FTC goes after bogus cramming charges on phone bills

PHOENIX - Have you ever had a phone bill charge for something you never ordered or never received?

The ABC15 Investigators found the government is helping get back millions for people who've been "crammed."

When Hamid Shojaee of Scottsdale got a text message from someone he didn't know, he ignored it.

He found out later by not responding, he was paying.

Shojaee found for 10 months, he had a $9.99 charge on his wireless phone account from a text service he'd never heard of.

"I don't expect charges on my cell phone bill that I did not authorize," Shojaee told the ABC15 Investigators.

It's called "cramming." They're unauthorized charges put on your phone bill.

In Shojaee's case, it involved bogus text messages. We told you about this story last year .

A year later, the Federal Trade Commission is doing something about another type of cramming.

Earlier this month, the FTC sued to get back $52 million they say was taken from customers for bogus cramming charges.

The charges were for enhanced services, voicemail, streaming video, ID theft protection and directory assistance.

But the FTC says hundreds of thousands of people never ordered those services.

The FTC is suing the company that billed consumers called "Billing Services Group."

You can ask your cell phone provider to block texts from third parties.

Whether cell phone or land line, make sure to read every line of your bill.

Ask the phone company to explain and take away any unauthorized charges.

If you've been scammed email me , or tell me about it on my ABC15 Facebook page.