How to Protect Yourself

While there is no foolproof way to guarantee this won’t happen, the Ohio Public Utilities Commission notes on its Web site that there are steps you can take to protect yourself:

• Keep a note pad by the telephone and write down any phone service that you authorize, as well as any long-distance calls and calls to informational or “900” services.
• Be careful of “activation codes” or answering “yes” to questions that may be intended to get you to authorize a service that you do not intend to authorize.
• Read fine print carefully.
• Request blocks on some services, such as “900” calls, collect calls, and international calls. Check with your phone company about the costs of different blocking options. With a mobile phone, 900-number calls are automatically blocked, but you may be allowed to block other services, such as Internet access or text messaging.

By the way, there’s a terminology distinction worth noting: While cramming is the illegal practice of adding charges to your phone bill for services you didn’t order, slamming is the illegal practice of changing your local or long-distance telephone service without your permission. That’s a whole other subject!