More Social Program Fraud & Abuse

[Bro. Curtis]

....The rapid growth of the program has continued since then. In 2011, the FCC estimated the cost(page 153) of the program would be $2.1 billion and said it would reach $3.3 billion by 2014 absent major reforms. The FCC also found that part of the problem with the program was rampant fraud:

[O]ur ongoing oversight has revealed that a substantial number of subscribers are receiving duplicative Lifeline support, which includes individuals receiving two or more Lifeline benefits from ETCs as well as two or more individuals in a household receiving benefits from multiple ETCs.
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How bad is the fraud? A survey conducted by the FCC across 17 states and territories found that, on average, 9% of phone recipientswere ineligible (page 243). In some states like Alabama, New Hampshire, and West Virginia, the ineligibility rate was 18-19%. And all of that is based on a survey to which 27% of users refused to respond to questions....

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Govern...Phones-Costing-Taxpayers-2-1-Billion-Per-Year

 

[carpro]

A ridiculous program in the first place. A total waste of money.


From your source:

If the goal is really to connect individuals to essential services such as fire and police, FCC rules already mandate that carriers transmit those calls along with detailed location information regardless of whether an individual has service with a carrier or not. Given our debt and our deficits, it is time to consider hanging up on this booming, fraud-ridden Lifeline to taxpayer's wallets.