Will Martin <wmartin@stl-06sima.army.mil> (08/16/90)
Just to add to the database of COCOT bad news. Back in June, I had a one-time, first-ever call from one of those COCOTs that does automated-voice collect calls. What I heard when I picked up the phone was a synthesized voice saying "You have a collect call from <unintelligible noise>" and then, as it began to tell me to answer "yes" or press a number or whatever, I hung up the phone. The call had awakened me anyway, and the unidentifiability of the caller added to my annoyance, so I figured that if it was a for-real call, and not a wrong number, I'd get another call. Never did, so I figured it was a wrong number or random dialling by some idiot, and forgot about it. Well, on the phone bill from SW Bell that arrived yesterday was a tacked-on-the-back page from a company called "Integretel, Inc." for a one-minute collect call from (314) 569-3643 at a rate of $2.25, plus 7 cents federal and 13 cents state/local tax, for a total of $2.45. The really insane thing was that it is listed as being from "Ladue, MO". I'm in St. Louis City, and Ladue is a suburb well within the local calling area. A 25-cent call. (It also has a reputation of being a hoity-toity area of rich people, and I don't know anybody who lives there, being a real person myself... :-) Anyway, I called the SW Bell billing office this morning, and the helpful lady there had no hesitation about removing the improper charge from my bill. She, too, seemed surprised by the "Ladue" originating location. I wouldn't be surprised if bad billings from this "Integretel" company were common -- having a name somewhat like "integrity" is a real misnomer, I think; wonder if it would count as false advertising? :-) (She did try to sell me a second line as we concluded the business; I guess that's their current promotion. I didn't need one, and she wasn't pushy, so no problem there.) I think I'll include a letter to SW Bell with my bill, mentioning that she was helpful, and suggesting that it is not in SW Bell's best interest to act as the billing agent for sleazebags like this COCOT firm -- it reflects badly upon their own reputation and image to be associated in any way with AOS and COCOT firms who engage in this sort of underhanded business practice, and whatever small amount they make by doing this is far outweighed by the bad PR effect of SW Bell being identified with these actually-independent ripoff firms. I just called the (314) 569-3643 number, and it rang for about six or eight times, and then answered, and a synthesized voice said "Thank you" (at least I *assume* it said "thank" :-) followed by some rapid tones -- I think DTMF. Then nothing until it disconnected. Anybody out there who feels like calling this and reprogramming that COCOT to burst into flames or allow free calls to anywhere, please feel free to do so... :-) Anyway, I'm posting this as a caution -- even if you hang up immediately on these collect-calling COCOTs, it looks like they will try to stick you with the bill. Maybe the best solution is to find such phones and use them to make collect calls to other such COCOTs, so that the companies bill themselves, and each other, for those calls. A few million such uncollectible billings will do wonders to their viability. Regards, Will Martin [Moderator's Note: And you know what else is frightening? There are live operators from outfits like International Telesphere who perform AOS duties for some of the sleazebags. They will call and advise you they have a collect call from whoever -- and it may be someone you know and what to speak with -- but the operator will NOT tell you it is from a COCOT via an AOS. She will merely say "this is the operator, I have a collect call from Joe Doe, will you accept the charges? Caught off guard, of course you say yes. Then the next month you get *that* on your phone bill; and it may be $10-20, depending. Whenever you receive a call 'from the operator' ALWAYS ask "operator, who are you?" An AT&T or legitimate local telco operator will always identify themselves and the place where they are located. If the operator either refuses to give a straight answer or admits to COCOT/AOS affiliation, then quickly say, "Joe find an AT&T phone to call me," and hang up. Obviously, deny any charges which may show up. We telecom enthusiasts know about this sort of thing; can you imagine how badly the general public is getting ripped off by divestiture? PAT]