Millions Listed as Over 100 in Social Security Database—Musk Alleges Massive Fraud

Elon Musk recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to expose what he calls a massive issue in the Social Security system. According to Musk, over 20 million individuals in the database are listed as 100 years or older, despite the U.S. Census Bureau reporting only 80,000 centenarians in 2020. 

His findings include 3.9 million recorded as 130-139 years old, 3.5 million as 140-149, and 1.3 million as 150-159. Musk even pointed to one entry showing an age between 360 and 369.

According to the Social Security database, these are the numbers of people in each age bucket with the death field set to FALSE!

Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/ltb06VX98Z

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 17, 2025

 In a sarcastic remark, he joked that “maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.”

He went on to criticize the Social Security system, saying, “The logic flow diagram for the Social Security system looks INSANE. No one person actually knows how it works. The payment files that move between Social Security and Treasury have significant inconsistencies that are not reconciled. It’s wild.”

Furthering his argument, Musk claimed that “there are FAR more ‘eligible’ Social Security numbers than there are citizens in the USA. This might be the biggest fraud in history.”

Government Audits and Findings

Despite Musk’s concerns, government audits have documented this issue for years. A 2023 Social Security Administration (SSA) report found that 18.9 million people were listed as 100+ years old but had no record of death. 

However, the audit determined that nearly all of these individuals were likely deceased, with their records never properly updated. Out of these, 18.4 million had not received benefits or reported income for over 50 years, suggesting they had died long ago. Only about 44,000 were actually receiving benefits, and just 13 were listed as being older than 112.

A March 2015 SSA audit uncovered 6.5 million Social Security numbers associated with individuals over 112, despite fewer than 35 people worldwide reaching that age at the time. 

The issue stems from outdated record-keeping, particularly before electronic death reporting was introduced. In some cases, these numbers are still in circulation due to identity fraud.

Possible Causes and Implications

Experts point to multiple factors behind these inconsistencies. Many Social Security numbers belong to people who died decades ago, but their deaths were never recorded due to manual data entry errors. Some numbers are used fraudulently, especially by undocumented workers who pay into the system but do not claim benefits. Others may have been reissued new Social Security numbers after experiencing identity theft, leading to duplicates.

While Musk’s claims have sparked fresh scrutiny, existing audits indicate that most of these cases are not active fraud. However, concerns about improper payments and identity theft remain. The SSA is expected to continue reviewing its database, and potential policy changes could be introduced to improve record-keeping and fraud prevention.

Also Read:

• Elon Musk and Donald Trump Sued By 14 States Over Alleged Unconstitutional Role At DOGE
• Bill Gates Slams Elon Musk's Political Shift: ‘Insane’
• Elon Musk Adjusts DOGE's Budget Cut Target To $1 Trillion