Media Contact: 
Sharon Diskin, (202) 418-0470
Sharon.Diskin@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL ISSUES ADVISORY REGARDING LIFELINE USAGE RULE COMPLIANCE
  -- 
WASHINGTON, January 28, 2020 – In an Advisory issued today, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Federal Communications Commission alerted Lifeline carriers, beneficiaries, and the public to the potential for widespread carrier non-compliance with the Lifeline usage rule.      

The Advisory provides examples of usage rule violations the OIG has encountered in its ongoing investigations of Lifeline carriers, including reimbursements sought for subscriber accounts that have never had any qualifying usage.  OIG warns all Lifeline carriers to examine their usage monitoring mechanisms and take appropriate remedial measures if problems are discovered. 
      
Inspector General David L. Hunt said, “Our office is committed to using every tool at our disposal to fight fraud, waste, and abuse in the Lifeline program.  Advisories such as this play an important role in alerting program stakeholders that we will scrutinize carefully compliance with all program rules to identify and deter fraudulent practices.”      

The Advisory is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-362144A1.pdf. 

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Office of Inspector General: (202) 418- 0473/ Email: Hotline@fcc.gov
https://www.fcc.gov/inspector-general

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).