Social security cheated by Americans overseas

Social security may not go far in the United States, but in some nations the benefits allow American retirees to live well. This has led to increasing numbers of social security recipients abroad, and correspondingly increased the rate of social security fraud overseas. Social Security Commissioner Jack A. Svahn said that in spot checks of the 330,000 beneficiaries abroad, investigators found many cases in which benefits are going to the dead and to dependents who were "paper adoptions."

Although it is not known what portion of foreign claims are phony, the most come from the Philippines, Mexico, Greece, and Italy.