Nonprofit group on the hook for $10,000 phone bill

Barbara Diamond

AT&T; Corp. is demanding payment from Brandy’s Friends for calls the

nonprofit organization claimed it didn’t make.

“We opened this phone bill in December for $10,000 and went, ‘Whoa!’” Cheryl Post, the founder of counseling center for teens with

drug and alcohol problems, said.

The telephone calls were made to Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

Center staff informed AT&T; that they had made no telephone calls

to those two locations; however, that doesn’t let them off the hook,

Mike Keady, public relations director for the telecommunications

company, said.

Attorneys for Brandy’s Friends said that AT&T; had not turned over

the account to a collection agency as of Wednesday, but that is what

the phone company said it would do.

“If the calls are billed to that number, they are their calls and

they are responsible,” Keady said.

AT&T; offered to reduce the bill by 35%, but it does not have fraud

protection like credit card companies offer cardholders, Keady said.

He also said because of the large amount of the bill and the claim

of fraud, the FBI was notified.

“I hope the folks at Brandy’s Friends checked with their PBX

vendor to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect

themselves from further fraud,” Keady said. “If they haven’t done

anything, they should.”

PBX, or private branch exchange, is a common type of phone system

for businesses with multiple telephone lines.

“You are responsible for all charges on your bill, fraudulent or

not,” Keady said.

Brandy’s Friends does not have a PBX system, office manager Kathy

Borack said.

Keady said that phone fraud, like credit card fraud, is on the

rise.

“Someone breaks into a phone system and somehow hacks into voice

mail message to accept third-party charges,” Keady said. “Then they

make the phone calls and charge them to that number.”

He said that when the operator checks, the voice mail authorizes

the charges. People with voice mail should periodically call their

own number and check the voice mail message, Keady said. It is a

simple precaution and can prevent unpleasant surprises.

Attorney Craig McLaughlin of Levin & Hawes is handling the case at

no charge for the nonprofit group.

“He is doing this pro bono because Brandy’s Friends is a great

organization and doesn’t deserve this,” attorney Bill Levin said.

“The California Business and Professional Code prohibits unfair and

deceptive trade practices.”

Levin alleges that AT&T; knew Brandy’s Friends didn’t make the

calls and are aware that someone hacked into its voice mail, and that

the company certain security weakness.

The attorneys are investigating a possible class action suit. For

more information, call Levin or McLaughlin at 497-7676.