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I have been getting the run around for 2 days now about fraudulent charges to my home phone

One of the drawbacks of using a bank to autopay your account is that you often don't take the time to check every line item on the bill. For 4 months now, I have been charged fraudulently fees and for phone calls that I never made. I have spent 2 days on the phone and laptop trying to get this issue resolved. I am highly disappointed with Verizon and am currently considering changing my wireless, home, and internet accounts to Comcast. The problem is that USBI is not a company. It is a brokerage house that is allowed to bill you, through Verizon, for phone calls that you never make. Upon looking it up on the internet, I was amazed to see several class action litigation pending against USBI for this very thing. Still, Verizon told me to call USBI directly, which I did yesterday, to cancel the account, that I never agreed to in the first place. After contacting the chat line, I was told that Verizon is not responsible for false charges, even though I was assured that a 3rd party service provider block was but on our account. I am still not satisfied. It's not the amount of charges, but the principle that Verizon allows 3rd parties to illegally bill your account for calls that you never made.

Comments

lasagna

You are the subject of a common scheme known as "cramming". Pick up the phone and call the Verizon billing department and dispute the charges as unauthorized. Be very clear that you wish Verizon to block the ability for any third-party billing to be added to your account (versus preventing a third party from transferring your number to another carrier).

Contact the billing company at the number they must provide on the bill and tell them the charges are fraudulent and they you will be filing a complaint for "cramming unless the immediate credit you for the unauthorized charges and cease and desist all future charges". Follow up with a certified letter to the company and keep records.

File a complaint with the FCC against the billing company. Here's a number you can call to file a complaint: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

prisaz

Billing should credit you these charges, but Verizon is required by the FCC to allow third party billing, unless you call them and request them to block it. The third party should have a phone number supplied on the bill, where you can call and demand a credit for something you did not request or use. Also contact Verizon billing and ask them to place a third party billing block on your account, and to remove and credit the charges. You may have a difficult time with previous bills, unless Verizon is credited from the third party. It is an old FCC rule and has been a problem for years. It is really not Verizon's fault. It seems that the FCC should be fixing this issue. I hope this information helps. Read some of these posts.

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/message?submitted=true&q=ESBI

ontheair247

Just found an extra charge of $12.95 monthly plus tax added to my bill by ILD Teleservices for Compufix Inc. I never heard nor dealt with either of these companies before. Called the ILD number and they referred me to the Compufix toll free number 1-866-389-7203. They say ther reversed the charges, then I called Verizon to block third party billing on my account. Per FCC rules Verizon must allow thrd party billing un;ess you call them to block it.

prisaz

@captne76 wrote:
Just found an extra charge of $12.95 monthly plus tax added to my bill by ILD Teleservices for Compufix Inc. I never heard nor dealt with either of these companies before. Called the ILD number and they referred me to the Compufix toll free number 1-866-389-7203. They say ther reversed the charges, then I called Verizon to block third party billing on my account. Per FCC rules Verizon must allow thrd party billing un;ess you call them to block it.

Yes.

I had a block on my line and at some point it was removed. I had to do it a second time. It is an old FCC rule that should be gone. But we are talking Federal here. Verizon should also remove the charges and credit your account. I would not wait for the third party credit. If you do you may wait a long time.

slammed-crammed

I had the same charges on my Verizon phone bill (Compufix via LDL). I got it removed but I filed a complaint with the Texas Utilities Commission. They said they would investigate it and asked me to fax them a copy of my phone bill. I agree that Verizon should protect their customers from fraud! I am just inches away from canceling my phone line and going strictly with my cell phone!

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