866-849-0404

Got message to call this number by Verizion when the Verizon call us. The phone number for the Lifeline Discounted Telephone Services. Told us to call in the next 30 days if we want to keep on the program.

Exactly the same as "Chris." THIS HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY MORNING. It is a very frightening scam, because it threatens you with charges of perjury. I hung up after putting in some information (but then realized there was no chance to speak with an operator). I hung up.

Received the same call.  With the exact wording.  I hung up.

We got the same threatening, intrusive phone call this morning, and hung up. We immediately called Verizon, and were totally shocked when a Verizon agent told us that yes, this is LEGITIMATE and it's the ONLY way we can keep our Lifeline service. She insisted we must enter all of our sensitive information -- Social Security # and all!-- over the phone, and that no, they will not send us a form or let us talk to a live person to do it. She was quite adamant about it.
She further said (and this really irked me): "This is not Verizon's doing. It's the FCC that is making us do this." I have checked this angle out, and someone else received a similar call from AT&T, and the FCC basically told the individual "This is wrong and they shouldn't have contacted you in this way."
So our next step was to call our state rep's office about the call. We were put through to a person who was very helpful, whose first impression was "This is clearly a scam." But when we told her Verizon had told us directl that this was legitimate and was required, she told us "I am going to check this out and get back to you." We're hoping to hear back from her soon.

Later we receieved another call back from our state representative's aide. She had called the FCC, which had told her flat out that this is a scam, and people should be told to hang up immediately if they get these calls. The FCC rep then put through a call to Verizon, with my state rep's aide still on the phone, listening in: the Verizon executive also agreed that Verizon has NOTHING to do with this, and it IS a scam. Please do not let anyone intimidate you into giving out your information to these people.
The weird thing is, later we called Verizon (using our generic 1-888 Verizon # that we have in our computer, that we've used for years, so we know it's legit) a couple more times, to talk to agents and alert them to the fact that this was happening. Both of them, however, told us we MUST recertify. The first one said we must answer the 10 minute questionnaire on the phone; the second one, curiously, gave us the option of receiving a form in the mail that we answer in the privacy of our home and mail back to them. (Curious, because the other 2 agents swore up and down that we could not do it by mail.)
So for some reason, it appears Verizon agents are aiding and abetting a scam. Either that, or the Verizon company is being disingenuous with the FCC and not telling the truth.
I suspect Verizon is pulling a fast one to try and cleverly force thousands of disabled people off their Lifeline rolls, in order to boost their profits. It wouldn't surprise me a bit, given their track record. If I didn't have to use Verizon as my computer server, I'd cancel my phone service in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, I cannot do so.
Gr-rrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gawd!!!!
My phone call to Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Telecommunications & Cable throws another level of complexity and confusion into the mix.
The rep at the DTC told us that as of 2012, the telephone survey IS INDEED the only way that people can recertify with Verizon for the Lifeline phone discount, and that if they do not answer the survey they will lose their Lifeline service.
So there you go.
And clearly, Verizon's right hand doesn't know what it's left hand is doing, since their top brass informed my state Rep's aide that Verizon does not engage in any kind of phone questionnaires, and they strongly urged her to tell us to hang up and ignore the calls.
Verizon sucks.

Received a letter to call the same number 866-849-0404 regarding the certification for the Lifeline program within 30 days. I called Verizon to check whether it is scam or a legitimate letter, and the agent confirmed that it is legitimate.  I did some web search, but have not located the number on FCC, Verizon, or other sites.
It looks risky to provide sensitive info to who knows whom.

got a call about recertifying lifeline...called verizon and the service rep said they have hours monday thru friday and a sunday call was likely a scam. going to call verizon tomorrow and report to fraud dept.

Here's what I found out at USAC site which administrates the federal funds for Lifeline:
Lifeline Reform Order FCC 12-11
February 6, 2012
http://usac.org/_res/documents/li/pdf/fcc/FCC-12-11.pdf

130. Pursuant to the new rule we adopt today, all ETCs (or states, where applicable) must recertify the eligibility of their Lifeline subscriber base as of June 1, 2012 by the end of 2012 and report the results to USAC by January 31, 2013.337 This re-certification may be done on a rolling basis throughout the year, at the ETC’s election.338 Where ongoing eligibility cannot be determined through access to a qualifying database either by the ETC or the state, and there is no state administrator verifying the continued eligibility of Lifeline subscribers, by the end of 2012, an ETC [eligible telecommunications carrier] must re-certify the continued eligibility of all of its subscribers by contacting them—which can be done in any of a number of ways,
including in person, in writing, by phone, by text message, by email, or otherwise through the Internet—to confirm their continued eligibility pursuant to the rules established in this Order.339 Specifically, all such ETCs must obtain from each Lifeline subscriber by the end of 2012 a re-certification form that
contains each of the required certifications described above.

Also, the 1-866-849-0404 was verified as legitimate by my local Verizon rep. He told me that Verizon's procedures information indicate Lifeline subscibers are supposed to be contacted by mail if there is no response to the automatic phone calls. However, to be safe, I plan to re-certify over the phone or complete the online form from Verizon's website.

Mom received message to call number to recertify Lifeline.  I went to Verizon wedsite and downloaded the Lifeline application and called the toll free number listed on the form (800-924-0585). They verified that 866-849-0404 is the number being used for Lifeline verification.

I got the same call from so-called Verizon lifeline program regarding the recertification of lifeline service. It's number is 18668490404 which is the same as the number the people above heard from. It said the process of recertification would take 10 minutes. Gosh! In order to continue to get the lifeline service, I recertify over the phone responding to the automatic phone system by telling it all my personal info. After that I panicked for providing my info to the suspected call on Sunday. Then I called Verizon. The Prep. Was unwilling to help verify the number saying lifeline belongs to gov. Instead of Verizon. Due to my persistent request, he verified it unwillingly and told me it's legitimate with unwillingness.                      Verizon sucks!!!

A 92-year-old friend received this call and gave the information before letting me know what was going on.  They insisted that in order to continue receiving Lifeline, she would have to cancel her emergency cell phone through Lifelink.  She tried to do that, but couldn't reach the company.  At this point, I told her to put the cell phone back into the car and plug it back in.  Does anyone have information on this requirement since I can't get anyone to answer the number Verizon gave me to check with Lifelink (I did get an offer for a $100 voucher for my credit card number and another number which led to a link with Netspend for a pre-paid card though)?

I have an adl with this tel no assigned to a family member for my benefit of emergency contact.  How would Verizon know to call my family member at this telephone number?