Last month I received a letter from a person claiming that he was charged a small fee on his credit card by AT&T when he has not used AT&T for several years.

After receiving this letter, I noticed that there was a charge from AT&T on my own credit card statement and I do not have AT&T as my provider. I have written about this matter and received the following e-mails:

«Your column concerning AT&T referred to credit card charges appearing in the amount of $30 each. I was embroiled with erroneous charges with them for monthly automatic billing of $10.95 for [an]Internet connection when I was hit with the first $30. In July, I was once again hit with $30 so I called the 800 number listed below the charge. Mind you, I do not have a long distance carrier inasmuch as I make those calls with a calling card. The 800 number was answered in India. She heard my story and could not help me. She gave me another number. No help there either. After the third call to AT&T, I got a questionnaire on my e-mail that if I had any questions about my account, I could use that vehicle to register my complaint. I finally said ENUF and dropped it. Well to my surprise, my latest bill includes another charge for $30. I will take your suggestion to call the Florida Attorney General.»

«I have had this done to me three times by AT&T. The amounts vary from $10.95 to $4.95. They always credit my account eventually, but in the meantime they have use of my money interest free and if I happen to overlook the charge they have my money period! I now check my credit card balance frequently.»

«About six months ago or so [AT&T] sent me a bill for approx. $23 for service charges for being my long distance carrier. I immediately called them and advised them that I had not used their service in years since I have a cell phone. They finally gave me credit for those charges and supposedly marked my file accordingly. About a month or so ago, I received another bill from them for the same amount, but covering a different time period. Again, I immediately called them and was advised that my record had never stated that I was not using them, and the gentleman marked it accordingly and gave me credit for the billed amount. Please advise.»

The Florida Attorney General’s office in April warned consumers that AT&T long-distance phone charges were being improperly added to some local phone bills.

If you do not use AT&T but have charges from that carrier, they should immediately report it to the attorney general’s fraud hotline at 866–966–7226 and to AT&T at 800–222–0300.

Mark Bogen is a lawyer based in Boca Raton. For questions, you can reach him at BOGEN2000@aol.com or write him c/o the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 333 SW 12th Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.