Wed Feb 19 18:50:08 UTC 2025: ## Musk’s Vampire Claim and Social Security Shake-Up: Fact vs. Fiction

**Washington D.C.** – Elon Musk’s recent claim that millions of “vampires” are fraudulently collecting Social Security benefits has sparked controversy, echoing similar allegations made by President Donald Trump. While both Musk and Trump pointed to a large number of individuals over 100 years old listed as alive in the Social Security database, these claims have been debunked.

A 2024 report from the Social Security Administration (SSA) Inspector General confirmed that a small percentage of payments – less than 1% of the $8.6 trillion paid between 2015 and 2022 – were mistakenly sent to deceased individuals. This discrepancy is largely attributed to the SSA’s outdated system, which can misinterpret incomplete birthdate information. Further, a 2023 SSA report clarified that almost none of these individuals were actively receiving payments. The SSA automatically halts payments to anyone listed as 115 or older since 2015.

While the SSA acknowledges errors in its database, showing 18.9 million Social Security numbers belonging to people born in 1920 or earlier not marked as dead, this doesn’t indicate active fraudulent receipt of benefits. The Treasury recovered only $31 million in mistaken payments to deceased individuals in early 2024, a minuscule fraction of total payouts.

The controversy surrounding the data has coincided with the resignation of Acting SSA Commissioner Michelle King. Reports suggest her departure stems from internal conflicts over access to sensitive Social Security data, specifically resistance to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s attempts to access the SSA’s Enterprise Data Warehouse. Concerns are growing about DOGE’s access to sensitive data across various government agencies, including the Treasury and IRS. Experts warn that unrestricted access to Social Security records poses a significant privacy risk. President Trump has appointed an interim commissioner while his nominee undergoes Senate vetting. The misleading claims about widespread Social Security fraud risk diverting attention from the agency’s genuine financial challenges, policy experts warn.

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