Attorney General's News Release

January 11, 1995

Nixon wants to hang up on long-distance “slamming”

Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon today called for strong limits in Federal Communications Communication rules on the practice of “slamming” by long-distance carriers. Slamming is a term for the practice of switching a customer's primary long-distance carrier without the customer's knowledge or approval.

Nixon, the Missouri Public Service Commission and the Missouri Office of the Public Counsel filed joint comments with the FCC in Washington this week in an effort to discourage slamming. The FCC is accepting such comments as it proposes changes in its rules.

“Consumers are being confused by the different offers made by long-distance carriers in order to get them to switch,” Nixon said. “These offers in the mail often include inducements such as checks made out to the consumer. By cashing that check, the consumer is authorizing a switch to that carrier but may be doing so without realizing it. Any action made to switch should be done with the clear understanding and consent of the consumer.”

Nixon said his office received more than 40 complaints from consumers in 1994 regarding unauthorized changes in primary long-distance carriers. Nationally, the FCC reported more than 4,000 complaints in the past two years concerning slamming.

Nixon said his office, the PSC and the Office of the Public Counsel endorsed the recommendations made by the FCC to discourage slamming. These recommendations include:

• Clearly identifying the document in the solicitation, termed the letter of agency, that the customer signs to authorize the switch and making this document clear, unambiguous and in large enough type to be easy to read.
• Separating the letter of agency from other promotional or inducement material.

In cases in which consumers are switched without their knowledge, the Missouri agencies recommend making the new long-distance carrier responsible for all charges beyond what the consumers would have paid if they had not been switched.

The Missouri agencies also told the FCC in their comments that they favor the inclusion of additional language in solicitations to business customers so unauthorized employees of the business would not be able to approve a change of carrier.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818