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Telephony Fraudster Gets Lifetime Ban from Telecom Business

Posted by Zonk on from the consider-things-before-you-cram-them dept.

coondoggie passed us another NetworkWorld link, this one discussing the banning of a shady telecom tycoon convicted for 'cramming'. "The owner of three companies that billed more than $30 million in bogus collect call charges, an activity known as cramming, to millions of consumers throughout the country, has been banned forever from all billing on local telephone bills. Willoughby Farr agreed to the lifetime ban as part of a federal court order settling Federal Trade Commission charges that he directed a massive unauthorized billing scam for more than two and a half years. The settlement contains a monetary judgment of $34,547,140, which will be partially satisfied by Farr's transfer to the Commission of all but $7,500 of his frozen assets, the FTC said."

5 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. That's a fine? by IronChef · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The settlement contains a monetary judgment of $34,547,140, which will be partially satisfied by Farr's transfer to the Commission of all but $7,500 of his frozen assets, the FTC said.

    He billed about $30M in false charges... and it seems like that money is being used to pay the fine.

    Please, someone tell me I am wrong.

    1. Re:That's a fine? by raju1kabir · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Unfortunately, he only had about $700K in assets, so he's really repaying about 2% of it. The rest went up his nose or something.

      --
      "Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS
  2. give me a break by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So, lets see... If i smoke a joint in some states i go to jail. If i bilk millions of people out of tens of millions of dollars i get.... probation, and a fine.

    This is so bs, asswipe(s) should be thrown in jail. Sounds like someone's back got scratched.

  3. How much to the Consumer? by Farakin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why isn't this money being refunded to the consumer? When I read stories like this, and the ones where the FCC levies fines for unacceptable practices I see the consumers that were affected getting screwed. I may be missing something here, but I AM ANGRY!!

  4. Whose lifetime, his or the industry's? by davidwr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The "Local telephone bill" as an entity probably won't around in another 10 or 20 years.

    Either he's turned a new leaf or he's hasn't. If he has, the ban is moot. If he hasn't, he'll find another way to be a crook.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.