A new audit has discovered than more than 200,000 people in Puerto Rico are fraudulently taking advantage of the U.S. federal government’s Lifeline Assistance program, which provides landline phone service discounts and free cell phones and service to needy people.
We have long been on the warpath against fraud in this worthy program. It helps millions of people across the country and we worry that it will be killed by unscrupulous people’s greed. This story from Puerto Rico reinforces those worries.
According to the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, The Puerto Rico Telecommunications Regulatory Board has uncovered more 200,000 people are fraudulently taking advantage of residential telephone and cell phone subsidies made available by Lifeline.
The companies servicing these customers and receiving subsidy funding have, in effect, been willing participants in the fraud. We’ve noted that they get compensated for every customer they sign up, so they have very little reason to root out fraud.
TRB Chairwoman Sandra Torres said the number of LifeLine customers far surpassed Puerto Rico’s poverty level. The Daily Sun said, “This prompted her to investigate Solix, the company that manages the subsidies, which never reported what was going on.”
How did the fraud work? Some Lifeline subscribers gave U.S. mainland addresses, others received subsidies for more than one line, and others submitted false Social Security numbers.
Consider this: Puerto Rico has 200,000 fraudulent Lifeline subscribers out of a total population of 4 million. That raises the frightening possibility of massive fraud in this outstanding program.
We urge you to report any fraud you see. We must protect Lifeline for the truly needy by rooting out the truly greedy.
Source: http://www.prdailysun.com/news/200000-get-illegal-phone-subsidies-TRB-audit-finds (link no longer working)
Awilda M. Rios says
Greetings. I am disabled and live alone. I do not receive any of the subsidies described to qualify. But I am in extreme debt and the majority of my income goes to my rent, utilities, debts and food, gasoline , if I have some income left. Because I live alone and I am disabled, I wonder if I qualify under these special circumstances.
Its sad to see people claiming under false information getting away with and abusing the Safelink Program. I for one have studiied, work since the age of 16, paid taxes ,yet because of my income and poor money management skills and decisions, I feel I don’t qualify even though I do need assistance.
Can you help? Please. I am stuck in the middle doing the right thing.
Free Government Cell Phones says
This is a heartbreaking story that we hear all too often, Awilda. Unfortunately, disability is not something that qualifies you for a free government cell phone. Are you sure that you don’t qualify in any of the ways listed? Here’s our Puerto Rico page that lists all the ways:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states/puerto-rico-government-cell-phone-providers
Are you eligible for any of the programs listed? If so, you should apply for one of them which would then automatically qualify you for a free government cell phone.
Paola n says
Lo necesitó para comunicarme.
Free Government Cell Phones says
¿Quién necesitaba para comunicarse?
Linda Hernandez says
My mother went to apply for the lifeline phone and apparently someone is using out address and they said nothing.can be done
boo hiss says
name says it all