In a digital post dripping with outrage, Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene echoed the claims made by Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, alleging widespread fraud within the Social Security system.
"Our own government just blindly sends checks to anyone and everyone whether citizen, non-citizen, dead or alive,” Greene said in a recent post on X, formerly Twitter. "We must end this malpractice and outright waste, fraud, and abuse. This is the mission of DOGE."
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To be fair, the Congresswoman has a reputation for making baseless allegations and promoting conspiracy theories. In previous tweets, she has claimed that 9/11 was an inside job, Jewish people control a space laser that causes wildfires and that the Sandy Hook massacre was staged.
Her latest assertion — that cracking down on “widespread” fraud can save the Social Security Administration (SSA) $1 trillion — has also been debunked.
Here’s a closer look at why experts argue that while addressing waste and fraud is necessary, it’s not a silver bullet for the nation’s safety net.
Misleading claims
The claim that the Social Security Administration “blindly” sends out checks is misleading.
Non-citizens or foreign-born workers with legal permits pay into the system at the same rate as citizens but collect fewer benefits on average, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.
Meanwhile, undocumented workers contributed an estimated $25.7 billion in Social Security taxes — typically through borrowed or fraudulent Social Security numbers. These individuals are not eligible to receive benefits.
While the agency isn’t immune to fraud and improper payments, the overall impact is minimal.
During a press conference on March 18, Lee Dudek, the agency’s acting commissioner, estimated that annual losses due to direct deposit fraud at roughly $100 million. That represents just 0.00625% of the $1.6 trillion the government distributes annually in Social Security benefits, according to the Brookings Institute.
That figure is nowhere close to Greene’s claims of $1 trillion per year on X. Her claim would amount to 62.5% of the SSA’s total projected payouts for 2025.
Nevertheless, the Congresswoman continues to insist that tighter identity verification procedures could help reduce fraud.
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Stringent ID requirements
The SSA has confirmed that updated ID policies will be implemented by April 14. Under the new rules, more people will need to visit a Social Security office in person to make changes to their direct deposit information.
Critics argue that these changes come at a time when the agency is still reeling from mass layoffs and office closures by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. In February, the SSA announced a 12% reduction in its workforce and a reduction in field offices from 10 to 4, according to AARP.
“The customer service situation at Social Security has really declined in the past month or so,” Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs at AARP, told CNBC. He noted that the average wait time for the SSA’s 800 number rose from 11 minutes in November to 21.2 minutes.
This could be a good time to log in to your SSA account and double-check your details to ensure the agency has the correct information. If not, contact SSA to make any necessary corrections or updates and to avoid delays in receiving your benefits.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
