I'm auditing a manufacturing client here in Knoxville and just discovered AT&T has been billing them for "Enhanced 911 Service" at $12.50 per line for 180 phone lines. That's $2,250 per month for a service that's supposed to be funded through taxes and regulatory fees! The client has been paying this for 4 years - we're talking about $108,000 in bogus charges. Has anyone else seen this scam? I'm wondering how widespread this is across AT&T's business customer base.
Massive AT&T overcharge - how is this even legal?
Gary, that's outrageous but not surprising. I see similar stuff with AT&T business accounts in Cincinnati all the time. They love to add "enhanced" or "premium" versions of services that should be standard. Check if they're also billing for "Network Access Registration" or "Service Order Processing" fees. Those are usually bogus too. Document everything and demand a full refund - AT&T will fight you but the evidence is clear.
This is exactly why I expanded into telecom auditing. The carriers get away with murder because most businesses just pay whatever shows up on the bill. In San Antonio I found a hotel chain paying AT&T for "Directory Assistance Protection" - $8.95/month per line to block 411 calls. Except the PBX system already blocked those calls! Pure profit for AT&T with zero value to the customer.
The "Enhanced 911" scam is particularly sleazy because it preys on safety concerns. I've seen it on several Charlotte business accounts. What makes me angry is AT&T sales reps push this as "upgraded emergency response" when basic 911 is already included in the line charges. Gary, make sure to check the original service order - if Enhanced 911 wasn't specifically requested and signed for, you've got them dead to rights.
I hate AT&T with a passion. Here in Huntsville they tried to bill one of my clients for "Centralized Answer Point Service" on a single-location business. When I called to question it, the rep actually told me it was for routing calls to the "central answering location" - which was their own front desk! $47/month for absolutely nothing. These people have no shame.
Update on this situation - AT&T initially denied the refund request claiming the Enhanced 911 charges were "legitimate tariffed services." I had to file a complaint with the Tennessee Public Utilities Commission and provide detailed documentation showing the service was duplicative. Took 6 weeks but we got the full $108,000 refunded plus interest. The key was proving the client never requested or authorized the enhanced service.
That's a huge win Gary! I'm dealing with something similar in Lexington with a school district's AT&T account. They've been paying for "Advanced Call Routing" on lines that just ring straight to voicemail. $18.50 per line times 95 lines for two years. AT&T's response was "the customer can cancel anytime" - like that makes the fraudulent billing okay. Did you have to involve an attorney or was the PUC complaint enough?
Mike, the PUC complaint was sufficient in my case. The Tennessee commission is pretty responsive to telecom billing disputes, especially when you have clear documentation. I'd recommend trying that route first before spending money on lawyers. Make sure you have copies of the original service orders, billing history showing when the charges started, and any emails or notes from conversations with AT&T reps.
This thread is gold. I'm seeing similar patterns with AT&T accounts here in Mississippi. The "Enhanced" everything strategy seems to be their standard playbook. Enhanced voicemail, enhanced caller ID, enhanced conference calling - all for services that used to be standard or were already included in the customer's PBX system. It's systematic fraud disguised as service upgrades.
Gerald makes a great point about the "Enhanced" pattern. I've started flagging any line item with that word for deeper investigation. Cincinnati businesses are getting hammered with these charges. The worst part is AT&T trains their reps to make these sound like necessary upgrades when they're really just profit padding. Document everything and never take "that's just how we bill it" as an answer.
Has anyone tried going after AT&T for damages beyond just refunds? If they've been systematically billing for services not provided, that seems like grounds for punitive damages. Here in Wichita I'm working on a case where a medical practice paid for "Enhanced Directory Listing" for 8 years - $25/month for a phone book listing that never existed because they're unlisted by choice. That's fraud, not just billing errors.