KEY POINTS
- The DOGE alleged that more than 24,000 individuals aged over 115 claimed $59 million in benefits
- Some 28,000 people allegedly aged between 1 and 5 claimed a whopping $259 million in unemployment benefits
- In one case, one person with a birthday in 2154 allegedly claimed $41,000 in unemployment insurance
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) late on Tuesday dropped some big news on X, alleging that thousands of "fake people born in the future" claimed a collective $69 million in benefits for unemployment insurance.
The DOGE, which reports directly to U.S. President Donald Trump, claimed that an initial survey of unemployment insurance claims since 2020 revealed some questionable information.
What Does the Data Say?
According to the DOGE, over 24,000 people over 115 years of age claimed a total of $59 million in benefits.
Also, there were allegedly 28,000 people aged between one and five who claimed a staggering $254 million in unemployment benefits.
Finally, the DOGE alleged that some 9,700 people "with birth dates over 15 years in the future claimed $69M in benefits."
There was one case wherein an American with a birthday in 2154 claimed $41,000 in benefits, as per the DOGE.
Your tax dollars were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 10, 2025
This is so crazy that I had to read it several times before it sank in. https://t.co/U5qqcyUgzo
Musk, who leads the unofficial presidential department, re-shared the supposed data, saying American tax dollars "were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future."
X Users Challenge DOGE Claims
While some X users were quite frustrated with the information revealed by the DOGE, some began questioning why there have been no prosecutions so far.
If there is fraud, why is no one being prosecuted for it?
— Dan Emmons 王 (@Emmonspired) April 10, 2025
If there is waste, why are taxpayers not being compensated for it?
One user especially challenged the tech titan to produce "the records on the 2154 date," and to prove that "it wasn't an entry error."
Let’s see the records on the 2154 date Elon. Show us it wasn’t an entry error.
— Molly Cash (@MollyCash146767) April 10, 2025
Another user said it could have been "a problem entering data," explaining that while there could indeed be some fraudulent activity around the system, "what you are seeing is just a general garbage in garbage out problem."
Congratulations you have uncovered a problem entering data. If you look at the data, and you look at studies of data entry errors you will see that the amount of bad data is actually less than you would expect for the volume of entries. Some fraud for sure but what you are…
— Kristjan Backman (@KristjanBackman) April 10, 2025
One user was particularly interested in more clarity regarding the DOGE's claims. "Did they claim the benefits or did they receive them?" the user asked.
Others were just plainly frustrated with the recent allegations, with many asking for their tax dollars back, and some called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to begin prosecuting the individuals in question.
…. Can I have my tax dollar back!!!!
— Crystal Rose (@PharmD999) April 10, 2025
If I am a taxpayer.. I’d be pissed !!
— حسن سجواني 🇦🇪 Hassan Sajwani (@HSajwanization) April 10, 2025
Assuming this is true, prosecutions should follow immediately, @AGPamBondi.
— stevemur (@stevemur) April 10, 2025
Important test of whether it’s real or not, for everyone to see.
Even before Tuesday's revelation, the Tesla CEO has been working to downsize the government departments, saying there were many federal workers who were doing nothing. Under his lead, the DOGE has been digging through various federal agencies, uncovering what it said was fraudulent activity.
Musk has also called the U.S. social security system a "Ponzi scheme." Through the DOGE, Musk has worked to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has helped many underdeveloped and developing countries around the world over the years.
