This is the final step, more or less, of the case brought a year or two ago.
- a combined action by all 50 (!!!) States Attornies General along with DC, the FTC, and the FCC. *whew*. Someone was pissed. Or they all saw an easy press release...
[NYS's AG press release]NY - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a $90 million multi-state settlement with T-Mobile to resolve charges that the company engaged in cramming. Cramming is a practice where cell phone providers place unauthorized third-party charges on consumers' bills. One common cramming charge is a $9.99-per-month premium text messaging subscription service (also known as PSMS) for horoscopes, trivia, sports scores or other information that consumers often never requested. ..... T-Mobile is the second mobile telephone provider to enter into a nationwide settlement to resolve allegations regarding cramming; Attorney General Schneiderman announced a similar, $105 million settlement with AT&T in October of this year. T-Mobile and AT&T were among the four major mobile carriers - in addition to Verizon and Sprint - that announced they would cease billing customers for commercial PSMS in the fall of 2013. .... T-Mobile must provide full refunds to consumers charged for unauthorized PSMS charges paid after January 1, 2010, either in the form of a payment or as forgiveness of a debt, amounting no less than $67.5 million - it is estimated that nearly 700,000 New Yorkers are eligible for a refund; ===== rest: