenges in maintaining accurate records, particularly concerning the dates of death for beneficiaries. The agency's outdated COBOL-based computer system has been cited as a factor contributing to data inaccuracies, such as defaulting missing data to indicate improbably high ages. However, these data issues do not equate to ongoing fraudulent payments.
Conclusion
The allegations of widespread fraud within the Social Security program, as presented by President Trump and Elon Musk, are not substantiated by available evidence. While data management issues exist within the SSA, leading to records of deceased individuals without proper death dates, there is no indication that these records result in fraudulent benefit payments. The SSA continues to address these challenges by improving data accuracy and recovering overpayments to ensure the integrity of the Social Security program.
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