Long waits, waves of calls, web crashes: Social Security is breaking down

[Yagoda]

5 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Pro active additional investment in web infrastructure could easily reduce some of the pain

Duh. Thats whats being done LOL. Bout time too.

[LiamB80]

9 minutes ago, JAG said:

Anyone who is living in Thailand on Social Security disability, double dipping, claiming benefits they didn't earn, dead family members still getting paid SS and so on would really be very silly indeed to be commenting on this forum or similar, now wouldn't they?

 

Far, far better to keep a low profile don't you think?

Doesn't matter what kind of profile they keep because it's all coming to light. DOGE will get access and the fraud on a massive scale will be revealed. There are people on this forum right now, in the comments, who are guilty of Social Security fraud. 

[placeholder]

12 minutes ago, jas007 said:

Since when does the media, any media, ever conclusively make findings of "fact"?   They report what they consider to be "news." That's it.  What's true?  Maybe they're accurate, maybe they're not.  In any event, what they report doesn't matter, at the end of the day. 

 

As for people''s "agenda"?  Who knows?  They say what they say. They do what they do.  It's all part of the political process and it's not for me to decide. But make no mistake, it's happening and neither of us have much to say about it. 

 

Just hope the efforts at reform aren't sidelined by political bickering.  The country is finished, otherwise, I'm afraid. 

More argle bargle from you. In this case, the even quoted Trump's appointee to be acting Social Security commissoner, a party named Dudek, who didn't back what Trump was saying.  And once again, if they weren't accurate, you think right wing news sources wouldn't be all over them? That's what's happened in the past. And tell me, if you are not getting your information about the Trump adminstration from media, where are you getting it from? Telepathy?

 

And you're the one who made a claim about the intent of the investigators. Not me.

 

Are they efforts at reform? How do you know this? From the media?

[placeholder]

5 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Duh. Thats whats being done LOL. Bout time too.

Which is why the website has repeatedly crashed.

[Yagoda]

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

Which is why the website has repeatedly crashed.

Well perhaps they should let Elons boys write the code instead of those hard working well paid government workers.

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, LiamB80 said:

Doesn't matter what kind of profile they keep because it's all coming to light. DOGE will get access and the fraud on a massive scale will be revealed. There are people on this forum right now, in the comments, who are guilty of Social Security fraud. 

Are any of these fraudsters Americans? 

[placeholder]

Just now, Yagoda said:

Well perhaps they should let Elons boys write the code instead of those hard working well paid government workers.

This is a recent phenomenon. Musk shouldn't have fired so many of the highly skilled people running SSA's IT operations:

"Under pressure from the secretive Musk team, Dudek has pushed out dozens of officials with years of expertise in running Social Security’s complex benefit and information technology systems."

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/25/social-security-phones-doge-cuts/

[simple1]

28 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Duh. Thats whats being done LOL. Bout time too.

 

What's being done? To automate Service sizing for web traffic is straight forward; why wasn't it done prior to the layoffs -duh.....

[Yagoda]

17 minutes ago, placeholder said:

This is a recent phenomenon. Musk shouldn't have fired so many of the highly skilled people running SSA's IT operations:

"Under pressure from the secretive Musk team, Dudek has pushed out dozens of officials with years of expertise in running Social Security’s complex benefit and information technology systems."

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/25/social-security-phones-doge-cuts/

You mean the systems that were already outdated run by folks schooled in 80s technology that was already failing. The system that was paying out to dead folks. Got it.

 

Note: Like all normal people I will NEVER allege any system is perfect, especially the new AI systems being implemented, since I just spent an hour with a bank complaining about their phone tree. I can understand how less sophisticated folks can get ever more frustrated.

 

But hey carry on your Trump fest. All it does is make our resolve stronger in the US.

[Yagoda]

6 minutes ago, simple1 said:

 

What's being done? To automate Service sizing for web traffic is straight forward; why wasn't it done prior to the layoffs -duh.....

Dunno, why wasnt it done over the past 4 years?. Wonder if we will find some employees involved in some fraud.

[ElwoodP]

Post accusing another member of fraud removed.

You will not discuss other forum members.

[jas007]

43 minutes ago, placeholder said:

More argle bargle from you. In this case, the even quoted Trump's appointee to be acting Social Security commissoner, a party named Dudek, who didn't back what Trump was saying.  And once again, if they weren't accurate, you think right wing news sources wouldn't be all over them? That's what's happened in the past. And tell me, if you are not getting your information about the Trump adminstration from media, where are you getting it from? Telepathy?

 

And you're the one who made a claim about the intent of the investigators. Not me.

 

Are they efforts at reform? How do you know this? From the media?

Maybe you should go back and read your own post:

 

Are you a mind reader? How do you know what their motives are? How do you know what their agenda is? We do know that Musk perseveres in his falsehoods about Social Security despite dispositive evidence that he's lying.

Musk has  history of massively lying that predates his Doge service.

And why do you refuse to look up the facts of the case?

 

Sounds like you're the one raising the issue of motives and intent and a certain person's supposed history of lying.  

 

Perhaps it's time to reframe this discussion, if it makes you happy.

 

What we're witnessing is political theater. Bombastic claims by Trump and the Administration on the one hand, and people on the left blowing the issue all out of proportion to scare old people and score what they believe to be political points.  That's politics. It happens every day and there's not much either of us can do about it. But don't pretend for a minute you have a monopoly on the "facts."  I'm sure you'd like everyone to think so, though.  

 

And, at the end of the day, while the media reports the so-called "news," the issue will work its way through the system.  The judicial system will be involved.  Both the DOJ and the courts.  And if they chose to get involved, congress an always correct any perceived problems.  That's the way it works. That's the system.  Maybe not perfect, but I haven't heard from you any solution for the problems that may exist.  There are none you say? Everything is fine?  

 

[frank83628]

2 hours ago, jvs said:

He won by a 1.6% margin,hardly a landslide i would say but keep repeating the landslide thing  and some day you may believe it.

 

They won everything, so that is a landslide, despite your cherry picking of figures.

[Hawaiian]

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

The only way your comment makes sense is if there is no such thing as facts. And given that you refuse to read the reports about this issue, your comments are laughable..

I did try and see what Fox News reported a about his claims about possible massive fraud. They did report his claim. In the article the reporter wrote that they reached out to the Social Security Administration for comment. I couldn't find any follow-up article. What does that tell you?

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/elon-musk-says-millions-social-security-database-between-ages-100-159.

Here's one explanation for all these centenarians.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/if-cobol-is-so-problematic-why-does-the-us-government-still-use-it/

[jas007]

1 hour ago, JAG said:

Anyone who is living in Thailand on Social Security disability, double dipping, claiming benefits they didn't earn, dead family members still getting paid SS and so on would really be very silly indeed to be commenting on this forum or similar, now wouldn't they?

 

Far, far better to keep a low profile don't you think?

One minor correction:  those receiving Title II Social Security disability benefits can live overseas, provided it's in a part of the world where the treasury can make direct payments.  That's most of the world, with a few exceptions. 

[NoDisplayName]

5 hours ago, Jingthing said:

There are zero people over 140 collecting SS. You've bought into the maga fascist lies. As far as undocumented people using SS numbers, that's  hilarious. They're paying into the system that they will never be eligible to collect from. We're talking billions of dollars annually. They actually help the system rather than hurt it.

 

No, he's bought into the leftie MSM lies trying to discredit the attempts to root out fraud, waste and abuse.

 

A quickie check of SS numbers in the system receiving benefits DID show a biglyish large amount of Methuselahs registered.

 

MSM reports typically edited out Musky comments that either enormous fraud was uncovered OR a significant problem with the database was discovered.

 

Same as always, like how they edited the Zimmerman 911 call log to show him to be a WHite-hispanic rassiss.

 

First they came for the 140-year-olds
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Methuselah
Then they came for the illegals
And I did not speak out
Because I was a citizen
Then they came for the dead people
And I did not speak out
Because I was not deceased
Then they came for the fake IDs
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a scammer
Then they came to me
And because they had eliminated fraud and waste
They increased my benefits under a sound system.

 

[Jingthing]

20 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

No, he's bought into the leftie MSM lies trying to discredit the attempts to root out fraud, waste and abuse.

 

A quickie check of SS numbers in the system receiving benefits DID show a biglyish large amount of Methuselahs registered.

 

MSM reports typically edited out Musky comments that either enormous fraud was uncovered OR a significant problem with the database was discovered.

 

Same as always, like how they edited the Zimmerman 911 call log to show him to be a WHite-hispanic rassiss.

 

First they came for the 140-year-olds
And I did not speak out
Because I was not Methuselah
Then they came for the illegals
And I did not speak out
Because I was a citizen
Then they came for the dead people
And I did not speak out
Because I was not deceased
Then they came for the fake IDs
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a scammer
Then they came to me
And because they had eliminated fraud and waste
They increased my benefits under a sound system.

 

Completely debunked.

[NoDisplayName]

1 minute ago, Jingthing said:

Completely debunked.

 

What's the opposite of debunked?  Bunked?

 

Yes, a quick first query of the database did turn up ancient relics on benefit support.

 

Turns out a problem with COBOL paleocode for "most."  Now we can fix the code.  It's similar to the Y2K problem........back then memory was really 'spensive and limited.  Coders would use all options to conserve computing power and storage requirements.  'Member magnetic tape and programs on punched cards, and oh jeeeze!, having to debug using a 100-page fanfold hexdump printout?

 

Kinda like when a quick query of pentagon contracts finds $6000 toilet seats, but fails to investigate to find out that "seat, toilet, cubicle" is the complete lavatory component that is installed into an aircraft.

 

Sorta like the $2000 coffee maker that the writer wants us to think is  a conventional Mr. Coffee, but is an industrial-strength large-capacity hot water/coffee unit that takes up half the damn galley.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

What's the opposite of debunked?  Bunked?

 

Yes, a quick first query of the database did turn up ancient relics on benefit support.

 

Turns out a problem with COBOL paleocode for "most."  Now we can fix the code.  It's similar to the Y2K problem........back then memory was really 'spensive and limited.  Coders would use all options to conserve computing power and storage requirements.  'Member magnetic tape and programs on punched cards, and oh jeeeze!, having to debug using a 100-page fanfold hexdump printout?

 

Kinda like when a quick query of pentagon contracts finds $6000 toilet seats, but fails to investigate to find out that "seat, toilet, cubicle" is the complete lavatory component that is installed into an aircraft.

 

Sorta like the $2000 coffee maker that the writer wants us to think is  a conventional Mr. Coffee, but is an industrial-strength large-capacity hot water/coffee unit that takes up half the damn galley.

Kinda like the Trump Musk regime lying yet again.

[NoDisplayName]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Kinda like the Trump Musk regime lying yet again.

 

Bunked!

 

Did Elon Musk say millions of people over 140 years old get Social Security benefits? No, that's not true: Musk did post a chart that he said was from the Social Security database, showing age categories up to 189 years old "with the death field set to FALSE!" and he jokingly added, "Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security." But he did not say "millions of people over 140 years old are receiving Social Security benefits," as was falsely attributed to him in a post made by someone else.

The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X on February 17, 2025. It opened:

BREAKING: Elon Musk says millions of people over 140 years old are receiving Social Security benefits.

 

[jvs]

1 hour ago, frank83628 said:

They won everything, so that is a landslide, despite your cherry picking of figures.

Apparently that is what you believe,as long as that makes you happy,go with it!

[frank83628]

Just now, jvs said:

Apparently that is what you believe,as long as that makes you happy,go with it!

Its not what I believe, its what happened, Trump & Rebs won everything.

 You can say the popular vote was only 1.5%, but when you add on the other wins that makes it a land slide. Clinton only beat Trump by a 2% margin, 2.8 million votes, but the dems & media all said she won the popular vote, they didn't break that down into percentage points did they.

Keep moving those goalposts.

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, jas007 said:

Maybe you should go back and read your own post:

 

 

Are you a mind reader? How do you know what their motives are? How do you know what their agenda is? We do know that Musk perseveres in his falsehoods about Social Security despite dispositive evidence that he's lying.

Musk has  history of massively lying that predates his Doge service.

And why do you refuse to look up the facts of the case?

 

Sounds like you're the one raising the issue of motives and intent and a certain person's supposed history of lying.  

 

Perhaps it's time to reframe this discussion, if it makes you happy.

 

What we're witnessing is political theater. Bombastic claims by Trump and the Administration on the one hand, and people on the left blowing the issue all out of proportion to scare old people and score what they believe to be political points.  That's politics. It happens every day and there's not much either of us can do about it. But don't pretend for a minute you have a monopoly on the "facts."  I'm sure you'd like everyone to think so, though.  

 

And, at the end of the day, while the media reports the so-called "news," the issue will work its way through the system.  The judicial system will be involved.  Both the DOJ and the courts.  And if they chose to get involved, congress an always correct any perceived problems.  That's the way it works. That's the system.  Maybe not perfect, but I haven't heard from you any solution for the problems that may exist.  There are none you say? Everything is fine?  

 

I asked questions. Unlike you, I made no assertions about their motives or intent.

[simple1]

2 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Dunno, why wasnt it done over the past 4 years?. Wonder if we will find some employees involved in some fraud.

 

A nonsensical post - current Admin actions would dictate upgrade to IT infrastructure. However, you're only flaming, whatever helps you past the time...

[placeholder]

43 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Bunked!

 

Did Elon Musk say millions of people over 140 years old get Social Security benefits? No, that's not true: Musk did post a chart that he said was from the Social Security database, showing age categories up to 189 years old "with the death field set to FALSE!" and he jokingly added, "Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security." But he did not say "millions of people over 140 years old are receiving Social Security benefits," as was falsely attributed to him in a post made by someone else.

The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X on February 17, 2025. It opened:

BREAKING: Elon Musk says millions of people over 140 years old are receiving Social Security benefits.

 

You're right. He made no assertion. He simply cast huge shade on the figures because he either didn't understand them or was purposely misstating them. And of course, the Trumpists took that as a statement of fact. What's worse,, Donald Trump actually did make the assertion before Congress that there were millions of cases of fraud in Social Secuirty. Musk managed to get Trump to turn that slanted comment of Musk into a statement of fact. At least, Trump stated the falsehood as a fact.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

What's the opposite of debunked?  Bunked?

 

Yes, a quick first query of the database did turn up ancient relics on benefit support.

 

Turns out a problem with COBOL paleocode for "most."  Now we can fix the code.  It's similar to the Y2K problem........back then memory was really 'spensive and limited.  Coders would use all options to conserve computing power and storage requirements.  'Member magnetic tape and programs on punched cards, and oh jeeeze!, having to debug using a 100-page fanfold hexdump printout?

 

Kinda like when a quick query of pentagon contracts finds $6000 toilet seats, but fails to investigate to find out that "seat, toilet, cubicle" is the complete lavatory component that is installed into an aircraft.

 

Sorta like the $2000 coffee maker that the writer wants us to think is  a conventional Mr. Coffee, but is an industrial-strength large-capacity hot water/coffee unit that takes up half the damn galley.

 

2 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Dunno, why wasnt it done over the past 4 years?. Wonder if we will find some employees involved in some fraud.

Both of you would do well to read the technical explanation about Cobal  in the excellent article linked to by Hawaiian.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/if-cobol-is-so-problematic-why-does-the-us-government-still-use-it/

Or you can remain willfully ignorant. Up to you.

 

[placeholder]

3 hours ago, LiamB80 said:

Doesn't matter what kind of profile they keep because it's all coming to light. DOGE will get access and the fraud on a massive scale will be revealed. 

Thank you, traveler from the future.

[theshu25]

7 hours ago, LiamB80 said:

Actually that's incorrect. There's people over 140yo collecting SS, illegal aliens collecting social security disability, also legit social security numbers used by companies that employ illegal aliens to try and fool E-verify. A top to bottom audit is needed. It's pretty simple, you either support DOGE or you support corruption. 

You be better off to stop beleiving all the lies Comrade musk And Comrade trump have to say. They are the best at the con game .

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, placeholder said:

You're right. He made no assertion. He simply cast huge shade on the figures because he either didn't understand them or was purposely misstating them. And of course, the Trumpists took that as a statement of fact. What's worse,, Donald Trump actually did make the assertion before Congress that there were millions of cases of fraud in Social Secuirty. Musk managed to get Trump to turn that slanted comment of Musk into a statement of fact. At least, Trump stated the falsehood as a fact.

Yes Trump did do that in the state of the union address.

Which begs the question yet again. Did Trump know that was a lie or is he simply a total moron that actually believed that? Of course we know that the entire maga fascist brand has learned that they can lie without consequence and it actually helps them. They're eating the cats! They're eating the dogs!

[Yagoda]

18 minutes ago, simple1 said:

 

A nonsensical post - current Admin actions would dictate upgrade to IT infrastructure. However, you're only flaming, whatever helps you past the time...

Who did I flame? The computer guys LOL