Overview

• Elon Musk and President Donald Trump have claimed that millions of deceased individuals, including centenarians, are fraudulently receiving Social Security payments, but these claims lack evidence and misinterpret SSA data.
• Experts explain that the figures cited by Musk likely stem from outdated database entries, including Social Security numbers without death records, rather than actual benefit recipients.
• The Social Security Administration confirmed that fewer than 44,000 centenarians were receiving benefits as of 2023, a number consistent with demographic data and not indicative of widespread fraud.
• Improper payments, including to deceased individuals, account for less than 1% of Social Security disbursements, with most errors attributed to overpayments to living beneficiaries, according to SSA audits.
• Critics warn that exaggerated claims about fraud could undermine public trust in Social Security, which provides essential support to over 68 million Americans.