Fraud Alert!
November 10, 2005
Don’t Pay What You Don’t Owe
Our office received a call from a small business owner who found an unexplained $8.50 charge on his phone bill. He called the company that submitted the charge and was told that the charge was for a “discounted directory assistance service”, which he had not ordered. Seems like a pretty minor matter, so why mention it? Because it is not a minor matter. Many millions of dollars are lost each year by consumers who do not closely monitor their phone bill, credit card, bank and other statements for unauthorized charges. To protect yourself:
Open invoices and statements the day they arrive,
and examine them carefully for unauthorized transactions. Many scammers
apply small amounts to your bill in the hope you will not notice such a
small amount, but the amount will be there each month until you stop it.- Report any problems immediately. You may be held responsible for unauthorized charges if you do not report them within a certain time. For example, false credit card charges must be reported within 60 days of their first appearance on your statement.
- Always read the fine print before signing anything! Some apparently unauthorized charges may in reality be something you did authorize. You just didn’t know it. You entered a drawing or cashed a small check you received in the mail as a “thank you” gift. Hidden in the fine print may be a statement that by accepting the “free” gift or entering the contest, you are also agreeing to take another service or product; and it will not be free.
Need help? Call the CASE Assistance Line at 720.874.8547