Paul
Anaheim,#2Consumer Suggestion
Sun, October 03, 2004
Here's how the fraud works. While you search the internet, unknown to you, a program comes over the connection into your computer. The program hijacks your modem, replacing the normal dialer. First, it mutes the speaker, so you can't hear when it dials out. Next, the program dials out over the phone line, typically to 44-207-335-84(00), a number located in the United Kingdom. However, no actual dialing needs to occur for the fraud to take place. For example, broadband cable users may not even have a phone line attached to dial out on. Yet, they still receive fraudulent bills. In addition, some users turn their computers off when they are finished. Yet, the bill they receive claims the call was made when the user knew the computer was turned off. So, once the program comes over the internet into your system, it sends your phone information to the fake billing network. Therefore, no actual calls need to be made in order for you to be billed. You can have broadband or satellite internet, yet you will still be billed for a dialed call. Your computer can be turned off, and you will still be billed! When you complain to your local phone company, they do not understand the nature of the problem. In addition, they are obligated by law to pay the fraudulent company. This is known as third party billing. Neither you, nor the phone company can stop this because, remember, no actual calls need to be made. Therefore, a block on a certain number will not help. Typically, the local phone company is obligated to act as a collection agent for this fraudulent company. They have no choice but to insist on payment. In addition, the fraudulent company itself will attempt to call you, insisting on payment. They have set up a fake collection company, collection express. They claim they will damage your credit. If you do pay for this, you can be assured that the exact same thing will happen next month, and every month thereafter. The individuals behind this all use fake names and post office boxes. Many of the toll free numbers used are made-up or never answered. They hide, because there is the very real possibility that an irate victim will simply come over and kill everyone involved in the scam in a crazy rage caused by the frustration. They are counting on you to pay the phone bill. They are counting on the majority of people to give in and send payment. Collectively, this fraud takes in several million every month in fake charges. It's a nationwide problem, effecting people at random. That's why, despite the risk of certain death or injury, the fraud continues. Big money! Many federal agencies are aware of this situation. However, they are stymied by the dead ends and shell companies set up by the scammers. In fact, one of the individuals is bold enough to actually come here, pretending to "help" people his company has defrauded. He is strictly acting as damage control, keeping a lid on the situation so that no complaints are filed. He, and his fake company, are counting on you to pay quietly, without raising a fuss to anyone. I suggest you do just the opposite! Fax, file, or call a complaint to: 1.fbi-federal bureau of investigation 2-fcc-federal communications commission 3-ftc-federal trade commission 4-puc-public utilities commission 5-national fraud hotline 6-attorney general in your state Feel free to use pages from this site as needed. In addition, I recommend you call your city newspaper and make them aware of the problem. This fraud relies on people being unaware and uninformed. When everyone fights instead of pays, the money will stop coming in to the fraud. Currently, the fraud is using various names: 1-national one telecom 2-one web direct bill 3-collection express 4-usbi or esbi 5-tellsys 6-one call com 7-candid publishing 8-Intercosmos Media Group or directNIC 9-Money Management International All of these names are in some way connected to this fraud. Many are involved in setting it up. Some help with the fake billing. Other names are the actual fraud companies themselves. Unless you want these frauds to slowly bleed you dry, and eventually cause your telephone to be turned off, I suggest you scream loud and long to anyone and everyone who will listen! Remember, they are counting on your fear and ignorance in this situation. Instead, show them they're wrong. Dead wrong! Good luck with this!
Paul
Anaheim,#3Consumer Suggestion
Sun, October 03, 2004
Here's how the fraud works. While you search the internet, unknown to you, a program comes over the connection into your computer. The program hijacks your modem, replacing the normal dialer. First, it mutes the speaker, so you can't hear when it dials out. Next, the program dials out over the phone line, typically to 44-207-335-84(00), a number located in the United Kingdom. However, no actual dialing needs to occur for the fraud to take place. For example, broadband cable users may not even have a phone line attached to dial out on. Yet, they still receive fraudulent bills. In addition, some users turn their computers off when they are finished. Yet, the bill they receive claims the call was made when the user knew the computer was turned off. So, once the program comes over the internet into your system, it sends your phone information to the fake billing network. Therefore, no actual calls need to be made in order for you to be billed. You can have broadband or satellite internet, yet you will still be billed for a dialed call. Your computer can be turned off, and you will still be billed! When you complain to your local phone company, they do not understand the nature of the problem. In addition, they are obligated by law to pay the fraudulent company. This is known as third party billing. Neither you, nor the phone company can stop this because, remember, no actual calls need to be made. Therefore, a block on a certain number will not help. Typically, the local phone company is obligated to act as a collection agent for this fraudulent company. They have no choice but to insist on payment. In addition, the fraudulent company itself will attempt to call you, insisting on payment. They have set up a fake collection company, collection express. They claim they will damage your credit. If you do pay for this, you can be assured that the exact same thing will happen next month, and every month thereafter. The individuals behind this all use fake names and post office boxes. Many of the toll free numbers used are made-up or never answered. They hide, because there is the very real possibility that an irate victim will simply come over and kill everyone involved in the scam in a crazy rage caused by the frustration. They are counting on you to pay the phone bill. They are counting on the majority of people to give in and send payment. Collectively, this fraud takes in several million every month in fake charges. It's a nationwide problem, effecting people at random. That's why, despite the risk of certain death or injury, the fraud continues. Big money! Many federal agencies are aware of this situation. However, they are stymied by the dead ends and shell companies set up by the scammers. In fact, one of the individuals is bold enough to actually come here, pretending to "help" people his company has defrauded. He is strictly acting as damage control, keeping a lid on the situation so that no complaints are filed. He, and his fake company, are counting on you to pay quietly, without raising a fuss to anyone. I suggest you do just the opposite! Fax, file, or call a complaint to: 1.fbi-federal bureau of investigation 2-fcc-federal communications commission 3-ftc-federal trade commission 4-puc-public utilities commission 5-national fraud hotline 6-attorney general in your state Feel free to use pages from this site as needed. In addition, I recommend you call your city newspaper and make them aware of the problem. This fraud relies on people being unaware and uninformed. When everyone fights instead of pays, the money will stop coming in to the fraud. Currently, the fraud is using various names: 1-national one telecom 2-one web direct bill 3-collection express 4-usbi or esbi 5-tellsys 6-one call com 7-candid publishing 8-Intercosmos Media Group or directNIC 9-Money Management International All of these names are in some way connected to this fraud. Many are involved in setting it up. Some help with the fake billing. Other names are the actual fraud companies themselves. Unless you want these frauds to slowly bleed you dry, and eventually cause your telephone to be turned off, I suggest you scream loud and long to anyone and everyone who will listen! Remember, they are counting on your fear and ignorance in this situation. Instead, show them they're wrong. Dead wrong! Good luck with this!
Darren
Neenah,#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, September 05, 2004
Shelia, First was the bill on your credit card or your phone bill? This is important because if it was your phone bill you might be a victim of illegal software that is on your computer which dials foreign or 900 numbers automatically and charges it to your phone bill. There is software out there that will find this stuff and protect you from it. The best I have found is Ad-Ware from www.lavasoft.com. It is free and works really good. If it was a credit card is it possible that your son got ahold of it and used it? Like has been mentioned here, it is hard to determine over the interenet the actual age of a person using a credit card. Yes, legally, anyone under the age of 18 cannot sign a contract. The difficulty is proving who used the credit card. It becomes a "he said, she said." I too have a 13 y.o. and it is amazing what can be found on the internet even without a credit card. I also know exactly where he is in his maturing and wondering. I would love to say that it was the fault of the company and encourage you to fight it... but I can't. I hate it when people say, "it is only $40 and it is better and cheaper to pay it." because this does seem like extortion to me. In this case, I would suggest paying it. Seeing if you can change the credit card information in case it is copied somewhere, talk to your child in a non-accusatory manner. It may not be his fault or it may. At least you can tell him this is a good example of the good and the bad of credit cards. Good Luck,
John
Rhinelander,#5Consumer Comment
Sun, September 05, 2004
A lot of adults try to use the excuse that it was "really" their child, a minor, who made the contract when, in fact, that is just a ruse to get out of an otherwise bad deal. So, these on-line companies have set up fairly sophisticated detections in that regard. However, it's not foolproof, as your child proved. Suffice it to say, because your credit card number was available to your minor child, the odds are that this matter will eventually end up in collections, and then litigation. In the meantime, your credit will suffer.
John
Pearl Harbor,#6Consumer Suggestion
Sat, September 04, 2004
Mary, my guess is that you downloaded a virus or a unwanted program that is dialing this number automatically while you sleep make sure you download and update you antivirus pgm and scan for viruses, try unplugging your computers modem at night. Other worse thing is someone has tapped/piggy backing off your phone line. Contact your phone company and ask if you can have that numbered blocked good luck..
Mary
Lavonia,#7REBUTTAL Individual responds
Fri, September 03, 2004
i got my phone bill. it had 3 calls to united kingdom. i do not even know where that is. i called altll phone co. they gave me another number to call. icalled it. got another number. these 3 calls were for 7.96 each. the next day i got another bill for 3 calls at 20.00 each all the same time and date. the trouble is that i live alone and was in bed asleep at midnight. when i call the numbers they said i had to go to www.onewebhlp.com and send a letter and that they would check into it. they also told me that this number to united kingdom was where someone watch movies why would anyone watch movies on the cumptor when you have a tv someone let me know something i can not pay 84.60 for something i have not done thank you very much.