FBI Seeks WorldCom Information

The FBI issued a plea Tuesday for anyone with knowledge of improper call routing by WorldCom Inc. to contact the agency, which is taking part in a federal probe of the long-distance carrier.

In a brief statement, the FBI said it had conducted “numerous interviews” on allegations that WorldCom -- which plans to change its name to MCI -- had redirected calls to avoid paying high access fees.

Competing phone companies have accused WorldCom of improperly shifting calls onto their lines, even into Canada, to avoid paying expensive access fees to the local carriers that eventually handle long-distance calls.

AT&T; Corp. last week went so far as to accuse WorldCom of compromising national security by diverting calls placed by the Defense Department, Army and Navy into Canada.

WorldCom has vigorously denied the charges, characterizing them as a ploy to thwart its plan to emerge from bankruptcy protection.