Senate Committee Investigates Widespread 'Mystery Charges' to Phone Bills

The Senate Commerce Committee has launched an investigation into "cramming," a deceptive practice that places unauthorized "mystery charges" on consumers' telephone bills, its chairman announced today.

Cramming involves the intentional or accidental insertion of unauthorized, misleading, or deceptive telephone charges. Cramming charges on phone bills are typically labeled "service fee," "service charge," "other fees," "voicemail," "mail server" and "calling plan, "monthly fee" or "minimum monthly usage fee."