Our most recent business telephone bill reflected a new, unauthorized charge of $42.95 for a monthly web hosting fee. When I contacted the billing company, Enhanced Billing Services, INC, I was told that this service was authorized by an "assistant to the owner" and given my father's name. We own a family hair salon, and you have to understand that my father normally hangs up on telemarketers. I knew that there had been a huge mistake and that it could be rectified upon referencing the audio transcript. I immediately requested that the audio be played; and to my shock and surprise, it was my father's voice answering questions and authorizing the charge! It would be very convincing in a court of law; it's just that I KNOW my father, and I know that he is the most frugal man I have ever met. He would never authorize this charge! Where the telemarketer failed miserably at this fraudulent attempt was when he asked for the last four digits of his social security number. My father's voice is clearly heard saying "1111". Guess what? That is not the last four digits of his SSN. But our telephone number does have a one (1) in it, and my father did verify our business name and telephone number to update our free online listing. This company has gone well past the use of coercion, and manipulated audio to make it sound like my father agreed to the $39.95 fee ($3.00 Tn. Sales Tax). I even heard him agree to it, or heard what sounded like him agreeing to it! At the beginning of the transcript, my father's voice had the same tone for about the first four questions. However, for the latter questions, the tone of his voice changed. There were also long pauses from the time the question was asked until my father's response was heard.
The charges have supposedly been removed from my bill and the action canceled. Upon further investigation of my phone bill, I found a number to this company, and called them directly. Talking about "turning the tables": The customer service rep would give me no information concerning her company. She put me on hold and asked her manager if she could give me the email address or the street address of the company. She was denied by the manager, but I finally verified her state was in fact Delaware. When I googled the phone number, I was able to find the website and street address. Needless to say, she, and obviously her manager, were very uncomfortable with my questions. What a scam! Who would have thought... Photo Shop for Audio!!!
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