When consumers glance at their monthly cell phone bill statements, they often see minute cell phone surcharges and taxes.

And the majority of the time, don’t think to question the amounts or bother with the hassle of contacting their cell phone provider, since these fees are usually less $5.

However, an increasing number of reports are discovering that many phone companies are actually keeping a portion of these cell phone surcharges – at the expense of their customers, instead of dispersing the fees appropriately.

Pocketing Cell Phone Surcharges Defrauds Government

One of these cell phone surcharges at issue is the 911 fee.  A portion of this fee is supposed to go to emergency dispatch services, but instead some telecommunications companies are allegedly keeping a larger share of these 911 cell phone surcharges.

These deceptive practices defraud local governments of the money they count on to support their services.

In addition to pocketing 911 cell phone surcharges, other fees wireless companies may be illegally overcharging for or in some cases, fraudulently keeping a portion for themselves include:

• Universal Service Fund Fee
• State Taxes
• State Telecommunications Excise Surcharge
• Regulatory Charge
• Administrative Charge
• City Taxes & Fees
• Gross Receipts Surcharge
• Local Connectivity Charge
• Federal Subscriber Line Charge

What’s more is a whistleblower has come forward challenging the reportedly fraudulent practices of the top wireless companies and their actions regarding cell phone surcharges.

The whistleblower, who happens to be a private consultant for the United States government, alleges that wireless companies AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint have been illegally keeping a portion of 911 cell phone surcharges, essentially stealing the government’ money used to support emergency services.

After discovering the purported cell phone surcharges fraud in 2013, the whistleblower brought his complaint under the False Claims Act.

What is the False Claims Act?

The False Claims Act is a federal law that imposes liability on individuals and companies who defraud the government.

This law contains a “qui tam” provision that allows individuals who have knowledge that a corporation or organization is defrauding the government to “blow the whistle” on the illegal activity.

The person who files a qui tam lawsuit is often referred to as the “relator” or “whistleblower.”

Qui tam lawsuits are a powerful way for whistleblowers to help the government stop many kinds of fraud including those related to keeping a portion of cell phone surcharges.

The False Claims Act also provides job protection to whistleblowers because of the professional and personal risks they take to expose and stop fraud against the government.

Do You Have Knowledge of Illegal Cell Phone Bill Surcharges?

If you have insider knowledge about deceptive or fraudulent cell phone surcharges, you have the right to bring a whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act.

The False Claims Act allows private individuals to file qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the government against companies and individuals that commit fraud against the government.

Qui tam lawsuits are a type of civil lawsuit whistleblowers may bring under the False Claims Act, a law that rewards whistleblowers if their lawsuit recovers funds for the government.

For more information about the False Claims Act or filing a qui tam lawsuit, contact an experienced whistleblower attorney for a free case review.