Under the current system, telephone companies allow 3rd party companies to submit charges which the phone company then includes in your bill, with no verification other than a list of names and numbers. The phone company keeps a cut and blithely bills away. Scammers have figured this out and will sometimes submit bogus charges, disguised under vague names.

This is why it's always a good idea to scan your phone bill and look for suspicious charges. If you see a charge you don't understand, Google it.

If you don't believe the charge is for a valid service you ordered, you can contest the fee and get it reversed, but the burden is on the consumer to notice and take action.

Watch Your Wallet... And Your Bills [Newsvine]
(Photo: Getty)