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        New Message Board Archives >> 2007 General Board Posts >> Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
        
(Message started by: deltadarlin on Dec 11^th, 2007, 1:35pm)

Title: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by deltadarlin on Dec 11^th, 2007, 1:35pm

Went to Dallas back in November. Cell phone wouldn't work, so had to stop at a truck stop and use a pay phone to make 2 calls. Charged the phone calls to my AT&T calling card. Imagine my surprise when I opened my phone bill and found a $16.39 charge for a 3 minute call and $28.40 charge for a 6 minute call. The service provider is NCIC Operator services

http://www.ncic.com/

When I called them to ask about the charges, was told that the actuall rate per minute as $1.99, BUT there is an *access* charge of $14.85 per call (since I didn't have an account with them). And was basically told that there wasn't anything I could do.

Now, on to the next one.

Cell phone wouldn't work at the hotel (that was before I got my room moved), so had to use my calling card again. The first and second calls were supposedly 5 minutes each (not possible if you look at the calling times) and cost $13.25 each. The 3rd phone call was for 17 minutes and cost $27.05. This company is named Legacy LD INtl INC and has more complaints about it on the web than Carters has pills. Called them, got the same run-around about access fees and bs. Told me that they only charge a $1.50 a minute.

So, folks, the moral of this story is, if you can't use your cell and you don't have a calling card of some kind (we do, I forgot to get it, cos' I figured my cell would work), make a big fire and send smoke signals or just hope like hell an emergency doesn't occur.

BTW, I have filed a complaint with the FCC, but doubt they can or will do anything.

now where did I put my matches?

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by BarbaraD on Dec 11^th, 2007, 1:55pm

Whatever happened to the days when you just told the "operator" who you wanted to talk to and she got 'em on the line? All this high tech stuff has to be paid for I guess.....

Sorry Carolyn -- I'm laughing "with" you - it's just a sad state of affairs. I've been fighting with Windstream (only phone company out here in the country) - they "tell" me one thing on the phone and then charge me something else and when I call to complain - no one knows nothin' (if I can even find a human that works there!).

One of these days.........

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by fubar on Dec 11^th, 2007, 1:58pm

It used to be simple to avoid, but now there are a million ways for them to hit you with obscene charges. I simply do not make phone calls on any hotel or pay phone, period. When my cell isn't working, I am off the grid, period.

Here's another 'surprise' way they can charge obscene money for nothing... a member here who is also on Facebook sent me an 'invite' to a thing on facebook where you basically send 'hotness' points to other people. Well, the super-duper fine print that was up there in the same color as the background (nearly) said I was agreeing to sign up for 3 text messages a week from a robot flirty thing all for the low price of $9.99 a week (or whatever my carrier wants to charge me). Seriously... as soon as I saw the charges, I stopped it, but that was after I 'agreed' to pay, so my bad.

They really try hard to screw you these days.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Monty on Dec 11^th, 2007, 2:04pm

Man! That's legalized theft. Not sure if I should condemn it (I coulda been a victim) or invest in those companies. Course, those things usually back-fire... look at the sub-prime mortgage mess. That was a stroke of brilliant capitalism.

A friend has a internet cell phone that gets him free calls whenever he is in a wi-fi zone. Not sure if it is skype or something similar.

One other practical note: I think carrier pigeons are better than smoke-signals. Problem is, carrier pigeons will only return home.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Paul98 on Dec 11^th, 2007, 2:12pm

on 12/11/07 at 13:55:05, BarbaraD wrote:

Emily LaTella........One ringy dingy, two ringy dingys...

Barb, remember the days of Global25-8200? Or GL1352?

I have gotten burned a couple of times with high bills too. One was calling a former East Block country from my home phone to a cell. Got a bill for $78 for 10 min. Other was from my cell for a 1 minute call and it cost ~$30! I now have 2 cell phones and a land line I rarely use.

-P.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by BarbaraD on Dec 11^th, 2007, 2:22pm

Ya know Paul, when I was a "little" kid and we lived in the country our number was 1613F21 (I have to look up my present phone number, but can remember that from over 60 years ago) and we were on an 8 party line with that little knob on the phone that you rang to get the operator on the line. You never had to have anyone's number - just who you wanted to talk to. She could even tell you if they were home or not - if not where they were most of the time.

I love a lot of this high tech stuff, but miss the personal touch - guess ya just can't have it all, but our kids will never have that part to remember.

The first time I went to New York City, I was amazed at that GLOBAL 1234 stuff. We didn't have that in East Texas. Came back home and told 'em all about them neat phone numbers in the big city. Course I had to "splain it to some of them more than once. ::)

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Sandy_C on Dec 11^th, 2007, 2:31pm

on 12/11/07 at 13:58:08, fubar wrote:

Ditto

If my cell phone doesn't work wherever I am, then too bad, I'm "not available".

I will not ever use hotel phones, or other phones anywhere because the charges are astronomical. The one and only time I have used a hotel phone was when I was in Cancun, my cell would not work, and I called my office to check up on things. My conversation lasted 1:30 seconds, and my hotel billed me almost $30.00 for it. Never again. Now, when I'm on vacation.....screw the office.

Sandy

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Dec 11^th, 2007, 2:45pm

It really is ridiculous--same thing happened to me. 29.00 for using a pay phone to call home collect. The only good news is pay phones will soon be a thing of the past.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Kevin_M on Dec 11^th, 2007, 2:48pm

No phone at the cottage but whenever I need to get a quick message to the down home area 200 miles away, it's still 75 cents for the first three minutes from any pay phone up there.

But I once ran across those much higher phone fees a few years ago. Paying a bill online after 4:00pm on the day it is due will add $14.95 to the charge for my BP card. Paying the interest to mail it in at that point is cheaper.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by yikes-another-one on Dec 11^th, 2007, 3:30pm

MY uncle made a five minute call, "collect"
and my grandma (94 yrs old and gets only $400
a month) was charged over $37.00.

she told him not to ever call her collect again.
but still had to scrounge around to find the omeny
and pay it.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Paul98 on Dec 11^th, 2007, 4:01pm

on 12/11/07 at 14:22:48, BarbaraD wrote:

LOL Barb. I too remember the numbers for the phone when I was little. I have a hard time remembering my own phown number now. LOL.

-P.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Melissa on Dec 11^th, 2007, 4:58pm

Sounds like you'd be better off with a different cell co. :-/

I use Alltell's Simplefreedom and love it.

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by George_J on Dec 11^th, 2007, 5:31pm

It's not just the U.S. My daughter called from a pay phone in Vancouver, B.C. once, when she was on a class trip, and we were charged almost 40 bucks for a five minute call.

Took a while to figure it out, though--when the bill came from the carrier, it said the call was from Micronesia.

EJ opens the mail, and asks...."Who is calling you from Micronesia?"

I look at the bill. I don't know anybody from Micronesia, so I say....

"No--who is calling YOU from Micronesia?"

And so it goes. Sometimes marriage is a tragedy, and sometimes it's a comedy.

After we figured it out from the date of the call, we phoned the carrier and offered to send them half of what they'd charged. They accepted.

Best,

George

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Charlie on Dec 11^th, 2007, 7:53pm

That sucks big time Carolyn.

This is the kind of thing that happens when greed at levels unimaginable is encouraged. Today, public service means getting "serviced" all right. http://www.netsync.net/users/charlies/gifs/phone pound.gif

Quote:

The only good news is pay phones will soon be a thing of the past.

Sadly this is the case. Hard on me as I must be the only person on the planet without a cell.

Charile

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by deltadarlin on Dec 12^th, 2007, 8:27am

Mel,
I do have Altell~nationwide long distance and no roaming. There are certain areas (especially around the perimeter or Dallas) that have absolutely no coverage. Can't really afford to change, because Altell offers the best coverage for the areas I have.

I have filed two separate complaints with the FCC~one for each company, but I'm not holding my breath.

carolyn

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by Melissa on Dec 12^th, 2007, 8:47am

Well, good luck Carolyn! I'm surprised that Alltell didn't have coverage in that area. They've worked pretty much anywhere I've gone, even in the boonies! :-/

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by catlind on Dec 12^th, 2007, 9:48am

Carolyn, as well as the FCC contact the FTC and file a complaint letter and cc it to the companies after calling them and telling them that you are filing a formal complaint with the federal trade commission. Try to get the contact information for their headquarters, worked wonders form me when we had that run around with AT&T calling cards.

Also worked with compaq - got a check sent to me for the $700 to repair my laptop (still under warranty that they refused to repair) - they were most accommodating when I let them hear the letter of complaint to the FTC.

Cat

Title: Re: Ripped off and Pi$$ed off
Post by alienspacebabe on Dec 12^th, 2007, 12:25pm

US Cellular required my mom to open a new account with them (they closed hers when they found out dad was dead). Interestingly, they now had to charge her a higher monthly fee - she had to buy a new phone - there was a $50 fee for closing then opening an account - and an $80 fee to activate the phone.

AT&T, when they found out a few weeks ago that dad was dead, shut off mom's phone (but left the dsl working). Two days later, finally, they turned the phone back on - at a higher monthly cost, of course. Still waiting to see if they'll charge her disconnect and reconnect fees.

More AT&T - the day they turned the phone back on, they shut off the dsl. That was more than 3 weeks ago. Despite numerous calls from both mom and me, and despite a computer expert trying to connect to the internet via dialup the way they explained it, she still has no internet. Best they could do is tell her it would be reconnected "some time after December 1".

Yet more AT&T - why did they turn everything off? Supposedly mom requested everything be disconnected!!! Despite my 2 hour call with them last week, there is still a disconnect notice out there - meaning, of course, that they will be re-disconnecting the phone at some point soon. Thank god she has that overpriced cell phone!!!

Edited to add - not to mention the $350+ phone bill she received the month after dad died. Long distance to Chile - $3.50 a minute!! Then again, it's not as if she wouldn't have called even if she'd known the cost.....