[cercis]

With fraudulent 3rd party charges, make sure you get the taxes, etc back as well.

I had Southwestern bell and was charged for 2 calls when I wasn't even home. Directory assistance type calls. They were something like $5 total per call. One per month.

The first month I called and raised holy hell. I told them that this was not a call I made, and they told me that they had proof it was made from my home. I told them that was funny, no one was in our house at that time. They told me a friend must have done it. I told them no friends had access to our home as we had just moved and hadn't even given out the new phone number yet. SWB refused to do anything to help me. I spent about 2 hours arguing with both parties. I finally got back about $3 in charges.

The next month it happened again. Again while no one was home. OMG, I threw a hissy fit of epic proportions. All over SWB. They told me they had no control over it. I told them that was bull, that in this instance they were just like a credit card company and they were to remove all the charges, the taxes from the previous bill and this bill because I disputed it. I told them I was going to the Attorney General over this (I know, it was just $10 or so, but still). Finally, they told me they'd block this number from my phone. Then she got confused and said "you couldn't have made this call, you don't even have access to long distance from your phone". "That's what I'm saying, I DIDN'T MAKE THIS CALL!" So she removed the charges and turned that party in for fraudulent charges.

But geesh, how many people did they do this to who couldn't prove they didn't make the call? And who got stuck paying several dollars in fees and taxes each month, plus dealing with the hassle (hours) of trying to get it reduced even that much.

The next month, cox cable offered phone service in my neighborhood and we switched. MUCH better service and never a fraudulent charge.

Now we don't have a landline. I worry about 911 sometimes (cellphones aren't that great) but I feel pretty safe.