$1400.00 to my phone bill
Complaint
Ron
Country: United States
This is the worst company and I was never called on this and told them that I wanted my $1400.00 back. Please stay away from this company USA business Directory, it's a SCAM. ATT is great and I told them I refuse to pay the bill for this amount and they have put this on a hold and will not charge me. But USA is refusing to send me my money and you cannot get a hold of anyone. Please stay away from. I am still working on this to try to get my money back. Did anyone every get money back, if so HOW??
Comments
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/s_wiUbxhYwCW7gjMFoKaRQ
Did you actually pay them through your phone bill, or are they still just trying to cram ther charges on?
Did they add it onto your phone bill under a deceptive name or description?
Another complaint against USABD. Fits usual pattern of "business directory" telemarketing scams, but cramming onto phone bills.
http://ripoffreport.com/Internet-Fraud/USABD-Internet-Solut/usabd-internet-solutions-usa-m9257.htm
"Business Directory" scams generally operate by making deceptive telemarketing calls "to confirm your information for your listing", often misrepresenting either that "you are renewing an existing ad", that the listing is free, etc, and then later claim that the "verification" was instead an "agreement" to pay specific charges that were never even discussed in the original call.
Since these charges are crammed using already available victim phone numbers, the telemarketing would have to meet FTC TSR rules for "pre-acquired account" telemarketing. That is, any authorization in compliance with FTC telemarketing rules would have to include a complete recording of the whole conversation claimed to have authorized the charges, including all material terms of the offer disclosed prior to any "agreement", and specific recorded "verifiable authorization" by the purchaser including disclosure of the "account" (presumably phone number) and specific agreement that charges are being agreed to. Such pre-disclosed terms would have to include any cancellation or termination conditions, and specifically if the company policy is that they don't allow cancellation, then if that is not disclosed prior to closing a sale, the offer was deceptively misrepresented and fraudulent.
These rules were put in place by FTC in 2003 specifically to block fraudulent telemarketing, and address a wide range of fraudulent telemarketing practices, but fraudulent telemarketers often ignore or fake compliance, sometimes even producing doctored phone recordings, since they know most consumers don't know what telemarketers are required to do to comply.
Several of these scams are in operation that depend on intimidation and bullying to extort payment from small businesses. Mostly, you can file complaints with FTC, your state AG, and US Postal Inspector (if they are sending bills through the US Mail), and tell them to go to hell, since they can't actually get your money unless you decide to pay them.
From time to time, however, there have been such scams using cramming through billing aggregators that submit charges to telecom companies, but these generally get shut down relatively quickly as their ability to directly cram onto consumer phone bills tends to get regulatory and law enforcement attention. They have the potential to create large consumer and business losses very quickly that are difficult to recover, as they often already get the money before people notice what they paid for.
Integretel/The Billing Resource already got caught assisting in the fraudulent cramming of unauthorized charges onto phone bills. They were sued by FTC in connection with assisting other "clients" in cramming fraudulent charges for unauthorized "services", and FTC has not yet reached a settlement with them in that lawsuit. Refunding of substantial fraudulently billed charges is at stake. Contact FTC directly do discuss this additional cramming problem, since they will likely be very interested if they are still engaged in this.
File fraud complaints with FTC, your state Attorney General, California Attorney General, against both USABD and The Billing Resource/Integretel. Also contact the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Consumer Protection Unit, since Integretel/The Billing Resource is located in Santa Clara County.
Also submit your fraud dispute to ATT IN WRITING, sent certified return receipt requested, as under telecom law and regulations, you have a limited period of time to dispute charges through your phone company. You want it on record that you have in fact notified them that the charges are fraudulent and that you asked that they be reversed, since whether they eventually ar forced to do so may hinge on your timely notification.
List of billing aggregators and service providers registered with the state of Maine to comply with state laws intended to prevent cramming. The fact that they registered means some state agency is responsible for regulating their compliance. Some other states have similar rules.
http://www.state.me.us/mpuc/telecom/documents/AntiCramming09-03-09.pdf
The billing aggregators have some trade group they created claiming they could "self regulate" to prevent cramming, for all the good it has actually done.
Check with your state Attorney General regarding applicable state laws and regulatory agencies. Fraudulent charges of $1400 may make this a felony. Also check with FTC, since they have on on-going lawsuit against The Billing Resource. In addition, The Billing Resource may be subject to settlement agreements requiring that they properly handle and reverse disputed charges. FTC should be able to guide you in this. You might also contact the Florida AG, and the MN AG, as both have been more active than most against fraudulent telemarketing.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/vzeORY5DpADbiAjJnZ2qZA