ORBIT TELECOM, AT&T, ENHANCED SERVICES BILLING INC. SECOND MONTH IN A ROW! - FRAUDULENT CHARGES ON PHONE BILL Plantation Floria
Last month I noticed a charge from Orbit Telecom on my phone bill for a "voice mail" service I NEVER requested or authorized. I called AT&T and Orbit Telecom and Enhanced Services Billing Inc. to complain about the fraudulent charges on my account. I also filed a police report, a ripoffreport.com report, wrote to my Congressman John Linder, filed complaints with the Georgia Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs, and the Federal Trade Commission.
And yet - AGAIN - this month I was billed for the SAME fraudulent charges on my AT&T phone bill by Orbit Telecom and Enhanced Services Billing Inc. When I called AT&T to complain - AGAIN - about the fraudulent charges on my phone bill, they informed that I would have to review my bill each month because it was perfectly LEGAL for them to add these charges on my bill WITHOUT my consent or approval.
THEN - I received a form letter from Dominic DiCecco at the Georgia Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs acknowledging my complaint against AT&T, Orbit and ESBI. What did they do? They sent my complaint to AT&T! So the company that's authorizing fraudulent charges on my phone bill (AT&T) is going to investigate itself after telling ME that this is a perfectly legal practice.
I have fired AT&T as my phone company because of this practice. So there you go.
Nancy
Lawrenceville, Georgia
U.S.A.
10 Updates & Rebuttals
Customer Care
New York,New York,
U.S.A.
Customer Care
#11UPDATE Employee
Thu, May 15, 2008
We are happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have regarding Orbit Telecom. You can call our Customer Care at 800-263-0206.
Nancy
Lawrenceville,Georgia,
U.S.A.
FCC Responds to My Complaint Against AT&T, ESBI and Orbit Telecom
#11Author of original report
Tue, March 18, 2008
My Congressman, John Linder (GA), sent my complaint against AT&T, Orbit Telecom and Enhanced Services Billing to the Federal Communications Commission in Washington D.C.
Here is a quote from the letter I just received from the FCC: "The FCC's rules do not prohibit 'third party billing,' e.g. a local phone company billing on behalf of a long distance company or other entity that has provided services to a consumer."
So, bottom line, Dear Consumer, is that cramming does appear to be perfectly legal and we will have to waste our time (translate: money) to repeatedly have these charges removed from our phone bills for services we never ordered, never wanted. (Not to mention the fact that AT&T has now sent my $14.95 "debt" to a COLLECTION service for the Orbit Telecom voicemail service - even though I have called all involved parties repeatedly, ad nauseum.)
Compound this onto the fact that this alleged "service" was ordered by a Dacula Georgia resident who has a different address and phone number from my own (yes, I took the time to find out), but this discrepancy was never questioned by the various service providers!
THAT'S my complaint right there: Why isn't this JUST THE SAME as credit card fraud? Am I the only one who sees a problem here? Millions of people are getting billed AND paying for services they don't even know about because it's LEGAL. So, whether an individual consumer is billed $14.95 OR $1,495.00 for "services from a third party provider" - THIS is considered a perfectly legal practice. That's a problem from a consumer point of view. That's the definition of Cramming.
I refuse to do business with global corporations who make their millions by legally stealing from people who are either too busy, lazy or confused to take a stand on this kind of practice. Write your Congress people and let them know it's NOT okay! It's a matter of principle - something totally VOID in the telecommunications industry. I am going to keep complaining about this type of legalized thievery, wherever I can find the venue.
Corvairdude
Salem,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Pick Your Fights Smartly!
#11Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 18, 2008
I know you're mad. I have a $14.95 charge on my Embarq phone bill and I am talking with a representative right now. I was told to stop this, and yes it is a scam because they are a legally regestered company that has filled out proper paperwork and been verified to bill on the major telephone companies. The phone companies simply do the billing. Don't be mad at AT&T, they have received a legitimate bill from a legitimate company. I did this:
1. I called 1-888-300-3724. I spoke to a lady from India (nothing new there). I told her I DID NOT WANT THIS SERVICE. She told me that I did. She tried to say that the service was oredered online on Feb. 14. I told her I was the last person in the world who wanted this service. Get rid of it now! She then tried to sell me the service, the free time went from 3 days to a month, but I kept saying no! she canceled the service. She said that I would have to pay the phone bill this month (with the $14.95), and I would see the refund the next month...right I thought to myself.
2. The key phrase was, "and if this is billed again next month, please call back and we'll take care of it right away." I could see where this was leading. In other words I can see myself getting billed again, and again, and again.
3. I called Embarq and talked with a service representative. He verified that ESBI/Orbit Telecom was indeed a registered billing service. He then made a note of the complaint, and more importantly PUT A PERMANENT THIRD PART FREEZE ON MY ACCOUNT! This means NOBODY will be able to attach bills to my Embarq account accept the normal monthly billing that Embarq does (I have unlimited long distance and local calls, so my phone bill is always just a few cents either way).
Please don't blame your phone company, finally, for the first time their not the ones that you need to be mad at. Feel free to yell at them about crummy service, inflated prices, and non-existant customer service, but this one they are out of the loop on.
Corvairdude
Salem,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Pick Your Fights Smartly!
#11Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 18, 2008
I know you're mad. I have a $14.95 charge on my Embarq phone bill and I am talking with a representative right now. I was told to stop this, and yes it is a scam because they are a legally regestered company that has filled out proper paperwork and been verified to bill on the major telephone companies. The phone companies simply do the billing. Don't be mad at AT&T, they have received a legitimate bill from a legitimate company. I did this:
1. I called 1-888-300-3724. I spoke to a lady from India (nothing new there). I told her I DID NOT WANT THIS SERVICE. She told me that I did. She tried to say that the service was oredered online on Feb. 14. I told her I was the last person in the world who wanted this service. Get rid of it now! She then tried to sell me the service, the free time went from 3 days to a month, but I kept saying no! she canceled the service. She said that I would have to pay the phone bill this month (with the $14.95), and I would see the refund the next month...right I thought to myself.
2. The key phrase was, "and if this is billed again next month, please call back and we'll take care of it right away." I could see where this was leading. In other words I can see myself getting billed again, and again, and again.
3. I called Embarq and talked with a service representative. He verified that ESBI/Orbit Telecom was indeed a registered billing service. He then made a note of the complaint, and more importantly PUT A PERMANENT THIRD PART FREEZE ON MY ACCOUNT! This means NOBODY will be able to attach bills to my Embarq account accept the normal monthly billing that Embarq does (I have unlimited long distance and local calls, so my phone bill is always just a few cents either way).
Please don't blame your phone company, finally, for the first time their not the ones that you need to be mad at. Feel free to yell at them about crummy service, inflated prices, and non-existant customer service, but this one they are out of the loop on.
Corvairdude
Salem,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Pick Your Fights Smartly!
#11Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 18, 2008
I know you're mad. I have a $14.95 charge on my Embarq phone bill and I am talking with a representative right now. I was told to stop this, and yes it is a scam because they are a legally regestered company that has filled out proper paperwork and been verified to bill on the major telephone companies. The phone companies simply do the billing. Don't be mad at AT&T, they have received a legitimate bill from a legitimate company. I did this:
1. I called 1-888-300-3724. I spoke to a lady from India (nothing new there). I told her I DID NOT WANT THIS SERVICE. She told me that I did. She tried to say that the service was oredered online on Feb. 14. I told her I was the last person in the world who wanted this service. Get rid of it now! She then tried to sell me the service, the free time went from 3 days to a month, but I kept saying no! she canceled the service. She said that I would have to pay the phone bill this month (with the $14.95), and I would see the refund the next month...right I thought to myself.
2. The key phrase was, "and if this is billed again next month, please call back and we'll take care of it right away." I could see where this was leading. In other words I can see myself getting billed again, and again, and again.
3. I called Embarq and talked with a service representative. He verified that ESBI/Orbit Telecom was indeed a registered billing service. He then made a note of the complaint, and more importantly PUT A PERMANENT THIRD PART FREEZE ON MY ACCOUNT! This means NOBODY will be able to attach bills to my Embarq account accept the normal monthly billing that Embarq does (I have unlimited long distance and local calls, so my phone bill is always just a few cents either way).
Please don't blame your phone company, finally, for the first time their not the ones that you need to be mad at. Feel free to yell at them about crummy service, inflated prices, and non-existant customer service, but this one they are out of the loop on.
Corvairdude
Salem,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Pick Your Fights Smartly!
#11Consumer Suggestion
Tue, March 18, 2008
I know you're mad. I have a $14.95 charge on my Embarq phone bill and I am talking with a representative right now. I was told to stop this, and yes it is a scam because they are a legally regestered company that has filled out proper paperwork and been verified to bill on the major telephone companies. The phone companies simply do the billing. Don't be mad at AT&T, they have received a legitimate bill from a legitimate company. I did this:
1. I called 1-888-300-3724. I spoke to a lady from India (nothing new there). I told her I DID NOT WANT THIS SERVICE. She told me that I did. She tried to say that the service was oredered online on Feb. 14. I told her I was the last person in the world who wanted this service. Get rid of it now! She then tried to sell me the service, the free time went from 3 days to a month, but I kept saying no! she canceled the service. She said that I would have to pay the phone bill this month (with the $14.95), and I would see the refund the next month...right I thought to myself.
2. The key phrase was, "and if this is billed again next month, please call back and we'll take care of it right away." I could see where this was leading. In other words I can see myself getting billed again, and again, and again.
3. I called Embarq and talked with a service representative. He verified that ESBI/Orbit Telecom was indeed a registered billing service. He then made a note of the complaint, and more importantly PUT A PERMANENT THIRD PART FREEZE ON MY ACCOUNT! This means NOBODY will be able to attach bills to my Embarq account accept the normal monthly billing that Embarq does (I have unlimited long distance and local calls, so my phone bill is always just a few cents either way).
Please don't blame your phone company, finally, for the first time their not the ones that you need to be mad at. Feel free to yell at them about crummy service, inflated prices, and non-existant customer service, but this one they are out of the loop on.
Virginia
Plantation,Florida,
U.S.A.
Please contact us for assistance
#11UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 16, 2008
Dear Customer,
Unfortunately the information you have provided is not sufficient for us to assist you.
Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-263-0206 we will be happy to assist you.
We are open 24/7.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding and look forward to helping you resolve this matter to your satisfaction.
Regards,
Virginia,
Director Of Customer Service
Orbit Telecom
Plantation, Florida
U.S.A.
Virginia
Plantation,Florida,
U.S.A.
Please contact us for assistance
#11UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 16, 2008
Dear Customer,
Unfortunately the information you have provided is not sufficient for us to assist you.
Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-263-0206 we will be happy to assist you.
We are open 24/7.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding and look forward to helping you resolve this matter to your satisfaction.
Regards,
Virginia,
Director Of Customer Service
Orbit Telecom
Plantation, Florida
U.S.A.
Virginia
Plantation,Florida,
U.S.A.
Please contact us for assistance
#11UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 16, 2008
Dear Customer,
Unfortunately the information you have provided is not sufficient for us to assist you.
Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-263-0206 we will be happy to assist you.
We are open 24/7.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding and look forward to helping you resolve this matter to your satisfaction.
Regards,
Virginia,
Director Of Customer Service
Orbit Telecom
Plantation, Florida
U.S.A.
Virginia
Plantation,Florida,
U.S.A.
Please contact us for assistance
#11UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 16, 2008
Dear Customer,
Unfortunately the information you have provided is not sufficient for us to assist you.
Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-263-0206 we will be happy to assist you.
We are open 24/7.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding and look forward to helping you resolve this matter to your satisfaction.
Regards,
Virginia,
Director Of Customer Service
Orbit Telecom
Plantation, Florida
U.S.A.