I received a bill from a "900" number website

[Omaticken]

What is the name of your state? Michigan


I recieved a bill from a third party billing company on behalf of some "900" number website saying someone using my computer called this website (in Jamica I think).

They even sent me a way to check and see if there was a record in my computer confirming the visit. (no record found))

They say there is no " mistake " as they use the same technology as caller ID when a call is recieved.

I visited the website shown on the billing statement to dispute the charges.

I have now recieved another bill with late charges on it.

I am I liable for this???

[JETX]

"I am I liable for this???"
From your post, yes.

Is there any reason why you think that you should NOT be liable??

[Omaticken]

Reason number one ..no one was home at the time they say the call was placed.

#2.. they gave me a way to check in the log in my computer to confirm the website vist.. I found none

[djohnson]

I have had this happen and I called the telephone company and disputed it and they took it off my telephone bill but said the actual billing party would pursue collection. I called the actual billing company that billed it but they were not the place called but an agent that just entered stuff. After going through several people I finally got some one to agree to credit it but I had to call the phone company back and have them put a 900 block on my phone line so it would not happen again and if it did they would know I had put the block on and not charge me for it and the phone company had to keep on my bill and the the cilling party sent me a voucher to send in with my next payment to cover that part of the bill. It took about two months to get the voucer with me calling every couple of weeks but I finally got it taken care of. Having the phone company put the block on the phone was easy so unless you do do this from time to time its worth putting it on there.

[JETX]

dljohnson, interesting post.... however, the original thread is about an internet bill being sent by a "3rd party" company. There is nothing in the thread about the phone company being involved... or even the hope that this 3rd party company would do anything.

And it is even harder to try to get a '900 number block' on the internet....

[djohnson]

If your internet provider is dial up then it was told to me by my phone company which is Bellsouth that it can be blocked. If you are on cable or something I can imagine that. The third party would be the billing company and as I have went through this, I know its not easy but can be done as they can not verify that it actually was done. The third party sent me a voucher for the amount charged to put in with my next payment to cover it. As I am not aware of each different phone companies options as probably no one here is, yours may not offer that feature, however Bellsouth does. And it was the easiest part of the whole problem. This is not an uncommon thing. I know of several people that has been charged like this and got it taken care of. It may take a couple of months and several phone calls but it was well worth it in my opinion. I was offering advice as someone who has been there on a completely relevent topic.

[Omaticken]

Thanks to all for your help..

FYI- the phone company is not involved with this invoice.

I did have a dial up connection at the time (now cable)

I will put a block on the 900 numbers ( I did not know you could).

As for this Bill...I have informed the billing company of my dispute of the charges..have recieved no reply except another bill...

I have exceptional credit.. Should I be worried about this little pain in the ---???

Should I just ignore the bills and eventually they will go away?

[djohnson]

If you ignore them they probably just won't go away they may go on your credit so thats up to you. I would keep trying to contact the company that billed you and ask for verification. Or you can wait until its on your credit and then contact the reporting agency and have them dispute it.

[JETX]

What MAY have happened to you is what is known as the redialer scam.....
Some spammers offer adult content websites offering "free" access or access without a credit card. They direct consumer to download a "dialer" or "viewer." These programs may disconnect your Internet service and redial to a toll charging long distance number with rates up to $7/minute. Some consumers have received bills for tens of thousands of dollars.

If this is what happened, here are some links that might help:
[url]http://www.anu.edu.au/mail-archives/link/link9711/0125.html[/url]
[url]http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97sep/moldova.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.venable.com/internet/cybercrimes.html[/url]