How hard is it to create an App, write an algorithm, modify lines of code, or develop a computer program that will identify multiple users of a single social security number, multiple social security numbers used by one individual, and social security payments to deceased persons? Media reports state that DOGE found billions of dollars paid to dead or undeserving people. Several dozen people whose age listed as 120 or older are receiving, or received, benefits when the current oldest living humans are not yet 117 years of age. Most important, since Social Security was enacted, only one person exceeded 120 years of age – she was French, and died in 1997.

“To cut down on fraud or taxpayer money sent to deceased persons, Augustus directed the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Treasury Department compare and coordinate each other’s records. The Social Security Administration developed computer algorithms, much like the sort program for spreadsheets, and reviewed the entire database. The first sort started with Social Security number 000-00-0000 and, in numerical sequence, ended with 999-99-9999. That checked for the same number being repeated and used by different people. A second sort listed everyone alphabetically and identified individuals who used several different Social Security numbers. The third sort compared dates of birth with the Social Security number. That weeded out numbers assigned to persons before they were born. A final sort compared numbers already issued against those available for assignment. That methodology looked for fake and stolen numbers.” — Tom Williams*

*(Williams, Tom. “Social Security,” in President You: How a Thoughtful Ordinary Citizen Could Change the Most Complex         Government on Earth, Pages 208-209, All Wet Publishing, LLC, © 2019)