Billionaire Elon Musk has claimed there is widespread fraud taking place in the payment of “federal entitlements” such as Social Security. The payments are made to over 70 million Americans each month, and form a crucial part of their income. Musk’s comments have sparked criticism from lawmakers, advocacy groups, and former administrators, who argue that his takeover of the non-official Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a threat to personal data and taxpayer dollars.
Musk claimed that the amount of fraud in federal entitlements exceeds private scams by far, with $100 billion per year in payments made to individuals without Social Security numbers. He also pointed out that the social security database is not de-duplication enabled, which enables massive fraud.
However, his claims have been met with skepticism, as former SSA beneficiaries and advocates have staged a rally outside SSA offices in Washington D.C. calling for an halt on Musk’s efforts to access payment records. A preliminary injunction has also been issued to stop Musk from accessing personal financial data of millions of Americans.
Lawmakers such as Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and Martin O’Malley, former Commissioner of the SSA, have condemned Musk’s actions, calling them “politically motivated” and a threat to taxpayer dollars.
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-major-social-security-warning-fraud-billion-week-lost-2029244