Cell phone companies rip you off with 3rd party billing on clarkhoward.com

RIP-OFF ALERT: Cell phone companies have been engaging in a practice that's been ripping you off! It's happening most often to those who have an add-a-phone service (where you add a friend or family member to your plan.) The industry is making huge money doing 3rd-party billing for "services" that other companies claim they've provided you -- services such as ring tones, joke-of-the-day texts, etc. The cell phone company gets such a large commission for doing this kind of billing, that they've been purposely deceptive about the practice. The Cyberfraud Task Force of the State of Florida went after AT&T for billing their customers for services that they'd advertised as being free. The settlement was over $10 million, for Floridians alone.

Clark knows that cell phone bills are impossible to understand. Clark's last cell phone bill was 56 pages long! But Clark goes through it page-by-page each month. About once every four months he'll find something that's not legit. (Most recently, he found a $2.95 charge for a ring tone that the provider's website claimed was free - but they lied.)

The cell phone companies have no incentive to clean up their act, since it's such a cash cow for them. And according to Smart Money magazine, they go out of their way to make these charges hard to find on your bill. Therefore, Clark says he needs YOU to be the cop for your own phone bill. Look for deceptive terms such as "Premium Content", or "Direct Bill Charge" (sometimes referred to as "DBC" on your bill.)

What others are saying

metro pcs issues
if any of your customers are having customer service issues with metro pcs
please have them call or talk only to the immokalee road store we give the best cust service. they are a metro owned and operated corporate store.. the cust below can call me and i will take another look at his phone, all mpcs phones have a 1 year manufactures warranty and as long as the phone was not wet or abused we exchange it for 10 bucks.. so something in his story does not add up
By louis @ 10/29/08 11:06:02 AMreport abuse
metro pcs NO RIP OFF
i know metro pcs only usses refurbished phones for in warranty exchanges only.. if you buy a PHONE it is a new one
never ever do they sell refurbs
By louis @ 10/29/08 10:54:37 AMreport abuse
sprint rip- off
I have sprint and for the past few months my bill is always higher than what it should be. They try to charge me overage all the time. One month I had 1000 min plan and I jused only 660 so they charged me overage for 110 min how does that math works I don't know, but I try to call them about refunding me that money ,they said, if is over 60 day they can't do it. Last month they had to refund me $45 and this month $98. Advice for everboby who is with SPRINT go trough your minutes every month, beacuse they try to over charge me every month for at least $30-40.
By lynn @ 10/16/08 11:15:10 AMreport abuse
Thumbplay rip-off
I noticed that my Alltel August bill was higher than expected. I found a charge of $9.99 for a compmany called Thumbplay. I then remembered that I had received a text message for a free ringtone. I selected the free ringtone, but was not able to download it. I did not sign up for a subscription or purchase anything. Then I got the bill - passed to me from Thumbplay through Alltel! I talked with two different people at Alltel. They said they would credit my account with the next billing cycle. Alltel lied. My next bill had no credit. I talked with another no-customer rep at Alltel who also told me he would credit my next bill. I told him that was not acceptable and demanded that he credit my account now or send me a check to my home address. He told me he would not do either and that it was Alltel's policy to credit on the next bill. I reminded him that Alltel had lied to me once and that I could not trust them. He still refused to do anything to satisfy my claim - he even said that I was probably responsible for the charge anyway! I will never do business with Alltel again!
By William @ 09/13/08 02:28:26 PMreport abuse
New behavior with pay-as-you-go cell phone
My husband and I have pay-as-you-go cell phones, and over the past few months we've noticed that we are occassionally being charged for calls that are not picked up on the other end. The scenario is this: I dial a number, hear it ring, and then hang up before (or just after) the answering machine/voicemail answers. Up until a few months ago, I could hang up the moment I heard the automated voice speak and not be charged. Now I can hang up when I still hear ringing, and I'm being charged occasionally. The obvious explanation is that the other end picks up and the charge is incurred before I actually hear the call complete, which I think is a little under-handed.
By Malissa @ 09/05/08 01:38:49 PMreport abuse
Are these things saving time...or not?
Ive decided I don't have time for a cell phone and all their time wasting non service. I have my company cell phone if an emergency occurs but other than that...I will talk at home on my good old fashion phone. And the big 3 can keep their raggedy phones & their even raggedier service.
By resa @ 09/03/08 10:10:55 PMreport abuse
CHEAP CELL PHONES
FOUR MONTHS AGO I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW PHONE FROM METROPCS. I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WAS NEW AND NOT REFURBISHED. I HAVE A SNEAKY SUSPICION THAT THEY ARE SELLING REFURBISHED PHONES AS NEW. ANYWAY, I PURCHASED THEIR "SLIDE PHONE" THAT HAS A RATHER LARGE SCREEN WITH A LIGHT. NOT ONLY IS IT A SLIDE PHONE, BUT IT TAKES PICS AS WELL. I HAVE NEVER DROPPED THIS PHONE NOR HAS IT BEEN IN WATER, YET MY SCREEN HAS GONE BLACK AND I CAN'T SEE WHO'S CALLING ME OR GET TO MY PHONE BOOK. I TRIED CALLING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE ONLY THING THEY WANT TO KNOW IS IF I HAVE INSURANCE. WHEN I TOLD THEM I DON'T EVEN RECALL BEING OFFERED INSURANCE THEY GIRL STATES THAT THERE’S NOTHING SHE CAN DO FOR ME. I FLIPPED OUT ON THE PHONE AND DECIDED TO SEND A LETTER TO METRO'S CORPORATE OFFICE. I ALSO SENT A COPY TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND CHANNEL 7 NEWS “ON YOUR SIDE”. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON THING WITH METROPCS, BECAUSE SO FAR I HAVE HEARD LOTS OF HORROR STORIES REGARDING OTHER PEOPLE’S PHONE PURCHASES.

IS THERE ANY INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT SOMEONE CAN SHARE WITH ME REGARDING METROPCS THAT WILL HELP ME GET MY PHONE FIXED FASTER. RIGHT NOW I AM ANGERY AND CONTEMPLATING TAKING METRO PCS TO COURT.
By LACY @ 09/03/08 06:12:56 PMreport abuse
Phone company ripoffs
How can we stop AT&T and other phone companies from allowing this practice?
By Emiy @ 09/03/08 05:07:17 PMreport abuse
cell phone directory assistance
In the last 3-4 months the directory service Alltel provides has really deteriorated - the operators cannot spell, usually give out the wrong information no matter if you patiently spell the information, and lately sound as if they are in a large holding pen with a huge amount of background noise - are others noticing and complaining? I agree - it's not a service you want to request frequently, but when you need it, it should be a good service
By ST @ 09/03/08 04:53:34 PMreport abuse
Cell Phone companies and 3rd party billing
You are so right! It is difficult- if not impossible- to get the charges removed. I went back and forth w/Verizon about a bogus charge for a $10 text message from an outside company. The first month it was "Okay I just removed it."
The 2nd month I called again because the charge was still there-
"Sorry we can't remove it because it really isn't ours. Call the number on the bill and speak to them directly."
I did of course, and after an argument they said they would remove it.
The 3rd month I called Verizon again as the charge was still there. "Oh, no we can't remove it."
"But you have to because I will not pay it- he doesn't have that service, never had that service, etc."
"No sorry we can't do it."
I didn't back down and kept insisting that they remove it but they were equally insistent that they couldn't. I went back and forth with him until I finally realized that our contract had expired a while ago. (Yippee- leverage!)So I told the Verizon guy that I would cancel my cell phones- all of them, the whole account- just to get rid of this problem! All of a sudden he paid attention.
"What?? Oh no, you don't want to do that."
"Oh but I DO- and right now too."
"NO, no- all you have to do is send this exact text message UNSUBSCRIBE/STOP/CANCEL to that number and they will cancel the charge and then they will text back and tell you that it is canceled and it will be done."
"Really?? You mean after 3 months of this ridiculousness you mean it will really be over?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Gee, why didn't someone mention this to me 2 months ago!!"
Dead silence on Verizon's end.
Well happy to say that his advice did work and worked immediately. But, it's too bad I had to threaten to cancel with them to get some action on the problem. I am not renewing my contract with them any time soon. I am still pretty angry about the whole thing. I thought Verizon was reputable but now I know that when it comes to stuff like this, none of them are.
By D. Marrazzo @ 09/03/08 03:54:15 PMreport abuse

metro pcs issues

if any of your customers are having customer service issues with metro pcs
please have them call or talk only to the immokalee road store we give the best cust service. they are a metro owned and operated corporate store.. the cust below can call me and i will take another look at his phone, all mpcs phones have a 1 year manufactures warranty and as long as the phone was not wet or abused we exchange it for 10 bucks.. so something in his story does not add up

By louis @ 10/29/08 11:06:02 AMreport abuse

metro pcs NO RIP OFF

i know metro pcs only usses refurbished phones for in warranty exchanges only.. if you buy a PHONE it is a new one
never ever do they sell refurbs

By louis @ 10/29/08 10:54:37 AMreport abuse

sprint rip- off

I have sprint and for the past few months my bill is always higher than what it should be. They try to charge me overage all the time. One month I had 1000 min plan and I jused only 660 so they charged me overage for 110 min how does that math works I don't know, but I try to call them about refunding me that money ,they said, if is over 60 day they can't do it. Last month they had to refund me $45 and this month $98. Advice for everboby who is with SPRINT go trough your minutes every month, beacuse they try to over charge me every month for at least $30-40.

By lynn @ 10/16/08 11:15:10 AMreport abuse

Thumbplay rip-off

I noticed that my Alltel August bill was higher than expected. I found a charge of $9.99 for a compmany called Thumbplay. I then remembered that I had received a text message for a free ringtone. I selected the free ringtone, but was not able to download it. I did not sign up for a subscription or purchase anything. Then I got the bill - passed to me from Thumbplay through Alltel! I talked with two different people at Alltel. They said they would credit my account with the next billing cycle. Alltel lied. My next bill had no credit. I talked with another no-customer rep at Alltel who also told me he would credit my next bill. I told him that was not acceptable and demanded that he credit my account now or send me a check to my home address. He told me he would not do either and that it was Alltel's policy to credit on the next bill. I reminded him that Alltel had lied to me once and that I could not trust them. He still refused to do anything to satisfy my claim - he even said that I was probably responsible for the charge anyway! I will never do business with Alltel again!

By William @ 09/13/08 02:28:26 PMreport abuse

New behavior with pay-as-you-go cell phone

My husband and I have pay-as-you-go cell phones, and over the past few months we've noticed that we are occassionally being charged for calls that are not picked up on the other end. The scenario is this: I dial a number, hear it ring, and then hang up before (or just after) the answering machine/voicemail answers. Up until a few months ago, I could hang up the moment I heard the automated voice speak and not be charged. Now I can hang up when I still hear ringing, and I'm being charged occasionally. The obvious explanation is that the other end picks up and the charge is incurred before I actually hear the call complete, which I think is a little under-handed.

By Malissa @ 09/05/08 01:38:49 PMreport abuse

Are these things saving time...or not?

Ive decided I don't have time for a cell phone and all their time wasting non service. I have my company cell phone if an emergency occurs but other than that...I will talk at home on my good old fashion phone. And the big 3 can keep their raggedy phones & their even raggedier service.

By resa @ 09/03/08 10:10:55 PMreport abuse

CHEAP CELL PHONES

FOUR MONTHS AGO I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW PHONE FROM METROPCS. I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WAS NEW AND NOT REFURBISHED. I HAVE A SNEAKY SUSPICION THAT THEY ARE SELLING REFURBISHED PHONES AS NEW. ANYWAY, I PURCHASED THEIR "SLIDE PHONE" THAT HAS A RATHER LARGE SCREEN WITH A LIGHT. NOT ONLY IS IT A SLIDE PHONE, BUT IT TAKES PICS AS WELL. I HAVE NEVER DROPPED THIS PHONE NOR HAS IT BEEN IN WATER, YET MY SCREEN HAS GONE BLACK AND I CAN'T SEE WHO'S CALLING ME OR GET TO MY PHONE BOOK. I TRIED CALLING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE ONLY THING THEY WANT TO KNOW IS IF I HAVE INSURANCE. WHEN I TOLD THEM I DON'T EVEN RECALL BEING OFFERED INSURANCE THEY GIRL STATES THAT THERE’S NOTHING SHE CAN DO FOR ME. I FLIPPED OUT ON THE PHONE AND DECIDED TO SEND A LETTER TO METRO'S CORPORATE OFFICE. I ALSO SENT A COPY TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND CHANNEL 7 NEWS “ON YOUR SIDE”. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON THING WITH METROPCS, BECAUSE SO FAR I HAVE HEARD LOTS OF HORROR STORIES REGARDING OTHER PEOPLE’S PHONE PURCHASES.

IS THERE ANY INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT SOMEONE CAN SHARE WITH ME REGARDING METROPCS THAT WILL HELP ME GET MY PHONE FIXED FASTER. RIGHT NOW I AM ANGERY AND CONTEMPLATING TAKING METRO PCS TO COURT.

By LACY @ 09/03/08 06:12:56 PMreport abuse

Phone company ripoffs

How can we stop AT&T and other phone companies from allowing this practice?

By Emiy @ 09/03/08 05:07:17 PMreport abuse

cell phone directory assistance

In the last 3-4 months the directory service Alltel provides has really deteriorated - the operators cannot spell, usually give out the wrong information no matter if you patiently spell the information, and lately sound as if they are in a large holding pen with a huge amount of background noise - are others noticing and complaining? I agree - it's not a service you want to request frequently, but when you need it, it should be a good service

By ST @ 09/03/08 04:53:34 PMreport abuse

Cell Phone companies and 3rd party billing

You are so right! It is difficult- if not impossible- to get the charges removed. I went back and forth w/Verizon about a bogus charge for a $10 text message from an outside company. The first month it was "Okay I just removed it."
The 2nd month I called again because the charge was still there-
"Sorry we can't remove it because it really isn't ours. Call the number on the bill and speak to them directly."
I did of course, and after an argument they said they would remove it.
The 3rd month I called Verizon again as the charge was still there. "Oh, no we can't remove it."
"But you have to because I will not pay it- he doesn't have that service, never had that service, etc."
"No sorry we can't do it."
I didn't back down and kept insisting that they remove it but they were equally insistent that they couldn't. I went back and forth with him until I finally realized that our contract had expired a while ago. (Yippee- leverage!)So I told the Verizon guy that I would cancel my cell phones- all of them, the whole account- just to get rid of this problem! All of a sudden he paid attention.
"What?? Oh no, you don't want to do that."
"Oh but I DO- and right now too."
"NO, no- all you have to do is send this exact text message UNSUBSCRIBE/STOP/CANCEL to that number and they will cancel the charge and then they will text back and tell you that it is canceled and it will be done."
"Really?? You mean after 3 months of this ridiculousness you mean it will really be over?"
"Yes Ma'am."
"Gee, why didn't someone mention this to me 2 months ago!!"
Dead silence on Verizon's end.
Well happy to say that his advice did work and worked immediately. But, it's too bad I had to threaten to cancel with them to get some action on the problem. I am not renewing my contract with them any time soon. I am still pretty angry about the whole thing. I thought Verizon was reputable but now I know that when it comes to stuff like this, none of them are.

By D. Marrazzo @ 09/03/08 03:54:15 PMreport abuse

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Sep 02, 2008 -- Cell phone companies rip you off with 3rd party billing

What others are saying