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Coakley Calls For Ban Of Phone Bill Cramming

BOSTON (CBS) - Attorney General Martha Coakley says enough is enough when it comes to phone companies "cramming" charges for unwanted services on your phone bill, and it's time for the Federal Trade Commission to ban it. Coakley says, "It has been an abuse… and we think the only solution is to ban it."

The Attorney General submitted her request to the FCC, which will be studying the issue.

Every year, between 15-20 million Americans are plagued by cramming, and it costs them billions of dollars.

WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson reports

Coakley says, "You may not even pick up that it's an extra dollar or three dollars, but over a period of years it adds up to considerable money, we think billions of dollars for consumers." She says it's been going on for decades, and so far nothing has stopped the problem.

Coakley says, "Even if you find a charge that you don't think is yours, it's very difficult for the individual consumer to contest it or find out why it's on your bill."

She says cramming is under the jurisdiction of the FCC, so she can't take action. But she's hoping the FCC will.

Here's the FCC's definition of cramming:

Cramming is the practice of placing unauthorized, misleading or deceptive charges on a consumer's telephone bill. Crammers rely on confusing telephone bills in an attempt to trick consumers into paying for services they did not authorize or receive, or that cost more than the consumer was led to believe. Cramming can also occur if a local or long distance company, or another type of service provider, does not clearly or accurately describe all of the relevant charges when marketing a service. Consumers can employ strategies to protect themselves from these unauthorized charges, and have the ability to file a complaint.

The FCC's comment and reply period ends November 21. After that the Commission will study the record and make a decision. There is no timetable for that action.

Coakley is asking everyone to help. "Tell the FCC that we shouldn't be tolerating cramming, there doesn't seem to be any way to really take care of this problem except by banning it."

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