New Social Security chief refutes claims of deceased people over 100 years old getting checks

People who are listed as over 100 years old in the Social Security system are "not necessarily receiving benefits," the new head of the agency said Wednesday, contradicting claims that tens of millions of dead people over that age are receiving checks.

Instead, those individuals "are people in our records with a Social Security number who do not have a date of death associated with their record," said Lee Dudek, the new acting Social Security Administration commissioner who was placed in the role by President Trump, in the Feb. 19 statement. 

The clarification comes after Mr. Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk claimed on social media and in press briefings that people who are 100, 200 and even 300 years old are improperly and routinely getting benefits.