Committee for Skeptical Inquiry

[Barry Karr <SkeptInq@aol.com>]

 Better Business Bureau Reports on Florida Psychic Hotline

 The Buffalo, NY, Better Business Bureau (a US consumer advocacy
 organization) issued the following press release on February 27 regarding
 more than a thousand complaints of bogus phone charges from "Miss Cleo's"
 Florida-based psychic hotline--which has become moderately famous through a
 series of evening and latenight infomercials broadcast nationwide:

 [Buffalo, NY] February 27, 2001 - The Better Business Bureau is receiving
 calls from area consumers regarding Miss Cleo from "Mind & Spirit", a dba
 for Access Resource Services, 1007 N Federal Highway, # 272, Ft. Lauderdale,
 Florida. Miss Cleo is offering "free" psychic readings by calling one of
 several 800 numbers. Each number then refers callers to a 900 number.

 According to information supplied by nearly 1200 consumer complaints filed
 at the Florida BBB, the consumer alleges that Access Resource Services is
 sending past due notices for services rendered for calls made to a 900
 number for psychic information. Consumers are informing us that either they
 did not make the calls or hung up before charges should have been incurred.

 Our file experience shows that this company has an unsatisfactory record.
 Specifically, our records show a pattern of no response to customer
 complaints brought it its attention by the Bureau and a failure to eliminate
 the basic cause of customer complaints. Complaints that have been responded
 to by Access Resource's attorney state that the complainant has been
 credited for all amounts billed, the complainant's name has been removed
 from all mailing lists and the company will not pursue collection efforts.

 On November 1, 2000, The Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General filed
 suit against Access Resource Services Inc. for violations of the
 Pennsylvania's Consumer Protection Law, Debt Regulations, Telemarketing
 Registration Act and the Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act. The suit
 alleges that defendants falsely promised callers placed on hold that they
 would not be charged for the time they waited to be connected to a psychic
 reader; that consumers were connected to a pay per call line without their
 knowledge; falsely promised certain caller that they were entitled to free
 gifts and additional free time with a psychic; and told consumers to call a
 900 number for a free reading, then informed them that if they hung up they
 would be billed for the call, including the free reading. The lawsuit seeks
 consumer refunds, permanent injunctions, civil penalties, forfeiture of all
 profits derived by the defendants as a result of their alleged illegal
 business practices, and payment of the Commonwealth's investigation costs.
 The case is pending.

 "According to Federal regulations, any consumer finding billing errors can
 call the number on your telephone bill listed with the 900 charges within 60
 days of receiving the bill. Oral notification is sufficient to begin a
 billing review and payment of disputed 900 service charges is not required
 during the review period. No action to collect disputed 900 charges should
 be taken during the review period," says Warren King, manager of the BBB.
 "Written acknowledgement of your dispute must be provided to you within 40
 days of receiving your notice if the error has not been corrected or the
 billing review is not completed. The billing review must be completed within
 90 days and an explanation must be provided to you if the bill was correct
 or the error must be corrected."

 If you continue to have problems, consumers can file a complaint online at
 www.buffalo.bbb.org <http://www.syracuse.bbb.org> or with the Federal Trade
 Commission by calling 877-987-3728.

 ###

 If you know of a friend or relative in Pennsylvania who has been billed for
 possibly bogus charges from Access Resource Services, Inc., you might want
 to put them in touch with the Pennsylvania Attorney General:

 Address:
 Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Mailing Address:
 16th Floor, Strawberry Square
 Harrisburg, PA 17120

 Phone:
 717-787-3391
 For the appropriate e-mail contacts go to:
 http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/contact/index.cfm