Billing Firm Settles Porn Payment Scam

from the we-did-nothing-wrong dept

As is typical with any such "settlement" an electronic billing firm has admitted to no wrongdoing in settling with the FTC and handing over $1.6 million they're accused of improperly billing customers as part of an online porn scam. The scam, which has been used many times, consists of a porn site that requires users to download special software that actually disconnects their computer modem and dials a phone number in Madagascar for $3.99/minute. The billing company then told people who contested the charges that they still had to pay. The FTC really wants to go after the company that set up that porn site instead of just the billing company. They're hanging on to the money while they pursue the other company, and say if that company is found guilty, customers will get their money back.
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  • identicon
    Bryan Bytehead, 26 Nov 2002 @ 6:47pm

    Madagascar!

    2 ˝ years ago, the current wife, then girlfriend got a $1,200 bill from the phone company. The then 15 yo twins had managed to get on this program, and promptly spent 3 days trying to get pr0n with it. Evidently it was an absolutely horrible connection, with many call times in the sub 1 minute range. She had the 976-xxxx blocked, but she never thought that she needed to block international calls. She has since done that, not that I think the kids would have tried to do that again.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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