WTF AT&T? Recurring charges by third parties?

[Red Squirrel]

What happens if your cell is turned off, ex: you are on vacation and leave it at home turned off for a week. Can these companies still opt you in stuff?

 

[Malak]

What happens if your cell is turned off, ex: you are on vacation and leave it at home turned off for a week. Can these companies still opt you in stuff?

Of course, signing up requires a phone # not a phone. People get signed up on websites too.

 

[dabuddha]

Still requires user input to be charged:
http://support.verizonwireless.com/faqs/Premium_TXT_and_MMS/faq_premium_txt_and_mms.html

Read the OP. He never stated that they signed up for something.

 

[dabuddha]

Still requires user input to be charged:
http://support.verizonwireless.com/faqs/Premium_TXT_and_MMS/faq_premium_txt_and_mms.html

Not true:

http://classactionconnect.com/cell_...uthorized-cell-phone-charges-youre-not-alone/

 

[NoCreativity]

My wife got this a few years ago, unsolicited on Verizon or at least not directly solicited. It asked her something like "do you want to subscribe to something?" Of course she replies with "no". Since "no" isn't the proper keyword we were subscribed. Of course had to argue with Peggy for 10 minutes to get it reversed.

 

[torpid]

I got a text like this once. Some sort of trivia text that sends you 3 random trivia "Facts" per week for a mere $10 per month. I researched it immediately and found that replying STOP doesn't actually stop in the case of the company by which I was scammed. I had to call AT&T to dispute the charges and then premium sms. Once I did this, I stopped getting charged. Though I do still receive the trivia texts for some reason. I enjoy researching them to see what % are BS.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Of course, signing up requires a phone # not a phone. People get signed up on websites too.

That's what I figured, it's kinda like those pre paid credit cards you get signed up for. You may not be home or you may not have a mailbox, but if you have an address it will go somewhere and be in your name.

 

[mshan]

"What is mobile cramming, and why is it a problem?

"Mobile cramming refers to any unauthorized charge that appears on your bill. The fraud was initially associated with landline phones and is migrating to wireless phones. Cramming occurs when a third party signs you up for a service that you don’t know you’re paying for. Maybe you were asked to enter your number on a Web site to access a joke of the day, for example, or a horoscope. This is the first part of a “double opt in.” Then you might get a text message saying something like “reply STOP if you don’t want this.” Considering it spam, you delete it. As a result, you get signed up for these recurring charges, typically about $10 a month. Because the charges are buried in multipage phone bills, consumers don’t notice and might get charged repeatedly over the course of many months.


How can people protect themselves?

Treat your cell-phone number as you would cash or a credit card. Don’t just give it out. If you’re asked to enter a number to access information online that you can find free elsewhere, it could be a scam.



What should people look for on their bills?

These charges can be labeled practically anything. Carriers do a fair job of breaking out their fees, so look for additional services or miscellaneous charges that are not associated with your regular service.



If you find illegitimate charges on your bill, what should you do?

Complain to the carrier and ask it to block third-party billing. Let the regulatory agencies know. If you report the problem via our online complaint form at www.fraud.org, we’ll share that information with more than 90 law-enforcement and consumer-protection agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.



What about cramming on credit card bills? Does the same advice apply?

Again, it’s important for consumers to regularly review their credit and debit card bills to make sure they’re not getting hit with fraudulent charges. Report a suspicious charge to your credit card company or bank as soon as possible; consumers aren’t usually charged for fraudulent use of their cards if they dispute it promptly. With mobile cramming, though, carriers are under no legal obligation to waive the fees or pay for fraud that occurs over their system."

http://kiplingers.com/article/spend...ile-cramming-bogus-charges-on-your-phone.html

 

[alkemyst]

That's what I figured, it's kinda like those pre paid credit cards you get signed up for. You may not be home or you may not have a mailbox, but if you have an address it will go somewhere and be in your name.

dafuq

 

[SparkyJJO]

If she can't even figure out texting, why the heck does she have a smartphone?

 

[Red Squirrel]

dafuq

Say you are gone on vacation, and for whatever reason, your mailbox breaks or it's content's gets stolen or w/e, it's not going to stop one of those companies from making a preactivated credit card in your name. These cell phone tactics are similar in nature. I guess it was not the best comparison.

Come to think of it, I have not seen those preactivated credit cards in a long time. Wonder if that's been made illegal.

 

[alkemyst]

Say you are gone on vacation, and for whatever reason, your mailbox breaks or it's content's gets stolen or w/e, it's not going to stop one of those companies from making a preactivated credit card in your name. These cell phone tactics are similar in nature. I guess it was not the best comparison.

Come to think of it, I have not seen those preactivated credit cards in a long time. Wonder if that's been made illegal.

dafaq?

 

[Malak]

Read the OP. He never stated that they signed up for something.

He doesn't know he signed up for something. Not the same thing. Working in customer service I got these calls constantly, along with numerous people not wanting to pay their bill. I could go on and on with stories, I even told a lady who threatened to switch companies if I didn't remove charges to go ahead and switch then hung up on her.

Like I said before, people get 3rd party charges just like they get viruses. They sign up for it without realizing it. They're both designed to trick you, and you got tricked. And if you think blaming AT&T will help, you are wrong. Because it doesn't matter what company you get phone service with. Until the gov't makes it illegal, it'll keep happening. 3rd party charges are often legit, so don't be surprised if lobbyists try to keep it legal.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

^ I get being pissed off as a CSR with no power but to take shit.^

But if they didn't refund my fees I would have joined a class action.

 

[VAisforlovers]

why does your mom have an iphone if she can't even locate the texting button?

You're paying for data/smartphone charges just because your mom wanted an iphone when a simple flip phone would've sufficed.

 

[alkemyst]

^ I get being pissed off as a CSR with no power but to take shit.^

But if they didn't refund my fees I would have joined a class action.

LOL BRO, U so fat you bite the hand that feeds you.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

If she can't even figure out texting, why the heck does she have a smartphone?

why does your mom have an iphone if she can't even locate the texting button?

You're paying for data/smartphone charges just because your mom wanted an iphone when a simple flip phone would've sufficed.

She likes to watch Netflix when she's waiting for my dad's chemo to finish.

LOL BRO, U so fat you bite the hand that feeds you.

true story, unrelated to the conversation, but true story.

 

[Malak]

^ I get being pissed off as a CSR with no power but to take shit.^

But if they didn't refund my fees I would have joined a class action.

The fees come from a 3rd party, not AT&T. You aren't paying AT&T, you are paying a 3rd party. That's why we always told people to take it up with the 3rd party.

I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it's not the phone company that's doing it.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

The fees come from a 3rd party, not AT&T. You aren't paying AT&T, you are paying a 3rd party. That's why we always told people to take it up with the 3rd party.

I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it's not the phone company that's doing it.

and yet they could easily send me a courtesy text to let me know such a thing has been added to my bill well before I have to pay anything...

 

[Malak]

and yet they could easily send me a courtesy text to let me know such a thing has been added to my bill well before I have to pay anything...

They are abiding by current regulations that allow 3rd parties to add charges. It isn't their business to notify you, the only part they play it in at all is printing the bill. It'd be like blaming the printer company that they use for your bill being too high.

 

[dabuddha]

He doesn't know he signed up for something. Not the same thing. Working in customer service I got these calls constantly, along with numerous people not wanting to pay their bill. I could go on and on with stories, I even told a lady who threatened to switch companies if I didn't remove charges to go ahead and switch then hung up on her.

Like I said before, people get 3rd party charges just like they get viruses. They sign up for it without realizing it. They're both designed to trick you, and you got tricked. And if you think blaming AT&T will help, you are wrong. Because it doesn't matter what company you get phone service with. Until the gov't makes it illegal, it'll keep happening. 3rd party charges are often legit, so don't be surprised if lobbyists try to keep it legal.

Not true. You are partially correct about people getting the 3rd party charges like they get viruses. They're also like worms because they're invasive and almost always not solicited by the end user.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

They are abiding by current regulations that allow 3rd parties to add charges. It isn't their business to notify you, the only part they play it in at all is printing the bill. It'd be like blaming the printer company that they use for your bill being too high.

Abiding by the rules and doing what's best for the customer are two different things.

There's no rule against warning me of suspicious added bills.

 

[ZaneNBK]

I had this happen when I was on Verizon. I got a text out of the blue telling me to reply STOP to decline the service, but since I'd heard of people getting billed large amounts for texting the wrong number I ignored it thinking they were scamming me to reply. The next month I had a $10 fee on the line for the text. Verizon refunded that and I had them start blocking premium texts to all our lines and haven't had a problem since.

I didn't text any service prior to that and didn't give my number out to any strange sites.