I haven't had phone service from the telephone company in a number of years. I had new service installed February 2. Got my first bill today.
It's the 1980s! I was both slammed and crammed!
Slammed: The phone company itself billed me a recurring fee for international calling service.
Crammed: A company with the innocuous name of Network Connections USA billed me a recurring charge for "discount" directory assistance plan.
The clerk at the phone company couldn't explain how either of these charges were authorized, and claimed that the international calling plan was ordered on the initial service order. But the service didn't begin for 11 days after installation and it wasn't mentioned in the confirmation letters I received in the mail, so that's not true.
Nor could he tell me who authorized the directory assistance plan.
He put cramming protection on the line. For slamming protection, I have to fill out the form and mail it back in.
A quick Google search turns up a few complaints about Network Connections USA going back to 2007. Anyone know who is behind the fraud?