Attorney General's News Release

May 24, 2002

Florida long-distance provider to pay $100,000 in consumer restitution, $2,000 to state to resolve "slamming" allegations

Jefferson City, Mo. — A Florida long-distance provider will provide approximately $100,000 in restitution to consumers and pay $2,000 to the state to resolve allegations by Attorney General Jay Nixon that the business "slammed" about 1,000 Missouri consumers by switching their long-distance service without their authorization or knowledge.

Pipeline Technologies Inc., which does business as Integriss and is based in Jacksonville, entered into an assurance of voluntary compliance with Nixon in Cole County Circuit Court today. Nixon said his office had taken complaints from consumers who noticed unauthorized charges on their credit card statements and then received a letter from Integriss thanking the consumers for switching their long-distance service. All of the consumers who complained to the Attorney General's Office said they had not authorized the switch in service.

"Consumers should examine both credit card statements and phone bills to look for unauthorized activity," Nixon said. "Because those consumers noticed the charges and contacted our office, we were able to stop this slamming situation."

In addition to the restitution and payment to the state, the order prohibits Pipeline from:

• Misrepresenting that Missouri consumers have requested long-distance service from Pipeline when they had not;
• Billing Missouri consumers for services the consumer never ordered or authorized;
• Debiting funds from Missouri consumers' credit card accounts for services the consumer never ordered or authorized; and
• Obtaining Missouri consumers' credit card account numbers without obtaining written authorization from the consumer.

For more information about slamming or to file a complaint, go to www.ago.mo.gov or contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-392-8222.

Learn how to protect yourself against slamming and cramming.

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