Incomplete SSA Records Lead to Payments to Dead People

Dead people cannot work, earn wages or get benefits. But, due in part to faulty recording processes by the Social Security Administration, that is exactly what's happening according to a recent SSA Inspector General report.

The IG found SSA did not transfer death information for approximately 1.2 million people from an internal records system to its Numident database, a master file of information on each individual issued a social security number. SSA uses the Numident database to generate the Death Master File and help with the E-Verify process. A variety of agencies and private sector companies use both to ensure they have correct information when confirming people's identities.

Of the 50 cases randomly selected for review by the IG, SSA failed to transfer the death information for all 50 to the Numident.

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