Mobile Cramming Roundtable

Federal Trade Commission
May 8, 2013
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2013/03/mobilecramming.shtm

The Federal Trade Commission will host a roundtable on May 8, 2013, in Washington, D.C., to examine unauthorized third-party charges on mobile phone bills – a practice known as mobile cramming. The roundtable will bring together consumer advocates, industry representatives, and government regulators to explore various issues, including how mobile cramming occurs and how to protect consumers from this practice.

Agenda

8:30 Registration

9:00 Introduction:
Stephanie Rosenthal, Chief of Staff, FTC Division of Financial Practices

Welcoming Remarks:
Maureen Ohlhausen, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

9:15 Panel 1: Understanding Third-Party Billing and Mobile Cramming

Moderators:

  • Larissa Bungo, Assistant Regional Director, FTC East Central Region
  • Andrew Schlossberg, Mobile Program Specialist, FTC Mobile Technology Unit

Panelists:

  • Mike Altschul, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, CTIA
  • John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud, National Consumers League
  • Larry Bryenton, Strategic Policy Advisor and Major Case Director, Competition Bureau, Canada
  • Jim Greenwell, CEO and President, BilltoMobile
  • Jim Manis, Founder and CEO, Mobile Giving Foundation
  • Kate Whelley McCabe, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Vermont Attorney General

10:30 Break

10:45 Panel 2: Current Strategies to Reduce Mobile Cramming

Moderators:

  • Russell Deitch, Staff Attorney, FTC Division of Marketing Practices
  • Duane Pozza, Staff Attorney, FTC Division of Financial Practices

Panelists:

  • Jim Chilsen, Director of Communications, Citizens Utility Board
  • Cara Frey, General Counsel, Mobile Marketing Association
  • Derek Halliday, Senior Security Project Manager, Lookout Mobile Security
  • John Bruner, Chief Operating Officer, Aegis Mobile
  • Paul Singer, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Texas Attorney General
  • Chris Witteman, Senior Staff Counsel, California Public Utilities Commission [by phone]

12:15 Lunch

1:30 Panel 3: Other Possible Strategies to Address Mobile Cramming

Moderators:

  • Malini Mithal, Assistant Director, FTC Division of Financial Practices
  • Jim Trilling, Staff Attorney, FTC Division of Advertising Practices

Panelists:

  • Mike Altschul, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, CTIA
  • Dave Asheim, President and CEO, Give by Cell
  • Delara Derakhshani, Policy Counsel, Consumers Union
  • Lynn Follansbee, Attorney-Advisor, Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, FCC
  • Martine Niejadlik, Compliance Officer and Vice President of Support, Boku
  • Alan Sege, Chief Strategy Officer, m-Qube, Inc.
  • Melanie Tiano, Investigative Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation

2:45 Closing Remarks:
Jessica Rich Associate Director, FTC Division of Financial Practices

This roundtable will expand upon previous Commission initiatives, including its 2012 mobile payments workshop, its 2011 landline cramming forum, and its more than 30 law enforcement actions against parties involved in landline cramming. Today, the Commission staff is releasing the report from its mobile payments workshop, which calls for further study of mobile crammning.

The FTC invites the public to submit original research, recommendations for topics of discussion and requests to participate as panelists. The FTC also invites those interested to submit comments on any of the following topics:

  • What is the process for placing a third-party charge on a mobile phone bill? What types of companies are involved?
  • Does the ability to place third-party charges on a mobile phone bill have beneficial uses? How is this process used for charitable donations? Do unbanked or underbanked populations pay for products or services through their mobile phone bills?
  • How do the issues associated with mobile cramming differ from the issues associated with landline cramming?
  • What current protections exist to protect consumers from mobile cramming? Are these protections effective? How can they be improved?
  • What parties are best equipped to prevent mobile cramming? What additional strategies would be most effective in preventing and/or remedying mobile cramming?
  • How prevalent are third-party charges on mobile phone bills, both authorized and not, in other countries? How have international counterparts addressed consumer protection issues in this area, including mobile cramming?
  • What steps should government and industry members take to protect consumers from mobile cramming?

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