Bogus Phone Charges

So I get home today to start the long holiday weekend and I open my phone bill from

Verizon

and there’s an additional $7.32 for toll calls and taxes to this

OAN Services

outfit. I examine the call details and there’s a call listed to directory assistance to the state of Nevada for $5.49, $1.65 related to miscellaneous charges and .18¢ for NY gross receipts tax. Smoke is now coming out of my ears.

I call Verizon and they tell me they can’t tell me anything about the call and that they only act as a “third-party biller” for other companies. To which I reply, you are my local and long distance provider, no other companies should be providing any voice service through this phone number without my authorization. She then tells me that I can prevent this by authorizing Verizon not to accept third-party charges on my bill. No sooner had those words spilled from her lips did Verizon have said authorization.

My next stop: OAN Services. After punching in enough numbers that seemed to be the nuclear missile launch codes to the U.S.’s entire nuclear arsenal and then suffering the indignity of being on hold listening to what had to be the entire musical score of Cats, some lady answers. I explain the problem and the woman on the other end (probably somewhere in India) was trying to explain how someone here made a call to Nevada directory assistance. While she’s prattling on I interrupt and tell her I’m not paying for it and that OAN has no business placing charges that were not made from this phone on my bill. She insisted someone made the call and I insisted that I wasn’t paying and proceeded to outline the absurdity of someone dialing a seemingly innocuous ten digit code to reach directory assistance in the Silver State. Moreover, I told her if I needed a number from directory assistance or for a company in Nevada, I’d use the web and dial it directly or, in the alternative, I’d find the area code for Nevada, again using the web and I’d dial it along with 555-1212. She persisted, I said fine, and told her that the next digits I will dial after hanging up with you will be the

Federal Trade Commission’s

Consumer Fraud Division. She wasted no time asking and telling me how she could remove those charges.

People, check your bills, phone or otherwise and if you have elderly relatives watch their bills too. I’m no spring chicken nor am I elderly, but if they try and scam me, imagine the stunts they pull on those on fixed incomes and who don’t have the stamina to argue back. OAN Services=Sleaze-balls.

-Golf