III. CONSUMER COMPLAINTS
Respondents' conduct has generated a large number of inquiries or complaints to the billing agent/aggregators (ILD and BSG) that resulted in refunds to the consumer. Where an inquiry or complaint resulted in a credit or refund, staff refers to these calls as "complaints," regardless of how the agent/aggregator chooses to characterize the interaction. Staff reports that there have been at least 89,000 such credits issued, and over 125,000 customer contacts reported as "inquiries" by the billing agent/aggregators, although these represent a small portion of consumers charged for the DA service.27
In addition, staff also has reviewed and analyzed complaints submitted to CAB, as well as those found on the Internet. Consumers report finding charges on their bill, typically totaling over $7, for a DA service that they universally deny authorizing or using.28 Most deny ever hearing of Telseven or Calling 10, and identify ILD or BSG - i.e., the billing agent/aggregators - rather than Telseven or Calling 10 as the party responsible for the charges.29 Some customers label Respondents' practices as "fraud,"30 and others plead with the Commission to stop Respondents' allegedly abusive billing practices.31
27 Staff Report at section IV(A)(3).
28 Staff Report at section IV(C)(1); in particular, see Attachment 27 for summary of CAB complainant details (separately bound). Staff has compiled a selection of quotations from the CAB complainant letters and declarations, that describe in greater detail consumers' claims that Respondents' charges are unauthorized. See Staff Report Attachment 45 and 45.1.
29 Staff Report at section IV(C)(1).
30 Attachment 27.2 (Supreme Roofing Co./Carey Clifford).
31 See, e.g., Attachment 27.38 (David Platt "I urge the CPUC to take action against ILD Teleservices"); Attachment 27.69 (CAB Complainant 07-05-8347 states "Why do you allow ATT to accept charges from other companies, [t]hese companies are sleezebags"). Staff notes that some CAB complainants are identified by the CAB ID # because those complainants did not explicitly agree to have their names divulged. In Attachment 27.35, CAB Complainant 18954 states:
I received a charge on my AT&T residential phone bill from ILD Teleservices for a $7.14 directory assistance charge to CALLING 10 15 15 800. I did not make this call and I did not authorize this charge. I researched this on the Internet, and I found that there have been many consumer complaints...Take immediate action to stop this deceptive practice. Prevent these deceptive and frivolous charges from being added to legitimate telephone bills. This harms the innocent consumers by costing money, time and stress.
