Washington, D.C., May 13, 2025 — The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has claimed to have removed 9.9 million “scammers” from the Social Security system, a figure that has ignited fierce debate over the group’s methods and motives. The announcement, first made on April 1 by DOGE on X and echoed in subsequent posts, has been met with both celebration and skepticism, with critics questioning the accuracy of the claim and its implications for vulnerable Americans.
DOGE’s “major cleanup” of Social Security records involved marking 9.9 million numberholders listed as 120 years or older as deceased, with plans to address another 2 million, according to their April 1 statement. The effort, which began in February, stemmed from Musk’s initial assertion that millions of centenarians were fraudulently collecting benefits—a claim he jokingly attributed to “vampires” on X. Posts on X have amplified the narrative, with users like
@MilaLovesJoe estimating that if each “scammer” received $1,800 monthly, DOGE saved $17.8 billion a month, or over $200 billion annually. However, these figures are speculative and lack independent verification.
Experts and former Social Security Administration (SSA) officials have challenged DOGE’s portrayal of widespread fraud. Michael Astrue, SSA commissioner under Presidents Bush and Obama, told NPR in March that claims of rampant fraud are “flat out wrong,” pointing to the agency’s rigorous oversight. A 2023 SSA inspector general report found that 98% of records for those over 100 years old showed no benefit payments, with only 0.1% of the 67 million beneficiaries being centenarians. Kathleen Romig of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities emphasized to ABC News that the Numident database, which DOGE cited, includes historical records of Social Security numberholders—many deceased—without death dates, not active benefit recipients.
The cleanup stems from outdated record-keeping, not fraud. Numident, dating back to 1936, often lacks death dates for pre-1962 records, and COBOL-based systems default missing birth years to 1875, making some appear 150 years old. A 2015 audit identified 6.5 million records over 112 years old, but only 266 received payments—less than 1%. By 2023, 18.9 million records lacked death data, but almost none were linked to active benefits. The SSA had declined to update these records due to costs exceeding $9 million, a decision DOGE has now acted on, claiming to combat fraud.
Critics argue the move risks more harm than good. The SSA’s payment accuracy is 99.7%, with improper payments—mostly overpayments—totaling $71.8 billion from 2015 to 2022, or 0.84% of benefits, per a 2024 report. Marking records as deceased could disrupt legitimate payments if errors occur, especially for elderly or disabled beneficiaries. AARP and unions have warned that DOGE’s broader actions, including cutting 7,000 SSA jobs and closing 47 field offices, could exacerbate delays and access issues, particularly for rural Americans. A federal judge in Maryland issued an injunction on April 18, barring DOGE from accessing non-anonymized SSA data, citing privacy violations.
DOGE’s supporters, however, see the cleanup as a necessary step. On X, users have hailed it as a “MAGA win,” arguing that removing “ghost” beneficiaries saves taxpayer money. The Trump administration, through spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, has framed the effort as part of a mandate to root out waste, though White House claims of “tens of millions” in fraudulent payments remain unsubstantiated. The timing of the announcement, amidst other DOGE controversies like Musk’s role in Trump’s administration and a $400 million Qatari jet gift, has fueled accusations of political theater.
The question posed on X—“Is this what you voted for?”—reflects the polarized response. While some see DOGE’s actions as fulfilling Trump’s promise to streamline government, others view it as an attack on a vital program, risking chaos for millions of beneficiaries. As DOGE pushes forward with its final 2 million records, the true impact on Social Security—and public trust—remains to be seen.
