How to Deal With Cramming From Your Long Distance Carrier

"Cramming" is a term that refers to fraudulent charges placed on your telephone bill by a long-distance carrier. These charges range from unauthorized fees to changes in previously agreed-to prices for services. If you're the victim of cramming, the best way to deal with your long-distance carrier is to file a complaint with the FCC.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access
• Copy of your phone bill
• Telephone

1. Keep a copy of your phone bills, particularly if you think you are the victim of cramming. Telephone bills are required to be itemized, so it should be easy to identify unfamiliar charges.
2. Note any charges that do not appear to be legitimate. Often they will have vague names, such as "membership fee," "service fee" or "provider surcharge."
3. Get in touch with your primary telephone-service provider to make them aware of the problem. They have the power to prevent future charges from the long-distance carrier until the dispute is resolved.
4. Always ask for the names of the people you speak to while handling the dispute, and keep copious records of your calls and correspondence. Take notes, write down times and dates and be sure to keep track of any reference numbers that are provided.
5. Ask that charges be removed from your bill when speaking to company representatives. If their response is to claim that you agreed to those charges, request a copy of any contracts that they deem to be legally binding in regards to those charges.
6. Warn other consumers about the difficulties you are having by reporting the long-distance carrier to the Consumer Affairs Web site (see Resources below) or to another consumer-advocacy group.

Tips & Warnings

• There is a difference between land-line cramming and cellular-phone cramming, and you need to deal with each instance differently. Land-line cramming must be reported to the FCC, while cell-phone cramming is dealt with by state communications authorities.
• A long-distance carrier is not permitted to change your billing or charges (either for better or worse) unless you dispute them as a result of the legislation contained in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (see Resources below).