Musk claims Social Security database lists improbable ages

Elon Musk claims millions listed as over 100 in Social Security database raises questions about potential fraud and inefficiencies.

In Short

Elon Musk questions the accuracy of the Social Security database, alleging millions are wrongly recorded as over 100 years old. He highlights inconsistencies and suggests the system may be the largest fraud in history while Democrats protest outside the agency.

In a recent post on X, Musk highlighted that the database includes individuals with ages listed as high as 360. He shared a chart illustrating that over 20 million entries are for those aged 100 and above, despite the U.S. Census Bureau reporting just over 80,000 individuals in this age group based on the 2020 census.

Democratic lawmakers recently protested outside the Social Security Administration, expressing concerns over potential spending investigations involving DOGE. Musk’s comments on the age discrepancies have added to the controversy, as he jokingly suggested the existence of vampires collecting benefits.

Musk also noted significant inconsistencies in payment files between the Social Security Administration and the Treasury, characterising the system as chaotic and difficult to understand. He emphasised that there appear to be more eligible Social Security numbers than there are US citizens, calling it potentially the largest fraud in history.

These remarks come as President Donald Trump has appointed Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at identifying waste and fraud within federal agencies.