VoiceXpress Aka Enhanced Billing Services ESBI Dba Billing Concepts ripoff Unathorized, Bogus Voice Mail charges added to my residential phone bill San Antonio Texas
My November telephone bill contained charges from Enhanced Billing Services, Inc (ESBI) on behalf of VoiceXpress of $22.07 for voice mail services. I never ordered the services and had never heard of the company.
I immediately called my local phone company and asked that the charges be removed. The customer dis-service rep said that I had buyer's remorse and shouldn't buy things I couldn't pay for. I got pissed, hung up and called back again. The next lady was nicer and said I should call ESBI and request that the charges be removed.
The lady at ESBI sounded insincere when said she would remove the charges. I called my local phone company and asked that a block be placed on my account to stop future unauthorized charges. I thought the nightmare had ended.
My December bill contained the same charges. If I turn off my answering machine, the fictitious voice mail doesn't pick up. How do I get this company to stop billing me for non-existent services? My local phone company doesn't seem interested in helping. I think my only option is to cancel my local phone service. I really don't want to do that, but what are my options?
I written letters to all my local news stations, all the new stations in San Antonio (where ESBI is headquartered), the FTC, the FCC, the Florida Public Service Commission (regulates telecom) and my local phone company. The only response I got was from the FCC saying that they don't handle my type of problem.
This is so frustrating!!!
I did a net search on ESBI and found all this information about its illegal business practices. Why can't the agencies that are supposed to protect the consumer shut this company down permanently? Why are the local telephone companies so unwilling to help? I wish I was a lawyer. I would fight this to the death...
Kishma
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Kishma
Orlando,Florida,
U.S.A.
I called ESBI and let them know they were a fraudulent company.
#2Author of original report
Thu, January 20, 2005
They told me that I was wrong and that I had signed up for the service when I applied for a credit card. I have not applied for any credit cards lately. The customer service lady said somebody must have entered my phone number by accident.
What sickens me is that anybody can enter my phone number and have these charges added to my phone bill. Shouldn't ESBI at least have to verify that I have accepted responsibility for the charges before I am billed?
I'm sick of hearing "The FCC rules mandate..." as an excuse why this is allowed to happen. I have written a letter to the FL Attorney General asking him to change to law. The way the law is now is only beneficial to scam companies like ESBI. It is not beneficial to the consumer.
I also did an interview with my local ABC station. I printed copies of the 39 ESBI related complaints on this website (as of today) and gave them to the investigative reporter. I don't know when it's going to air, but I hope if it does air, that it gets somebody important hyped about shutting this company down for good!
Good luck to everyone else facing this same problem. Please continue to fight!