Companies accused of (censored) billing for pornographic Web sites By Michael D. Sorkin Post-Dispatch updated: 05/15 01:09 PM
The attorneys general of Missouri and Illinois are suing two companies accused of (censored) billing consumers for accessing pay-per-view pornographic Web sites.
The suits alleges that Alyon Technologies Inc. Of Secaucus, N.J., and Telcollect Inc. Of Norcross, Ga., billed consumers for accessing services they had not ordered, refused to remove the bills and threatened to turn them over to a collection agency.
In some cases, consumers reported getting bills after a pop-up ad for a pornographic Web site appeared on their computer screens. At least one consumer reported immediately closing the ad and still getting billed.
About 100 consumers complained to Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon; nearly that many complained to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Madigan said the services are set up to allow easy access to adult sites: no credit card number is required and 900 telephone number blocks are ineffective because people are unknowingly connected to a number with a New Jersey area code.
"Consumers and kids may not always know how to avoid spam or pop-up traps, but these companies know exactly what they're doing when it comes to making money, " Madigan said.
Nixon said some people who got bills did not even own a computer or have access to the Internet
One consumer paid a bill of more than $600.
Consumers who called the toll-free number listed on their bills were told they had to prove they did not order the service.
The Missouri suit asks a judge in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City to issue an order for: restitution for consumers, discontinuing (censored) billing and requiring the defendants to post a $50,000 bond if they continue offering Internet services in Missouri. The suit also seeks civil penalties of $1,000 for each (censored) act.
The Illinois suit, filed in Sangamon County Circuit Court in Springfield, seeks a permanent injunction, a $50,000 civil penalty and $50,000 for each violation found to have been committed with intent to (censored).
Both suits also names as defendant Stephane Touboul, who's described as CEO and sole shareholder of Alyon.
Florida and other states, also are investigating Alyon.
A Web site called usacomplaints.com contains complaints from consumers, including a California man who says he was billed for viewing an adult web site while no one was home to use his computer.
He says Alyon uses a Trojan horse computer program that lurks in computers and dials toll numbers without permission. He says the program connected his computer to a 900-toll-call number even though his phone is set up to block such calls.
Another complaint, from a man in New York, gives directions on how to remove Alyon's dialer from your computer as well as how to block your phone number from the company's Web site.
There is a RICO (censored) eering) investigation going on in Florida which means that all penalties, including possible jail time for Alyon and its employees, could be increased.
Keep complaining. If you sent them money for a bogus bill, you may be able to get it back with interest.
We did it. Thank you people and thank you rip off reports.
P.S. The floodgates are open, now watch the stories on alyon.
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