This Is Completely Misleading

      A Social Security press release:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced substantial progress in its ongoing effort to strengthen the accuracy and integrity of the Social Security Number (SSN) database. This work represents the most comprehensive SSN record clean‑up 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. “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, SSA has corrected nearly 15 percent of all active SSNs across approximately 330 million U.S. citizens and nearly 390 million total records. SSA records are referenced by agencies across the federal government and in states to validate identities and prevent improper payments of taxpayer dollars. These improvements demonstrate a government‑wide commitment to safeguarding identity data, preventing fraud, and preserving proper program administration.

As part of this effort:

• SSA has added 17 million dates of death to records that previously lacked this information, using a combination of internal SSA systems and Department of State data.
• Through data received from the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) service, SSA has updated approximately 25 million records that previously had missing citizenship information.
• SSA is currently in the process of correcting an additional 8.5 million records with inaccurate citizenship status.
• The agency has implemented stronger internal controls to prevent inaccuracies due to manual data entry from occurring in the future.

These improvements reflect the first time SSA has undertaken a record‑integrity initiative of this magnitude and marks a significant step toward strengthening the SSN system for the American public.

     All that has been corrected is the relatively insignificant Numident which has little use other than to look up Social Security numbers. It’s so unimportant that the agency has never made much effort to get it 100% accurate. Correcting it is a waste of scarce resources. But it makes it look as if they’re preventing fraud and looking like they’re doing something positive is all they’re after.

SSNs For Less Than A Big Mac

      From Government Technology:

Stolen Social Security numbers can cost less than $2 each on the dark web, which is cheaper than a Big Mac, a dozen eggs or a gallon of milk, according to new research from the identity protection company Coveron.

Coveron, with support from NordLayer Intelligence, examined dark web forums and private messaging channels from June 2024 through June 2026, identifying 5,885 posts that involved the sale of personal information packages containing Social Security numbers. Some listings offered bulk discounts, dropping prices below $1 per package. …

Gambling With Social Security Money

      From WTRF:

A study has shown that on days when Social Security pays, gambling rates go up. 

A West Virginia University doctoral student, Matt Mullis, has found concerning patterns in West Virginia’s gambling data.

One finding shows that senior citizens may be spending most of their Social Security income on gambling. …

     Most? 

Drum Roll Please

      Social Security’s Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) effective next year is 3.6%. The cap on wages subject to the FICA tax will be $192,300, up from $184,500.

How?

      A quote from Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano reported in The Hill:

This is a long journey. [Social Security] is 90 years old. It’ll be around for another 90 years.

Loss In Court On Job Loss

      From Human Resources Director:

The Social Security Administration can press ahead with plans to cut 7,000 jobs after a court threw out a disability discrimination challenge to the layoffs. 

Five advocacy organisations and seven individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits had argued the cuts - roughly 12 percent of SSA’s 57,000-strong workforce - created “systemic access barriers” that hit people with disabilities harder than everyone else. They pointed to prolonged phone delays, reduced field office hours, missing sign language interpreters, and an online portal that kept locking them out. 

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed all three claims on October 9, 2026.  …

Not Something You Expect A Commissioner To Do

      A tweet from yesterday by Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano:

It was a privilege to ring the @NYSE Opening Bell this morning to commemorate Columbus Day and celebrate Italian American heritage. 🔔 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 

I was honored to do so alongside many friends including true legends of business Ken Langone, Dick Grasso, and Vinnie Viola.

Social Security Beneficiaries To Lose $2,000 A Year Due To Trump Immigration Policies

      From The Guardian:

Elderly Americans can expect to lose an average of $2,152 in annual social security benefits each, a projected 8.6% reduction in their retirement payments, by 2034 and every year after as a direct consequence of the economic fallout from the Trump administration’s anti-immigration campaign, if that carries on, according to a new report shared exclusively with the Guardian. …

The report, Economic Impacts of Trump Administration Immigration Policy, was commissioned by America’s Voice and conducted by researchers at Economic Insights and Research Consulting, a firm focused on economic analysis. …

The federal government risks losing a large segment of the $26bn in payroll taxes from unauthorized immigrants who help to support the US social security fund that pays out to American seniors – while not being able to access those benefits themselves.  …