Internet fraud (?)

[Sculptor]

What is the name of your state?MD

A co-worker just got a bill from Web Direct, which is, I think, an ISP. It is one he does NOT subscribe to. Apparently, his Norton expired and in the day it took for him to reinstate it, adware found his hard drive. While he was offline and computer shut down (he knows for a fact when calls and contacts were made, he was not home and never leaves his computer on), calls were made and/or a paid site was contacted, using this ISP he's never contracted with. The bill is nearly $200 and they insist on payment NOW or it will go to collections within 30 days.

The site contacted was a porn site in the UK.

I hope this is enough info, even if second hand....is there any way to contest this? He wiped his hard drive, as it was attached by many internet growths in that day. Does that make it impossible to prove anything? He mentioned probably seeing a charge on his phone, whether from the ISP stealing his dial-up, or from some related calls, I'm not clear on.

Thanks in advance.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Tell him to call his charge card provider and dispute the charge.

 

[Happy Trails]

This link also has info. on internet fraud:

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/text/Internet.htm

 

[Sculptor]

Thanks to both

HI again.

BB: From what he told me, it's not on a charge card; he's being billed. If the charges show up on his phone bill, I told him to contest that.

HT: Thanks for the site. What an eye-opener...and how irritating its necessity is.

Thanks again to both!