Phone biller on hook for cramming $52.6M
Billing Services Group Ltd. is accused of bilking consumers out of $52 million. Credit: iStock
WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators are seeking $52.6 million from a billing company that they accuse of adding unauthorized charges to consumers' phone bills.
The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday it has asked a federal court to issue a civil contempt ruling against Billing Services Group Ltd. and order repayment.
The agency says Billing Services added charges for unauthorized services such as voice mail and streaming video to bills for about 1.2 million phone lines, a practice known as "cramming." It says the company acted on behalf of an individual it describes as a "serial phone crammer."
The FTC says the cramming occurred from 2006 through 2010. It says San Antonio-based Billing Services violated a 1999 settlement with the agency that prohibited unauthorized billing.
A company spokeswoman didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
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