Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claimed that 40% of calls to the Social Security Administration (SSA) were fraudulent. However, data indicates that the actual figure is significantly lower, with less than 1% of calls being potentially fraudulent.
DOGE’s Fraud Claims: A Closer Look
An anti-fraud initiative implemented by DOGE at the SSA aimed to identify fraudulent phone claims. However, the new procedures revealed only two suspicious cases out of 110,000 calls, translating to a fraud rate of just 0.0018%. This contradicts the widely circulated claim of 40% fraudulent calls, which was based on a misinterpretation of data.
The inflated statistic originated from a Fox News report and was misrepresented by DOGE engineer Aram Moghaddassi. In reality, 40% of direct deposit fraud at the agency is associated with phone calls, not that 40% of all calls are fraudulent.
Impact on SSA Operations
The anti-fraud procedures caused SSA processing times to increase by 25% and delayed payments and benefits, leading to criticism for undermining public service. The SSA initially responded by proposing to phase out phone-based account changes but reversed the decision after public backlash.
Despite the implementation of the anti-fraud protocol, no significant fraud was detected, and DOGE’s actions have been widely seen as ineffective and damaging. The SSA is now considering walking back the policy after finding only two cases with a high probability of being fraudulent.
Public and Political Response
The situation has raised concerns about the impact of such policies on the efficiency of the SSA and the timely delivery of benefits to Americans. Critics argue that the focus on unsubstantiated fraud claims has led to unnecessary delays and a degradation of public service.
Senator Elizabeth Warren commented on the issue, stating, “The Trump-Musk Social Security takeover has only meant more chaos and confusion for Americans. Every one of DOGE’s so-called ‘mistakes’ is a backdoor cut to people’s benefits.”
