The Federal Trade Commission's 1-900 Number Rule took the guesswork out of these calls by requiring certain information in ads & preambles for 1-900 number services. One also has protections under the Federal Communication Commission's own 1-900 Number Rule that governs the practices of telephone companies.

Before making a 1-900 number call, one needs to know how much the call will cost, what he will get for his money & what will happen if he has a billing dispute.

1-900 Number Ads

All print, radio & television advertisements for 1-900 number services must include:

- The total cost of the call if there's a flat fee.
 
- The per-minute rate if the minute, as well as any minimum charge the call. If the length of the program is known in advance, the ad also must state the total cost of the complete program;

- The range of fees if there are different rates for different options. The ad also must state the initial cost of the call & any minimum charges.
 
- The cost of any other 1-900 numbers to which one may be transferred.

-  Any other fees the service might charge.
 
This information can't be hidden in small print: The cost of the call must be next to the 1-900 number & printed in a size that's at least half the size of the 1-900 number. In a television ad, an audio cost disclosure must also be made.

One Should Hear First

When one dial a 1-900 number that costs more than $2, he should hear an introductory message or "preamble." He can't be charged for this message. It must briefly describe the service, the name of the company providing the service & the cost of the call. It also must state that anyone under age 18 needs parental permission to complete the call. Once this information is provided, he must be given three seconds to hang up without incurring a charge.

Exceptions to the Rule

The 1-900 Number Rule does not apply if one has a pre-existing contractual agreement with an information service. Be very careful about entering such an arrangement. If he does, his calls to the service & resulting bills will not be subject to the Rule's requirements.

The Rule also excludes calls charged to a credit card. However, the bills for such calls would be covered by the dispute resolution procedures of the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Disputes And Billing Errors

Under FCC regulations, the phone company cannot disconnect one’s regular local or long-distance service if he doesn't pay a 1-900 number charge. However, he could be blocked from making future calls to 1-900 numbers if he doesn't pay legitimate 1-900 number charges.

The 1-900 Number Rule has procedures for resolving billing disputes. Always check his telephone bill for 1-900 number charges. For each 1-900 call, his statement should include the date, time & for services that have per-minute rates, the length of the call. These charges must appear separately from local & long distance charges. His statement also must include a local or toll-free number for questions about his pay-per-call charges.

If one finds an error on his bill, follow the instructions on his statement. They will tell him who to call or write to dispute the charge. In most cases, it will be his local or long-distance telephone company, but it could be the 1-900 number companies or an independent firm that provides billing services for that company.

He must notify the company listed on his bill within 60 days from the date the first statement containing the error was sent. The company must acknowledge his notice in writing within 40 days unless it has resolved the dispute by that time. Within two billing cycles, but no longer than 90 days, the company must:

Correct the billing error and notify him of the correction, or investigate the matter & either correct the error or explain the reason for not doing so.
A company cannot charge him to investigate or respond to a billing dispute. No one can try to collect the disputed charge from him or report it to a credit bureau — until the company handling the dispute either has corrected the error or explained its reason for not doing so. Companies that don't comply with these rules lose their right to collect up to $50 of each disputed charge.

However, even if the 1-900 number charges are removed from his bill, the service provider might pursue the charge some other way, such as through a collection agency. Hence he has additional rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Federal Programs and Sweepstakes

The Rule requires ads for sweepstakes to state the odds of winning or how odds will be calculated. And Rule also covers 1-900 number services that promote sweepstakes or offer information about government programs. For example, some services offer the chance to enter a sweepstakes & win a prize simply by dialing a 1-900 number & in some cases, entering a code.

In addition, the ad or preamble must tell him there's a free way to enter the sweepstakes, how to enter, or how to get that information. He shouldn't have to call & incur a charge to enter. This provision doesn't apply to contests where he has to demonstrate a skill, such as answer a question correctly.

Other 1-900 numbers provide information about federal programs even though they're not affiliated with a government agency. This could mislead some consumers. Under the Rule, the ad and preamble must state that such services are not authorized, endorsed, or approved by a federal agency.

Children

Under the FTC 1-900 Number Rule, companies are prohibited from advertising or offering pay-per-call services to children under age 12, unless the services are truly educational in nature. The Rule essentially prohibits companies from promoting 1-900 numbers to young children. Some companies have promoted 1-900 numbers to children, encouraging them to pick up the phone to talk to a cartoon character.

If ads are directed to young people under age 18, they must state that parental permission is required to make the call. Preambles for all 1-900 number services must contain that statement.

Toll-Free Numbers

The Rule generally prohibits:
- Using 800, 888, or other toll-free numbers for pay-per-call services, unless one has a pre-existing agreement with the company or he charges the call to a credit card;
- Connecting him directly from an 800, 888, or other toll-free number to a 1-900 number;
- And lastly collect call back if he has dialed an 800, 888, or other toll-free number.  

Collect Calls With FCC Rules

Under FCC regulations, pay-per-call services can't make collect calls to anyone if the charge would be more than or in addition to the regular long distance charge for the call. Services that don't impose this additional charge can call collect. However, he can't be charged for the call unless he has clearly indicated that he'll accept the charge.

Tips for Avoiding 1-900 Number Problems

Scams involving 1-900 numbers are constantly changing. To help protect own self:

Don't confuse 1-900 numbers with 800 or 888 numbers.

One pays for a 1-900 number call. The company pays for most 800, 888, or other toll-free number calls.

Only Dealing with reputable companies.

Some companies or organizations sponsor 1-900 number services for opinion surveys, information, entertainment or other services. Before one’s call a 1-900 number, be sure he understands the cost of the call & the nature of the information or service he'll receive.

Think twice before calling a 1-900 number for a "free" gift.

Television ads, postcards & telemarketers may urge one to call a 1-900 number to get a "free" prize. But he pays for the so-called free gift by making the 1-900 number calls. The provider of the service usually makes money on a per-minute basis, so there's an incentive to keep him on the line.  

Talk with the children.

Make sure they understand they shouldn’t call 1-900 numbers without his permission. He can have the phone company block 1-900 number calls from his phone. The FCC requires local phone companies to make blocking available where technically feasible for a "reasonable" fee. However, any subscriber with a new number can request free blocking within 60 days after service begins.