Santa Ana Firm Named in Slamming Suit
US West Inc. has filed suit accusing five companies, including a Santa Ana business, of illegally switching customers’ long-distance telephone service and falsely claiming connections to the Baby Bell.
The lawsuits, filed last week in U.S. District Court, are a sign that US West is stepping up pressure to stop the switching practice, which is called “slamming.”
“Twentieth century snake oil salesmen is what they are,” US West spokesman Jerry Brown said Tuesday, referring to representatives of companies that slam customers.
“We’ve really seen a proliferation of that kind of company,” he said. “The way to stop them is to go after them.”
The lawsuits alleged the five companies used US West’s trademark to persuade customers to switch long-distance companies when the customers believed they were signing up for a simplified billing program.
US West officials contended the companies violated state and federal laws, and asked for a court injunction to halt the practices.
They also asked that the companies be forced to reimburse customers for unauthorized long-distance charges and to pay unspecified damages.
The defendants include Santa Ana-based Least Cost Routing Inc., doing business as Long Distance Charges Inc., and Business Discount Plan Inc. of Long Beach.
There was no answer at a telephone number for Business Discount Plan and the telephone listing for Long Distance Charges was disconnected.
The suit also named Inmark Inc., doing business as Preferred Billing Inc. of St. Paul, Minn.; Vista Group International Inc., doing business as Vista Communications of Westlake, Ohio; and Long Distance Consolidated Billing Co. of Franklin, Mich.
US West officials said slamming is their top customer complaint. It estimates that nearly 750,000 customers have been switched illegally in the past two years.
US West has filed similar lawsuits against long-distance service resellers in Washington and Wyoming.
A federal judge in Spokane, Wash., recently issued an injunction to prevent One Step Billing Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla., from using US West trademarks in solicitation.
Several customers have joined US West in the lawsuits filed in Denver, including some residential communities in Arizona and Colorado.
