Don’t Let the Switcheroo Get You

Finally, consumers will get better protection against the unapproved switching of their long-distance provider by some hustler, a practice known as slamming. The Federal Communications Commission has established strong regulations against this rip-off.

Slamming has become the subject most complained about to the FCC. The agency received 20,000 complaints this year alone from consumers whose service was changed without their consent.

The FCC has imposed slamming fines totaling about $13 million over the last four years against long-distance providers large and small. But those fines have not directly aided consumers, who have had to pay the company that poached their service, at least until they could get it switched back. That will soon end.

The FCC declared earlier this month that slamming victims will not have to pay for up to the first 30 days of service after the unauthorized switch is made. The FCC will also require companies to get consumer approval of a change in service, either directly or through a third party. However, the new consumer protection rules will not go into effect until March. Keep a close watch on those phone bills.