They re among at least 50 people who had applications submitted in their names , without their knowledge , for Lifeline , a Scripps News investigation finds . TerraCom and its affiliate , YourTel America Inc. , together provide Lifeline phone service in 21 states . Their issues reflect broader concerns about administration of the government program , which aims to ensure that low - income households have an open line to jobs and medical care . Former contract agents for TerraCom and YourTel told Scripps they forged application signatures , manufactured addresses and retained legitimate applicants Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information . ;