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FCC Lifeline, EBB, ACP Warning Overview:
- Who: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Office of Inspector General and Wireline Competition Bureau released notices to the public revolving around its Lifeline, Emergency Broadband Benefit and Affordable Connectivity program.
- Why: FCC warns some telecom providers use deceptive marketing practices to coerce Lifeline applicants into signing up for services they don’t want.
- Where: The programs affect consumers nationwide.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a warning to consumers about fraudulent schemes involving government-subsidized affordable internet programs.
The FCC’s internal watchdog warned in a public advisory that the schemes, which revolve around getting consumers to sign up for the internet programs, could be in violation of federal law.
In the advisory, the FCC Office of Inspector General (IOG) warned some companies that are a part of the FCC’s Lifeline, Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) and Affordable Connectivity programs (ACP) are attempting to “strongarm” consumers into adding services they don’t want.
“Such deceptive practices by unscrupulous providers clearly violate program rules and Commission policies, eliminate consumer choice and threaten ACP program integrity by encouraging costly government payments to providers for unwanted broadband service,” the IOG says.
The FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau also revealed in a public notice that it is creating more “program integrity” measures meant to protect consumer choice in the ACP program who also qualify for the Lifeline benefit.
“Consumer choice and consent are fundamental principles for both the Affordable Connectivity Program and the Lifeline program. No provider should undermine those principles or take advantage of consumers,” the Wireline Competition Bureau says.
Lifeline was established in 1985 as a way to provide telecom discounts for consumers who are of low income.
Lifeline Applicants Deceived Into Enrolling In ACP/EBB Programs
The improper conduct, according to the advisory from the OIG, meanwhile, stems from companies deceiving Lifeline applicants into enrolling in ACP/EBB programs they don’t actually want.
Companies also use the scheme to coerce Lifeline applicants into transferring their services away from their provider of choice by tying enrollment into the federal programs, the advisory says.
The reported deception can occur during the online application process for consumers seeking Lifeline services through a provider who also offers ACP, the OIG says.
According to the advisory, consumers may be forced to choose between either transferring their existing ACP service or enrolling in new ACP services before being able to finish the application for Lifeline.
“At least one provider requires consumers to agree to transfer their existing ACP service even after the consumer indicates they only seek Lifeline service,” the advisory says. “Customers who do not carefully review the online process may find themselves enrolled in ACP or have (it) transferred away from their preferred provider when they seek Lifeline service from one of the providers employing these tactics.”
It was not revealed in the advisory how many providers could be involved in the scheme to allegedly coerce consumers; however, the OIG discussed how — the day before launching the EBB program — it had warned providers not to use deceptive marketing practices against consumers.
The OIG also would go on to codify the requirements for consumer protection written within the rules of the ACP, according to the advisory.
“Such deceptive practices by unscrupulous providers clearly violate program rules and commission policies, eliminate consumer choice and threaten ACP program integrity by encouraging costly government payments to providers for unwanted broadband service,” the OIG says.
Have you been coerced into changing your provider when applying for Lifeline services? Let us know in the comments!
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36 thoughts onFCC Warns Consumers About Telecom Fraud Tactics
Add me. They hijacked my number and when I try to transfer they want to disconnect my service before I can take my number.
I’m planning to go back to my paid carrier with my phone and my number but I’m afraid it’s going to be a nightmare to port it back and I’ve had this number for years.
I’ve only been with Qlink a few months and I completely regret it.
I never have data and I never received broadband I was approved for.
It’s a complete nightmare snd sinful how they take advantage while being paid by our government who doesn’t seem to care.
i was tricked by Qlink that I had unlimited data. I don’t. there’s a data cap and throttling that makes internet too slow to be functional. I left Tmobile Magenta Max (an actual unlimited data plan to join Qlink. And I’ve regretted it ever since.
I’m reading through all the comments and just appalled. I feel sick to my stomach . This is not right. I signed up with Q link wireless because I qualified I transfered my number from straight talk to them . They sent me sims card. Now last month they capped my usage . (Unlimited yea right) this month I realized my phone stopped working I couldn’t you internet . It was weird I missed calls couldn’t text. During this time I called q link only to be hung up on and also no email response after conveying my issues. I called again only to have a robot tell me that I canceled my q link wireless but I could reapply again . I NEVER CANCELED !!!!. I MISSED SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT MESSAGES DURING THIS TIME . THIS IS NOT RIGHT . NOW I HAVE NO SERVICE . I trusted this program because it was working with the government. Now what?
QLINK WIRELESS IS DECEITFUL AND FRAUDULENT! I enrolled in the Lifeline Program years before the pandemic (before the EBB/ACP program began) with unlimited services. I miserably regret choosing Qlink Wireless. I reluctantly enrolled in the EBB in May 2021, paid the $10.01 for the ‘free’ tablet and have yet to use it due to no wireless connection. What QLINK doesn’t disclose to the consumer is they DO NOT offer service for a tablet, laptop or PC through this government program. What they also don’t disclose that if you’re a Lifeline customer, you are automatically enrolled in the now ACP program, whether you want it or not BUT the allowance that the government has provided to low-income families and individuals,
like myself, is applied to a cellular phone only. I already have free cellular service through Lifeline, why would you apply another government service for the same device? The Affordable Connectivity Program provides deductions for other devices, again, a tablet, laptop or a PC, NOT for a mobile phone with free service through the government.
Qlink Wireless were quick to sell a tablet, offer a service to use it and lie about it.
Qlink Wireless performs fraudulent activity, period. If you haven’t already, search them online, there’s some very disturbing articles there.
Q Link wireless told me I could switch my phone number. And keep my old phone number with them. And now somehow Verizon got their phone number back and somebody has access to my accounts and they have it set up as a business account.
I’m have been going through this very situation. Word for word this sounds like my situation with qlink
Q Link have been stealing from the government for YEARS. I was signed up for a phone I stop using 5- 7 years ago and it stayed on all that time. The rule was you must us your phone 3 times a month for it to stay on, but I think they were calling and texting the phone themselves and using that as “activity” to the phone. I hate I ever dealt with them.
I was inquiring about qlink, they took my phone number from another cell service company and will not give it back! They sent me and charged me for a tablet and phone that I do not want. I now can’t use my phone because it was locked with my original cell service company, I am now stranded without a locked cell phone 8 can’t use and can not get my number back and can not or cell phone service without paying my original cell phone service company extra fees for reestablishing a service and lost all the information and phone numbers because qlink took my long time phone number away from me, they STOLE my cell phone number and left me with big reconnection charges with my cell phone service!!!! When you call qlink customer service it’s in done foreign country and you can tell they are using a translator to talk to you there answers for not make sense and are so grammatically incorrect that they do not make sense. Stay away from qlink, they are crooked!!!!
I have had my Qlink wireless number since 2017 or longer. I switched my service to a different phone and to my surprise it reads someones else’s name on the caller I.D. My number never changed and I have called them several times but it has not been fixed. I’m also experiencing the same complaints as listed above.
I been receiving emails for a tablet i never received to an address i moved from july 7 2021. Qlink sent a tablet to this address i no longer resided on January 26 2022. Made calls asking why you keep sending me emails for tablet i never received. So they say i have to pay first. So September 9th i paid and today they tell me i cant be reimbursed and cant get a tablet cuz they sent one to an old address i was no longer residing. Basically scammed me for $10.01 for a tablet never received and obviously never will.
I been receiving emails for a tablet i never received to an address i moved from july 7 202. Qlink sent a tablet to this address i no longer resided on January 26 2022. Made calls asking why you keep sending me emails for tablet i never received. So they say i have to pay first. So September 9th i paid and today they tell me i cant be reimbursed and cant get a tablet cuz they sent one to an old address i was no longer residing. Basically scammed me for $10.01 for a tablet never received and obviously never will.