Ralph discovered a mysterious $18 charge on his most recent AT&T bill. A little research turned up OSP Communications, which is apparently a front for a fraudulent biller that has repeatedly hit AT&T customers with a cramming fraud. Read Ralph’s email below, and be sure to check your own phone bill for charges like this each month.

I got my AT&T bill yesterday, and it was more than usual. I examined the billing summary and found a $18.87 charge I did not recognize described only as “The Billing Resource 1-888-296-8079”. I called that number, and a recording directed me to call “OSP Communications” at 1-866-460-0837. Their office was closed, natch.

I called AT&T and their rep seemed familiar with the problem. In fact he said, he just got off the phone with another customer with the same issue. My own google seaches for “OSP Communications” yielded many hits on the “rip-off report” website, among others.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/333/RipOff0333589.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/332/RipOff0332530.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/341/RipOff0341480.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/352/RipOff0352588.htm

The AT&T rep said it appeared to involve a charge for a collect from some town in Arizona to Milwaukee. I am certain that I authorized no such call. He said all he could do was to “pend” the charge for 65 days, and that in the meantime I would have to call this other company to dispute the charge, since they were a “third party biller”.

Help, consumerist!! This is total bullshit that I should have to spend any time fighting this fraudulent charge! Where is the damn FCC?!?

Ralph, we suggest you try calling AT&T again and explain that you’re a victim of cramming, and that the company billing you does not exist or has no way for you to contact them, and ask them what their policy is for addressing the fraudulent charge. If they refuse to remove the fee, don’t pay it. Dispute only that portion of the bill (pay the rest of it, of course) in writing, and then file a complaint with the FCC at 1-888-CALL-FCC or 1-888-TELL-FCC (TTY).

[FCC]
(Photo: Marcin Wichary)

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