AT&T Charged US Taxpayers $16 Million For Nigerian Fraud Calls

McGruber writes "Bloomberg News is reporting that AT&T got more than $16 million from the U.S. government to run Telecommunications Relay Services, intended to help the hearing- and speech-impaired. However, as many as '95 percent of the calls in AT&T's hearing- impaired program were made by people outside the U.S. attempting to defraud merchants through the use of stolen credit cards, counterfeit checks and money orders.' According to the DoJ, 'AT&T in 2004, after getting complaints from merchants, determined the Internet Protocol addresses of 10 of the top 12 users of the service were abroad, primarily in Lagos, Nigeria.' The DOJ intervened in the whistle-blower lawsuit Lyttle v. AT&T Communications of Pennsylvania, 10-01376, U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh). The DOJ is seeking triple damages from AT&T."

Comments

Re:friendly heads up RE "hearing impaired"

[CubicleZombie]

"Hearing impaired" is not the preferred phrase

Yeah, it should be HEARING IMPAIRED!!!!!

Cost to merchants high as well

[beernutmark]

We get a ton of these calls at our restaurant. It costs us time taken away from actual customers on the fear that we might actually get a real relay call someday. However, I can pretty much guarantee that it will never happen. The caller always asks for 50+ of the exact same item (never on our menu but generic enough to be on most restaurants menu). I wish we could class action sue AT&T for our business costs dealing with these fraudulent calls. FYI, we have found that the best way to shorten up the call is to ask how the weather is in Nigeria. Pretty much guarantees a disconnect.