Got our phone bill yesterday...we have a block on LD(long distance), but someone or something charged 59 calls to our bill via a calling card. We took care of it after 45 minutes on the phone to AT&T and Southwestern Bell, they said it was fraud....But if I got a LD block on my phone how could someone use a calling card? Any ideas?

-- salene (salene814@hotmail.com), January 22, 2000

Answers

I work for MCI Worldcom.

A calling card call can be made from anywhere with or without the card if you know the numbers and pin number. Everyone gets a calling card as part of the sign-up package for their LD service, unless they specifically request not to get one.

A block on the line for LD only blocks calls made from your home telephone itself. This doesn't block the calling card.

Make sure that you get the calling card either cancelled, or change your pin to keep this from happening again. Apparently someone got ahold of your information or your card.

This probably isn't a glitch, but instead is true fraud. Happens more than you'd believe.

Good luck.

-- Bobbi (bobbi@telent.net), January 22, 2000.

Bobbie besides being a puter idiot am a phone idiot too. We have ld block cannot call collect to our phone, cannot charge a call from another phone...So how exactly does someone bypass the system and charge 350 bucks to my phone, we have no ld server...nada...can u explain alittle more for me? Salene

-- salene (salene814@hotmail.com), January 22, 2000.

Bobbie besides being a puter idiot am a phone idiot too.

LoL! No you're not! The telco industry is highly confusing! Hell, it's even confusing to me sometimes and I work for a telco! :-)

We have ld block cannot call collect to our phone, cannot charge a call from another phone...So how exactly does someone bypass the system and charge 350 bucks to my phone, we have no ld server...nada...can u explain alittle more for me? Salene

ID Block keep outgoing LD calls from physically passing from your telephone line. It also keep collect calls from being accepted from your physical telephone line, and it doesn't allow charges from another phone to your physical telephone number. Calling cards are a different beast.

Calling cards are totally automated. In other words, they really have nothing to do with "going through" your physical telephone number or the line you are connected on at your local network. They are automatically charged to your bill. They aren't actual calls going through your LEC's network or the LD company's network.

Call your phone company and perhaps they can clarify this for you.

I would still advise you that you either need to cancel that calling card or change the pin number if you wish to keep the card. I am surprised that your customer service rep. didn't suggest this to you. Or did he/she?

Hope this helps

-- Bobbi (bobbi@telent.net), January 22, 2000.

Thanks bobbie..that helps...no problem with the bill they took it all off, but we never had a ld server nor a calling card, is what makes me wonder. Thanks for the info appreciate it. Salene

-- salene (salene814@hotmail.com), January 22, 2000.