IOS, ILD Teleservices, IDL Teleservices, exorbitant phone charges from pay phone San Antonio Texas

An emergency health situation at home required me to make some unexpected phone calls from out of state (From the midwest to CA).

The pay phone indicated I could use a credit card and I did so fully expecting to be charged a few dollars. The entry info was automated so I couldn't ask how much I was being charged. It turns out it was nearly $40 for a 6 minute call and $50 for a 12 minutes call. (I found out because my credit card company suspected fraudulent activity) Both calls were to California and were placed after 8 p.m. I contacted the customer service division of IOS Tel and they said the billing was correct and gave me a long list of prices and taxes.

A summary of one call:

$10.98 automated connection fee
$ 5.00 property impose (?)
$3.00 pay phone surcharge
$6.00 non suscriber fee
$1.75 billing fee
$6.93 tax
Rate $1.29 a minute

I do feel that this company is ripping people off. Had I had any idea of how exorbitant these fees would be I would not have used these services. Their representative told me I could have dialed 00 first to ask about charges but this was not obvious to a first time user and no one in their right mind would use this after they knew.

Aka
Woodside, California
U.S.A.