Verizon Pays Record $25M Fine for 'Mystery Fees'

It's the largest settlement in FCC history
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 28, 2010 4:25 PM CDT
Verizon Pays Record $25M Fine for 'Mystery Fees'
The Verizon logo is seen at a Verizon Wireless store March 29, 2005 in San Francisco.    (Getty Images)

Verizon Wireless will pay a record $25 million fine to the federal government to settle accusations it overcharged customers. Separately, Verizon is refunding $52.8 million to about 15 million customers over so-called "mystery fees" in which they were charged for data services they didn't use.

The payment is considered a voluntary payment and not a fine because Verizon has not admitted guilt in the matter, and it's the largest such penalty ever assessed by the FCC, reports PC Magazine. In a statement, Verizon chalked the matter up to "inadvertent billing mistakes."
(More Verizon stories.)

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