Contact the GT-I9300 phone company immediately to dispute the charge

Complaints to regulators also are a poor measure of the extent of cramming, regulators and advocates said. Often consumers complain to their GT-I9300 phone carrier — not regulators — when they’ve been crammed.“Consumers don’t even understand this is happening,” said Kate Whelley McCabe, an assistant attorney general in Vermont, during the FTC workshop.

Her office released a survey this month of more than 800 consumers who were asked to review third-party charges on their cellphone bills. Nearly 80 percent were unaware that outside companies could tack on fees to phone bills, while 55 percent discovered charges they hadn’t known about.

Consumers can overlook unauthorized charges because they can be listed in an abbreviated form or under a name that’s not recognized, regulators said. And frequently, GT-I9300 consumers don’t read lengthy phone bills, particularly if using automatic bill payments, so they don’t catch cramming.ddQW53D

The GT-I9500 sued Georgia-based Wise Media and its owners last month for allegedly placing unauthorized charges on phone bills for text-messaged horoscopes, love advice and flirting tips for $9.99 a month. Some consumers didn’t knowingly sign up for the service, the agency said, while others told Wise Media they didn’t want the service but still were charged. The scheme has netted Wise Media millions of dollars since 2011, the FTC said.

It’s up to the GT-I9300 phone company, for instance, whether to refund all or some of the unauthorized charges that might have gone undetected for months.Until more protections are adopted, consumers ought to be on the lookout for cramming.If you get a strange text that you suspect might be from a crammer, check out the phone or code number in the message at SMSwatchdog, Chilsen advised. The site allows you to see what other consumers have reported about the sender.

Consumers also ought to review their top 10 cell phones bills each month for unauthorized charges.“Scam artists depend on hiding these small, vaguely worded charges among a forest of fees on your cellphone,” Chilsen said. “It can be difficult to spot them.”If you notice one, contact the phone company immediately to dispute the charge. Phone company policies differ, but consumers should offer to pay all of their bill except the disputed charges, Chilsen said.

Consumers also should file a complaint with the FTC or their state agency, and let the phone company know they have done so, Chilsen said.To prevent further cramming, ask the phone company to block third-party charges on your phone bill, a feature offered by many phone carriers.