Hostawebsite is Cramming phone bills Los Vegas Nevada

HostaWebsite.biz LLC is practicing cramming where 3rd party charges are fraudulently placed on customer's phone bills. Call your states Utilities Commission or the FTC. They are well aware of this practice. These charges are not the result of a misunderstanding but a scam done with calculation and forethought.

We have never heard of Host a Website.biz until the phone bill arrived. We can also attest to the fact that we have had no prior conversation and/or contact with anyone identifying themselves as being from or otherwise representing this company.

They billed through a 3rd party company, ILD Teleservices, for monthly web hosting and set up fees. FYI - Since the Fed deregulated the phone industry, 3rd party billing is allowed so competing long distance companies could "piggy back" on your local phone bill. Unfortunately scammers have found this loop hole.

Upon contacting ILD Teleservices, they played an audio recording of the supposed verbal agreement that was made. What I heard was appalling. It was my wifes voice but it was obvious that the conversation was contrived. The recording sounded as if it had been spliced together making it appear she agreed to these charges. In retrospect she recalls participating in an automated phone survey of some sort in September, but other than that, we don't know how they captured her voice. This recording is nothing more than a fig leaf intended to bully you.

Upon contacting Host A Website.biz, I was told that as long as her voice is recorded as having said, "yes" to accepting this service, we were responsible for charges incurred to date. I then asked the representative how she could work for a company that engages in such unscrupulous activity. Instead standing by her company and defending the recordings as authentic she replied, "Hey, we have to eat too".

I then asked to speak to a manager. Conveniently, I was told no managers were available at that time but one would call me back. After a week, I have received no such call.

People, this is not a case of misunderstands. What this company is doing is insidiously fraudulent.

Dont let this go! Fight it

What you can do:
If you cant resolve it by calling the offending company (and chances are you will not), send a certified letter contesting the bill.
Keep the receipt and a copy of the letter on file indifferently.
Call your phone company and contest the charges.
In addition, ask your phone company to block 3rd party billings to your phone bill. Believe it or not you have to ASK. They will not do it automatically.
Contact your states Utilities Commission. We did and they quickly contacted AT&T on our behalf.
Contact your States Attorney Generals office and file a formal complaint.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission and file an on-line complaint.
Get caller ID and simply dont answer calls from toll free or unknown callers. If its important enough, they can contact you via mail.

Good Luck!

(One Month Later) Follow up to my posting above: After filing complaints with the FCC, FTC, our states Attorney Generals Office and Utilities Commission, we received a call from someone identifying himself as being from Hostawebsite.biz. He was profusely apologetic that we misunderstood their companys phone pitch and that we could expect a full and total refund on our next phone bill. No doubt the letter they received from our states Attorney Generals Office helped them have a change of heart.

They have messed with the wrong person!
Raleigh, North Carolina
U.S.A.