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Cramming

CUB saves consumer from $1,400 in charges from a bad electric/gas deal

Ruben H. of Chicago found out why his gas and electric bills were getting so high through his landlord: He had been enrolled with an alternative supplier, Direct Energy, since 2015. And he paid nearly twice what the utilities charge. He called ComEd and Peoples Gas, and then contacted Direct…...

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DEA uncovers scam that could net you a refund

AT&T has agreed to pay nearly $7.8 million to settle government allegations that the phone giant allowed scammers to charge some customers about $9 a month for a fake directory assistance service, uncovered in a sting from, of all places, the Drug Enforcement Agency. The settlement, announced by the Federal Communications Commission…...

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The $105 million cramming settlement: what you need to know

Last week, we brought you great news: Federal regulators, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and her counterparts from across the nation have reached a $105 million settlement with AT&T to settle claims that its customers were hit with unauthorized third-party charges.  It’s a scam called “cramming,” and we couldn’t be happier to hear that authorities are…...

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$105 million settlement another win against one nasty cellphone scam

CUB’s consumer advocates were happy to read the headlines this morning: AT&T will pay $105 million to settle claims that its customers were hit with unauthorized third-party charges. Federal regulators, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and the nation’s other attorneys general say its the largest settlement in history involving cramming–when…...

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The ‘un-carrier’ under fire over the cellphone industry’s uncomfortable truth

A federal lawsuit accusing T-Mobile of profiting off a scam called “cramming” shines a spotlight on an uncomfortable truth in the cellphone industry: Wireless companies can make lots of money off of so-called third-party charges–even when they’re fraudulent. Cramming is when third-party companies throw charges on your bill for services you didn’t authorize.…...

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Giving Tuesday: For CUB, ALL the battles are big

In honor of “Giving Tuesday”–the national day to support nonprofits–CUB has created this nifty Holiday eCard, with the CFL candle theme, pictured here. It allows people to honor friends and family this Holiday season–and support CUB’s fight for lower utility bills. That fight made headlines this year, as we helped to…...

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A gut punch to cellphone scam artists

We hope this is the beginning of the end for the insidious “cramming” scam. The nation’s big four cellphone companies are voluntarily banning most premium texting services from their bills–charges that have been a major culprit in the scam. The agreement was pushed by 45 state attorneys general, including Illinois’…...

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From the CUB files: Top 5 worst consumer horror stories

As CUB approaches its 30th anniversary, we’ve compiled a list of some of the worst consumer horror stories we’ve ever heard. What better way to celebrate Halloween? 1) The phone plan that ate my bank account! It sounds like the title of a 1950s creature feature, but, unfortunately, it’s reality for…...

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CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Team: Meet the CUB crew fighting for you!

Each year, CUB’s Consumer Advocacy Department handles nearly 10,000 calls, emails and letters from Illinoisans with questions or complaints about utility service. The team has saved individuals thousands of dollars by identifying errors on electric, gas and phone bills. Consumer Advocacy Director Sandra Marcelin-Reme said a lot of problems stem from…...

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Kick “cramming” off our wireless bills!

Fraudulent third-party charges could cost wireless customers up to $887 million a year. That’s according to a nationwide coalition of consumer advocates, including CUB, who are pushing federal regulators to adopt tough rules cracking down on the “cramming” scam. Cramming is when a third-party company places a charge on your…...

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