On January 26, I looked at my phone bill and discovered a $40.00 charge for a two minute call to a 900 number (billed by INTEGRETEL INC.) that I know I didn't make. I immediately called their contact number on my phone bill to question them about the 900 number charge. The rep. That I spoke to stated that the call was placed over the internet through some software that was downloaded on my computer. I assured him that I didn't download any software to my computer, and there isn't anyone else in my household that lives with me, but my 61 year old mother and my 4 year old son, and neither one of them knows how to use a computer. After speaking with him for about 15 minutes, he offered to credit my bill for only half the amount and then told me that I would still have to pay the other half. I told him that I wasn't paying any amount for a call I know I didn't make. After speaking with him a few more minutes, he then decided to credit my bill for all of the $40.00 charge and said it would take 1-2 billing cycles and that he would block my number out of their system which would take about 24 hours to be in effect.
I then called my local telephone company to dispute the $40.00 charge. The customer service rep. Told me that the charge would be in dispute for 90 days and as long as it was in dispute I didn't have to pay the $40.00. She also told me that I could put a 900 block on my phone free of charge (which I did) so it wouldn't happen again. Before I got off the phone with the customer service rep., she also told me to call the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and gave me their phone number: 1-888-225-5322 to file a complaint. When I called the FCC and explained my complaint, the lady I spoke with told me that it was through an adult popup that I probably tried to delete by clicking on the X box, and when I clicked on the X box, instead of it deleting the popup, the software begin to download without my knowledege. She told me that I could also file a complaint with the FTC (Ferderal Trade Commission) and gave me their phone number: 1-877-382-4357 or go to their website: www.ftc. Gov. I haven't gotten my recent phone bill yet to check for that $40.00 charge, but I am waiting and watching.
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