Remember the days of long distance "slamming". A long distance company would call you and switch your service to their expensive service?
Well, the crooks have gotten creative. Now they are slamming our cell bills with data services that we NEVER signed up for.
What to watch out for:
Odd & unsolicited text/data messages. That is your first telltale sign that you have been "slammed". If you are receiving those messages here is the action plan:
- Check your next cell bill very CAREFULLY, they bury the charges. We have four phones with a bill never less than 30 pages. You have to look line by line. Sometimes they won't start billing you for two or three months so check it carefully EVERY MONTH.
- Text the word "stop" back when you receive those text messages
- Raise cain with your cell phone provider. They will non-chalantly proclaim that the services are billed by a third party and they cannot do anything about it. They can and did when I threatened to take my $200/month 6 year business away and switch to another provider.
- They will give you the information and tell you to "google" the 3rd party. Do so but odds are you will run into NO addresses and a long distance number that just has a menu that loops into nothing
- File a complaint with your state's attorney general's office. This takes time but it is important to STOP these people NOW!
- File a complaint with the FTC. Again: this takes time but the more people who file complaints, the louder our voices are to get this stopped.
I have been slammed TWICE this year on two different phone lines. We need to take action and stop the insanity of cell phone providers providing a gateway to con artists. The first time it was on my daughter's line and they (my phone provider - CINGULAR) said she subscribed to something when she swore up and down she didn't. This time it is on my phone and I KNOW that I did not subscribe to ANYTHING.
Renee.... where is the family? Your guests? It's the afternoon..... Are you hiding? lol
Anyhow.. thanks for the reminder here. I haven't had a problem. Besides, I pay $9.99 a month for unlimited.... who was the carrier in regards to this one. It's not slander, but just letting us be aware of what companies. thanks
The guests came in at 7 PM and everyone is tired and settling in for sleep right now. I am stealing a moment with my laptop :)
The carrier is cingular!
several agents have had this happen to them in our company... as with Jeff, I personally pay for unlimited data, and use my Treo to send/receive email, text messages, etc.
Hope you had a fantastic Holiday, and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
I am simmah'd down! :)
They will be for the next week!
So...a whole week... maybe I will need to send you a box of these... ;o)
GRACIAS JEFF! Thank you for thinking about me and following up. I have a minute to myself and am trying to catch up here but it ain't workin!