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  1. #1
    Adlin
    Guest
    I am wondering how to go about resolving this issue from Sprint. I
    received a bill for two long distance phone calls made from my house
    number last year. I don't have and have never approved Sprint as my
    long distance carrier.

    When I received the bill, I addressed the mistake by contacting my
    phone company "Cox communications" and they said they were going to
    investigate the issue. Months later a Sprint representative calls me
    saying that the charges were made from my phone number, therefore I am
    responsible for the bill.

    I tried explaining to him that I don't even use my home number for
    long distance calls, and that I have never contracted Sprint services,
    but he wouldn't listen and would not be willing to help me solve this
    issue.

    Can they do this!?!?

    It is upseting to think they can just charge me as if I had agreed to
    use their services, which I never have... Also, my concern is that if
    I choose to ignore this bill, could it affect my credit?

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!



    See More: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...




  2. #2
    Røbert M.
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    In article <[email protected]>,
    [email protected] (Adlin) wrote:

    > I am wondering how to go about resolving this issue from Sprint. I
    > received a bill for two long distance phone calls made from my house
    > number last year. I don't have and have never approved Sprint as my
    > long distance carrier.
    >
    > When I received the bill, I addressed the mistake by contacting my
    > phone company "Cox communications" and they said they were going to
    > investigate the issue. Months later a Sprint representative calls me
    > saying that the charges were made from my phone number, therefore I am
    > responsible for the bill.
    >
    > I tried explaining to him that I don't even use my home number for
    > long distance calls, and that I have never contracted Sprint services,
    > but he wouldn't listen and would not be willing to help me solve this
    > issue.
    >
    > Can they do this!?!?
    >
    > It is upseting to think they can just charge me as if I had agreed to
    > use their services, which I never have... Also, my concern is that if
    > I choose to ignore this bill, could it affect my credit?
    >
    > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


    Three possibilities:

    1. Someone at your residence DID MAKE THE CALLS using the appropriate
    Sprint 10-10 code. Was there a carpet cleaner, or uncle (or some other
    stranger) in your house when the calls where made?

    2. Sprint had a foulup and is mistakenly charging you.

    3. Someone scammed Sprint and managed to charge calls to you.

    If you can with certainty rule out #1, then by all means write to your
    state Utility commission with a calmly written complaint, with a
    Certified copy to Sprint HQ in KC.



  3. #3
    Thomas T. Veldhouse
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

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    Hash: SHA1

    Adlin <[email protected]> wrote:
    > I am wondering how to go about resolving this issue from Sprint. I
    > received a bill for two long distance phone calls made from my house
    > number last year. I don't have and have never approved Sprint as my
    > long distance carrier.
    >
    > When I received the bill, I addressed the mistake by contacting my
    > phone company "Cox communications" and they said they were going to
    > investigate the issue. Months later a Sprint representative calls me
    > saying that the charges were made from my phone number, therefore I am
    > responsible for the bill.
    >
    > I tried explaining to him that I don't even use my home number for
    > long distance calls, and that I have never contracted Sprint services,
    > but he wouldn't listen and would not be willing to help me solve this
    > issue.
    >
    > Can they do this!?!?
    >
    > It is upseting to think they can just charge me as if I had agreed to
    > use their services, which I never have... Also, my concern is that if
    > I choose to ignore this bill, could it affect my credit?
    >
    > Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


    Well, for one, that is Sprint [long distance] and not Sprint PCS, the
    subject matter of this group. However, they are now the same company
    for all purposes.

    It is possible that you either accepted long distance service with them
    and weren't paying attention or it was tacked onto something else [do
    you use Sprint PCS for mobile phone service?]. It is possible you were
    slammed by a reseller. I forget the name of the block, but if you call
    your phone company you can require that only a password and a call from
    you can change your long distance service. I have had that for years.
    When I switched to Sprint [50 free minutes of long distance per month
    thanks to my PCS service], there was initially an issue because they
    could not switch my service without my manual intervention.

    It is nice to know that you can string those slammers along on the phone
    and they can't actually switch you! :-)

    - --

    Thomas T. Veldhouse
    Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

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  4. #4
    Steven J Sobol
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    Thomas T. Veldhouse <[email protected]> wrote:

    > It is possible that you either accepted long distance service with them
    > and weren't paying attention or it was tacked onto something else [do
    > you use Sprint PCS for mobile phone service?]. It is possible you were
    > slammed by a reseller.


    Or Sprint themselves. But I think it's a lot more likely that it was
    a reseller. The resellers do it more than the big telcos do.

    > I forget the name of the block, but if you call
    > your phone company you can require that only a password and a call from
    > you can change your long distance service. I have had that for years.
    > When I switched to Sprint [50 free minutes of long distance per month
    > thanks to my PCS service], there was initially an issue because they
    > could not switch my service without my manual intervention.


    It's called a PIC freeze. PIC means "Primary Interexchange Carrier" and
    I believe you can do it for both intrastate and interstate long-distance and
    local toll calls. It's definitely a good idea. Verizon set up a PIC freeze
    for me here.

    Also review your bills for a charge, usually $5 or $10, that your local carrier
    charges to change your long-distance carrier. Typically, you get billed this
    fee by the local, but the LD or local toll carrier issues you a credit or
    sends a voucher that you can use to offset the charge. Of course if you didn't
    authorize the charge, you won't have one, but your local phone carrier should
    credit it.

    --
    JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/
    Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
    PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED)
    Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids.



  5. #5
    Thomas T. Veldhouse
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
    Hash: SHA1

    Steven J Sobol <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > It's called a PIC freeze. PIC means "Primary Interexchange Carrier" and
    > I believe you can do it for both intrastate and interstate long-distance and
    > local toll calls. It's definitely a good idea. Verizon set up a PIC freeze
    > for me here.
    >


    Yes sir! That is to what I was referring.

    - --

    Thomas T. Veldhouse
    Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

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  6. #6
    Adlin
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    "Røbert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    >
    > Three possibilities:
    >
    > 1. Someone at your residence DID MAKE THE CALLS using the appropriate
    > Sprint 10-10 code. Was there a carpet cleaner, or uncle (or some other
    > stranger) in your house when the calls where made?
    >
    > 2. Sprint had a foulup and is mistakenly charging you.
    >
    > 3. Someone scammed Sprint and managed to charge calls to you.
    >
    > If you can with certainty rule out #1, then by all means write to your
    > state Utility commission with a calmly written complaint, with a
    > Certified copy to Sprint HQ in KC.




    Thank you, I appreciate your feedback. I can definitely rule out # 1,
    so I am wondering who is the "State Utility commission"? Would that be
    the phone service provider? -> Cox communications in San Diego.

    Thanks again.



  7. #7
    Steven J Sobol
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    Adlin <[email protected]> wrote:

    > Thank you, I appreciate your feedback. I can definitely rule out # 1,
    > so I am wondering who is the "State Utility commission"? Would that be
    > the phone service provider? -> Cox communications in San Diego.


    No, it would be the state agency that regulates utilities, in your case
    the California Public Utilities Commission, http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/

    --
    JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/
    Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
    PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED)
    Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids.



  8. #8
    Røbert M.
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    In article <[email protected]>,
    [email protected] (Adlin) wrote:

    > "Røbert M." <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:<[email protected]>...
    > >
    > > Three possibilities:
    > >
    > > 1. Someone at your residence DID MAKE THE CALLS using the appropriate
    > > Sprint 10-10 code. Was there a carpet cleaner, or uncle (or some other
    > > stranger) in your house when the calls where made?
    > >
    > > 2. Sprint had a foulup and is mistakenly charging you.
    > >
    > > 3. Someone scammed Sprint and managed to charge calls to you.
    > >
    > > If you can with certainty rule out #1, then by all means write to your
    > > state Utility commission with a calmly written complaint, with a
    > > Certified copy to Sprint HQ in KC.

    >
    >
    >
    > Thank you, I appreciate your feedback. I can definitely rule out # 1,
    > so I am wondering who is the "State Utility commission"? Would that be
    > the phone service provider? -> Cox communications in San Diego.
    >
    > Thanks again.


    for California: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/

    other readers wioth problems can locate their State's Public Utility
    Commission using the list at

    http://www.lssi.it/Pages/Linx.html



  9. #9
    Don Doumakes
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    Steven J Sobol <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Thomas T. Veldhouse <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > It is possible that you either accepted long distance service with them
    > > and weren't paying attention or it was tacked onto something else [do
    > > you use Sprint PCS for mobile phone service?]. It is possible you were
    > > slammed by a reseller.

    >
    > Or Sprint themselves. But I think it's a lot more likely that it was
    > a reseller. The resellers do it more than the big telcos do.


    OTOH, Sprint has been caught doing it. Only two months ago paid $2.4
    million to settle a slamming charge in Florida
    <http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...3/daily12.html>.



  10. #10
    Steven J Sobol
    Guest

    Re: Fraudulent charges from Sprint...

    Don Doumakes <[email protected]> wrote:

    > OTOH, Sprint has been caught doing it. Only two months ago paid $2.4
    > million to settle a slamming charge in Florida
    > <http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonvi...3/daily12.html>.


    *nod* I'm not saying the telcos themselves don't do it - please understand
    that MCI and AT&T have also been nailed. I'm saying resellers tend to be
    even slimier than the telcos and they do it much more often (IME).

    --
    JustThe.net Internet & New Media Services, http://JustThe.net/
    Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / 888.480.4NET (4638) / [email protected]
    PGP Key available from your friendly local key server (0xE3AE35ED)
    Apple Valley, California Nothing scares me anymore. I have three kids.



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