Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!fernwood!apple!sun-barr!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: JAJZ801@calstate.bitnet
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: MCI as Slamming King
Message-ID: <12718@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 27 Sep 90 19:12:58 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Organization: TELECOM Digest
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Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu


 
>Some months ago, I received a call from a telemarketing company trying
>to sell me an "affinity" MasterCard, endorsed by and bearing the logo
>and colours of a a good cause that I support.  I decided to get the
>card, and at the end of the application processor, the telemarketing
>person passed me on to a woman he identified as his supervisor, who
>confirmed that I indeed wanted the affinity MasterCard, and made sure
>I understood how it worked.

>Perhaps the "slamming" abuses people have described here would not
>happen so often if MCI and its telemarketing contractors were required
>to have requests to make MCI the 1+ carrier verified by a second
>person who was paid a flat hourly or weekly wage which does not have
>anything to do with sales results. This would go a long way towards
>keeping telemarketers honest.
 
  I suspect this scenario has more to do with the laws regulating
credit cards, the banks liability for fraudulent use or misissuance,
and the consequent liabilities that may be passed on to the marketers
by them. The costs, losses, and laws regulating the phone industry may
not make it worthwhile (in fact the opposite, apparently) or
necessary.
 
  If everyone is so incensed at what is purported to be widespread
slamming by MCI, why hasn't someone considered a class-action suit.
There obviously wouldn't be much money in compensatory damages but
there might be something in punitive damages (don't challenge me on
legalities - I admit ignorance). More important, just the rumor
(properly leaked) of such a thought, solicitation, or evidence
gathering might get their attention, the attention of the press, or
the regulatory agencies. Bad publicity is worth a million complaints.
 
  Just out of curiosity (and to show I have no personal interest in
this), how come I have never been slammed, given that I live in what
is claimed to be the telemarketing fraud captial of the U.S. - Orange
County, California.
 

Jeff Sicherman     jajz801@calstate.bitnet
 
P.S.  I am NOT volunteering to coordinate such an activity, I will
      ignore all material sent to me on the matter. I am merely
      stirring the pot and accept no responsibility for it boiling
      over or spilling.