Priyanka Tiwari
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Elon Musk, tech billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has revealed astonishing figures about widespread unemployment insurance fraud in the United States. According to Musk, since 2020, fraudulent claims amounting to over $382 million were paid out to fake individuals—including seniors over 115 years old, children under 5, and even unborn citizens from the future.
The data, sourced from DOGE’s initial audit, highlights major gaps in federal systems meant to safeguard public funds.
Details of the Fraudulent Claims
Musk shared the findings on his platform, X (formerly Twitter), expressing disbelief at the scale of the issue. In his words:
“Your tax dollars were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future! This is so crazy that I had to read it several times before it sank in.”
According to DOGE's audit, the following anomalies were detected:
24,500 seniors aged over 115 filed claims totaling $59 million
28,000 children aged 1 to 5 years claimed $254 million
9,700 individuals with birth dates over 15 years in the future received $69 million, including one bizarre case involving a birth year of 2154, which led to a $41,000 payout
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
DOGE’s Role and Mission
Created under President Donald Trump’s administration, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is tasked with minimizing government waste, optimizing federal operations, and reducing spending.
Headed by Elon Musk, DOGE claims to have saved $150 billion to date through:
Fraud and improper payment eliminations
Program and grant cancellations
Contract terminations
Regulatory streamlining
Workforce reductions
Public Reactions and Concerns
Musk’s revelations sparked mixed reactions online. While some users expressed shock and called for large-scale prosecutions, others questioned whether these revelations would lead to any real consequences.
Sample reactions include:
“If this is illegal, why aren’t we seeing people prosecuted at scale?”
Your tax dollars were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future!
This is so crazy that I had to read it several times before it sank in. https://t.co/U5qqcyUgzo
“Will people actually go to jail for it though?”
Your tax dollars were going to pay fraudulent unemployment claims for fake people born in the future!
This is so crazy that I had to read it several times before it sank in. https://t.co/U5qqcyUgzo
“We've probably sent $12B to an alien colony on Mars and I wouldn’t be surprised anymore.”
“Even if you save money, it's likely going to be wasted by the Department of Defense next.”
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