- Report: #68468
Complaint Review: Southwester Bell Corporation - The Colony Texas
Reported By:
-
The Colony, Texas,
Submitted:
Tue, October 07, 2003
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Southwester Bell Corporation
Http://www.sbc.com The Colony, 75056 Texas, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-840-1044
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
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Southwester Bell Corporation Call Block Scam SBC charges for call block and charges to circumvent it The Colony Texas
I recently received a bill from Southwestern Bell for $ 868.04 of which $578.25 was from my teen daughter calling the operator and requesting a local operator to dial a phone number which had our number blocked.
Southwestern Bell charged us $3.95 per assisted call to dial this local number which had our number blocked. The operator simply ignored the fact that the number my daughter was calling from was blocked. The calls were to local number 972-270-xxxx which had our home number 469-384-xxxx blocked. This was her boyfriend's number. Several months earlier I had a different problem with my daughter accepting collect calls, which also amounted in several hundred dollars in charges. At that time I asked Southwestern Bell to block all and anything that could result in addition charges to my phone.
They acknowledged this and applied multiple limitations to my phone. Now since receiving this latest bill I complained to Southwestern Bell and they responded that this service was not blocked and that if I wanted to block this feature it will cost me $19.95 to initiate the block and $5.00 per month to maintain it. This is crazy Southwestern Bell provides the service of Call blocking' (which people pay extra for) then they provide a way around it and charge exorbitant fees. Then charges again to prevent this from happening.
This is a scam that should be addressed immediately before other families with teenage children fall prey. Also, if a number is blocked there should be no way around this block. This Call Block' feature was implemented because of phone harassment and in some cases people's lives and welfare may be at stake. Again, these calls were from a blocked number and the local operator simply connected the call with no concern or regard for the block.
I complained to a manager at Southwestern Bell and she agreed that Yea kids are taking advantage of this' but was sorry there was nothing she could do. After complaining further this manager agreed to lower the Local Assist Call' amount by 20%. This still leaves a balance of over $400 for this service. I have terminated my Phone and DSL service with Southwestern Bell and will not pay for the local assist calls until I receive a ruling from the Texas Public Utilities Commission on this issue.
Southwestern Bell has sent me a collection and disconnect notice for the amount of $733.92 and also threatened to remove this optional service which was suppose to already been removed.
William
The Colony, Texas
U.S.A.
Southwestern Bell charged us $3.95 per assisted call to dial this local number which had our number blocked. The operator simply ignored the fact that the number my daughter was calling from was blocked. The calls were to local number 972-270-xxxx which had our home number 469-384-xxxx blocked. This was her boyfriend's number. Several months earlier I had a different problem with my daughter accepting collect calls, which also amounted in several hundred dollars in charges. At that time I asked Southwestern Bell to block all and anything that could result in addition charges to my phone.
They acknowledged this and applied multiple limitations to my phone. Now since receiving this latest bill I complained to Southwestern Bell and they responded that this service was not blocked and that if I wanted to block this feature it will cost me $19.95 to initiate the block and $5.00 per month to maintain it. This is crazy Southwestern Bell provides the service of Call blocking' (which people pay extra for) then they provide a way around it and charge exorbitant fees. Then charges again to prevent this from happening.
This is a scam that should be addressed immediately before other families with teenage children fall prey. Also, if a number is blocked there should be no way around this block. This Call Block' feature was implemented because of phone harassment and in some cases people's lives and welfare may be at stake. Again, these calls were from a blocked number and the local operator simply connected the call with no concern or regard for the block.
I complained to a manager at Southwestern Bell and she agreed that Yea kids are taking advantage of this' but was sorry there was nothing she could do. After complaining further this manager agreed to lower the Local Assist Call' amount by 20%. This still leaves a balance of over $400 for this service. I have terminated my Phone and DSL service with Southwestern Bell and will not pay for the local assist calls until I receive a ruling from the Texas Public Utilities Commission on this issue.
Southwestern Bell has sent me a collection and disconnect notice for the amount of $733.92 and also threatened to remove this optional service which was suppose to already been removed.
William
The Colony, Texas
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
William
The Colony,Texas,
U.S.A.
You missed the point completely
#2Author of original report
Wed, October 22, 2003
Yes, Southwestern Bell will block operator-assisted calls for $5 per month plus $19.95 to initiate this service. I said this in my initial complaint. I was told, when I put on all the other blocks, that I had all the blocks and that no additional charges could be place on my phone. Why would I block everything else but this? And you missed the most serious point completely. LISTEN - Southwestern Bell provides a service that allows its consumers to block incoming calls that may be threatening or annoying. Southwestern Bell also provides a means to circumvent this CALL BLOCK by calling your local operator and asking the operator to call the number for you. The operator will dial the number for you with no regard that the number you are calling from is blocked at the number you are calling to. The operator connects you to the number that you are blocked from and a charge of $3.95 will appear on your bill for a local assisted call. Teens will be teens and yes my daughter is equally at fault. But according to one of the SW BELL managers I spoke with this problem is quite common among teens and adolescents. I assume there is a lot of $$$$ at stake here.
Jerry
Houston,Texas,
U.S.A.
I got rid of my landline for two reasons.
#3Consumer Comment
Wed, October 22, 2003
WALT - HOUSTON, Texas WALT, TAKE YOUR CAP LOCK OFF, Thank you. Yes, William should discipline his daughters. But if he is paying so much a month to block phone number, then there should be no way to call to, or receive calls from that number on his phone. Did you ever think that (if it actually worked) William might be using the call blocker as a form of discipline? I now carry a cell-phone. I got rid of my landline for two reasons. 1. I am single and not home every much. 2. With a landline I would have to pay, mind you Pay, to not have long-distance on my phone. With a cell phone long-distance is the same as local.
WALT
HOUSTON,Texas,
U.S.A.
YOUR TEEN IS THE PROBLEM
#4UPDATE Employee
Tue, October 21, 2003
I AM AN EMPLOYEE OF SBC AND YOUR REPORT IS BOGUS. THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT YOUR DAUGHTER CONTINUES TO CALL SOMEONE THAT DOESNT WANT TO BE CALLED. ANYTIME SHE CALLS THE OPERATOR OR ANY "1010" NUMBER THEY WOULD HAVE BILLED YOU ON YOUR PHONE BILL. THE BLOCK YOU REQUESTED IS 5 DOLLARS A MONTH AND IS GUARANTEED TO WORK IF ANY CALLS DO GO OUT THE CHARGES ARE REMOVED FROM YOUR BILL. THE OTHER BLOCK, FOR THE COLLECT CALLS THAT YOUR OTHER DAUGHTER WAS RECIEVING, IS FREE (WHICH YOU FAILED TO MENTION IN YOUR REPORT. SO IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REPORT YOU WERE CHARGED OPERATOR ASSISTED CALLS AT THE CORRECT RATE, IF YOU DONT CALL THE OPERATOR YOU HAVE NO NEED FOR A BLOCK. IF YOU DONT ACCEPT COLLECT CALLS YOU HAVE NO NEED FOR A BLOCK. YOU WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH WHATEVER COMPANY YOU HAVE LOCAL SERVICE WITH IF YOU DONT TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEENAGERS.
