OAN Aka USA VoiceMail Unauthorized Ripoff Oakland California

I receive my SBC telephone bill today (9/13/04). Included in the charges was an unknown/unauthorized charge on $21.75 for Premium Voice mail. I have never contacted, requested or authorized any such service. I have never used, activated, nor need any such service.

I called SBC who suggested that I call OAN, the company billing for this service. SBC was very helpful with this problem. They suggested that if I could not get the bill cancelled that I contact them a second time and they would issue a charge back to them. I called them OAN and spoke to a representative named Garrett, probably an alias. He said that the billing was their area and that the service was supplied by USA VoiceMail and I should contact them.

I asked Garrett what to do and his response was I can't help you, talk to them. I then called USA VoiceMail and spoke with a person who identified himself as Dustin. He said that someone claiming to be me has requested the service on August 31, 2004. Being charged for a service that first had not been requested, secondly not authorized, thirdly never used and fourthly never activated and worse of all was only seven days old. I told him that it was not I nor never had been me and I did not want the service, I wanted it cancelled. He said he could cancel it and issue me a credit but that it would take three to five months, using my money the entire time. I ask him for what.

The service is not, has not and never will be used. What was I being charged for? He was very smug and short with me. To make a long story short he suggested I pay the bill, he would cancel the service and issue me a credit in three to five months. I told him that a credit was useless to me and that I wanted the charge amount cancelled and the bill cancelled. He said that all he could do was issue a credit for a company/service I do not deal with, will not deal with, nor do not wish to deal with.

After going around and around several times with this Dustin I finally called SBC again who said that they would cancel the amount. Issue a charge back to OAN/USA VoiceMail and that everything should be corrected in one or two months. In addition to the above I should also mention that I was on hold for over 30 minutes with OAN and almost 45 minutes with USA VoiceMail

Timothy
Jenison, Michigan
U.S.A.