A recent investigation by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has uncovered alarming discrepancies in the Social Security database, revealing that millions of dollars are being paid out to individuals listed as over 140 years old.
Musk shared the findings on his X account, calling it “probably the biggest fraud in history.” According to DOGE’s analysis, 3,542,044 recipients are recorded as being between 140 and 149 years old, with even one individual listed in the 360-369 age range. The investigation found a total of 394.9 million Social Security numbers in the system—far exceeding the estimated 310 million eligible recipients and the U.S. population of 334 million—leaving a discrepancy of 85.9 million.
Musk pointed to these inconsistencies as evidence of large-scale fraud, noting that the DOGE team has already saved American taxpayers over $100 billion in under a month. The department estimates that an additional $215 million could be recovered by 2026 as they continue uncovering improper payments.
Some officials argue that outdated technology may be partially the cause. The Social Security Administration’s COBOL-based system reportedly defaults unknown birthdates to 1875, which could explain some of the anomalies.
