Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!cica!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!wuarchive!texbell!vector!telecom-gateway From: v7fs1!mvp@apple.com (Mike Van Pelt) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Can an AOS Masquerade as MCI? Message-ID: Date: 29 Aug 89 00:57:18 GMT Reply-To: Mike Van Pelt Organization: Video 7 + G2 = Headland Technology Lines: 32 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 332, message 6 of 9 In article John DeArmond writes: > ... the AOS has the technical ability to trap ALL routing requests >and charge through their systems. And if the AOS is sleezy (as most >are), they will even imitate other carriers. ... > ... This [AOS] system trapped all calls and handled them through the >AOS facilities. The display on the operator's console told her what >carrier the caller had requested so she could act like an AT&T operator >or whatever. >The FCC has ruled that this practice is illegal but it continues. Suppose you just flatly refuse to pay any charges that come from an AOS? Make sure that you place no calls unless the operator says "BOINGGGGGgggg AT&T." Then when the AOS bills you, you can confidently tell them "I did not place any such call through your company. I never place calls from (hotels, pay phones, etc.) through anyone but AT&T, and I ALWAYS make sure the operator SAYS AT&T. (Or MCI, Sprint, or whatever.) This charge is, therefore, obviously fraudulent. Carbon copy the FCC or whoever else would be interested in this kind of criminal activity. Since they have illegally placed this charge on your bill, I don't think they're quite stupid enough to attempt to take you to court. If they attack your credit rating, you could probably sue them for really big bucks. -- Mike Van Pelt Will your long-winded speeches never Headland Technology/Video 7 end? What ails you that you keep on ...ames!vsi1!v7fs1!mvp arguing? -- Job 16:3