The Social Security Administration has made a major update to millions of Americans' records in an attempt to prevent fraud and improper government payments.
The SSA announced Tuesday that it had corrected tens of millions of files in its Social Security Number database, describing the effort as the most comprehensive cleanup in the agency's 91-year history.
“The Social Security Number database is our country’s books and records. The database’s accuracy is essential to maintaining integrity of government services for citizens. Accurate SSN records prevent fraud across federal programs and support the proper administration of benefits,” said Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano in a statement.
“This is the first time SSA has undertaken an effort of this scale, and I am proud of the work we have done to strengthen the foundation of identity data relied upon throughout government and the economy.”
Since the beginning of the Trump administration, the agency said it has corrected nearly 15 percent of active Social Security numbers across approximately 330 million U.S. citizens and nearly 390 million total records.
Why It Matters
Social Security numbers aren't used only to administer retirement and disability benefits; federal agencies and states also use them to validate people's identities and prevent improper payments of taxpayer money.
That means incorrect information in the database, such as a missing death date, can have major implications beyond Social Security itself.
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What To Know
The newly announced SSA changes included adding 17 million dates of death to records that had been missing them and updating approximately 25 million records that lacked citizenship information. SSA is also working to correct another 8.5 million records containing inaccurate citizenship information.
“Social Security's largest records cleanup in its history represents a significant effort to protect Americans' identities and ensure taxpayer dollars reach the right people, with the agency correcting nearly 15 percent of active Social Security number records,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.
The agency said it has also put stronger internal controls in place to prevent inaccuracies caused by manual data entry.
“This is more of a clerical and time-consuming process, which may explain why it has gone unchecked for so many years,” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek.
“There was likely a cost-benefit calculation behind not updating these systems sooner, but implementing new technology appears to have made the process more efficient and economical, ultimately justifying the expense.”
Fraud is a genuine issue for Social Security alongside improper payments that are not necessarily the result of someone trying to scam the system.
A 2024 report from SSA's Office of Inspector General found that the agency paid nearly $8.6 trillion in benefits between fiscal years 2015 and 2022, of which approximately $71.8 billion, or 0.84 percent, were improper payments. Most were overpayments.
Improper payments can include both overpayments and underpayments and are not necessarily caused by criminal fraud. They often just occur when beneficiaries fail to report necessary information or when the SSA does not update its records in a timely manner.
“While Social Security fraud and identity theft are legitimate concerns that can result in stolen benefits for victims, it's important to recognize that millions of inaccurate records don't necessarily equate to millions of fraudulent payments, and there is currently no evidence that fraud occurs on anything approaching that scale,” Beene said.
Actual fraud cases are also a problem, though. During the six months from October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, the SSA Office of Inspector General reported 232 indictments or criminal informations and 228 convictions from its investigative work.
The inspector general's Cooperative Disability Investigations program, which focuses on potentially fraudulent disability claims, has generated an estimated $8.5 billion in taxpayer savings since the program began.
“I don't believe fraud related to this issue is particularly common, given that most deaths are reported through funeral homes and documented by states through death certificates. This information is supposed to be shared with federal agencies to keep their records updated,” Thompson said.
“Do some things fall through the cracks? Perhaps. However, I don't believe this represents a material issue in the broader Social Security system.”
Improper Payments Can Cost Taxpayers Billions
In September, the SSA inspector general estimated that the agency had improperly paid approximately $1 billion to 333,800 Supplemental Security Income recipients because their earnings had not been properly reviewed or recorded.
The audit found 417,291 SSI recipients with at least one pending earnings alert.
Of the estimated $1 billion in improper payments, approximately $664 million may be unrecoverable because of administrative rules unless fraud or similar fault can be established, while just about $344 million remained recoverable.
For ordinary Social Security recipients, the new SSA announcement will not actually change monthly benefits.
But by improving the underlying data that government agencies use to confirm identity and eligibility, the SSA could reduce opportunities for fraud and improper payments across federal programs.
“By updating these records, the system can more easily identify Social Security numbers belonging to deceased individuals, potentially reducing opportunities for identity theft and fraudulent benefit payments,” Thompson said.
What Happens Next
The SSA said it is still correcting approximately 8.5 million records with inaccurate citizenship status, but the project is well underway to clear up some of the potential for fraud.
“These changes are positive for beneficiaries, as more accurate records could prevent wrong payments, but the government must also ensure these changes don't mistakenly interrupt legitimate benefits,” Beene said.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas