MEMPHIS, Tenn. — AT&T customers should have received communication from the carrier this week about how they can get a refund for unauthorized charges on their wireless bill.
The company reached a$105 million settlement in October with the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly cramming unauthorized charges onto customers’ bills and profiting from it.
See how charges looked on a bill
As part of that settlement, AT&T will pay out $80 million in refunds to customers.
Here’s how you can get a refund:
- Go directly to www.ftc.gov/att
- Click the “Apply for a Refund” tab
- Enter requested information online (name, address, phone numbers on account, account number, etc)
- Print out confirmation page for records
- You can also call 1-877-819-9692 for more information or to request a paper claim form (claims can’t be taken over the phone)
- Deadline to submit claim is May 1, 2015
- Takes up to nine months to receive refund
Don’t try to apply anywhere else, it could be a scam!
Who’s eligible?
According to the FTC, current and former AT&T customers who paid for unauthorized third-party charges after January 1, 2009 may apply for refunds.
How to find out if you paid for unauthorized charges
AT&T sent out text messages to potentially affected customers this week. They read, “You may have paid for charges from other companies on your AT&T bill that you did not authorize. Go to www.ftc.gov/att for information.”
The company also sent emails to customers in the form of “alerts”. Customers can log on to their accounts online to check for the message.
The FTC says AT&T placed charges on phone bills for third-party subscriptions or services that customers never ordered or authorized. In addition, the government says the carrier buried the charges which made it difficult for consumers to find.
According to the FTC, many consumers weren’t aware they had been paying up to $9.99 per month for seemingly random horoscope text messages, flirting tips, celebrity gossip, wallpaper or ringtones that showed up on their phones.
The FTC also just reached a settlement with T-Mobile in a cramming case. The carrier has agreed to refund its customers as well.
