For those of you with AT&T..we have been paying for unauthorized charges!!

http://wgntv.com/2014/10/08/att-will-pay-105-million-for-unauthorized-charges-on-customer-bills/

 

The article says "may have been." These charges are from 3rd parties. They're typically from customers who download ringtones and emoticon apps and entered their phone numbers, not knowing they were signing up for something, resulting in a monthly charge to their phone bills. AT&T could usually reverse the charges but you had to contact the 3rd party to cancel the service otherwise they'd just show up on your bill again the next month. AT&T's major culpability was having no process for ensuring that the customer actually ordered it.

They actually ended the practice last year. And all the mobile providers were doing the same thing (Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint) and agreed to end the practice. AT&T just decided to settle the complaint by the FCC. T-Mobile is fighting it. Sprint and Verizon are likely in the crosshairs.

AT&T used to have the problem on their landline phone bills as well. It was different though in that the landlines were regulated by the government and there was no way they could prevent it.