Cell Phone line is mixed up with flycell scam

I don't know if I was momentarily brain dead one night and took a FB quiz and gave out my cell number, or if someone else used my number, or if this company is just a 100% scam.

I do know that I signed up for ATT wireless paperless billing and automatic credit card payments, and that I stupidly didn't scrutinize the 'detail' bill. Apparently one must download the full bill to see the line item for FlyCell Downloads @ $9.99 month. When viewing the summary bills, this amount 'blended in' with the discounts, other lines, text services, etc. It blended in so well, that when I would see a similar amount due each month that I never thought anything of it.

I did notice today, when I was streamlining the data plans on the account to make way for my new phone ATT's online system goes back to June 2008, where $9.99 a month for FlyCell is buried in my account details. Who knows how much farther it goes back, but that means that they have $160 of my money over the last year and half for providing zero services with zero authorization on my part. Google flycell, and you're sure to find many sites such as This Onewith many people complaining about exactly that.

My post is 2 part. First is to just put some awareness out there for the FW community, Second is to ask what my recourse is, if any? I was able to get ATT to credit back $40 for the past 4 months. I sent their fraud department the request for the other amount. Can I do a partial charge-back from my credit card? It's a Visa Signature if that matters. As much as I like money, $100 already gone isn't going to do much for me, but this feels like one of those principle fights. Small claims FlyCell, use group legal? ATT is aware of these scams, and continues to allow it to go on, that just isn't right.

Any advice is appreciated.

ptiemann said: Really, a bad company. AT&T maintained that they have no control about whom they do business with.

-Peter

Yeah - right.

Have had the same problem with Verizon Wireless and told them I found it hard to believe they would associate themselves with such shady business practices.
VW does have a way of blocking premium downloads or text messages, I don't know if ATT does the same.

I still have a SERO plan, so a $9.95 charge would be tacking on 33% to my usual monthly bill. I think I'd notice.

tyrone3971 said:
Phone carriers are required to allow pass through billing by 3rd parties. Essentially AT&T is just a middle man in the process.

Just to point out the obvious, I would suggest being more pro-active when it comes to reviewing your bills.

You know, I doubt that. I'm looking all over the place and I don't see a single thing that says they are required. I also see many examples where companies providing these billed services don't accept certain carriers.

Combine that with the 25-50% that the carriers skim from the top, and its apparent that the carriers are letting all manner of fraudulent companies slide past to make a quick extra buck or 5.

I am familar with how these companies work. At one time it was very easy to sign up. You essentially could go to a website, type in your cell number and be signed up. This changed back in like 2007 and they required a pin number to be sent to the phone as confirmation of this.

Now a days I believe, you have to confirm an actual charge and billing on your phone as well as a pin number, and in some cases provide a credit card.

If someone had access to your phone long enough to go to a website, punch in your number and then get a pin to punch back into the web site, that is all that would be needed to activate this. These sites are the same ones who offer "free ringtones" or "complimentary ringtones" "cellular dating", "horoscopes" and games for cell phones as well. The IQ quiz was their most recent popular incarnation and I think many major advertising avenues no longer accept Quiz ads in the United States.

I think pursue it with AT&T and the Credit Card company as much you can. I assume you have canceled it with Flycell. I doubt they will be of any help, but if you talk to them and mention the Federal Trade Commission they might be interested in appeasing you.

taxmantoo said: scrouds said: Chargebacks can only go back for the last 2 statements. So you're SOL there.

Chargebacks can go back a lot farther than that. I'm not sure there is a time limit on when a card issuer can initiate a chargeback against a merchant if they choose to do so.

Issuers can go back a year.... Consumers can only go back 2 billing statements.

Make a former complaint to your state AG. Enough noise will make them take civil action against the offending scammers.

Dazarath said: I'm curious. What information do they need to start charging you on your cell phone bill? Is all it takes your cell phone number? That seems very easy to abuse.

A 3rd party simply needs your cell-phone number to start billing, or at least that is all they used to need. By sending you a text message, and then having you open that message, you could be signed up for service. It seems that some rules/laws? have been passed to require that you actually respond to the text message with a PIN to confirm, I am not sure if this is CA specific or not, nor am I sure if its carrier specific as these laws may just be SLA's between the carriers.

Whatever the reason, I doubt most educated people purchase things via text message, which is why there is no reason to not call your carrier and ask for parental controls be placed on the accounts.