The Truth About Telephone Scams

Steve Weisman

Cramming

Cramming is not just for exams. Cramming is also the name for unauthorized charges that appear on your telephone bill. These charges may be a one-time rip-off, or they may turn into a regular monthly dip into your wallet. Telephone bills today are so complicated, long, and full of fine print that many people either do not bother to read them, or they just give up when they can’t understand them. Either way, scammers adding phony charges to your telephone bill rely on your inability to discover that you are a victim of cramming to continue their scam.

As Pogo, the cartoon character of years past, said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” We often cause ourselves to be victimized when we’re ...