One example of bad behavior in an online space would be the time that Kyle Traxler from Ohio scammed low-income consumers by creating a fake broadband provider in order to scam consumers who thought they were getting government-funded discounts on internet service and devices. Kyle created Cleo Communications which he tried to authorize as a provider in the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, which provided $50 monthly discount on internet service. The FCC began investigating after receiving complaints from consumers in at least eight states who ordered devices and did not receive them, but payments were excepted. consumers said that Cleo threatened to sue them after they asked for refunds for items and service they didn’t receive. Cleo’s terms of service stated that it never issues refunds and that attempting to get a refund or chargebacks is a “breach of contract”. According to WIRED Some forms of telecom fraud involve the use of fictitious, ineligible, or duplicate customers to obtain payments from FCC programs, but the FCC said Traxler instead scammed consumers directly: “While Cleo never filed for or received disbursements from the EBB Program, Cleo promised consumers that they would receive EBB Program-discounted broadband services and devices in exchange for online electronic payments to Cleo, but the company never delivered the broadband services or devices. Cleo’s schemes to defraud consumers under the pretense of participating in the EBB Program caused severe harm not only in monetary terms to the low-income consumers it preyed upon, but also to the trust and goodwill this or any program needs to achieve its purposes effectively.” The FCC said it doesn’t know exactly how many victims there are from this as many consumers may have just not filed a complaint. Others may have chosen not to apply for discounts with other providers due to their experience with Cleo. This is an ongoing case, but criminal charges are a possibility here. The FCC said applicants to the EBB program were warned that submitting a false certification could result in criminal prosecution and/or liability under the False Claims Act. Wire fraud can also result in prison sentences of up to 30 years, and the FCC said Cleo apparently committed multiple wire fraud violations by taking payments through interstate wire transactions and never delivering the ordered services or devices. Traxler’s scam lasted from May to August 2021, during which he repeatedly engaged in conduct that violated the federal wire fraud statute and the Commission’s rules. The proposed $220,210 penalty is “the statutory maximum we can impose, and reflects the scope, duration, seriousness, and egregiousness of Cleo’s apparent violations,” according to the commission. These types of scams have become more prevalent online and have scammed countless victims out of money and time. These can be avoided by checking reviews and googling companies, owners, and reporting these crimes as soon as possible to hopefully help stop it before it happens to others. As for the FCC and other affiliate organizations in situations like this it is their responsibility to take action as soon as they become aware of the crimes to protect both their reputation and future consumers.