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Consumer Irritated By Phone Bill Charge

Company Related To Charges Sued By Florida Attorney General

POSTED: 10:26 am CDT September 18, 2008
UPDATED: 10:54 am CDT September 18, 2008

An AT&T customer said she is confused about a charge to her phone bill that she said she didn't sign up for.

Video: Extra Phone Bill Charge Confuses Consumer

"I noticed this charge from Enhanced Services Billing Inc., and I said, 'What is that?'" said consumer Cheryl Oakley.

Oakley recently noticed that $14.05 was tacked on to her AT&T home phone bill every month.

"I've paid $112 since January," said Oakley.

She called the number for Enhanced Services Billing, which was listed on her AT&T bill.

When she called, she learned that she had been paying for an 800 number with voice mail, a service she believes she never signed up for. AT&T said they had no choice but to pass along the charge on her monthly bill.

"All they said was, 'That's the way it is,'" said Oakley.

She had never heard of the company, which AT&T said the charge came from.

Channel 4 found out the attorney general of Florida is suing a related company called Premium Products for deceptive advertising.

The attorney general said consumers typically encounter the company through e-mail solicitations, Internet pop-up windows or paid ads linked to Google. The company offers free prizes but there are hidden fees, according to the attorney general.

Oakley is irritated that AT&T passes along these types of charges without asking customers first.

"They're making money on a service they're not even providing for most people under the guise of AT&T," said Oakley. "Fourteen dollars and five cents is not much right now, but multiply it times thousands of people, and you've got yourself a good little business going," said Oakley.

AT&T said they're required by regulation to offer billing service for third-party companies. If a customer feels they have been unjustly charged, the person affected can dispute the charge with the company and then with AT&T if that company won't help.

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