Scenario: You notice that your phone bill is four times higher than usual and you don't recognize the name of the company on the bill.
Scam: Your service has been switched, but you never agreed to leave your original carrier.

	"Slamming" is when your phone service is changed from your regular provider to another company without your knowledge or consent.
	While long-distance service is the most common target of slamming, your local phone service may be slammed if there is local competition in your area.
	To slam you, all a crook needs is your business name and phone number. The fraudulent company then notifies your local phone company, which performs the switching, that you have agreed to the change.
	Sometimes slammers create phony verification that customers agreed to switch. One ploy is to pose as your regular local or long-distance phone company and ask if you are satisfied with your service, if you want to take advantage of a new discount plan, or if you'd like to consolidate your telephone bills. Your "yes" answer is tape-recorded and used as proof that you agreed.
	If a caller claims to be from your telephone company, don't provide any information or agree to anything in writing. Get the person's name and number, and then call your phone company to confirm that the caller and the purpose of the call are legitimate.
	Contest entry forms, product coupons and other promotional offers are also used to slam businesses. Read the fine print carefully to make sure you aren't unwittingly agreeing to switch your phone service.
	Don't return calls to numbers on your pager or answering machine that you don't recognize. You could be dialing a number that results in switching your phone service without realizing it.
	Educate your employees about slamming and designate specific personnel to handle all matters relating to your phone service.
	The person responsible for paying your phone bill should know what services you have and who provides them.
	Check your phone bill carefully. Often the first clue that you have been slammed is the fact that the rates are much higher than usual. If you notice a new company name, call the number listed on that portion of the bill to ask for an explanation.
	If you've been slammed, notify your local phone company and ask to be switched back to the original carrier with no "change fee." Also contact your original carrier to find out about your rights and how you can be reinstated in your previous calling plan.
	Ask your local telephone company about "freezing" your phone service to prevent it from being switched unless you confirm directly that you've agreed to change.
	Report slamming to law enforcement authorities.

If you need advice about a solicitation or you want to report a possible scam, call the NFIC hotline at 1-800-876-7060. You can also ask questions or report fraud using our online forms.

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