The Chinese Association for Science and Technology (Midwest, USA), hereinafter referred to as CAST, is a non-profit tax-exempt organization. In, 1992, CAST was founded in Colorado. It has now evolved into a 509(a)(1) organization under the Internal Revenue Code and is sponsoring International Exchange Programs for the United State Department of States. We have an office in Beijing and therefore requires frequent telephone communication with our staff and clients in China.
On Dec. 20, 2006 through a telesales CAST paid $ 299.24 with AMEX business card to get iTalkbb’s iTalkBB Global Unlimited Plan (12 months and Get 2 months FREE) . CAST was supposed to get services below as iTalkbb web site show:
Unlimited local and long distance calls to 20+ countries and regions in the world
Unlimited incoming calls from China to your assigned China phone number
Free unlimited phone calls among global iTalkBB users
No additional tax and fees
And:
Free Advanced Features:
China Phone Number
Caller ID
Call Waiting
Call Forwarding
3-way Calling
There was no paper contract signed between iTalkBB and CAST. Also there was no authorization to charge CAST’s AMEX card other than the initial charge for one year of long distance service to China and other international countries. However, in the beginning months of iTalkBB telephone service, CAST received three un-authorized charges on our American Express business card from iTalkBB (They were: $24.55@01/03/07; $24.95@04/02/07 & $20.59@05/14/07). Since May of 2007, CAST requested AMEX to temporally dispute the un-authorized charges.
During the investigation of AMEX, Since 06/03/07 iTalkBB started block all phone services to CAST for which CAST already paid $299.24( iTalkBB Global Unlimited Plan for 12 months and Get 2 months FREE). As a result, CAST Denver Office lost its ability to make any local, domestic long distance and International phone calls. CAST contacted iTalkBB many times and finally understand that extra charges were for calling to England cell phones, which were not included in iTalkBB’s global unlimited plan, but CAST was never made aware of this during the telesales or any literature or conditions provided by iTalkBB. There was no literature or electronic notice provided to us by iTalkBB which will indicate this extra condition, unlike information provided by regular phone service companies. Even under this unfair practice by iTalkBB, CAST called AMEX and agreed to pay back the three extra charge. On 08/03/07, one of their billing persons Vicky Chen at iTalkBB informed us that once CAST paid by check one of the payments of $20.99 iTalkBB will restore all services back for CAST. CAST immediately sent the check to iTalkBB. However, CAST’s phone service was still blocked.
On 12/04/07 CAST contacted iTalkBB to first to restore full phone service and compensate for all of business damage they have caused to our business; CAST will then pay the 2 other individual extra charges for calling England. iTalkBB only email us without any responsible person’s signature and attached a Authorization of Charge Form (see attachment). iTalkBB returned full service briefly on December 12, 2007 and force CAST to fill out form in three days without any guarantee of pay back the business damage they caused. iTalkBB threatened CAST that if the can’t receive the Authorization of Charge Form in three days they will block the service. As of today the service is still blocked. Since CAST acquired iTalkBB’s service we have been without our phone service for more than half of the time. From 06/03/07 until now CAST have not been served as we paid $299.24 on 12/20/2006.
We strongly request iTlakbb :
1、 Restore all of the service included in iTalkBB Global Unlimited Plan
2、 Recover all of service blocked time since June 6, 2007 until now
3、 Cover the business damage cost by iTalkBB Global Unlimited Plan service been blocked example CAST has to have another local company’s service cover our local calls and pay many phone calling cards to make international calls.
Attachment:
Subject: About the charge
Date: 12/4/2007 6:49:59 P.M. Mountain Standard Time
From: support@italkbb.com
To: yb9160@aol.com
iTalk BB Customer Care
Dear Yingbei Wang,
Per your request,we give you a written explain about the charge.We need to charge $49.5 before resume the service.Please excuse me for trouble you to unabridged fill in the authorization of charge form and fax it .When we receive your authorization ,we will resume your service .After we resume your service ,you can call our service department (Telephone number :1-877-482-5503),then they will apply some credit for you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our customer support at 1-877-iTalkBB (1-877-482-5503) or send email to: support@italkbb.com
Thanks!
Have a nice day!
Sincerely,
iTalk BB Support
After we fill complain to F.C.C. and called few times. Finally we receive a phone call from a person Bill Zhao who is a representative of iTalk BB (512-637-1469) last month. When we asked that iTalk BB has to restore service first. The conversation end in unpleased. Then yesterday we received a letter from Steve Collins of SKO-BRENNER-AMERICAN （PO Box 9320， 841 Merrick Rd, Baldwin, NY 11510 Phone:516 771-4400 Ext:223 email: steve@skobrenner.com）. As a big sock Steve is on behalf of iTalk BB to asked CAST pay $ 159.47 even without to restore all of service iTalk BB own CAST.
We had service from many phone companies as AT & T, Qwest, Springs, but no one of them could charge consumer without agreement like italk BB. Non of any business in US could be charge consumer without a good service.
Read Next Complaint >>
