Getting ripped off? It may pay to speak up – the squeaky wheel gets the $90 million dollar refund.

• The F.C.C. (Federal Communications Commission) has been receiving consumer complaints about bogus data charges assessed by Verizon Wireless on customers without active data plans.
• In response, Verizon announced it will voluntarily refund affected customers. The company will likely still face a fee from the FCC.
• Many customers were charged $1.99 every time they accidentally hit a key that opened their phone’s browser. Verizon has been accused of  refusing to reverse these charges when individual customers called customer service to complain.

Facts & Figures

• According to a Verizon executive, about 15 million customers without data plans were billed for unintentional data usage in the past few years.
• Beginning in October, current and former customers will receive credits to their account ranging from $2-$6.
• In the end, the refunds are estimated to total $50 million.

Best Quote

The agency is “gratified to see the repayment, but for millions of Americans it’s a day late and a $1.99 short.” – Michele Ellison, Chief of the F.C.C. Enforcement Bureau

Tags: consumer rights, FCC, mobile phones, telecom, Verizon