Fraud and abuse grow after subsidized telephone program expands (Obama phones)

The Washington Times ^ | Feb 5, 2013 | By Luke Rosiak -

[KeyLargo]

Fraud and abuse grow after subsidized telephone program expands

A federal program subsidizing phones for the poor increased from 6.8 million to 18 million recipients from 2008 — the year it was expanded to include cell phones — to May 2012.

And fraud and abuse from the expansion have been far more extensive than expected, to the extent that tougher enforcement of long-existing rules is projected to bring in enough money to finance the expansion of the program to provide low-income users with free Internet service, according to the Federal Communications Commission report released last week. Up to 15 percent of subscribers in the program are ineligible, the FCC found.

[Coldwater Creek]

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!!

[KeyLargo]

Original Obamaphone Lady: Obama Voter Says Vote for Obama because he

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUrRjdLIz7c

[Tugo]

Useful idiots no longer useful. Simply idiots.

[nascarnation]

You have to admit, the Baraqqis don’t miss a thing when it comes to ruthless pursuit of statism.

I’m sure the Obamaphones were a real advantage in the 2012 election. The fun part is that we all paid for them via the phone bill surcharges.

[KeyLargo]

TECHNOLOGY

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Updated February 11, 2013, 9:51 p.m. ET

Millions Improperly Claimed U.S. Phone Subsidies

By SPENCER E. ANTE

The U.S. government spent about $2.2 billion last year to provide phones to low-income Americans, but a Wall Street Journal review of the program shows that a large number of those who received the phones haven’t proved they are eligible to receive them.

The Lifeline program—begun in 1984 to ensure that poor people aren’t cut off from jobs, families and emergency services—is funded by charges that appear on the monthly bills of every landline and wireless-phone customer. Payouts under the program have shot up from $819 million in 2008, as more wireless carriers have persuaded regulators to let them offer the service.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323511804578296001368122888.html

[KeyLargo]

Video report here:

WSJ’s Spencer Ante has details of a $2.2 billion government program to give cell phones to poor people that resulted in phones winding up in the hands of people ineligible for the program.

VIDEO:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323511804578296001368122888.html

[Doogle]

new IPHONES

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

Fraud and abuse grow after subsidized telephone program expands (Obama phones)

OMG! Who would have ever expected such a thing to happen!

I am shocked, shocked I tell you!

Regards,
GtG

[KeyLargo]

[Coldwater Creek]

We have just gotten a new Great Pyrenees puppy that my son named Gandalf.

[ArmstedFragg]

Right. Tougher enforcement is going to finance the internet. What’s he going to do, take away the free Obamaphones from his buddies?

What’ll happen is we’ll front the money for the free internet, then it’ll turn out the tougher enforcement will have “disappointing results”. Or, more likely, there’ll be an enforcement program established that won’t actually do any enforcement.

Bottom line, giving Obama’s buddies cell phones at our expense wasn’t enough, now he wants to reward them for their vote by giving them free internet service.

The real idiocy here is that the clown actually thinks the American people can’t see through this.

[KeyLargo]

SIGN ME UP!

Do you qualify for a free government cell phone and minutes?
The government’s Lifeline Assistance Program gives out free cell phones and monthly service to Americans in need of financial help.

Here’s what you get with your free cell phone

A free governmentl phone isn’t a cheap wireless phone or a discounted model. These are recent model, fully featured cell phones, backed by prominent mobile phone companies. You won’t get an iPhone, Android or Blackberry, but you’ll get a basic, modern phone.

In addition to the phone, which comes with voice mail, call waiting and caller ID, you will typically get up to 250 minutes of airtime per month. It’s not a lot of airtime, but anyone complaining should remember that service is made available to you for free, and is indirectly paid for by other Americans. In addition, most companies offer the ability to send and receive text messages.

GO TO:

http://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/

[KeyLargo]

Yo, Barry,

Can you hook me up with one of those FREE cell phones?

Thanks

Mitt

[soycd]

>The real idiocy here is that the clown actually thinks the American people can’t see through this.

There were enough moronic voters to put that POS back in office. And plenty of idiots refusing to vote against him too.

[Paine in the Neck]

This ObamaPhone program was a Chicago bolshevik operation from the get-go. It’s main purpose was to create a multi-million strong flash mob that Obama could call on for election time. That it also resulted in huge profits and campaign donation kickbacks at the taxpayer’s expense is just gravy.

[Red Badger]

Up to 15 percent of subscribers in the program are ineligible, the FCC found.

That's just what the found. I bet that the number is more like 50%+.....................

[fella]

A program specifically designed to be abused, gets abused and now we're supposed to be surprised?

[gusopol3]

It’s scary, but it took 12 posts for anyone to notice. The article reads like a John Semmens satire. “We’ve allowed so much misappropriation of taxpayer funds we can afford another entitlement.”

[ArmstedFragg]

Exactly!