USBI & One-Call Communications T/d/b/a Navicom And Opticom ripoff charges Carmel Indiana

This is to all other victims reporting here. After the USBI bill from USBI in Feb. 2005 for $112.23 to 3 calls in DiegoGarcXX and same amount to 3 calls in "Guinea-Bisxx" for which I was able to determine internet LD charges to sexexplorers.com on my own via yahoo, I wrote USBI and never heard a reply. Yes, 6 mo. later I received one bill for the 3 calls but no USBI appears on the bill but rather One Call Communications, Inc. t/d/b/a Navicom & Opticom. I called and a "A Warren 24" offered me a one time 50% allowable discount. Two weeks later I got another bill from the same entity for the other 3 calls, although no particulars were reflected on the bill--fortunately, I logged all activity to date and saved the original phone bill with the date, time and place allegedly called. I haven't called One Call back yet as I am furious that they would send me this bill under separate cover, as if I would forget! From one of the e-mails at this site, I wrote to Martha Contee, Exec. Consumer Commission, COnsumer & Gov't Affairs Bureau, Consumer Inquiries & Complaints Div., 445 12th St. SW, DC 20554 and enclosed copies of all these bills. I don't know if anything will transpire to resolve the problem. I don't want a tainted credit history but I also feel compelled to withhold payment for these bogus charges. USBI and its affiliates are yielding thousands of dollars from hundreds of victims, as disclosed at this site.

Like you, I wonder why my local carrier allowed these calls to even go through when I specifically requested a block a few years ago. I guess when Bell Atlantic became Verizon, I needed to pursue this block again. Still, how can this be allowed? Should we address this problem with our local carrier?

Firewall Protection through your internet subscriber can block further USBI charges. It's worth the few dollars monthly.

Interestingly, when I spoke with A Warren 24 at One Call for those 3 calls, he said, "I see you have firewall protection now so you shouldn't be incurring anymore of these charges." I felt a violation of my privacy.

Please do NOT pay the bill. Pursue this with the FTC, FCC, CUB, BBB and your local police fraud unit. How can we rally together to convince Dateline or 60 Minutes pursue investigative reporting on this telecommunication scam to spare further fraud victims?

As the young lady from Massachusetts wrote, PERUSE YOUR PHONE BILL CAREFULLY! Check your bank statement too. As an aside-- I had similar online fraud charges on my bank account which the bank removed. I then changed my bank account and bank card. I also no longer make online purchases or surrender my card to an employee in a restaurant, gas station, etc. The bank officer told me this is where many fraud charges occur.

It is interesting to note that USBI's address is the same as One Call Communications, Navicom and Opticom, YET they have different phone numbers and appear to operate as separate billing entities. There must be some legal redress we can pursue to prevent further fraud.

Does anyone have any advice or further insights?

Thanks.

J.E.
GLEN ALLEN, Virginia
U.S.A.