wrf@ecse.rpi.edu (Wm Randolph Franklin) (02/21/89)
NYS just fined a ripoff outfit that advertised a "GOLD" card if you called 540-GOLD. Several hundred people who did, and stayed on the line for a minute, were billed $50 (FIFTY DOLLARS). Needless to say their gold card had no relation to Mastercard or Amex. They were also contacting people with an illegal autodial operation that would not let the victim hang up to free the line. I think now they're required to say at the start of the call that there is this charge. But what about people whose hearing is bad or English poor? People in every state should have the right to disable this use of their phone as a no limit credit card. In fact, the default status should be disabled, and phone customers should have to enable it, and perhaps specify a $limit, if they want to use it. [Moderator's Note: Illinois Bell was one of the first telephone companies to offer 900/976 blocking at no charge, no questions asked. We do not have '540' service here -- yet -- but I assume any variation on it here would get free blocking. Here you can block 976 or 900 or both. The operator is unable to complete the connection for you. Out-of-LATA 976 calls cannot be blocked, but then they are only billed at regular long distance rates anyway. PT]