Alert: extra charge on my phone bill

[PSL1013]

Pam,

I'm glad you found the number and were able to speak to someone. Hopefully it will be canceled.

I would call the phone company back and speak to a supervisor. Many times they can do things regular CS can't. I don't know why the CS agent told you the charge can't be blocked.

If you don't mind me asking what phone company do you have??

Hope it gets resolved!

Well she did the block and told me at the same time that she has a block on her phone and her nephew clicked on a popup on her PC and she was charged on her phone bill....I don't know what to believe, as Tricia says....a block is a block and it should all be blocked, I think I will call back and double check, that's a good idea, thanks. I have ATT, have had them (SNET before they took them over) and my same phone number for over 30 years. Maybe I got someone new that didn't know what she was talking about?

[JohnZ47]

I had this happen. We were being charged 19.95 per month for some sort of business web hosting. AT&T told us we had to contact the company. AT&T also told us that we couldn't block third-party billing.

We finally reached the company and had the charges reversed.

Because AT&T refused to resolve the issue, we have switched to Time Warner digital phone (who can block third-party billing) and, due to bundling, are saving $45 per month.

One thing that annoyed me was that I was never contacted with any information to access the web hosting site. Had it been a legitimate business wouldn't I have been contacted with information on how to use the web hosting site I was paying for?

[jnorth1007]

That is so odd because I have AT&T and they are the ones who suggested I block third party billings so I wouldn't have to worry about mistakenly signing up for things like this. I wonder if it is like everything else...just depends on who you talk to LOL I know I get this with Disney constantly. One swears you can't and one swears you can.

[JohnZ47]

I think that is the case. The first time we were charged the CSR was very friendly and helpful. We thought that it was taken care of.

When it happened again, we got a CSR that was surly and didn't want to do anything. So we decided to call again later that day and got another uncooperative CSR.

That was the point that we decided to switch.

[PSL1013]

I think that is the case. The first time we were charged the CSR was very friendly and helpful. We thought that it was taken care of.

When it happened again, we got a CSR that was surly and didn't want to do anything. So we decided to call again later that day and got another uncooperative CSR.

That was the point that we decided to switch.

well there better not be another charge on my bill or there will be hell to pay...first they put a 3rd party block on (I will have plenty to say about that, if and when) and 2nd, I got hold of the company that did the charging and she said she canceled it. I hope this is a one shot deal all around, it better be.

[dawgsgirl]

AT&t told me that it costs $8.00 per month to have the third party block???

[PSL1013]

AT&t told me that it costs $8.00 per month to have the third party block???

she told me this morning it was free of charge....I don't think the right hand knows what the left hand is doing at ATT, I think I'm going to give them a call and find out.

[jnorth1007]

I have had a block for over 2 years now with AT&T and I have never paid for it.

[PSL1013]

ok, here's the scoop. I got a REALLY knowledgeable and very informative CS agent when I called just now, what a difference from the person I talked to this morning. Anyway, there is no charge for 3rd party blocking and it does NOT block 3rd parties from charging on your bill, what it does is block someone from calling collect to your phone and you can block other phone numbers that keep calling but only numbers that originate in my state. I didn't want to block these, so she removed that order....she explained the reason that the telephone company can not block 3rd parties is because they don't know who these companies are and I could have initiated the charge. She said that if it happens again, to call back and they would always remove any charge that I did not have knowledge about. She also saved me $6 on my phone bill by adding the call waiting feature which I did not have....now I'm getting more for less, I am so glad that I called back. Happy ending to this story.

[Breeze88]

Be real careful if you see Orbit telecom too, they're tagging you for $14.98 on your phone bill if you don't cancel within 72 hours.

I called and got a cancellation number and a cancellation e-mail just came through, but it could have ended up being a big hassel.