Wheeler, House Lawmaker in Contact About Florida Lifeline Concerns
Rep. Richard Nugent, R-Fla., alerted FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to a problem that Wheeler agreed would be cause for great concern. “It has come to my attention that contractors for the Universal Service Fund are setting up booths outside of…
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Veterans Administration locations offering free cellphones with service, implying strongly that it is a government benefit specifically for veterans,” Nugent told Wheeler in a letter. “However, mere months later, the veterans receive a notice that they must provide proof that they meet the income threshold.” He blasted this as “an abuse” of USF intentions, with veterans “misled” and the targeting of veterans disgraceful. Wheeler responded in an Oct. 2 letter released this week. “I am as outraged as you are that agents of a wireless phone company would target veterans with false and misleading information with the goal of scamming those veterans and the Lifeline program,” Wheeler told Nugent. “It is an insult to the veterans who were targeted, and it undermines the integrity of the Lifeline program. We will not stand for it.” Commission staffers have worked with the veterans, who should be held harmless, Wheeler said. Tracfone “has promised that the affected veterans will be able to use the service at least through the end of the year,” Wheeler added. “Tracfone must better police its agents and ensure that they immediately stop this activity, so that no additional veterans are victimized.” He has asked staffers to investigate further and is open to, “if necessary, withholding future remittances to Tracfone.” Wheeler referred the case to the FCC Office of Inspector General “with a request that they work to bring appropriate legal action,” he said. “Our referral of this matter to OIG reflects the gravity of the alleged violations.” Tracfone had no immediate comment.