FCC Takes Aim At Scammers Secretly Padding Your Phone Bill

AOL Daily Finance:

A little over two years since it took on the credit card industry, the federal government has found a fresh villain: telecommunications fraudsters. Earlier this week, the Federal Communications Commission proposed new rules designed to crack down on "phone cramming," a widespread, illegal practice that robs billions of dollars from phone users.

Read the whole story: AOL Daily Finance

Comments

[El Chingaso]

10:43 AM on 07/20/2011

I never fall for these things -- because, despite the article's premise, a cell phone bill isn't that difficult to decipher. Call, raise h*ll, and threaten your telecom with legal action...and, suddenly, those fraudulent charges (which the carriers gets a cut of the action) vanish. Again, our nation's corporations have evolved into thieves -- but they're not that smart.

[satanlite]

07:35 AM on 07/19/2011

I particularly enjoy paying for text message my carrier sends me that advertise services I don't want or need.s

[loki]

06:01 AM on 07/19/2011

I dont have 3rd party problems., I have one party , ATT. AT&T is famous for this, and has been for many decades. Just ask them what the " Other Charges" are for. No one can tell you. But they often range from 5 to 15 dollars , depending on the month and how much they fell like raping you out of.

[Quixo]

03:26 AM on 07/19/2011

Shut down BSG. [Billing Services Group] BSG is the parent Company of the 3rd party billing system which put the unauthorized fees on your phone bill. The phone company makes money off the scam also. BSG corporate headquarters is in the Bahamas. The Billions of dollars scammed from US consumers is traded on London stock market AIM under BILL - if they aren't shut down, the scam will continue as it has for over 15 years. [Check out BSG's website].

Information regarding this scam ~ Rockefeller Releases Alarming Findings of Yearlong Committee Investigation Into Mystery Telephone Fees- 1.usa.gov/nLCPmc

[sergal stew]

02:43 AM on 07/19/2011

I canceled my ATT iphone, feels good.

[themodernleader]

12:41 AM on 07/19/2011

Monopolies of naturally occurring functions have plundered the consumer for the past several decades. Electricity, natural gas, kerosene and heating oil have shot through the roof to pay for the pillaging, selling and reselling on once great utilities. Filling stations are now owned by monopolistic oil drilling companies who own from the ouil field to the pump. There is no competition of note. When the government is acknowledged of investigating anything related to their economic crimes against the consumer, such action is to be applauded and encouraged. i am waiting for any administration tobreak up illegal monopolies and fairly regulate our utilities and air lines, water ways and railroads.

[maxfax]

11:13 PM on 07/18/2011

Telecommjnications lobbyists must be going crazy right about now doing whatever they can to stop regulators. The heck with consumers, victims of these vultures.

[TruthRains]

10:55 PM on 07/18/2011

Cell phones are a scam in themselves. Requiring you to purchase services you don't even use or need. I'm sticking with my land line.

[KAL-EL]

10:00 PM on 07/18/2011

Secretly padding phone bills?

umm that would be govt as the biggest offender.

[TruthRains]

10:53 PM on 07/18/2011

Another Republican distortion.

[bola47]

08:58 PM on 07/18/2011

i've got a novel idea for the fcc. open up the airwaves to more competition so we can have choice when it comes to carriers. more choice equals lower rates. we have third rate mobile service at higher costs compared to the rest of the world.

[hobo62]

08:26 PM on 07/18/2011

It took the Feds two years to find this? It took me one month to find but 6 months to get it stopped completely from ATT. Got it stopped first time and a credit and 3 months later same thing. When it started for the third and last time I had the phone service disconnected. Don't miss it at all.

[Opus007]

08:42 PM on 07/18/2011

ATT are outright thieves. When you call to complain your call is just disconnected after 20 minutes on hold. I told them to shove it and credited myself on my last bill.

[bebopman21]

07:29 PM on 07/18/2011

Qwest did this to me when I moved to another city. The state eventually forced Qwest to offer refunds, but the burden of proof was on the customer to prove he was scammed. I lost the old phone bills when I moved to a new house and -- viola! -- no refund for me.

[Talk To Qwest Team]

04:46 PM on 07/25/2011

Hello bebopman21, this is B with the Talk To Qwest Team. I wanted to reach out and see if you are still needing assistance with issue, or if everything has already been resolved for you. If you are still needing assistance, send me an e-mail to [e-mail], and I'll be happy however I can.

Thanks,