Sneaky little charges are making their way onto telephone bills and can go unnoticed for months. Victims of so-called “cramming” often face a tough battle to stop being billed every month and start getting their money back.
In order to fight cramming, the Better Business Bureau recommends keeping a close eye on bills and being extremely cautious when giving out personal information such as phone numbers.
Cramming can come from any number of sources. Some victims may have inadvertently signed up for a subscription service — such as for “free” ringtones or a daily joke or horoscopes – not realizing they’d be billed every month.
The Federal Trade Commission recently cracked down on one company that used telemarketers to convince people into signing up for “free” trial services. Calling a psychic hotline or entering a sweepstakes can also lead to cramming. Unfortunately, in some cases, the victim is just an unlucky random target.
BBB recommends taking the following five steps to fight cramming:
Start With Trust. Before handing over any personal information online, always research the business with your BBB at wynco.bbb.org
Keep a close eye on monthly statements. Anyone can become a victim of cramming so monitoring your monthly bills is important. The sooner you spot the charges, the sooner you can fight them.
Know your rights. Contact your telephone provider to see if you can completely restrict third-party billing on your account.
Guard your personal information closely. Be wary when asked to provide personal information to sign up for a free trial or enter a sweepstakes. Always read the fine print on any offer so you understand how your personal information may be used.
Know where to complain. If you are unable to resolve the issue either through your telephone provider or directly with the business, file a complaint with the FCC for charges related to telephone service and FTC for all other cramming charges on your phone bill. You can also file a complaint with BBB.
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About the BBB
The Better Business Bureau, founded in 1912, is a champion for ethics and trust in the marketplace. Only businesses that meet the high BBB standards are invited to become BBB Accredited Businesses. Today, 123 BBBs across the United States and Canada rate more than 4 million local and national businesses and charities with scores ranging from A+ to F. Only a BBB Accredited Business may elect to participate in BBBOnLine, one of the most trusted and recognized Internet seal programs in the world.
The BBB serving northern Colorado and Wyoming topped 1.1 million instances of service to consumers and businesses in the last 12 months. These services include reliability reports on local companies and charities, access to companies that can be trusted by industry, help with dispute resolution, and trustworthy information on consumer and business topics.
Luanne Kadlub, BBB media relations manager, 970-488-2044 lkadlub@wynco.bbb.org