Elon Musk reveals a massive identity theft operation targeting 400,000 Americans’ Social Security numbers, with the alleged perpetrator facing imminent arrest.
Quick Takes
- A scammer allegedly stole and sold 400,000 Social Security numbers from federal databases, enabling benefit theft and potential voter fraud
- Musk made the announcement during a Wisconsin tele-town hall, revealing the suspect faces imminent arrest
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) discovered that 40% of calls to Social Security Administration are from fraudsters attempting to redirect benefits
- The scam exposes critical vulnerabilities in the Social Security system that could enable non-citizens to register to vote and claim federal benefits
- Law enforcement officials expressed concern about Musk’s public disclosure of a pending arrest, which breaks from standard protocol for sensitive operations
Major Identity Theft Ring Uncovered
Tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisor Elon Musk has exposed a massive fraud operation targeting hundreds of thousands of Americans’ Social Security information. During a recent tele-town hall with Wisconsin voters, Musk revealed that law enforcement was preparing to arrest a suspect who allegedly stole and sold the personal information of approximately 400,000 Americans from Social Security databases. The announcement has sent shockwaves through government agencies concerned with both identity theft and the potential compromise of voter registration systems.
Musk says Social Security scammer who allegedly ripped off 400K Americans faces imminent arrest | Emma Colton, Fox News
Elon Musk said that an alleged scammer who reportedly ripped off 400,000 Americans by selling their Social Security numbers is facing imminent arrest.
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“I believe someone is going to be arrested tomorrow, because there’s someone who actually stole 400,000 Social Security numbers and personal information from the Social Security database,” said Elon Musk. “This is someone who actually stole 400,000 social security numbers and personal information from the Social Security database, and was selling social security numbers and all of the identification information in order for people to basically steal money from Social Security.”
Social Security System Vulnerabilities Exposed
According to Musk, the compromised Social Security numbers create numerous opportunities for fraud beyond just stealing benefits. The stolen information potentially enables non-citizens to establish false identification, register to vote illegally, and claim federal benefits they aren’t entitled to receive. This vulnerability represents a significant national security concern, as the Social Security number remains the primary form of identification verification throughout the United States for everything from employment to financial transactions.
“A particular avenue of fraud for like illegal immigrants and for voter fraud, because the main way that identification is established in the United States is via Social Security. So, if you compromise a Social Security system, you can basically get people to get de facto registered to vote, even if they’re not citizens, and to get a bunch of benefits,” explained Musk during the town hall event.
How the Scam Works
DOGE engineer Aram Moghaddassi revealed the shocking statistic that approximately 40% of all calls to the Social Security Administration come from fraudsters attempting to redirect benefit payments. The scammers impersonate legitimate recipients, convince Social Security representatives to change direct deposit information, and then steal the funds before the real beneficiary realizes what has happened. This revelation highlights serious procedural weaknesses within the agency’s verification protocols that have allowed this fraud to flourish.
“They steal people’s Social Security, is what happens. They call in, they claim to be a retiree, and they convince the Social Security person on the phone to change where the money is flowing. It actually goes to some fraudster. This is happening all day, every day. And then somebody doesn’t receive their Social Security, it’s because of all the fraud loopholes in the Social Security system,” said Musk.
Law Enforcement and Political Response
Musk’s public disclosure of the pending arrest has created tension with federal law enforcement officials. According to ABC News sources, top officials were disturbed by Musk’s announcement of an imminent arrest, as it breaks from standard practice for sensitive operations. The White House has referred inquiries about the case to the Justice Department, which has not yet issued an official comment on either the investigation or the planned arrest revealed by Musk.
Antonio Gracias, a former Tesla board member now working with DOGE, expanded on their findings, claiming the team has identified approximately 1.3 million undocumented immigrants improperly receiving Medicaid benefits, with some of them potentially registered to vote. These cases have reportedly been referred for prosecution, representing another significant area of concern beyond the Social Security number theft. President Donald Trump has pledged not to cut Medicare or Social Security benefits while these investigations proceed, focusing instead on eliminating fraud and waste.
“And yes, we are going to be prosecuting people. The Attorney General is taking action,” Musk confirmed during the town hall.
