Musk Warns of 'Biggest Fraud in History' as Social Security Numbers Surpass US Population

THE NEWS

Elon Musk sparked controversy by claiming he’d uncovered “the biggest fraud in history” in the Social Security database, alleging that over 20 million people are listed as over 100 years old and still alive.

He shared a chart ranging from ages zero to 369 and joked that “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.”

Official Social Security Administration (SSA) audits confirm there are millions of centenarian-plus entries that haven’t been updated.

However, these same audits found that most of these individuals haven’t actually received benefits in decades.

Musk’s claims have reignited long-standing concerns about the SSA’s outdated records and possible identity fraud.

TIMELINE

• 1936: Social Security numbers start being issued when the benefits program begins.

• 1940: Ida May Fuller becomes the first US citizen to receive Social Security payments.

• March 2015 Audit: The SSA’s inspector general finds 6.5 million people listed as over 112 years old but not marked as deceased — even though only 35 people in the world had reached that age.

• July 2023 Audit: The SSA’s watchdog reveals 18.9 million individuals over 100 years old in the system without a recorded death date, though almost none were actively receiving benefits.

• Late Sunday: Musk posts on X (formerly Twitter) about more than 20 million “ghost” centenarians in the Social Security database, suggesting massive fraud.

• Monday: Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute explains that many of these phantom records likely belong to undocumented immigrants paying into Social Security but not collecting benefits.

REACTIONS

Elon Musk: Claimed the Social Security data points to “the biggest fraud in history,” joking about “vampires collecting Social Security” and insisting there are far more valid Social Security numbers than US citizens.

SSA Inspector General: Through audits, emphasized that the outdated records are a known issue, with most centenarian-plus accounts not actively receiving payments.

Alex Nowrasteh (Cato Institute): Argues that the large number of centenarians in the database primarily reflects undocumented immigrants using invalid or borrowed Social Security numbers, rather than fraudulent recipients taking money.

Former SSA Employee (via Jesse Singal): Explained that multiple SSNs can be issued legitimately (e.g., victims of identity theft) and that many recipients leave the US or die but remain in the database due to delayed updates.

Public/Observers: Mixed reactions on social media, with some echoing Musk’s outrage at potential fraud and others pointing to the known record-keeping challenges within the SSA.

WHAT’S NEXT

The SSA faces ongoing pressure to modernize its death-record databases and better track the status of beneficiaries.

There may be calls for new audits or legislative action to streamline record updating, particularly for individuals listed over 100 years old.

Ongoing discussions around identity theft, especially involving undocumented immigrants, could shape future immigration and Social Security reforms.