Integretel and Mercury Internet Services - unauthorized $ 29.95 phone charge

# 2 for April 16, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on April 15, 2003:

From: Email User

RE: Integretel and Mercury Internet Services - unauthorized $ 29.95 phone charge

I am a Verizon telephone customer who recently discovered on my phone bill a $29.95 charge from the companies Integretel and Mercury Internet Services for an "internet service" that I never ordered. I have done some research and learned that Integretel and Mercury Internet Services have been charged by numerous consumers and several government agencies with "cramming" -- the illegal practice of charging telephone customers for services they never ordered. Verizon, for some reason, does not warn its customers that they

should check their phone bill for unauthorized charges by these companies. It appears that Verizon just looks the other way. When I called the companies to dispute the unauthorized charge, it was misrepresented to me that I had "authorized" the charge -- a blatant lie - and that a line subscriber is responsible for all charges made over his

telephone - another lie. When I persisted and demanded a refund, I was subjected to a sales pitch on why I should continue receiving the internet service that I never ordered and offered a "free trial." At the end of the

conversation, I was told that a credit would be issued. The credit has yet to come. I am contemplating legal action. I would like to hear from others who have been victimized by these companies. My e-mail address is

Email User Here is info on Mercury: Mercury Marketing of Delaware, Inc. is a Pennsylvania corporation with its office and principal place of business located at 20 North Third Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mercury also does business as Mercury, Mercury

Internet Services, MIS, Mercury Internet Services Wireless, GoInternet.net, and Mercury Marketing Technologies of Delaware. Neal D. Saferstein is the Chief Executive Officer of Mercury. Mercury can be reached at (888)

948-1930.

Here are some prior lawsuits against the companies: On October 2, 2000, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court against Integretel and its subsidiary, eBillit, charging that the companies violated federal anti-fraud laws, specifically,