If you live in Tennessee or Mississippi, you may have found a surprise gift in your mailbox recently: a free cell phone and 250 monthly minutes. What’s that? You didn’t ask for one? And you don’t even qualify for one?
It turns out a rogue agent of Assurance Wireless, one of the major cell phone companies certified to participate in the federal government’s phone subsidy program called Lifeline Assistance, faked applications for the phones. As result, a number of cell phones were delivered to residents of these states who did not apply for them.
KFVS 12, who uncovered the fraud, tells the story:
Jack Pflanz, corporate communications manager for Assurance Wireless, said the New York-based company partners with community outreach organizations in the states where it offers the subsidized cell phones to help market the program.
He confirmed that an unnamed agent with a Tennessee outreach group “…was fraudulently filling out applications” with the names of Tennesseans and Mississippians, pulled from public records. The agent was apparently padding his submissions of “certified” applicants.
“We were able to stop some of the phones from shipping, but a few got through,” said Pflanz, who could not say how many phones were improperly shipped.
“The agent who engaged in the misconduct was immediately terminated by the community outreach organization, and that organization has taken responsibility for the incident,” he added, without releasing the name or location of the community outreach organization.
The incident revealed a loophole in the certification process.
A loophole? That’s an understatement. The fundamental problem with this well-intentioned program is that, other than random audits, no one is verifying the eligibility of the phone recipients. The program relies upon the potential phone recipient to swear that they qualify and that the information they are submitting is true.
There are two ways to qualify for a free cell phone and the 250 free monthly minutes of service through the Lifeline program. With program-based eligibility, you merely say that you are on another qualifying government-assistance program such as Medicaid, public housing assistance, food stamps and others; no proof is required. With income-based eligibility, you must send documentation such as paycheck stubs or W-2’s as proof. However, there is no way to know if the individual has submitted documentation from all his or her income sources.
As we see in an audit going on in Florida now, there seems to be no repercussion for lying on your application, other than returning a phone you should not have been given. When there are no consequences for misconduct, unethical actions are bound to occur. In today’s story, it was not the individual asking for the phone, but a member of an independent outreach organization, whose agent sought to benefit from increased commissions. But we know from hearing plenty of anecdotal stories, and from looking problems with at any government program that hands out benefits, there is plenty of misconduct by individual recipients.
As we say over and over on our pages here at FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net, we strongly back the free cell phone program because it offers critical assistance to those who need help most, but we are intensely opposed to the money being wasted on those who are gaming the system. Money is in short supply these days, and the Universal Service fees that support this program — those fees tacked on to everyone’s phone bills — should not be wasted. There needs to be controls in place, up front, to verify the status of applicants, not merely the occasional audit on the back end.
And we think the unnamed agent who committed the fraud should serve some time — without cell phone privileges.
Source: KFVS.com
Christy McElhaney says
Is it acceptable for an agent based out of Mississippi to advertise on a Facebook resale site in Memphis Tennessee offering free government touch screen cell phones and setting up meetings at a Memphis public library? This seems shady? Her photos say she is with allte in Oxford, MS
Free Government Cell Phones says
Resale of what, Christy?
Whether or not this is legal would probably depend on whether the agent is enrolling you with a company in your state or some other state. You can only enroll with a company offering Lifeline free government cell phone plans in the state in which you live.
Pam Sumrall says
I am trying to help a young male that is incarcerated and about to b released. He is going blind and needs any assistance he can apply for. I do not know how to download an application or print the plans, rules, any restrictions for him.
Thank u sincerely for helping with this matter.
Free Government Cell Phones says
Here’s an article that will tell you all the basics, Pam:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/basics/qualify
And here’s where you’ll find a complete list of all the free government cell phone companies in your state, and their contact info:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
Latanya says
I’m work for an outreach service. We use an electronic application that contacts the various data bases to confirm the eligibility. There’s no way to fake it nor have more than 1 for an amount of time past 1 week.
Virginia White says
I have been approached multiple times by someone on facebook. I am hesitant. How can I find out if she is legitimate?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Why take a chance? If you want to enroll, just do it by phone or online with one of the companies offering free government cell phones in your state. Here’s where you can find a complete list of those companies:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/states
ASW agent says
Hello, we want to know the location or how to find the agents on the streets.
I am an agent for ASW and usually they ask us for the exact location of agents, and we don’t know where to locate them.
Free Government Cell Phones says
We no longer recommend applying for a free government cell phone at a street booth or tent. Too much fraud and abuse has happened at these locations.
ASW agent says
So the best solution will be Customer service sending out the application, which takes longer?
Free Government Cell Phones says
Yes.
Manager says
Safelink wireless is needing agents to work in tennessee and eastern ky. Our tents can easily be found in those areas. Have the enrollment coordinator to contact his/her manager to apply.
Joseph norman says
How do I become an agent in georgia and south carolina??
FreeGovernmentCellPhones.net says
This page will help you:
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/get-a-job-handing-out-free-cell-phones
Jenny Shiyou says
How do I become an agent in Mississippi?
francesca coleman says
How do I become an agent in new york
Free Government Cell Phones says
Contact Assurance and ask them about it.
ASW agent says
Assurance customer service does not have any information from the OutReach Agents!
evelyn hines says
i want to become an agent i have outlets in nc, a and sc
Clara says
Hello, my name is Clara and I live in Fort Wayne Indiana in the 46825 zip code. I am very interested in becoming a agent. How can I become a cell phone agent to the low income families?
leonard ruthford says
How do I become an agent in Wa. state?
Free Government Cell Phones says
usac.org
Dwayne Cousar says
I had the exact same story, except it was Budget Mobile who encouraged me to move to Maryland and sign customers up. They waisted no time to shut me out of the Agent program, after working in the cold for 4 months. The contract stated they would pay reoccuring commissions (residuals), for 12 months for every customer signed up in the Lifeline Assistance Program.
Once they had a certain amount of customers signed up, they dropped me as
an Agent for no reason and blamed the FCC. Richard Hollinger is the Manager who put the blame on the FCC, for Budget Mobile stealing my commissions..
Ray Febus says
Assurance contracted our company as a third party marketing firm to hire contractors to collect applications from qualifying applicants. Our firm hired contractors from public assistance lines to collect applications from this particular target market. Now after tapping the federal public fund and having our independent contractors collect applications in front of benefit offices in the grueling hot July sun they have decided to not honor their agreement claiming widespread fraud without any underlying basis. This after they have collected their compensation & will continue to collect the ongoing public subsidy.
Many of the people affected gave up their time under the guise of Assurance that they would be paid for the collection process. People who put in days of honest work to provide clothing, school supplies, and some to keep a roof over their head.
Please provide a follow up to ensure that corporate greed does not run rampant.
My direct number is 347.848.6572 and I have documentation as well as a demand letter for the July payment which went into breach of contract on the 30 August for the July pay period.
Thank you,
Ray