Legacy Inmate Communications review: Ridiculously charged from legacy ld intl! 54

The same thing happened to me -
I got charged $31.09 for a five minute collect call from my boyfriend at a pay phone from Legacy LD INTL. These guys are definitely thieves and need to be shut down!

We got taken too by Legacy LD INTL! Two 5 min calls from our son in Tx to us in Ar. = $55.64!

How do these people stay in business?

We no longer accept collect calls from anyone!

I couldn't believe the charges that were on my Check Card the next day. I was at the airport (JFK and Laguardia) trying to reach my family who needed to know I missed my flight. The pay phone showed that it chrged $1 for 5 minutes. OK, no problem. I used my card and it charged me $11+ and I didn't even reach my family. I did leave messages, but I was on the phone for a total of 30 seconds. I called all 3 of my kids and my wife a couple times to reach one of them. It charged me over $80 total. I then called my father, whom I reached, it charged me over $12 for the 5 minutes. I'm really mad, too, because this was my check Card and it made me get overdrawn, with charges. I haven't called the company, they will probably charge me to talk to them. Get rid of the gougers!

The same thing happened to me I made a less than 30 minute call using my check card across the state and was charged $57.74. They are thieves!

The same thing happened to me and I am FIGHTING it! You should, too, we need to bring this company down! I made a total of six calls, all under 2 minutes, to Canada from the Newark International Airport while my connecting flight was delayed for 29 hours. I used my credit card because I had no American cash and Legacy charged me $68.88 for what should have be 6 $1.50 calls. NO WHERE was it posted that long distance rates differed if a credit card was used.

I am filing complaints with the Federal Communications Commission and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and filing a report with my credit card company instructing them NOT TO PAY Legacy and to fight the charges. These are extortionate rates and they should not be able to charge an uninformed consumer such fees; it's robbery.

Yeah I got charged $32.55 each for two different 5 min calls within the same county and $13.30 for another 5 min call within the same county (Los Angeles county to Los angelese county). The 1st two average approximately $6.51 a min and the last one approximately $2.66 a min all for a los angelese county to los angeles county collect call. What can I do but pay, but I intend to file a complaint with the state attorney general, the FCC and the public utilities commission. How the government allows this company to stay in business is beyond me.

I agree. Made the mistake of using a payphone at Miami airport. Again, no listing of rates and impossible to get an operator on the phone. I got through to an answering machine and hung up. My credit card got charged $8.50 for that 30 second call. The company [protected]) was unapologetic. They did say that charges could be disputed by sending: a copy of the charge, a covernote with attention to the billing department, and a description of the incident to either fax [protected] or address: 10833 Valleyview St., Suite 150, Cypress, CA 90630. I'm pretty confident it'll do no good however.

Another company to be wary of is VZ (also works with payphones at airports, etc). This is a branch of ILD Telecommunications which is part of Verizon Select, according to the customer service rep I talked to. This company charged me $9.02 for a 2 minute call ($25.46 for a 16min call) and said this included a rate of 1.05/min plus a 4.99 charge for using the automated system (she couldn't tell me exactly what this meant) and $.95 to 2.67 for federal taxes. Interestingly, the cust service rep continued to say that the owner of the payphone was responsible for setting these rates and that she was unable to tell me what part of that charge went to VZ as profit.

Apparently pay phone owners can set their rates and are not required to disclose fees which seems to be a big hole in federal regulation. I think filing reports with the FCC is a great idea.

I have been charged almost $4.oo a minute for a collect call when my wife forgot her cell phone. I called them and they assured me that the rate was correct. I asked them if they had a monopoly on the pay phones in the area and their response was, "Yeah, we pretty much run them all"! I told him that going through the trouble of smoke signals would be worth more to me than paying them a dime. I've noticed nothing but complaints against them since I've started doing research on this company. Someone needs to stop them.

I accepted an emergency collect call from my son at 9:01PM July 26, 2007. An operator announced the call and asked if I would accept the charges, I said "yes". I just looked at my bill and found I had been charged $71.00 by these shysters and an additional $11.00+ in taxes. Perhaps they haven't been shut-down because of the lucrative tax revenue they are generating for our government.

The call originated in California to my location in Nevada. I am going to write complaint letters to ATT, the PUC, CPUC, NPUC (if there is such a thing) as well as to the Attorney General's of both states, the BBB and every consumer advocate I can find. These crooks need to be regulated. I expected an operator connect fee and reasonable long distance rates. $71.00 for a collect call from 500 miles away is NOT REASONABLE.

Well, it seems like I'm not the only one, but I was wondering if anyone knows what to do besides mailing letters, I mean has anyone gotten anything done someway or another, I made two phone calls from my college to my mother asking her to pick me up, we were in the same area code, my call was 10 seconds, "hey mom , can you pick me up" and I hung up, she took a while so I called again just to make sure, and that one was 15 seconds. We just received a bill from at&t with a charge of 20 dollars for 5 minutes. For twenty dollars I could have called a cab.

I've just been screwed by Legacy International since the government can regulate everything else in our, lives they should be able to hold this type of scam in check.

I strongly agree. I just got screwed out of $12.00 for a 3 minute call - in the same area code. Big time scammers!

I worried about all the credit card numbers that Legacy LD is in possesssion of now? Could someone tell us about the risks of a possible illegal use of them? Sucker n° [protected].

In August 07 I was charged $ 70.54 for collect calls on my AT&T phone bill from ZPDI, Legacy LD Intl, Inc. and again in Sept. 07 charged another $70.35 each time for 2 collect calls on each bill that I did not accept first of all I called back the one number and spoke to the party with one of the four phone numbers in question, she didnt know me or my number and I didnt know her, she said they never make collect calls, the other numbers that were from August 07 I called those numbers and its a FAX LINE, well how could I have accepted a FAX line collect? I have read the other complaints and I agree with them all, This rip off company is making big money on our phone bills. How can I get a refund of $ 140.00 that are not my charges? please advise asap I AM REALLY MAD ! WE GET RIPPED OFF ENOUGH IN THIS WORLD I AM TIRED OF IT. Karen in San Antonio, TX. thanks for listening and please reply soon .

I am SO angry. I made a less than five minute call from about two miles from my home in an emergency situation and the chage was over $25!
I called and the person on the phone was SO rude and simply said "the charge will appear on your bill until you pay it." When I asked for a supervisor, she just put me on his voice mail. I, too, am filing a complaint. I don't mind paying for the call. I don't mind paying more than a regular call. I DO mind being ripped off.

February 2008 - They are still at it.
A California friend's cell phone went out on a call to me in December, and he went to a nearby payphone to explain. Had to call collect, because the service wouldn't accept his calling cards. I agreed to accept.

When the bill came in, with my AT&T bill, it was $36 for 5 min.
I paid it, although I thought it was outrageous. My friend reimbursed me, and we agreed never to call collect again.
In February, my bill showed a 33 min. call from the SAME pay phone #, to the tune of $67. That call was never made nor received, and I know this because I was not at home that day. A close friend had died. And who would call from a cell phone for 33 minutes? I called to protest, and after a 30 minute runaround, was told that I would not have been billed if someone at my home (NO ONE HOME!) had not accepted the call in my name. (IT DID NOT HAPPEN.) He argued with me and then said if I didn't pay the charge in 60 days, they would cut off my service. I said, "Just you try." I have contacted AT&T with all information. I will follow with a letter & other documentation. This outfit is crooked. I believe they just duplicated the information from the first call and ran up the charges. Who can do something about these crooks?

On my last comment, I meant "who would call from a PAY phone for 33 minutes?" Sorry.

03/12/2008
I have charges of $17.00 for a 5 minute call (=$3.40/minute) on my ATT bill.

Yes, I did make the call. I called from a payphone using the "0=Operator" and asked for the call to be billed to my home phone. The payphone was 2-3 miles from my home.

Of course I am shocked by the billed amount.

I called the number listed [Questions? [protected] which was for Zero Plus Dialing]. Their automated system transfered me to [protected] which I found on my phone bill listed: Billed on Behalf of LEGACY LD INTL, INC.

Upon calling LEGACY LD INTL, INC, their automated system transfered me to a employee (I do not think he deserves to be called a "man") named Brandon. I questioned the amount billed, why $17 for 5 minutes? He stated that it was for a call which I authorized. I told him I agreed that I asked for the call to be billed to my home phone, and that I wanted to know why the charge was so high. He told me that is the charge period. I stated that $3.40 per minute was extremely high. I asked why they would charge so much. He stated that he does not have to tell me why. Upon further questioning, he told me that since I do not own the company, then I do not have any right to know why they charge what they do (I am putting this is polite terms, which is not the verbage that he used). I then asked if he owned the company and was told that was not my business. I asked for his supervisor, and he said that he was the supv of the department. I asked for the supv of the dept above his, and he told me to call back and that I would get transferred to him again and we can do this all over again and he can tell me the same thing. I told him I thought he was unprofessional and rude. Basically, he didn't care. He continued to tell me that since I am not the owner, then I have no need to know anything other than to pay the bill.

I hung up and called Zero Plus Dialing back, this time not entering my phone # so that I would get a person instead of being transferred. When I finally got someone, she kept trying to transfer me, stating that they only handle the billing for Legacy. I explained the situation again, and she told me to hold on. I soon realized that she was transferring me to Legacy again, but I thought she was on the line, as options were being entered (not by me) into the automated system. When someone finally answered, I waited for the Zero Plus Dialing rep to speak, and then realized that she had ditched me!

I told the rep I wanted to file a complaint against the supv Brandon that I had spoken to. She transferred me to someone who sounded just like Brandon, but gave a different name. I was not asked any particulars about my complaint, and was not offered any help in resolving my problem. I was given a FAX number [protected]) to send my complaint to. I asked who that would be going to and was told the Billing Department. I asked for a name to address it to and was given the name Luis Garcia. I was told that he was the Supv. of Billing. Needless to say, I really didn't think he was being very sincere.

I intend to file a complaint with ATT as well and dispute the charges. I will post later with the outcome.

If anyone else has had problems with them, or has info on what agencies to contact, please post.

Thanks!

I just received my AT&T bill and I had a $44 dollar charge for a collect call my boyfriend made to me. I specifically remember the call, the date and the time and the call lasted no more than 2 minutes. My bill stated the call was for 41 minutes (which is only 39 minutes wrong!). I called Legacy first and I got the same thing..a rude jerk! I asked how I file a dispute and he said there are no disputes and before I could even say anything else, he said, "and don't ask to speak to anyone because there is no one else for you to speak to!". He said you talked for 41 minutes and you will be billed for it! I told him then I guess your telling me that I'm crazy and I don't know the difference between 2 minutes and 41! I just hung up, called AT & T and they removed it off my bill, that they were going to kick it back to Legacy, but told me that Legacy will probably send a separate bill. I wish I had more answers, I am going to use the fax number someone posted above and file a complaint with Legacy but this is just nuts!

Attorney looking for unauthorized or improper telephone billing against Zero Plus, Legacy Lond Distance or Firstcharge Financial- Attorney looking for Class Action participants for claims for unauthorized or improper billing, including charges for time that exceeded actual usage. Please reply to LEGACYCLASSACTION@YAHOO.com

My daughter locked my keys in the car and I tried to call my mom to bring my spare key. I basicly received a charge from Legacy International for a call that no one answered. I was told that they charge for ringing the phone even if no one answered. I called the Public Utiilities Commision of Texas, what a joke, they said that companies can charge or not charge if they choose and that they don't have to inform me either way. So basically the government allows us to get screwed. A prime examples would be these gas prices.

Not happy at all!

+1
Apr 23, 2008 LEGACY's collect call from my girl friend (NY->ON).
During accepting a call the Operator announced me the price 1.12$ per min. We talked for 10 min. Now I received a bill for 36.37$, which is 3 times over announced rate.

+2
here:

I received at $28.05 bill from Legacy LD Intl, Inc on my AT&T monthly bill. They would not help in any manner except to dispute the charge with Legacy. In 90 days this will re-appear. I also talked to the Legacy rep about the charge and he basically told me there was nothing to be done but pay the bill.
These people are ripping of telephone customers and the phone companies are assisting them. The worst part of the whole thing is that the phone line in question is for my mother who is in a nursing home.

I was charged $666.63 on my phone bill from accepting collect calls from a payphone at a halfway house 20 minutes from me! If he calls me from the same payphone using quarters, it is only 50 cents for every ten minutes, and was told this would be the same rate for a collect call. Well, after only 300 mintues, and an almost 700 dollar bill i am very confused. They don't even charge the same rate every phone call which is confusing to me, and there is no option to check to see how much it costs before you accept the call. I called verizon and they had the charges removed and told me to tell LLD to send me a seperate bill. Then LLD said this is not possible but they would help me out by taking off 40% like they were doing me a favor or something. Well since verizon blocked them off of my account, i am not paying any bills unless i get a fair discount, and am told by LLD why they charged me over 1.60 per minute!

I just received a bill from my local carrier; ZPDI charged me $21.89 for a 7-minute phone call. My mom was stuck in the airport with no cell (her mother had just passed away) and she called me to let me know that her flight was delayed. I of course accepted her collect call, but I was very upset to see the charge, $22 for a 7-minute call. This company should be put out of business. Why isn't the FCC putting companies like these out of business? Does anyone know who I can make a formal complaint to? They should be ashamed of themselves. And why does Phoenix International Airport allow their pay phones in their airport?

This company is evil inc. I must have gotten the same BRANDON guy who told me that he didn't have a supervisor, I had to pay otherwise my phone would be shut off and was so rude I could have slapped him through the phone if I could.
Now what I did was call back ATT or your local carrier and complain! Then ATT took the charge off my phone bill. They said that when you fill out (or anybody ) fills out some innocuous data mining games or sweepstakes they have on the internet that gives them your phone number and they sign you up for their services. Now I don't know if that is true or what all I know is I got the money taken off my bill.
I think we should all get together with the local news station and also check out www.mediamatters.org or www.freepress.org to come together as an activist group. The phone companies need to sanction these theives but let us be clear the BIGGEST THIEVES ARE THE THE WHITE HOUSE.
www.informationclearinghouse.info go there for the news along with www.democracynow.org and keep the faith!

I looked up the company and apparently they have phones at airports and jails in order to prey on people who are in an emergency. My buddy called to get bailed out and the 1 minute conversation cost me $15. I called them to complain and they said that the automated voice explains their rates before you put in your credit card # which never happen. I filed a complaint with the BBB and Legacy called me and said they need my credit card number to resolve the issue and the only way to address the issue is by giving my credit card number. When I wouldn't give it to them they said "'ok ill just tell the BBB that you were uncooperative so we can't do anything about it" I told them that my complaint is there way of doing business in general and they did not need my credit card # so they can rob me again. So apparently they can continue robbing people.

On my Verizon bill, Legacy billed me $262.88 for five 3rd party calls ranging up to $11.62 per minute. They were made from a pay phone out of state to a cell phone in Fl. My wife and I are the only occupants of our home, have not been out of state, did not make these calls and did not authorize the calls. I have made 15 phone calls in a 3 day period to ZPDI and Legacy (billing for ZPDI) with no resolve, no assistance, could not or would not be connected with supervisory personnel whenever I was able to get a live person. They promised that Louis Garcia, supervisor, would call back in 15 minutes. That was 5 days ago, still no call received Verizon is not helpful, states they can not help.
This is the beginning, am devoting full time to resolve this through irratative and legislative efforts.

same as others ;outrageous charges and no satisfaction from talking with them, said we were told the fees...no way ...would have not made the call...would have just been late without notification!
How do I solve this problem who do I cantact?

I had collect calls from my son because he needed money for gas and the collect calls were more than the gas money. Legacy LD is a rip off just like our gov. charge charge they don't care about people.
For 11 min. 27.24--5 min. 20.34 what has this world come to and the people that run these companies they should be put out of business.
Inez

This company is ridiculous. I too had about a 30 second collect call from my husband and they charged me $26.86...called them and of course no responce. I said, "Boy, you guys get people coming and going don't you?" She didn't like that. Companies like this are the reason our country is in the position it is right now...pretty soon they will be wanting to be bailed out so they can go spend the money on spas and vacations like the rest...

My brother called me from out of the country 6 times the same day as emergency, calls was less than 10 min. each and received today the receipt of phone I have to pay $ 472 dlls. and not what todo. Those calls with another company would cost much less.

Legacy, billed my account for several collect calls. The calls however could not been accepted. i haved caller id and the time and dates that the calls were supposed to be recieved, I was in the hospital and no one was at my residence. I called and told them and they said the call lasted 16 mins and I had to accept the collect call. They then billed me the next month for the same call same time for the same lenghty of call however it came from a different number. When I called and ask how I could have accepted 2 calls from 2 different numbers at the same time and same date. They said I had to pay the calls because I accepted them. When I made copy of both bills sent them to ATT and told them since they were acting as a debt collector for ZPDI, by way of legacy ld. That I was disputing the debt and they had 30 days to prove I made the bill or they needed to remove it from my account. I am waiting to see what happens.

This people are thieves, my Mon call me collect from LGA in NY. The operator said that he need a credit card or bank card to connect me, I gave him my card info next 2 days I check my bank account and I see two charges from Legacy Long Distance. One for a dollar dated the original date of the call and another one dated two day after the call for $17.21. (I called the bank and they said the charges were both from the original date.) How do day stay in business? Can anybody do anything to stop them or make them charge people a reasonable rate for a phone call within the US. By the way I was in Pennsylvania and she called from NY

This company is STILL up to no good and taking advantage of loopholes and desperate consumers. Last night I went to Miami International to pick up my boyfriend who was arriving from Manaus, Brazil. We missed one another at the gate and since his cell phone wasn't charged, he called me collect from a payphone using this company. A one minute phone call from literally 30 feet away cost me $11.95! Unfortunately, most people don't think they'll ever have to make a collect phone call and won't have the benefit of seeing web pages like this one before they are charged a ridiculously exorbitant rate.

I am being billed by LEGACY LD INTL, INC for a service not purchased. Billed 3 months so far. Each month they say they will remove charges and so far have not done it. It was 14.95 per month for an answering service which I have already with my own phone compnay.they bill through your local phone service. I cancelled three months in a row and still being billed. My daugher was surfing the web and may have inadvertantly clicked a link that started the billing. IF you put your phone number down they bill you through the phone company that owns that number.One of out 3 service reps was polite. The other 2 were very unprofessional and rude.

I'm in the same situation as you guys! This company screws everyone of thier hard earned cash. I made two phone calls from my college to my mother asking her to pick me up, we were in the same city, my first call no-one answered the phone. My 2nd call was 10 seconds, "hey mom, can you pick me up" and I hung up. We just received a bill from verizon with a charge of $37 & 90 cents in taxes. I got charged $7 for the call that my mom never answered on top of the $37. But I'm going to rip off all their little sticker advertisements from all the pay phones I see. Lowest prices they advertised...lowest prices my a**. I'm going to tell everyone about this corrupt company and I'm also going to file a complaint.

Yes these people are ripping everyone off and AT&T is part of it. My 11 year old son answered the phone and the person asked his name and he told them and it ended up being a collect call from someone that we have no idea who it was. AT& T would not help and Legacy was even more rude. The first person I talked to hung up on me and would not give me their address to dispute the bill. I called them back and got a hold of man jeramiah that sound like a montone machine and told me I had to pay the bill because there was no age limit for anyone to accept a collect call. These people need to be stopped.

Oh man.. this place is a thief... I was charged for collect calls that i never used before...