Musk eyes Social Security and benefit programs for cuts while claiming widespread fraud

[What if...?]

There is no evidence that they are planning to "slash" benefits. Why bother? That's going to happen without anyone doing anything at all.

Except for the tax cut hungry that resent anything that doesn’t benefit them.

 

[Anthony60]

Does it make sense to you that we would approve of fraud in the SSA when that very fraud could decrease our benefits? Maybe you haven't reached retirement yet, but I for one would love to see all the fraud wiped out. The only folks who wouldn't like this are the fraudsters themselves.

When Musk start's going on the record calling it a Ponzi scheme or making comments that he would like to see SS gone altogether along with Medicare, it's logical that retirees may get just a little concerned.

I wish it never existed. I could have gotten a much better return on that money, if I didn't have to hand it over to the government.
Of course, no benefits will ever be cut for people already dependent on SS. But, I wouldn't be surprised it people that just started paying in to see negative returns, or none at all.

 

[Anthony60]

Nah. Just privatization.

So the folks whose dick he sucks hoping they’ll finally let him into the club can just steal it for themselves.

Keep your homosexual fantasies to yourself, please.

 

[The AntiDonald]

I wish it never existed. I could have gotten a much better return on that money, if I didn't have to hand it over to the government.
Of course, no benefits will ever be cut for people already dependent on SS. But, I wouldn't be surprised it people that just started paying in to see negative returns, or none at all.

I wish I could agree with your prediction. However, that's not the way I see it. Musk/Trump have a mission to save/find cash from fraud, waste, bla, bla, bla. Cutting future benefits does nothing for their immediate mission. They need to find the funds now. The only way to do that is exactly what Musk explained in his interview with Kudlow.

I did hear the WH made a statement today assuring beneficiaries that SS and Medicare won't be touched. I only wished I had a little more trust in WH announcements.

 

[What if...?]

Another lefty fighting to defend waste and fraud.

And you’re defending the wasted fraud.

 

[mike2810]

There is fraud in SS. To think there isn’t is either naive or foolish partisan pandering. Even the government estimates their are tens of billions of “improper” payments each year.

Federal Government Made $236 billion “Improper Payments” Last Fiscal Year

The federal government reported an estimated $236 billion in “improper payments” during the most recently completed fiscal year (FY 2023). Such payments are essentially payment errors that can be the result of many things—including overpayments, inaccurate recordkeeping, or even fraud.Payment...

www.gao.gov

Is an "improper payment" always fraud?

If it is fraud, when is the DOJ going to open a criminal investigation into who carried out the fraud?

 

[MTAtech]

Obviously, the left's concern here is to spin this as Trump is going to cut your benefits, instead of Trump cutting the fraud out. Because, we all know, there can't possibly be any waste or fraud in Social Security. Rev up the propaganda machine, lefties!

There is not any significant fraud in Social Security. If you disagree, it's up to you to prove it and I am confident that you cannot.

 

[slavablueberryjam]

There is not any significant fraud in Social Security. If you disagree, it's up to you to prove it and I am confident that you cannot.

But he watches Fox News!

 

[MTAtech]

Please provide all Musk quotes or proof Musk where he seeks to cut SS and other benefit programs.

Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly vowed not to touch Social Security benefits, a stance reiterated by himself and White House officials. Go ahead and feign being shocked all you want because nobody is coming after your social security check. You're not being truthful.


As of March 9th, 2025

Trump doesn’t plan to cut Social Security​

"President Trump has been accused of having it in for Social Security. In spite of that, he’s promised to keep the program intact for older Americans.

During his campaign, Trump said, “I will not cut one cent from Social Security or Medicare…I kept my promise for four years and I will keep it again.”

Trump even went on to say that not only he will not make cuts to Social Security, but he also doesn’t want recipients to continue having to pay taxes on their benefits. So it’s clear that he’s not looking to strip the program of funding anytime soon."

Will Donald Trump Cut Social Security? Here's What We Know

There are millions of older Americans today who collect a monthly benefit from Social Security. And for many people, those benefits are a critical source of income — particularly folks who sorely lack retirement savings. Meanwhile, ever since Donald Trump took office earlier this year, there’s...

247wallst.com

A statement from a habitual liar. That should bring confidence to nobody.

 

[MTAtech]

My father in law passed away in 2010. At the beginning of the month that he wound up dying in, he received his SS Check. Mid month he passed. Social Security made my mother in law repay that month's benefits.

As far as I'm concerned, Social Security is a fraud in and of itself, perpetrated against the American taxpayer in an effort to make taxpayers more dependent on the government.

The hardest part of this whole "ponzi scheme" is that so many people have actually become dependent on the government's tit that for their very existence that taking a chainsaw to the program...though that is exactly what's needed...would be very unfair to those people who've done nothing wrong. They paid their taxes and contributed to this program all on the promise that they would be taken care of.

I hope Musk does get to go through Social Security and Medicaid. I hope he does find the fraud and cut it out. I also hope that people who are dependent on this program are not impacted negatively.

Before Social Security seniors mostly lived in poverty. Now, they have secure lives and some have second homes in warm states. Yes, seniors are dependent upon Social Security. They should as the paid for it.
Here come from Groucho Marx as Hammer in The Cocoanuts, faced with a rebellion by his unpaid bellhops:

Hammer: Wages? Do you want to be wage slaves? Answer me that!
Bellhops: No.
Hammer: No, of course not. But what makes wage slaves? Wages!

Similarly:
Napoles: Do you want to be dependent on government help to survive?
Poor: No.
Napoles: Of course not. But what makes people dependent on help? Help!

 

[jaeger19]

Yes, but what is their motivation? How does this benefit them politically?

It’s part of a much larger picture. Discredit government. Discredit social security and Medicare. Then people will be more open to changes like “ we should privatize social security. Let’s privatize Medicare more.

The idea is they secretly screw up social security etc. then when it doesn’t run properly they point to it and say “ government can’t do anything right”

 

[jaeger19]

Social Security payments are a month behind. Not for the same month and not for the next month. If that's the case, then Social Security paid someone what was owed. When he died 2 weeks later, they made someone else pay back the whole amount of that month's benefit.

So, they were not relentless to prevent fraud. They took more than they were owed and they took it from someone else. Now, if...as the other poster suggests...my mother in law was receiving widows benefits; the question becomes why would they take the widows benefit away when the husband died?

More than likely your mother in law was also receiving social security benefits of her own.

When a spouse dies , the surviving spouse can get the higher of the two benefits , but not both.

If the surviving spouse doesn’t collect social security benefits, then they can get the deceased spouses benefits ( I.e.widows benefit) .

 

[jaeger19]

Maybe. Maybe the questions I have are caused by something that doesn't seem right. Social Security is not trying to give any meaningful assurances to the public that there isn't fraud. In that same news article Musk challenged that there are 20 million dead people who are listed as alive in their database. Their response was "that doesn't mean they're getting benefits."

Well. The easy answer to why 20million dead people is because illegal immigrants are using social security numbers that were legitimate and are sending in taxes on this number but will never recieve benefits since the number is not eligible for benefits.

 

[Fearandloathing]

Musk eyes Social Security and benefit programs for cuts while claiming widespread fraud

Elon Musk says Social Security and other federal benefit programs will be targeted in his hunt for fraudulent spending.

apnews.com

I would lve to say I am shocked. When these assholes come after your SS check, look right in the mirror Maga. You did this.

Of course there's fraud!


There's fraud everywhere that the entire United States has been hiding and only rapist Trump can see it

 

[ncguy]

Well. The easy answer to why 20million dead people is because illegal immigrants are using social security numbers that were legitimate and are sending in taxes on this number but will never recieve benefits since the number is not eligible for benefits.

OR dead people aren't removed
But illegals sending taxes is great

 

[HenryChinaski]

Keep your homosexual fantasies to yourself, please.

Says a guy that supports a dude who always looks like he’s jerking off two guys

 

[jaeger19]

OR dead people aren't removed
But illegals sending taxes is great

Dead people definitely are found. When my patients die or their spouse dies social security will not only stop paying but will take money out the account to pay back that months benefit.

 

[ncguy]

Dead people definitely are found. When my patients die or their spouse dies social security will not only stop paying but will take money out the account to pay back that months benefit.

Maybe today
How about in 1940?

 

[LouC]

Speaking of Pasty White...how is it someone that enormously STUPID about his adopted Nation be the richest man in the World?

Wasn't there a Citizenship Test he had to pass to get naturalized?

Was Pasty White made to take an Oath to uphold our-his Constitution before Donny let loose the Big Balls of DOGE?

If not, how could any American be OK with that?

Would someone please tell Pasty White that Senator Mark Kelly supporting aid for Ukraine is not treasonous but that Donny cow towing to Vlad Putin comes close to it.

My response below to Pasty White's X twit on twitter calling Senator Mark Kelly a "traitor".

Elon you are an idiot regarding our Constitution. How can you be so enormously rich yet so enormously stupid in regards treason, as Constitutionally defined? You're clueless about your Country. Wasn't there a Test required to become a Naturalized Citizen?

 

[Anthony60]

I wish I could agree with your prediction. However, that's not the way I see it. Musk/Trump have a mission to save/find cash from fraud, waste, bla, bla, bla. Cutting future benefits does nothing for their immediate mission. They need to find the funds now. The only way to do that is exactly what Musk explained in his interview with Kudlow.

I did hear the WH made a statement today assuring beneficiaries that SS and Medicare won't be touched. I only wished I had a little more trust in WH announcements.

Believe or not, it's never been on the table, not even mentioned. I've only heard it from leftist claiming it was being done. Not exactly trustworthy.

 

[Anthony60]

There is not any significant fraud in Social Security. If you disagree, it's up to you to prove it and I am confident that you cannot.

You should back up that statement first.
I wonder why they have a Social Security fraud hotline, LOL!

 

[Anthony60]

Says a guy that supports a dude who always looks like he’s jerking off two guys

More gay fantasies from the left. Please, keep them to yourselves.

 

[jaeger19]

Maybe today
How about in 1940?

since 2015 the social security administration automatically cancels anyone 115 years old or older.
And the social security system has the most comprehensive death list/file in the nation with information going back to 1899.

 

[Bighorn66]

Is an "improper payment" always fraud?

If it is fraud, when is the DOJ going to open a criminal investigation into who carried out the fraud?

Incompetence or fraud. It needs to be fixed.

 

[MTAtech]

You should back up that statement first.
I wonder why they have a Social Security fraud hotline, LOL!

Link
A 2024 inspector general audit did find $71.8 billion in improper Social Security payments from 2015 to 2022, mostly from overpayments and some underpayments. These payments accounted for less than 1% of the $8.6 trillion in benefits paid over that period, as previously reported by USA TODAY.

Almost all of that 1% were overpayments and was recovered. (If someone dies during a month that they received a payment, SSA is entitled to recover that payment.)