It's called cramming. Mysterious third party charges show up on your phone bill for a service you never wanted or used.
An Eyewitness News viewer was surprised by her recent AT&T cell phone bill. It showed a $9.99 charge for a subscription to a text messaging service she never asked for.
The company that offers the service is called Jawa and its business tactics have been the subject of debate. Last month, Jawa settled a lawsuit with Verizon over deceptive billing practices. AT&T has had concerns as well.
A spokesman says for the past year AT&T hasn't allowed Jawa to market its products or acquire new customers. AT&T says customers can get full refunds.
FactFinder 12 tried several times to reach someone with Jawa and never received a call back.
The Arizona-based company's website says: "Jawa is proud to have always had a no questions asked full refund policy." There's also a toll free number to call.
Fraud experts say phone companies should work with customers to get the charges eliminated. Customers may also request their provider block third party billing.
Experts advise smartphone users be cautious if calling 900 numbers, visiting unsecured websites or entering contests.
