Phones for dead people: GAO report uncovers massive fraud in ‘Obamaphone’ program

[FakeNews]

A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that the infamous “Obamaphone” program, meant to provide low-income Americans phone and internet service, is riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse.

A three-year investigation into the controversial Lifeline Program, requested by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), says some 10.6 million Americans have an Obamaphone and more than 3.8 million or 36 percent of them may not be eligible.

GAO investigators sampled the program’s population and found that it had been paying for nearly 6,400 phones for people whom the government has listed as deceased; another 5,500 people were enrolled for two phones, and another group of people couldn’t prove they were eligible to receive their free phone.

“A complete lack of oversight is causing this program to fail the American taxpayer — everything that could go wrong is going wrong,” McCaskill said in a statement. “We’re currently letting phone companies cash a government check every month with little more than the honor system to hold them accountable, and that simply can’t continue.”

Administered by the Federal Communications Commission, Lifeline requires telecommunication companies (At&t, Verizon, Sprint) to pay a percentage of their voice service revenues into a pool called the Universal Service Fund that is administered by an independent nonprofit company called the Universal Service Administrative Company. Telecom companies pass on the cost of their contributions to consumers, whose monthly bill includes a “universal service fee” charge.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...rt-uncovers-massive-fraud-obamaphone-program/

 

[OldJourno]

I can't believe any thinking human being would be surprised by this. It's government, and it's what government does.

 

[FakeNews]

I can't believe any thinking human being would be surprised by this. It's government, and it's what government does.

Sarcasm?

Or waiving the white flag & surrendering to waste, fraud & abuse?

 

[ejredlady]

Seriously? Fraud in the Obummer Administration? No! Say it isn't so!
What were people thinking?

 

[water505]

A complete lack of oversight.

No oversight, no accountability, no worries...

 

[water505]

It's always somebody else's money.

 

[OldJourno]

Sarcasm?

Or waiving the white flag & surrendering to waste, fraud & abuse?

It's not sarcasm. People clamoring for government to do something efficiently and effectively about health care or housing or anything else should know better simply because of stories like this.
BTW, it's "waving."

 

[FakeNews]

It's not sarcasm. People clamoring for government to do something efficiently and effectively about health care or housing or anything else should know better simply because of stories like this.
BTW, it's "waving."

I stand corrected...

Waive vs. wave
To waive is (1) to give up a claim or right voluntarily, (2) to refrain from enforcing something, or (3) to set something aside temporarily. To wave is to move back and forth or up and down or to make an up-and-down or back-and-forth hand signal. The words are closely related to waiver and waver, which have related distinctions.

http://grammarist.com/usage/waive-wave/

I'm still curious to know if you've surrendered to waste, fraud & abuse. Have you?

 

[Que]

Seriously? Fraud in the Obummer Administration? No! Say it isn't so!
What were people thinking?

This program used to apply to landlines. It was the Bush Administration that converted it to cell phones. the Obama Administration simply made the program more well-known and I think added some money for promotion because we need to promote free stuff to get people to take it.

 

[OldJourno]

I stand corrected...

http://grammarist.com/usage/waive-wave/

I'm still curious to know if you've surrendered to waste, fraud & abuse. Have you?

Nope. I don't clamor for government to do anything. I've reached an age where I expect government to pay me back but I have no real expectations of it doing so, particularly in terms of medical care.
The federal government should transition out of housing, phones, retirement, health care - pretty much everything except military, treasury and diplomacy.

 

[FGB]

I'm sure it sounded like a good Ideal and in certain circumstances probably is.

However, such things need to be somewhat difficult to qualify for and the project along with many others,overseen by some hard nosed but fair bureaucrat with a "Hell NO!" stamp at the ready!

I have met this species before so I know that they exist... if rare.

 

[FakeNews]

Nope. I don't clamor for government to do anything. I've reached an age where I expect government to pay me back but I have no real expectations of it doing so, particularly in terms of medical care.
The federal government should transition out of housing, phones, retirement, health care - pretty much everything except military, treasury and diplomacy.

You have surrendered. I appreciate the honesty.

 

[OldJourno]

You have surrendered. I appreciate the honesty.

Draw your own conclusions.

 

[FakeNews]

I'm sure it sounded like a good Ideal and in certain circumstances probably is.

However, such things need to be somewhat difficult to qualify for and the project along with many others,overseen by some hard nosed but fair bureaucrat with a "Hell NO!" stamp at the ready!

I have met this species before so I know that they exist... if rare.

It’s easy to get an Obama phone and service. Government programs such as Food Stamps and Medicaid qualify you for eligibility. So does meeting low-income requirements.

http://www.obamaphone.com/get-obama-phone

 

[water505]

Any dead person who votes is entitled to a free government phone. Makes perfect sense.

 

[nowisthetime]

Seriously? Fraud in the Obummer Administration? No! Say it isn't so!
What were people thinking?

Hey Trumpskin,

There are people that commit fraud from all administrations, you Ignorant bigot bumpkin. Stick to your bondage threads.

 

[TalkRadio]

The bound fat woman is a low information voter driven by hate.


Whaaaa!

^^^ Luk & Ferm.