The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established to streamline federal operations and curb wasteful spending, announced a significant overhaul of Social Security Administration (SSA) records on April 24, 2025. The agency revealed that it had updated the records of millions of individuals listed as 120 years or older, marking them as deceased in a sweeping effort to address inaccuracies in the SSA’s database. This initiative, described as a “major cleanup,” has been underway for several weeks, with approximately 11 million accounts of purported centenarians—aged 120 or older—now flagged as deceased. DOGE further noted that an additional 1.4 million records are slated for updates within the next two weeks, building on the 3.2 million accounts already addressed as of March 18.
The scale of the cleanup is staggering. A chart released by DOGE on April 24 detailed the breakdown: over 2.7 million records of individuals aged 120 to 129, 3.4 million aged 130 to 139, 3.3 million aged 140 to 149, and 1.3 million aged 150 to 159 were removed from active status. In total, 10,926,833 accounts were marked as deceased. These figures highlight a systemic issue within the SSA’s record-keeping, raising questions about how such a vast number of accounts for individuals far exceeding typical human lifespans remained active for so long.
The issue first gained public attention in February 2025, when Elon Musk, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump and a prominent figure in DOGE’s efficiency push, highlighted the anomaly. Musk shared a screenshot from a federal database indicating that over 12 million Social Security recipients were listed as older than 120, with some records showing individuals in age ranges as implausible as 240–249 and 360–369. Over a thousand were marked as aged 220–229. In a tongue-in-cheek remark, Musk quipped, “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.” His post underscored the absurdity of the situation while drawing attention to potential fraud or administrative oversight.
The SSA’s challenges with improper payments are not new. A 2024 report from the SSA Inspector General provided context, noting that between 2015 and 2022, the agency disbursed $8.6 trillion in benefits, of which $71.8 billion—approximately 0.84 percent—were improper payments, predominantly overpayments. The report described improper payments as a “longstanding challenge” for the SSA, attributing them to outdated systems, limited access to accurate data, and insufficient automation. While the SSA has implemented measures to mitigate these issues, the report emphasized that without significant modernization, policy reforms, or legislative changes, improper payments would persist. The cleanup of records for individuals aged 120 and older appears to be a direct response to these concerns, aiming to close loopholes that allow benefits to flow to deceased or nonexistent recipients.
Beyond Social Security, DOGE’s efforts have extended to other areas of government spending, including unemployment benefits. Earlier in April 2025, Musk highlighted findings from a DOGE survey that exposed fraudulent unemployment claims. The survey revealed that since 2020, 24,500 individuals listed as over 115 years old had claimed $59 million in benefits, while 28,000 claimants aged 1 to 5 received $254 million. Even more bizarrely, 9,700 individuals with birth dates more than 15 years in the future were paid $69 million. These claims point to a broader issue of fraudulent activity, where individuals exploit weak verification processes to collect benefits they are not entitled to.
Unemployment fraud, as defined by the Department of Labor, involves knowingly submitting false information, collecting benefits while ineligible, or failing to report income while receiving full benefits. The consequences for such actions are significant, with federal penalties including a fine of at least 15 percent of the fraudulent payment. State unemployment insurance laws may impose additional sanctions, such as criminal prosecution, fines, incarceration, or permanent ineligibility for benefits. DOGE’s survey underscores the need for stronger oversight and cross-referencing of data to prevent such abuses, particularly when claimants’ ages or birth dates are clearly implausible.
The cleanup of SSA records and the scrutiny of unemployment claims reflect DOGE’s broader mission to enhance government efficiency and reduce waste. The initiative aligns with President Trump’s emphasis on fiscal responsibility, with Musk’s involvement lending high-profile visibility to the effort. However, the scale of the discrepancies—millions of accounts tied to individuals aged 120 or older—raises questions about the SSA’s data management practices. How did such errors accumulate over time? Were these accounts the result of clerical mistakes, outdated systems, or deliberate fraud? The SSA Inspector General’s report suggests a combination of factors, with technological limitations playing a significant role. Modernizing the agency’s systems, as recommended in the report, could help prevent similar issues in the future, but such reforms require substantial investment and time.
The public response to DOGE’s announcements has been mixed. On one hand, the identification and removal of millions of erroneous records is a tangible step toward reducing wasteful spending, which many taxpayers support. The notion of benefits being paid to deceased individuals or fictional claimants is likely to resonate as an example of government inefficiency. On the other hand, the revelations have sparked concerns about the SSA’s ability to manage its core functions effectively. Social Security is a critical lifeline for millions of retirees, disabled individuals, and survivors, and any perception of mismanagement could erode public trust in the system. Critics may also question why it took an external agency like DOGE, rather than the SSA itself, to identify and address such glaring issues.
Musk’s role in the process has added another layer of complexity. His penchant for provocative social media posts, such as the vampire quip, has drawn attention to the issue but also framed it in a way that some view as flippant. While his involvement has amplified DOGE’s message, it has also invited skepticism from those who question his expertise in government administration. Supporters, however, argue that his outsider perspective and data-driven approach are precisely what’s needed to tackle entrenched bureaucratic problems. Regardless of one’s view, Musk’s ability to spotlight inefficiencies has undeniably accelerated the push for reform.
The broader implications of DOGE’s work extend beyond Social Security and unemployment benefits. By exposing flaws in federal databases, the agency is highlighting the need for better data integration across government programs. Inaccurate or outdated records can lead to misallocated resources, whether through overpayments, fraud, or administrative errors. The SSA Inspector General’s report emphasized the importance of data access and automation, suggesting that real-time verification systems could help flag anomalies like claimants with future birth dates or implausible ages. Such systems, however, require coordination between agencies, robust cybersecurity measures, and public acceptance of increased data sharing.
As DOGE continues its cleanup, questions remain about the next steps. Will the SSA implement the systemic changes needed to prevent a recurrence of these issues? How will the agency balance its modernization efforts with its day-to-day responsibilities to millions of beneficiaries? And what other areas of government spending might DOGE target in its quest for efficiency? The unemployment fraud findings suggest that vulnerabilities exist across multiple programs, and addressing them will require a sustained, multi-agency effort.
For now, the removal of nearly 11 million erroneous Social Security records is a significant milestone. It demonstrates the potential for targeted interventions to yield measurable results, even in a sprawling federal bureaucracy. Yet it also serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in managing programs that serve millions of people. The SSA’s improper payments, while a small percentage of its total disbursements, represent billions of dollars that could be better allocated. Similarly, the millions paid in fraudulent unemployment benefits underscore the human and financial cost of inadequate oversight.
The work of DOGE, while still in its early stages, has already sparked a broader conversation about government accountability. Whether this momentum translates into lasting change will depend on the willingness of agencies like the SSA to embrace reform, the availability of resources to modernize systems, and the public’s demand for transparency. For the millions of Americans who rely on Social Security and other benefits, the stakes are high. Ensuring that these programs operate efficiently and equitably is not just a matter of fiscal prudence—it’s a matter of trust in the institutions that underpin the social safety net. As DOGE presses forward, its ability to balance immediate fixes with long-term solutions will shape the future of government efficiency.