The Members Forum

FCC proposes crackdown on phone-bill cramming

The Federal Communications Commission Tuesday proposed new rules designed to reduce a common telephone billing scam called cramming. Customers get crammed when a dishonest company puts charges on their phone bill (landline or wireless) for services that were not wanted or authorized.Cramming has been around for more than a decade — ever since phone companies were allowed to make extra money by billing for other companies. Until recently, the phenomenon had been largely limited to landline phones. But it’s become a growing problem for cell phone customers, too.