Elon Musk warns of "biggest fraud in history" as Social Security numbers surpass US population

Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has raised concerns over what he believes could be "the biggest fraud in history" within the United States' social security system.

Musk claims on X that the number of individuals receiving social benefits in official US databases significantly exceeds the country’s total population, Caliber.Az reports

He highlighted that there are far more "corresponding" social security numbers than there are citizens in the United States.

"Yes, there are FAR more “eligible” social security numbers than there are citizens in the USA. This might be the biggest fraud in history," Musk remarked, responding to a post from a user who pointed out that the number of individual social security numbers used for receiving benefits is 394 million, while the nation's population stands at 334 million.

According to Musk, the number of US citizens eligible for social benefits should be around 310 million. He shared his thoughts on the matter while commenting on a table displaying the ages of living Americans who are receiving social benefits.

Among the recipients, there are several million individuals aged between 120 and 249 years, as well as one "super centenarian" listed in the age group of 360 to 369 years.

"According to the social security database, this is the number of people in each age group who are listed as having no death date," Musk said. "Perhaps 'Twilight' is real, and there are many vampires receiving social benefits." DOGE has vowed to investigate the situation further.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk's U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is seeking access to the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) Integrated Data Retrieval System (IDRS), which contains detailed financial information about taxpayers, businesses, and nonprofits. The proposal has raised alarms within the IRS, as the IDRS allows access to personal identification numbers, bank data, and the ability to adjust transaction records.

Gavin Kliger, a DOGE software engineer, is set to work with the IRS for 120 days, providing IT modernization consulting. However, concerns have emerged over the potential misuse of sensitive tax data. Nina Olson, former IRS national taxpayer advocate, warned, “Someone with access to it could use it and make it public in a way... and your rights get violated.”

A Trump administration official defended the request, stating that DOGE’s mission is to “eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse” in government operations. Despite this, experts highlight that it’s highly unusual for political appointees to have access to such personal information. The IRS’s acting commissioner, Doug O'Donnell, has yet to approve Kliger's access to the IDRS.

The request is also controversial amid broader concerns about the IRS’s independence, especially after former Commissioner Danny Werfel’s resignation in January. The move comes as taxpayers prepare to file returns by April 15. White House spokesman Harrison Fields emphasized that direct access is necessary to address inefficiencies in the system.

By Aghakazim Guliyev