As part of a $105 million nationwide settlement to resolve “data cramming” allegations, AT&T Mobility will pay $268,252 to Connecticut, officials announced.
Attorneys general and consumer protection officials in all 50 states, along with the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission, alleged that AT&T placed charges on consumers’ cell phone bills without their knowledge or consent.
The charges — for text message subscription services — typically amounted to $10 per month, and were added to bills for services provided by a third party.
AT&T, which said a year ago it would stop billing for unauthorized services, will pay $80 million to the FTC to fund a consumer restitution program. States will receive a total of $20 million. The company will also send notices to all customers who incurred the charges from 2009 onward, informing them about the refund process.
Claims can be submitted through May 1, 2015 at www.gcc.gov/att.
In addition, the settlement requires AT&T to develop a system to attain customer consent before billing for any third-party service.
