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Tips to prevent “Cramming”

Cramming is the practice of adding charges or services to a customer’s phone bill without the customer’s authorization.  Your local telephone company will bill for these services, assuming you have added them.  To help prevent cramming, Century Link has provided these tips to prevent cramming:

• Review your phone bill for charges you don’t recognize, the same way you would review your credit card and bank statements.
• Read the fine print carefully on any promotion, rebate, sweepstakes, etc., that requires your signature.  You may be unwittingly giving “permission” to add services to your phone bill.
• Educate your household about “hidden authorization” ploys.  These can happen by dialing certain 900 numbers or pushing buttons on the phone to answer telemarketer’s questions.
• Never disclose any information such as your credit card numbers, SSN, or telephone number on any sweepstakes or raffle ticket.  This information may be used to scam you.
• Avoid filling out contest or entry forms if the language on the form appears confusing or unclear.
• Be wary of faxes, emails, voice mails, or webpages that ask you to call an unfamiliar phone number.
• Listen carefully to voice prompts when you make a phone call and reach an answering machine.
• Make certain you know all the services you have ordered, so you do not approve charges for a call or other services.

If you believe you are a victim or cramming, call your local phone company to have the charges removed and blocked from future bills.  Some phone companies offer a free third-party bill block service.

To learn more, please refer to the FCC’s website:  http://www.fcc.gov/guides/cramming-unauthorized-misleading-or-deceptive-charges-placed-your-telephone-bill