Virgin Mobile, which offers free government cell phones under its Assurance Wireless brand name, has cut off service to an astonishing 1.6 million Lifeline Assistance customers due to new anti-fraud controls imposed by the Federal Communications Commission.
They weren’t the only companies to uncover massive fraud among Lifeline customers: The Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T cut approximately 600,000 of its 1.3 million Lifeline customers, Telrite eliminated 20%, Tag Mobile disqualified 33% and Verizon slashed 44%. The degree of the fraud, waste and abuse would undoubtedly have been even more staggering, but the Wall Street Journal reports that two of the larger free government cell phone companies — Safelink Wireless and Nexus (ReachOut Wireless) — petitioned the FCC to shield their reports from public scrutiny.
Killing the goose that lays the golden cell phone
For years we’ve been on a crusade to eliminate fraud, abuse and waste from the Lifeline Assistance program. We’ve received reports flagging flagrant abuse of the system and we’ve repeatedly raged against it. Now the Federal Communications Commission has stepped in and taken drastic action to bring sanity back to the program.
As FierceWireless.com reported, “The government’s Lifeline program was created in order to help low-income Americans obtain telecommunications services–those who qualify can get around $10 per month for cell phone service. During the past few years, companies like Sprint and TracFone Wireless tapped into the program with the goal of obtaining new subscribers they could sell additional services to.”
While we think that grammatically-challenged description casts the industry in a slightly sinister light, we can’t dispute its basic accuracy.
The FCC recognized that the system was rife with abuse and took drastic action in late 2012 by requiring Lifeline Assistance providers to annually certify that each of their Lifeline customers were actually eligible for the program. (Seems like a simple and logical step, but it created havoc — appropriate havoc, we might add — within the free government cell phone industry.)
The Wall Street Journal reports that more than 40% of approximately 6 million Lifeline customers “either couldn’t demonstrate their eligibility or didn’t respond to requests for certification.”
We congratulate the Federal Communications Commission and the steps it’s taken to rein in abuse in the Lifeline Assistance program. It’s about time. Everything you’ve done to restore integrity to the free government cell phone program deserves applause from every right-thinking American who supports the program and everything it does for low income Americans.
The communications watchdog reports that its new regulations and requirements resulted in savings of nearly $215 million last year and that the requirements may save as much as $2 billion in the next few years.
So let this be a warning to anyone thinking about rigging the system: The FCC is watching. The free government cell phone companies are watching. And FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net is watching, too.
Lee Christenbury says
I have been working on a daily basis riding my best to get a free cell phone and service plan. They say that there are plenty of them out there. I did use assurance wireless for over a year but the phones they kept sending me was so corrupted that they were almost useless I went through the fourth within a year I find men changed or have tried to change I should say I went to SafeLink safe make approved me said five to seven days I would receive a phone I have waited now for over 90 days with a tracking number and no phone and the tracking number people say that the phone was never put in the mail what’s up with that. So I canceled service there and went to another company called stand up they seem very good and efficient at first that I would receive my phone within 5 to 7 days they are now saying that the delivery company did deliver my phone to my mailbox which is highly unlikely since my mailman does not put packages in a mailbox hey beats the horn and you go to him. We must say is now been 3 weeks and I still do not have a phone and they seem to think this is my fault and that I should find the phone. What’s up with that I have tried to track it and I keep getting told that it was delivered. And I have not seen it it has not been delivered I do not know who is responsible in the chain of events to get my phone to me but now there are two phones out there for losing around supposedly. And I know for exact that safely never even put it in the mail it is probably lying on the floor somewhere being kicked around like a ball and no one pain in the attention or carrying one bit while I sit up here on this mountain top borrowing someone else’s phone just so I can send text messages it is very disheartening that these people cannot talk with him their own office from one department to the other I get anything done so now I’m going to start applying to every single company out there that office this product and service and see which one does not
Pam Durham says
How do I get a government phone I have tryed
Free Government Cell Phones says
It’s impossible for us to summarize 5,000 pages of this website into one concise answer here in the comments, Pam. But if you click around on the “Navigation Bar” at the top of every page, you’ll find all the info you need.
Jennifer Rupp says
I lost my phone and I need a new one and I need more minutes I need to to get back on the free playing again
Free Government Cell Phones says
If your account has been inactive for 30 days or longer it has probably been cancelled and you’ll need to re-enroll, Jennifer.
Mary says
Yes I have California life line phone on .but it been so long I don’t know what service it’s been turn on by so can you please call me back at 209 453 **** so we can discuss my problem sincerely mrswilcox
Free Government Cell Phones says
We’re not California Lifeline, Mary. You’ll need to give them a call.
Vkytoriia Stone says
Just recently got a trump phone, right from the beginning I hate android products and google keeps spamming on it popping up commercials and garbage! I have called customer service which is impossible to understand the off-shored language barrier. Extremely frustrating.
I deleted a shit load of the android apps and low and behold the phone doesnt work. Factory set it several times and it still doesnt work right.
It stays plugged in an a spare and I havent been able to use it properly since I got it in February 2019……….
Free Government Cell Phones says
Sounds like it’s time for you to switch to a different service provider, Victoria. Here’s an article that tells you exactly how to do it:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/how-do-i-switch-lifeline-providers
shana says
I have been trying to get an assurance phone since late July 🙁 they have poor customer service and when you follow instructions they set forth they don’t respond and lose the information you sent them…three times. Displeased with assurance
Free Government Cell Phones says
Considering your level of dissatisfaction, we would strongly urge you to enroll with a different company, Shana. Here’s where you can find all the companies and plans offered in your state:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
John Darcy says
I am over 66yr old, well under the poverty level on social security as my only income. I became disabled at age 60 and made work impossible and training was no longer offered for people my age. I tried to use the lifeline as a way to keep a telephone available in case of trouble due to age or disability. I got my life line through Cox communications turned down because they felt the annual update info was ‘too dark’ in the fax. my situation in terms of eligibility does not change. I provided all the information required and cox has all my information as it is my cable service provider as well as the repository for data.
my problem is that I was never notified that my faxed in information was turned down, i was not ever sent any communication in any form. I am well within guidelines as I have been for the 5yrs i learned about the service. I never got anything for free, just a small adjustment in a service I already paid for. I never knew there were any other methods to get lifeline.
I took on faith what cox communications told me when they first sent me the lifeline application in 2011 or 2010.
It may not always be the individual consumer involved with any fraud. I was sold a telephone package with a cox bundle that i paid $20/month for. apparently, cox got almost that much through the lifeline program. not me. i first got cox cable when i moved to my current location in may 2010. I did not need any phone part to the bundle , i now learn.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Your first problem, John, is that Cox does NOT participate in the free government cell phone program. So they best it could possibly do is offer you discounted service. In fact, as far as we know, Cox does not offer cell phone service at all, which means the best they could do is offer you discounted home phone service.
Sorry you’ve had so much trouble getting service, but we suggest that you take a look at the link below. It will allow you to find all the free government cell phone companies offering service in your state. Check them all out carefully to find the plan that suits your needs best (more minutes? More texts? More data? Smartphone?). Find the one you like best and apply with that company.
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
tammie Halpain says
Filled out app at income support division in Roswell ,NM from people soliciting in parking lot. Was sent phone. Could not activate it saying it was the wrong phone for the account number I had and was told to send it back and they would send a new one. Sent it back. New phone never showed up. Got a letter saying I needed to activate my new phone by 10/31/15. Called 1-888-321-5880 for assistance and was told that I am nowhere in the computer and they can not help. I called back and got through the automated system and it said the phone I supposedly had pin #032667 had been activated on 08/10/22015. I gave customer rep all this info and I have no phone and still do not exixst in their system even though I keep getting mail with a pin # to activate a phone I do not have. Will forward this to all appropriate agencies.
patricia says
I tried to get a phone from them they took all my infor by mail and over the phone and still wouldnt give me a phone so i went and got one from walmart,hope they check on them for stealing ID after I gave them my info.
Mark says
I’ve been waiting since March 13th. Still no phone. They mail the letters of “good news” I qualify, but they never get the phone to me. As long as I qualify with them, I can’t apply anywhere else.
Terry says
Have you called them and checking on your phone? That would be the first step in seeing what is going on.
Judith Burgos says
I need the cell for emergency
Free Government Cell Phones says
You can to the right place. Start at the home page.