Telephone Bill Warning

Hi,

I just wanted to tell everyone to make sure and watch your telephone bills very closely. I have AT&T but I’m sure this issue is not just limited to them.

I usually have my AT&T bill auto pay and get an email alerting me that it will be paid at such and such time and the amount of the bill and a link to preview it. I never thought that much about it. Then in October I looked at the billed amount and it looked awfully high. So I started investigating as to why. I was being charged for services that I did not recognize nor did I know the name of the company billing them. It was a 3rd party company and not AT&T. If you have other phone services those companies can charge you through your phone bill and not directly.

I contacted A&T to ask them about it and while they said they could credit a month, or two, of the charges I had to contact the billing company because they could not remove it nor credit me 100%. Did I mention there were 18 months worth. Yes, I know I SHOULD have looked over my bill along time ago but the charges started at the same time I added my second phone line so there were extra charges for the services, etc. so at first it didn’t appear off and then I got sick later that year and for a long time was basically making sure things were paid and not paying attention. My bad. Live and learn! I contacted the company to find out they have my phone number but some else’s name and address. I had to fax copies of the bills and a written letter stating I wasn’t’ that person and that I wanted the service cancelled (well duh, I didn’t want it to begin with).

I was going back through my phone bills in December to find that nothing had been done and I was being charged still. Again, I called them and went through the same thing and did the same thing. This time when I contacted AT&T to see what more they could do they said they could put a feature on my line stating no 3rd party company could bill without authorization from me.

Again, I look at my January bill to find, guess what, more charges. So my December request was never handled. I faxed yet another letter and phone bill copies to prove I’m not who they have listed even though we’d already been through this.

Today, I receive an email from AT&T asking for me to authorize more charges from a 3rd party company. Only it didn’t say who it was not that it matters since I didn’t request any 3rd party charges to begin with. So, I have now contacted the FCC requesting action be taken and a full refund for 21 months now, as the company in October said they would only credit three months which is wrong.

So any, the point to all of this is…

Watch your phone bill, including cellular, especially if you have a newer phone number. Upon research I have found that within the first six months of 1998 alone this company had over 700 complaints file against them.

If you are ever contacted by these companies don’t give them any info. BTW, there are three company names, two phone numbers but one fax for all of them.

Horizon Telecom 800-736-7500
Reduced Rate LD, LLC 800-441-9678
OAN Service, Inc./Operator Assistant Network. 800-441-9678
Fax number is 877-539-7924

I listed phone/fax numbers just in case there maybe a different name they are going by because who knows.

I hope, and pray, you haven’t had to deal with this same issue. I also hope should you find the same thing on your bill this might help you resolve it. I can give you contact info to the FCC if you need it. If you have had any similar issues I would welcome feed back on how you dealt with it.

Out with the Old, In with the New

As I reflect over the past year I realize that I have many things to be thankful for. I have the everyday ordinary things; family, health, friends, etc.

I have been blessed with a wonderful, caring, loving and supportive husband and two beautiful daughters. As a matter of fact we will be celebrating my youngest 5^th birthday on Saturday. Now this isn’t just a celebration of birth. This is a celebration of life and health. You see Nessa was born 6 weeks premature. I know that is small in comparison to many. But at one week she became VERY ill and we didn’t know what was going to happen. There were also a few other health issues pressing on this small gift from God. Today you would have NO idea what-so-ever of her struggles.

My thankfulness of health goes way beyond just being healthy. It is for being alive, for being healed, for regaining my strength, my emotional and spiritual stability, and more. I could not have overcome the illness I had without God’s healing hands and guidance. It was this time last year that I was beginning a relapse of my illness and contracted reactive arthritis and got to the point I couldn’t walk. My ankles were so swollen and so painful. Again God was there and healed me. If it hadn’t been for my ankles I could have been right back where I was two months before. I am thankful that God was not ready for me to leave this earth yet because He has more planned for my life.

I’m thankful my husband was healed when he was sick this past fall. Again God came through and used His healing hands.

God has given me so many friends many of them that fill in the gaps that my parental family have left open. You never really realize how close you are (or aren’t) to friends till you really need them. Especially, if you don’t have family to help you; not because they live to far away but because they just don’t want to be bothered. Sad, yes, but the friends that have been put in my path more than make up for that and can be much more than a family to you. I only hope that should one of my friends need anything that I can be there for them they way they were for me.

I’m thankful for a church family that was also there for my family and me when I was sick. Between friends and church family we were well taken care of. Dinner was provided for at least 3 weeks. We were taxied every we needed to go, till I could drive. So much more that I could tell you about but they are things I keep in my heart because the love behind them was so wonderful and powerful. This is not the first my church family has been there for us. They were there for us before any of them, except one, had ever met us. When prayer was needed for Nessa they prayed and when we were able to make a second visit, to the church, we were greeted with open arms and hearts. The relationships have only grown from there.

I could probably go on and on about all that I am thankful for but I think I will leave it at that.

So what about 2008?

Well, I am praying for God’s will to be done. We have struggled, financially, for too long.

I want this to be the year we finally work things out. I want to take Nessa to Disney like we were able to do with Vic 6 years ago. Heck, we need a family vacation in general. LOL

I have been given an opportunity to interview for a position in one of the elementary school in our district. I have been praying, along with many others, for God’s will to be done here as well. If I’m meant to return to work I want Him to show when and where. Granted I’m really drawn to this position. It will give me the opportunity to fulfill my passion of helping others and more. I also don’t want my husband to have to work so much.

So many changes are taking place in our lives that I really feel that things are going to change and that God’s will is going to happen, or at least start to happen because I know it can’t all happen at once.

The last big thing I am seeking God’s will is with the healing ministry I have worked with my church to start. It has been a slow go and right now I’m feeling a bit confused as to what God has really called me to do but I found out tonight that I have someone willing to help me re-organize a bit and make it more understandable and welcoming to others. I can only hope and pray this is what God truly has in mind.

My thoughts on what I want 2008 to be could go on forever too but I think it might be best if I left it as is now and fill you in as things come together and happen.

I hope and pray that you can find things to be thankful for and things to look forward to in the new year. I pray that you and your family will be greatly blessed!

Happy 2008!!