Massive Welfare Fraud Exposed

[Fumesucker]

http://www.balloon-juice.com/2013/10/02/welfare-fraud/

Remember the Obamaphone program that gives undeserving poors the luxury of having their own prepaid cell phone so they can talk to each other while they drive to the store in their welfare Cadillacs to buy t-bones and flat screen TVs? Well, you won’t be surprised to learn that it’s full of cheaters:

The Federal Communications Commission yesterday accused five wireless service providers of obtaining duplicate payments from a federal fund for low-income consumers. The FCC wants the companies to repay the extra money and, in addition, to pay $14.4 million in fines.

The wireless providers allegedly violated rules of the Lifeline program, which has helped people afford basic telephone service since 1985. It was expanded to cover pre-paid cell phone service in 2005 under former President George W. Bush.

This wasn’t chump change, either: over three years, the FCC thinks it can reduce overcharging by $2 billion once the 1.1 million duplicates are removed from the program.

[longship]

1. "...in 2005 under President George W. Bush."

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

[leftstreet]

2. Good grief

[Downwinder]

3. That is not welfare fraud that is Corporate fraud.

[Jim Warren]

4. Any and all corporate welfare

is fraudulent, designed to benefit the few over the many.

[Fumesucker]

5. I realize that not everyone has the same appreciation of irony as myself n/t

[Downwinder]

6. i was going to sign up for that until I saw the hoops I had to jump

through for $10 per month.

[Dragonfli]

10. It isn't hard at all, I don't consider my showing proof of being at or below (%135?)

of poverty guidelines very "hoop" like, I showed them my EBT card and told them my name and address and received a phone and regained my ability to call people within a week, There were more hoops contracting with Verizon when I still could work and afford their phone, they had more paperwork and were a bitch to deal with.

I suppose it depends on what one calls hoops as well as if one doesn't have the (more like $15) a month to afford the cheapest of pre-paid plans, the problem could be with your State or the idea that a lifeline's purpose is to save you ten dollars a month you appear to be able to easily afford.

[xfundy]

7. I have one of those phones.

It doesn't take pictures, I can't text with it, it's nothing more than a phone, period.

I have never tried to cheat on the phone plan. They promised me texting capability but I can't send or receive texts.

I only use it for emergencies or when I'm out of home, have never used up all the minutes, and if you have a problem with that, consider that Raygun started the phone program.

I qualify for it because I'm on fucking food stamps/EBT. I get dirty looks at the store for this, and will not tolerate dirty posts here calling me lazy or worse.

If you want to hate on us, go ahead.

[Fumesucker]

8. Did you read the OP or just the title?

Also, see my post #5 on this thread.

I applied for one and never got it, I assume the company just pocketed the money and I was afraid to try again because I didn't want even a hint of trying game the system since I really do appreciate what system we have.

[Dragonfli]

9. You misunderstand the OP, reread it

It is talking about the telecoms stealing from the fund meant to help us by double charging the government.

Fumesucker has never tried to hate on us, unless "us" is a corporate millionaire committing fraud, in fact quite the opposite, an ally that can always be counted on to argue against any reduction in programs to help us, and to argue for more spending to help those of us that some hate for being poor.

[Half-Century Man]

11. Let me get this straight

The government is surprised that companies legally obligated to best serve their customers, who passed the contents of nearly all cell phone transmissions to the NSA without legal warrants, were acting dishonesty?

If the NSA would be so kind to pass this along: Spoiler Alert, the sun will rise in the east tomorrow; Bowling balls hurt when you drop them on your foot; Louie Gohmert (R-Oz) is not very bright (not including the reflections off his head).