My carwash telephone data lines to ACW's are being charged by third party providers for internet access and internet hosting. The separate bills listed third party charges of $1.75 per month for internet access and $35 per month for web hosting. Embarq is my telephone provider. I called their customer no service and was told to call the third party provider and cancel the service which I did. Embarq also put a third pary block on both lines. In fact I put a third pary block on all my business and home lines. I asked the third party provider who authorized the charges. They listed some bogus name. We all know that the data line to the acw's cannot be answered by a human let alone authorize the service. The two bogus companies are Inegrated Area Internet Service and Local Biz USA Web Hosting. Scrutinize your phone bills. When I called these bogus companies to dispute the charges the people who answered were Hispanic. These were the front line but I later got through to an English speaking jerk. I just wanted to get the word out. Has anyone else experienced this crap?
Telephone Scam
- Thread starter Shorco1
- Start date
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
I had someome tell me he bought a cell phone for his wash (at the cheapest rate plan) and connected his lines and also his alarm to it because
the "business rate" was too high.
I haven't tried it but it does sound interesting.
the "business rate" was too high.
I haven't tried it but it does sound interesting.
I am appalled at how easy it is for third party providers to put through a bogus charge to your Phone Comany. Embarq customer no service said they have seen quite a rash of these charges. They were also forced to list them as Third Party Provider charges instead of listing the charges under miscellantous charges. They also said they have agrements with third party providers to do this. Who is in bed with who? They said it was up to the customer to audit his phone bill and report descrepencies in charges. I was also told I had to call the third party provider and cancel any service even though unauthorized. This is a real goat rope. They will cancel the charges but getting them to rebate in another matter. I was told by the third party it may take as long as 3 months for my phone company to see the rebate. In the mean time I have to dispute the charges month by month with Embarq until if and when they receive the rebate. Embarq said they only way to protect yourself was to put a third party block on your phone. Once again the crooks get the advantage.
This is something that got me too. I literally had smoke coming out my ears. Aparently almost anyone can do this. One of my former customers is doing time in Club Fed in north FL for pulling this. He was taking in tens of thousands of dollars every month, and still bitc33ing about his bills. It is almost impossible to talk to these third party people. My question is why in blazes do the phone companies allow this?
Mac, Emabarq collects thousand of dollars for third party providers. They don't do this for free. I'm sure they get a cut of the action. I have not had any satisfaction from Embarq. They state to contact third party providers to cancel the bogus service and ask for a refund.
pitzerwm
Active member
You can freeze your account with the telco to not allow the third party thing. I had MCI do this to me, and then they refused to refund my money, so I told Versison, your name is on the bill you will refund it or I go to the utilities commission, that did it.
jprb
Member
In Missouri, the state attorney general is very proactive about this stuff. An email to them would get results. Maybe worth a try in every state.
JPRB
JPRB
