Unauthorized Telephone Service Charges: Cramming

Have you closely examined your telephone bill and found that you've been charged for services which you never made or authorized? You are not alone. You've been "crammed."

"Cramming" is the practice of including unauthorized charges or misleading charges on a customer's telephone bill. Cramming is usually effective because the charges are usually small enough, sometimes only a few dollars each, to "fly below the radar" of most customers' scrutiny.

Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warn consumers against phone cramming. The FCC has rules that require telephone companies to make their phone bills more customer-friendly to reduce instances of cramming and other types of telecommunications fraud.

Telephone Cramming Scams

Some charges are additional fees or unauthorized services billed by your phone service provider. These fees are getting harder to detect as many phone service providers now bundle other services into one bill, like internet service, cell phone service, etc.

Some fees may not be initiated by your phone service provider but instead by a third-party biller such as 800-numbers, "free" dating services, psychic hotlines, or contest promotions. These fraudulent marketing companies take advantage of consumers by offering "free" calls or promotions and secretly recording your number and billing you for unknown services.

To make matters worse, phone customers who actually question these charges and dispute them are frequently stonewalled by telephone company representatives.

These activities fall under telecommunications fraud, please let us know if you have been a victim. Professionals advise that all consumers carefully review their local, long distance telephone or cell phone bills for unauthorized or unknown charges.

Register Your Telephone Cramming Complaint

If you:
(1) were unfairly charged for services that you did not make or authorize
(2) inadvertently paid for these unauthorized charges and
(3) are ready to do something about it,
please click the link below to submit your complaint. California residents are especially invited to respond.