The FCC established rules implementing the Safe Connections Act (SCA), a federal law that provides protections to Survivors of Domestic Violence (or SDV) or other related crimes and abuse and those in their care.
The SCA allows survivors to separate their line(s) and the line(s) of anyone in their care from a mobile account shared with the alleged abuser, or to separate the alleged abuser’s line(s) from such an account. After separating the line(s) from the original account, the survivor (or the alleged abuser, if on the new account) has the ability to complete a SIM Swap/ Port/ Cancel of a line.
Survivors experiencing financial hardship who are separating line(s) under Safe Connections may qualify for an emergency support benefit through the Lifeline program that can be used toward eligible services. Cricket does not participate in Lifeline. For details on eligibility and application, visit https://nv.fcc.gov.
To Submit Online:
To separate line(s) from a multi-line account and transfer billing responsibility, survivors – or their representatives – can submit their completed request form via email to DVLAW@cs.cricketwireless-mail.com.
Once the survivor’s request for line separation has been submitted, and the required documentation received, a specialized Care representative will work to complete the request within 2 business days, Monday - Friday*. The request cannot begin until all required documentation is submitted and received.
Documentation Requirements:
Documentation is required to process a line separation request and transfer billing responsibility under SCA. The SDV (or a designated representative acting on the SCA’s behalf) must provide at least one document from either of the following categories that verifies that an individual that uses a line on the account has allegedly abused or committed a related act against the survivor or someone in the survivor’s care. In addition, the following describes what will need to be submitted based on the request.
| If survivor is requesting ONLY their line to be separated | If more than just the survivor’s line is being separated | If the alleged abuser’s line is being separated | If someone is submitting on behalf of survivor (designated representative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A statement saying the survivor is seeking relief under the SCA, and identifying the survivor’s lines | A signed and dated affidavit that the individual is in the care of the survivor and is the user of the specific line(s) | A statement that the alleged abuser is the user of the specific line(s) | A statement explaining the name and relationship of the designated representative to the survivor and that they are assisting the survivor with the process. |
- Copy of -
- Police report
- Statements provided by police to magistrates or judges
- including military r tribal police
- Charging documents
- a frmal accusation alleging that someone committed an offense
- Protective or restraining orders
- Military protective orders
- Any other official record that documents the covered act (e.g., records from government agencies such as child and family services agency)
Category 2: Copy of a Signed Affidavit from one of the following:
- Licensed medical or mental health care provider
- Licensed military medical or mental health care provider
- Licensed social worker
- Victim services provider
- Licensed military victim services provider
- An employee of the court acting within the scope
- of that person’s employment
- Self-attestation (for New York State residents only) is acceptable in place of the listed SCA documentation (Category 1 or 2).
- The survivor’s name on any attached document should match the name used on the request to separate a line(s)
- The alleged abuser’s name as known to the survivor should also be included in the attached document.
- We’ll protect your identity and delete the documents within 30 days of completing the line separation request.
