New Social Security director refutes allegations of deceased individuals receiving benefits

WASHINGTON — The newly appointed head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Lee Dudek, clarified on Wednesday that deceased individuals who are 100 years old and older are “not necessarily receiving benefits,” challenging the narrative that millions of centenarians are fraudulently collecting payments from the agency. This statement comes in response to misinformation propagated by former President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on social media and during public addresses, which claimed that the SSA is making payments to people aged 100, 200, and even 300.


While it is indeed a fact that some improper payments have occurred, including those related to deceased individuals, the figures suggested by Trump and Musk are exaggerated and do not accurately reflect SSA data.


Regarding the assertions made by the Trump administration about payments to individuals over 100, Trump stated during a press briefing in Florida that there are “millions and millions of people over 100 years old” receiving Social Security benefits and labeled these payments as either fraudulent or the result of incompetence. He further elaborated that if these “millions” were removed from the Social Security rolls, it would significantly bolster the system for younger beneficiaries in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. Additionally, he mentioned the presence of a person listed as being 360 years old.


On a similar note, Musk has been vocal about addressing fraud in government programs, posting on his platform X that the reported discrepancies are a significant issue and humorously speculating about vampires collecting Social Security. He joined in on criticizing the SSA by stating that it is problematic to have numerous individuals recorded as “ALIVE” when they are, in fact, deceased, questioning the accuracy of such records.


However, the assertion that tens of millions of individuals over the age of 100 are receiving benefits is inaccurate. This misunderstanding partially stems from the SSA’s software system, which is built on the COBOL programming language. The system can default to an incorrect reference due to missing or incomplete birthdates, leading to anomalies where individuals appear to have been born more than 150 years ago. This detail was first reported by WIRED.


Reports from the Social Security Administration’s inspector general, dated March 2023 and July 2024, have confirmed the agency’s lack of an updated system to accurately record death information. They identified around 18.9 million Social Security numbers belonging to individuals born in 1920 or earlier who were not marked as deceased. However, it’s essential to clarify that this does not suggest these individuals were actively receiving benefits.


The agency opted against updating its database due to the substantial cost estimate, which could exceed $9 million. A report from July 2023 indicated that “almost none of the numberholders discussed in the report currently receive SSA payments.” Furthermore, the SSA automatically halts payments to individuals aged over 115 years.


In a statement, Dudek, who took over the SSA role following the resignation of Michelle King, emphasized the agency’s dedication to transparency. He acknowledged the recent discourse surrounding individuals older than 100 who purportedly receive payments. Dudek confirmed that confusion stemmed from default settings in the database, stating, “The reported data are people in our records with a Social Security number who do not have a date of death associated with their record. These individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits.” He expressed confidence in the agency’s future efforts, bolstered by the commitment of his executive team.


Addressing the broader issue of Social Security fraud, a report from July 2024 revealed that from fiscal years 2015 to 2022, almost $8.6 trillion was disbursed in benefits, with $71.8 billion — accounting for less than 1% — identified as improper payments, primarily attributable to overpayments to living individuals.


Moreover, in early January, the U.S. Treasury began the process of reclaiming over $31 million in various federal payments mistakenly sent to deceased individuals, a recovery that is viewed as a small segment of larger fraud issues. This was part of a pilot program after Congress enabled the Department of Treasury to access the SSA’s comprehensive death records for three years, aimed at curbing fraudulent payments.


Experts have voiced concerns regarding the notion of misinformation surrounding Social Security payments. Chuck Blahous, a research strategist at the Mercatus Center, acknowledged Musk’s intention to tackle improper payments but pointed out that the error rates within the Social Security framework are among the lower rates in the federal government.


Sita Nataraj Slavov, a public policy professor, warned that claims made by Musk and Trump could oversimplify the complexities involved in addressing the government’s financial challenges. She cautioned that misunderstandings could lead people to believe there are straightforward solutions to Social Security’s financial woes without acknowledging the necessary trade-offs regarding tax increases or benefit reductions.


The White House also weighed in on the situation. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, referenced the inspector general’s previous findings on improper payments and affirmed that the SSA is committed to identifying and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse as part of its overarching mission to protect taxpayers.