FCC Plans $9 Million Fine Against GPSPS for Illegally Billing Customers and Switching Their Phone Companies

The Federal Communications Commission plans to fine GPSPS, Inc., an Atlanta (GA) telephone company, $9,065,000 for allegedly switching consumers’ long distance telephone services without their authorization (“slamming”), billing customers for unauthorized charges (“cramming”), and submitting falsified evidence to government regulatory officials as "proof” that consumers had authorized the company to switch their long distance providers.

“Consumers should not have to wrestle with multi-page phone bills loaded with bogus charges,” said Travis LeBlanc, Chief of the Enforcement Bureau. “The FCC will hold companies accountable who prey on consumers by switching their telephone carriers and placing charges on their telephone bills without authorization.” The FCC charged GPSPS with willfully and repeatedly placing unauthorized charges on consumers’ local telephone bills, switching consumers’ preferred long distance carrier without verified authorization, and submitting fabricated audio “verification” recordings in an effort to mislead the Commission, all in apparent violation of the Communications Act and FCC rules.