Complaint Review: Billing Concepts Inc. D/b/a Zero Plus Dialing ZPDI - San Antonio Texas

If you get one of these services on your computer, put an antivirus and antispyware program on your computer. Only use reputable brands (Iolo, Mc Afee, etc.) because some of these programs ARE ACTUALLY VIRUSES. Disconnect your computer from the internet by physically removing the internet cable from the back of your computer and run a full system scan of your computer using the antivirus. Delete all the files it detects as viruses and/or spy ware. Now, reboot your computer and you probably will not be charged again. To dispute the existing charges, contact your phone company and tell them that you believe you have been crammed. Have the bill near you so you can tell them the charges. They should remove them.

May 23, 2005 Federal Communications Commission Attn: Shirl Storm ([email protected]) Re: Notice of Informal Complaint Dated April 13, 2005 Dear Shirl Storm: This is in response to the letter I received a copy from written by Opticom on May 3, 2005. I am e-mailing you, because they included your email address but no physical address. First, let me say that I am happy you are taking the time to look into this matter. Also, let me say that I am in good faith, and would be happy to make a sworn affidavit. My original complaint (see attached) was that my computer was hijacked by a virus that dialed the long-distance Opticom number without authorization by me or anyone in my household. My original complaint contains a lot of detail about what happened. I am adding to that complaint that Opticom has repeatedly refused to investigate the complaint. On 3/29/05 at 10:35AM PST I phoned 1-800-276-1111, the number listed on my phone bill for customer service for Opticom. This is also the same number on the bottom of the letter from Opticom. I spoke with Danielle, Emp ID #1833. I told her my computer was hijacked by a virus, and was forced to call the long-distance number without being authorized by me, and I wanted them to investigate. They said they were not the company that charged me. That they were "just representing them". She said she saw the charge on her computer screen. She also said the number called was a web address. I asked to speak to a supervisor and she said one would call me back. At 10:44AM PST James EmpID 1834 called me. The information on my caller id was 775-328-0207 "NV Telecom Svc". James told me, "we don't have anything to do with the billing company", and refused to investigate the complaint. He said they were "Northwest Telecom". I said if they were doing customer service for Opticom then they "do have something to do with them". Even though he verified that he saw the charge on his computer he said that they did not have anything to do with the billing company. I said that I had filed a complaint with the FCC and that it was very serious he said "that won't effect us". He also refused to remove the charge unless I gave him my mailing address. I said why do you need my mailing address if you see the charge right on your screen, and I said "why can't you just remove it"? However, he refused to remove the charge without getting my mailing address. I had privacy concerns about giving my mailing address to him. I did not want to get junk mail from them because I had never done business with them. My computer was hijacked and I never authorized the call. I did not want to be put on their mailing list. I also did not understand why they needed to have my mailing address, because they knew I was the customer at that phone number, because he himself called that number to talk to me. Why did they need more information on me? But in any event my big concern is their repeatedly refusing to investigate my complaint. This concerned me because my computer was hijacked by a virus that dialed the long-distance phone number against my will, and I thought serious criminal wrong-doing might very well be involved. But they kept refusing to investigate. I asked James explicitly "will you investigate", and he answered adamantly, "NO"! He also insisted that they "were valid charges", even though I explained my computer was hijacked and I did not authorize the call! I am concerned that this company is doing customer service for Opticom, but repeatedly says they "do not have anything to do with them", and that an FCC complaint "won't effect them". This might be in violation of FCC regulations that charges on a phone bill have a customer service number on the phone bill. It might not be fulfilling that obligation if the number you call disavows having anything to do with it. And they repeatedly refused to investigate the complaint. In the letter dated May 3, 2005 from Opticom, they completely ignore all the details of my complaint that my computer was hijacked, and that I never authorized the call. They say, "since anyone that has access to the complainant's line can place an outgoing call, the complainant may want to check with family members, friends, or visitors who may have dialed from their phone". But I had already explained in the complaint that I am the only one who has access to the computer and the phone line. I am disabled and live alone. I have no visitors, and certainly none that month. I am literally the only person in this apartment. It is also interesting that they now say that someone "dialed from their phone", which is a contradiction from the customer service rep that said it was a web-address that was accessed. In addition to having a very vivid recollection of the time my computer was hijacked I later examined all the history on my computer. I see in the logs that right before the hijacking I visited some innocent looking web sites. Then the Internet history shows a program call to a "_javascript:execScript" that downloaded the virus. That is when my computer was overtaken by a virus that threw up very unwanted and disturbing pornographic images all over the screen. I worked furiously trying to clean my computer of the virus, but it kept reinstalling itself. The system event history showed that night it made the hijacked call to the Opticom number. I spent three days trying to clean the virus. I also document all the time I spent on the computer. Every time I used the computer I put the time I spent in my own log. On those three days I show the time I spent cleaning my computer with the notation "Worked on Spyware". It is also three days I will never forget. To say the least in no way did I authorize the call. In fact, I spent a great deal of time cleaning my computer of the unwanted virus. And it is an established fact that viruses can be embedded in innocent looking web sites. Danielle, the customer service rep, said the number called was a web address. If that is so then where is there documentation that I authorized the connection? They are suppose to have verifiable authorization that the customer authorized the connection to the web site. The other discrepancy is that the number was listed as an Operator Dialed Rate. How could this have been an operator dialed rate when my hijacked computer made the phone call? Does a computer have need of an operator? Also, I have vivid memories of the details of my computer being hijacked at the time the call was made. But they completely ignore what I said in my complaint. They also say that since they issued a credit and placed a block on my phone that the matter is closed. However, it does not address that criminal wrong-doing might have occurred. I have spoken to two of their customer service people who each refused to investigate, and have filed multiple complaints. And they ignored my complaint again in the letter of May 3, 2005. I am disabled and making the complaints, and writing letters is very difficult for me. Every time they ignore me it makes it more difficult for me. Their finally removing this particular charge is not sufficient resolution to this matter. Why is the customer service number on the phone bill disavowing any responsibility? Why did their customer service number refuse to start an investigation of what could be serious criminal wrong-doing? Who is writing and distributing viruses that call expensive long-distance numbers without the customer authorizing it? Where is the verifiable authorization that I authorized the connection to the web site? Who is benefiting from the money they get? Are they still getting money from viruses hijacking innocent peoples computers? Sincerely, Dale cc: [email protected], Attachment Original Complaint

I am the one who posted this original complaint. It is so heart-warming to see people respond to this post. It is hard for me to use the computer because I am disabled. But I put in all that time, which was painful, researching it and getting all the details for all the other consumers out their who have been hijacked like this! The most interesting thing is that most of the people don't even realize their computer has been hijacked. And I don't blame them! They get mysterious phone bill charges to 900 numbers or high-cost long-distance charges. They know they did not make them. They call the phone company and the phone company says to call the third-party biller like Integretel or ZPDI. Then Integretel or ZPDI reads a script about how "someone in your household downloaded a program to connect to an information service". Their is no doubt in the service rep at Integretl or ZPDI. They just tell the consumer that it is their fault. The consumer tells them they did not make the call and Integretel or ZPDI just repeats the same stuff about "someone in their household must have downloaded a program". The consumer probably doesn't even realize they have been hijacked. Well you know the companies like Integrel and ZPDI know about hijacking so how come they don't inform the consumer of the problem that is out there? Even after I complained to Integretel and told them the very detailed specifics of my hijacking they sent the FCC a letter saying "The subject charges were incurred by someone with access to this billed telephone number initiating a call to a 900 number. Specifically, someone agreed to download and install a software program from the Internet to their computer and authorized the dialing of the 900 number shown on the bill". After I told them all the specifics of my being hijacked and not authorizing it they still persist on blaming it on me! It is fascinating because hijacking is a very well known problem in the telephone industry. Their is no way they can just assume that a person authorized the call. How could they? If a person dials a 900 number they get a warning that they will be billed for the call. If a computer dialer calls it they can't get that warning. How do they know I authorized it? My computer was hijacked by a virus that made the call against my wishes. It threw up pornographic ads all over my screen which I did not want and which upset me. It took three days to clean my computer. And I have back problems so this was very difficult for me. And ZPDI, Zero Plus Dialing refused to remove the charge to the long distance number without my giving them my address. I said I did not want to give them my address for privacy reasons and they still persisted on wanting my address. I said you have all the information you need, that you tell me you see the charge on your computer screen and you sent me a bill why do you need my address? I told them that I filed a complaint with the FCC and they said that doesn't have anything to do with them because they are yet another company "Northwest Telecom" doing customer service for ZPDI. I said well if you are doing customer service for them you do have something to do with them! And they continued to say they have nothing to do with ZPDI and REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THE COMPLAINT. I think the regulators might be interested in hearing that the company WHO IS SUPPOSE TO BE DOING CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR ZPDI REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE A COMPLAINT. Ok here is where it gets interesting. I phoned SBC, my phone company in California, and I asked them to remove the charge because ZPDI refused to. The SBC rep said she could not remove the charge. I said that when I spoke to the SBC rep a month ago they said SBC could remove the charge if ZPDI would not. But the rep wouldn't budge and refused to remove the charge. I told her I could be disconnected by SBC because of that but she would not listen. I asked to be connected to a supervisor. The superviser said she WOULD remove the charge. She said SBC talked amongst each other, that at first they didn't want to remove these charges but then decided they could. She said "she could get into trouble" so I don't know what the official policy is of SBC. And she was very sympathetic. She said her computer had been hijacked the same way with pornographic ads all over the place she couldn't get rid of. She said her kid was right behind her but was too young to understand, thank goodness. Ok too sum up about how to remove charges: 1. Call the local phone company to have a claim put on the charge. That does not remove the charge but puts it on hold until you can settle it with the third-party biller. That way you have time to settle it with the third-party biller. 2. Call the third-party biller like Integretel or ZPDI. They will read you a canned script about someone in your household downloading a program. If you feel you have been hijacked stick to your guns and be persistant. I was very aggresive and Integretel removed the entire charge. 2. ZPDI might insist on getting your address before removing the charge. It is up to you if you feel comfortable giving them this. In any event stick to your guns and be persistant. 3. If they refuse to remove 100% of the charges call your local phone company and ask them to remove the charges. If they say they can't then ask to speak to the supervisor. Give them as many details as you can. Remember that the local phone company isn't at fault and they would like to be on your side if they possibly can. Be polite, kind, and persistant to your local phone company. Remember they are real people with families. Keep telling them all the details and explain if the third-party refused to remove the charges. The local phone company is in a bad position because of deregulation. They are obligated to send you a bill. Ask to speak to a supervisor if you have to. I ended up speaking to the supervisor for over half an hour about ZPDI. In the end we were talking more like friends and she said the same thing happened to her. I sympathized with how the local phone company is in a bad position because of deregulation. I ended up switching my long-distnace carrier to SBC. She was a good egg. :O) 4. Keep notes and logs of everything. Write down the name or employee number of the service reps you speak with. If they don't want to give you a name then sympathize with them why they can't give you a name and tell them there has to be some way you can make a record of the call, it can be an employee id or psuedonym. I always feel uncomfortable when they just give me a first name so now I am asking for employee ids as well. 5. File a complaint with the FCC! Some scumbag out there is writing viruses that are not only infecting our computers but making money off it. The more people that complain the more the government will pay attention! What changes do I think the regulators should make? I think there should be a rule that third-party billers inform people complaining of mysterious 900 or long-distince numbers that the threat of hijacking is out there. I think that local phone companies should be able to remove a charge when the third-party company refuses to. I think that flieres should be sent out with bills informing customers of hijacks and viruses. I think that third-parties should be obligated to investigate and NOT REFUSE TO INVESTIGATE LIKE ZPDI did. Once again if this happens to you file a complaint with the FCC! Or the ghost of a consumer nag like me will be haunting you, file a complaint, file a complaint. Hee hee :O)

in Dec of 2004, i received my phone bill....331.76 in long distance charges!! i immediately called SBC and they said since i had dial up services, that this was a problem they were having. they told me to subscribe to dsl, and that's what i did. the charges were all between 11:23pm and 11:53 pm and my computer is in my room...i was asleep. they called a "tuvalu" and the number listed as being called is : 688102430,688250210,688270260,688329370,688398070,and 688102280. these calls totalled $290.56. are these phone numbers? the billing was from IntegreTel. also, there was another charge at 11:23pm on the same day, Oct 28 for a FAQ900.comzz to 900-444-0221 for 2min for $40.00. anyway, thanks for you post, i will go to the websites and file complaints, incidently, sbc removed the charges via IntegreTel after i called IntegreTel, some lady said she would put a block on my phone????

I am the one who posted the complaint. The FCC ordered Integretel to investigate. See filing complaints does help. And having lots of detail I think helped. If this happens to you I would definitely recommend filing a complaint with the FCC. I just received a letter from a regulatory specialist at Integretel. I am planning on writing a long letter in reply but it is hard becauce I am disabled and using the computer is difficult.

I'm the one who posted the report. I found some more information. The event logged in my computer when the hijack call was made was "The user 12543980061053mVW61o@tibsystems successfully established a connection to TIBS41 using the device COM2". Tibsystems is a 900 dialer possibly modified by hackers. I find the user number "12543980061053mVW61o" interesting. Is it a reference number used by a hacker to get monetary gain? In other words a hacker puts out a virus that forces your computer to call a 900 number with a reference number? The 900 number might, I am only speculating here, pay people who refer others to their 900 number. That would be the motivation for the hacker, to put out a virus that dials an 900 number and the hacker gets a kickback through the reference number. If that is the case law enforcement authorities could trace back a virus to the hacker. And as everyone knows law enforcement takes very seriously people who put out viruses. Would I feel bad to see the person who caused us all this grief to be shown on the nightly news being taken away by the authorities? Hmmmm... I have filed reports with the FTC (FTC.GOV), the FCC (FCC.GOV), the Attorney General of California (where Integretel is also located on Rue Ferrari in San Jose). I will also be filing complaints with SBC, Integretel, and Zero Plus Dialing. If this happens to any of you file reports! Law enforcement needs to know about it! Keep in mind I have not made accusations against any companys. I have only made complaints about mysterious charges I did not authorize. If you read my report you will see that. If you get this Spyware or virus it is exremely difficult to get rid of, but you can do it if you are persistant. I used to be a computer consultant, so I know a lot about these things, and it was hard for me. But you can do it. The trick to getting rid of spyware is using multiple tools and keep cleaning over and over again using each one, rebooting, and cleaning again till everything is gone. Use Lavasoft, Spybot, Microsoft Antispyware, Mcaffee, and Norton. Use them all over and over again, rebooting and doing it again, till they are gone. Also do NOT USE ANTI-SPYWARE YOU DO NOT TRUST. There was actually anti-spyware advertised by the Spyware that hijacked my computer! They get money coming and going! Lavasoft and Spybot are well-known and trusted. Although one of them mistakenly broke my Java engine and I had to reinstall it. It took a long time to figure it out. Nothing is perfect. Don't just use an Anti-Spyware because a pop-up advertises it. Search the web to get to see if it is trusted. And one final thing. Turn off your modems when you are not using them! If your modem is internal then turn off your computer when you are not using it. If Spyware infects your computer then watch to see if your connection is disconnected and reconnects to someplace else. Especially notice if it connects to TIBS! And if your modem speaker mysteriously stops making noise turn the speaker back on. I could not get the modem control panel to turn it back on so I put the commands "M1 L3" in the advanced section of the modem control panel. These are modem commands that turn the speaker on high volume. Obviously the hijacker turned the modem speaker off before. Goodness what a world we are living in!

A lot of virus and spyware hide in your computer. They boot up when you start your computer and adaware, spybot and your virus scans will not pick it up. In order to clean these problems up, you have to run the spybot, adaware or other programs in SAFE MODE on your computer. If youre running windows, push F8 when booting and start in safe mode. Run the programs then and, hopefully, it will get the programs off your computer. do a google search on "security tango" and follow the instructions. It worked for me.

Something similar happened to me on March 3, 2005. I get hit with a number of problems that screwed my computer up. It keeps going to a web site called blank(porno), I was going to type in the address but someone will be dumb enough to try it and get their computer all screwed up. No matter what I do I can't get rid of it. I have Norton, Beta, and Lava on my computer and it still hijacked the whole thing. Can't remove it so will have to get it done by a pro. A young man who works for me put a program on called Neo Trace ?, which can backtrack where such a thing came from. The first stop was a web hosting company called Rackspace, located here in San Antonio. Verified by my internet provider. I tried calling them locally, there was no answer. If you want some interesting reading look them up on the internet. They seem to have had some problems in the past, federal warrants were served at that location. There were some connections between where Rackspace started and the final destination in LONDON, where the original CRAP came from. In my research, note of this connection had been detailed numerous times. One amazing thing, once I started tracking the path of this crap, I received a threatening note on my computer screen. Internet and telephone companies have been notified, along with the local police and FBI. These f.....g companies are in cohoots with these criminals in these criminal enterprises. This "I didn't know what they were doing" BS isn't going to wash. I have the documentation about the ping. Both Billing Concepts and Rackspace are located in San Antonio.