BREAKING: Social Security Database Shows More Numbers Than US Citizens
In what some are calling potentially one of the biggest cases of government mismanagement in US history, Elon Musk has revealed startling data showing the Social Security Administration’s database contains approximately 395 million Social Security numbers – significantly more than the actual US population of 335 million citizens.
The revelations came overnight as Musk, head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), shared findings from his team’s initial investigation into the Social Security Administration’s records.
Age Discrepancies Raise Serious Questions
According to data posted by Musk on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Social Security database contains:
- Over 20 million people listed as being over 100 years old
- More than 4.7 million people in their 100s
- 3.6 million people ages 110-119
- 3.4 million people ages 120-129
- 3.9 million people ages 130-139
- 3.5 million people ages 140-149
- 1.3 million people ages 150-159
- Thousands more in age ranges all the way up to someone listed as being between 360-369 years old
By comparison, the 2020 US Census identified only approximately 880,000 centenarians (people aged 100+) living in the United States.
“Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security,” Musk joked in his post, which has now been viewed over 39 million times.
Potential Fraud or Massive Mismanagement?
While some are speculating that these discrepancies could point to massive fraud, others suggest it may represent decades of administrative failures in updating death records. Either explanation raises serious concerns about the management of one of the nation’s most critical benefits programs.
“This might be the biggest fraud in history,” Musk wrote in another post, though he acknowledged that a full investigation is needed before reaching conclusions.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who chairs a congressional subcommittee working alongside DOGE, stated during a Fox News interview that the team has discovered “Social Security checks paid out to recipients that don’t even have Social Security ID numbers.”
Trump Administration’s Two-Pronged Approach
The Trump administration appears to be taking a two-pronged approach to Social Security:
- Investigating waste and fraud: Through Musk’s DOGE team, which has been tasked with examining numerous government agencies for inefficiencies.
- Proposing tax cuts: The administration has proposed eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits for seniors, which currently affects approximately 40% of beneficiaries.
White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitz confirmed last week that this tax cut is part of what the administration calls “the largest tax cut in history.”
Antiquated Systems Compound Problems
Adding to the concerns about Social Security management, Musk also recently highlighted the antiquated systems still being used to process retirement applications.
He described a limestone mine in Boyers, Pennsylvania, where retirement paperwork is stored and processed by hand. The facility, which began operations in 1955, can only process about 10,000 retirement applications per month due to physical limitations.
According to The Washington Post, “This held up by all that paperwork in the mine runs as slowly now as it did in 1977. During the past 30 years, administrations have spent more than $100 million trying to automate the old-fashioned process in the mine and make it run at the speed of computers. They could not.”
What Does This Mean for Recipients?
For current Social Security recipients and those approaching retirement age, these revelations raise both concerns and potential opportunities:
- If significant fraud is identified and eliminated, it could extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund, which is currently projected to run dry in 8-12 years.
- The proposed elimination of taxes on Social Security benefits would effectively increase payments to the 40% of recipients currently paying federal income tax on their benefits.
- Improvements in processing systems could reduce delays for those applying for benefits.
Looking Forward
The Trump administration has indicated that addressing Social Security issues is a priority. The combination of anti-fraud measures and tax cuts appears aimed at fulfilling campaign promises to protect and strengthen the program.
