Complaint Review: USBI - Unknown Nationwide

My previous rebuttal title is missing the "NOT", though my intentions are clear from the text.

The web site www.OneCall.com appears to have been incorrectly included in the original header of this header. I have just purchased an LCD TV from OneCall.com, and during my online validation of the store was surprised to have received a hit on this site. As best I know, OneCall.com is not associated with the telecommunications companies being reported on here, and is being done a severe disservice by this apparent misquote. By the way, I had nothing but the best service throughout my dealings with OneCall.com. It's definitely a company that I would patronize for my home electronics needs. And, no, I am not associated with OneCall.com, beyond being a very satisfied customer.

I totally understand why someone would be upset. I review Qwest bills everyday with customers as part of our Spirit of Service campaign and find these sorts of charges from time to time.

Many customers don't review their bill and are surprised and shocked to find out they've been billed for long distance charges or by a long distance company for internet or voice mail, etc.

The fine print in the Qwest billing materials says you have 90 days to dispute Qwest charges on your bill, but for other company charges, here are a few tips.

#1. Qwest is REQUIRED to accept those charges due to the breakup of the Bell system. What might be surprising to some people is that Qwest actually pays Integretel or USBI or OAN, etc. and asks you to pay Qwest back. If you don't pay it, the bad-business company doesn't care because Qwest already paid them and they can laugh all the way to the bank.

#2. You must make a good faith effort to connect to the company whose charges are incorrect and we recommend you call us to tell you that you have done so. The company's credits take 1-2 bill cycles to come off the Qwest bill. In the mean time, we put a code on your account to stop our credit management department from trying to turn you off for those disputed charges. BUT YOU MUST PAY THE 'REGULAR' QWEST charges. Withholding payment for other charges because you are mad at USBI or OAN or Integretel makes it look like you want to get out of your bill.

#3. Once you have told us about your good faith effort (so there are notes on the account) and two months have elapsed (to allow the credit to post) and nothing has happened THEN and only then are we allowed to do something called a 'MECHANIZED ADJUSTMENT' which basically automatically zaps the money Qwest paid USBI or OAN or Integretel back to Qwest and you have a credit on your account within 48 hours. PLEASE be patient, Mechanized Adjustments require a LOT of input and they are only one month at at time, so be prepared to stay on the line about 4 minutes per month. So, if you have 12 mos worth of adjustments, it might be a while.

Now, this doesn't mean that OAN or USBI or Integretel or whomever will not turn around and send you a bill directly for your charges, but it is up to you whether you choose to pay it. What is important is that these charges will no longer endanger your phone service.

We can do mechanized adjustments for up to 12 months prior (depending on the bill cycle, sometimes it is only 11 mos).

#4. You can also ask Qwest to allocate your payment to Qwest only, otherwise any payments go to the cost of your dial tone first and then to your dsl or cell phone or long distance costs in equal measure. That way, if your home phone service is paid in full and you are waiting for your credit, Qwest is not going to see you as past due on the Qwest part of the bill.

5. If you call Qwest and you get someone who seems to be less than helpful in getting your MECHANIZED ADJUSTMENT, make sure you are talking to a Qwest employee. Qwest outsources to Canada (they are committed to keeping jobs in the Americas) and those people don't have the same training as a 'regular' Qwest employee. Ask to be transferred to a 'regular' Qwest employee or supervisor in the BILLING department. If you somehow get sent to sales or credit management, ask for billing and they will be happy to get you to a billing specialist. Be sure to ASK for a MECHANIZED ADJUSTMENT once you have talked to the carrier who put those charges on your account.

I hope that helps. As a dedicated Qwest Employee, I really hate seeing these ripoff charges from other companies and then seeing Qwest being blamed for them when Qwest pays the bill, even if you don't.

The FTC considers this practice illegal:
cramming (kram-ming) v. 1. the practice of packing charges on your phone bill for services that you never ordered, authorized, received, or used.

Please go to this website to file a complaint and read the settlement details. You will need to file a new complaint based on the settlement date.

www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/cramming/