Cingular cell phone service - Fla. Retiree Wins Cell Phone Bill Fight

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Fla. Retiree Wins Cell Phone Bill Fight

jeremy

2007-01-27, 10:34 pm

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- A 77-year-old retiree has won a two-month battle with
a cell phone company over bills for about $31,000 in calls from Nicaragua he
says he never made.

Oliver DeSofi's Cingular Wireless bill from November listed more than
$21,420 in roaming charges for more than 4,000 calls made from his phone
from Nicaragua. When he contacted Cingular about the charges, DeSofi learned
there were already $9,554 in similar charges on his next bill.

The former bank executive said his bill was normally about $150 -- he has
never been to Nicaragua.

''I told them this is impossible,'' DeSofi said.

DeSofi complained of fraud, but Cingular disagreed and tried to collect the
money, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported Saturday.

Cingular canceled DeSofi's account, saying its fraud department did not find
any problems with the account. The company reversed its decision after a
Herald-Tribune inquiry on Thursday.

''We are researching how it was handled from beginning to end,'' Cingular
spokeswoman Kelly Starling said.

A company representative told DeSofi that his bill had been credited the
full amount and with an additional $120, which he could use if he wanted to
resume service.

DeSofi said he did not plan to return to Cingular.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/...hone-Fraud.html

karlkrandall@sbcglobal.net

2007-01-29, 7:33 am

On Sat, 27 Jan 2007 22:17:31 GMT, "jeremy" <jeremy@nospam.com> wrote:

>SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) -- A 77-year-old retiree has won a two-month battle with
>a cell phone company over bills for about $31,000 in calls from Nicaragua he
>says he never made.
>
>Oliver DeSofi's Cingular Wireless bill from November listed more than
>$21,420 in roaming charges for more than 4,000 calls made from his phone
>from Nicaragua. When he contacted Cingular about the charges, DeSofi learned
>there were already $9,554 in similar charges on his next bill.
>
>The former bank executive said his bill was normally about $150 -- he has
>never been to Nicaragua.
>
>''I told them this is impossible,'' DeSofi said.
>
>DeSofi complained of fraud, but Cingular disagreed and tried to collect the
>money, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported Saturday.
>
>Cingular canceled DeSofi's account, saying its fraud department did not find
>any problems with the account. The company reversed its decision after a
>Herald-Tribune inquiry on Thursday.
>
>''We are researching how it was handled from beginning to end,'' Cingular
>spokeswoman Kelly Starling said.
>
>A company representative told DeSofi that his bill had been credited the
>full amount and with an additional $120, which he could use if he wanted to
>resume service.
>
>DeSofi said he did not plan to return to Cingular.
>
>http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/...hone-Fraud.html
>

Yes, it took GOING PUBLIC before Cingular did the right thing.
DISGRACEFUL.

Story also here:

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/.../701280327/1003

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