In a scandal we first uncovered over a year ago, BBG Communications has been caught wildly overcharging consumers for long-distance calls in airports all around the world.
What we next discovered was so outrageous that we at first found it hard to believe. BBG had rigged phones at the Leipzig Airport, a refuel stop for our troops, and was charging the troops up to $41 a minute for calls home. Yes, BBG has been preying on our troops with calls costing up to $41 a minute.
One soldier, Sgt. Richard Corder, has been speaking out about the outrageous charges and demanding refunds for all the troops that have been victimized. The response has been overwhelming. Troops all over the world are angry and demanding justice. Comments are pouring in from the public, outraged that a company would deliberately seek to swindle our troops.
Sgt. Corder’s story was first reported in the Army Times last fall. More recently, The Today Show on NBC reported this story. In their broadcast, a top Better Business Bureau official called BBG’s conduct “disgusting”.
In a story the next day, The New York Times reports one soldier as saying, “My wife and I were completely shocked that they could charge rates like that, especially for troops that are a captive audience.”
Now it is not just troops speaking out. The newspaper Stars and Stripes reports that California Senator Barbara Boxer has written a personal letter to the president of BBG demanding they cease what she calls their deceptive practices. “Seeking financial gain on the backs of our military men and women and their families, who make such great sacrifices, is wrong,” the letter reads. “No service member on deployment should face such excessive charges simply to talk to their loved ones.”
New revelations about the scandal continue. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that one soldier who made just 2 calls at the airport was charged over $600 by BBG. He had no way to dispute it once he got back into a combat zone in Afghanistan.
One can imagine how many millions BBG has pocketed from the over 800,000 troops who have stopped at the Leipzig Airport.
Just yesterday the Daily Beast /Newsweek revealed new details of how the scheme has worked. According to the story, operators that handle BBG calls are trained to not reveal rates, so that troops have no way of knowing how much the call will really cost. They quote one former employee as saying, “If someone knows the cost of the call they aren’t going to use the service.”
Now isn’t it time to stand with the troops, not the swindlers? Please sign the petition demanding an end to the scam.
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http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/BBGCommunicationsSTOPOverchargingUSTroops/
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Also, if you have been a victim of the scam, send us details so we can alert authorities, and can demand refunds for all the service members victimized.
I just checked my USAA account and my husband called from Germany on his way to Afghanistan (he is an active duty ARMY soldier). All he did was call and leave a short voicemail on my phone WE DIDN’T EVEN TALK, and we have been charged 64 dollars. There is another charge on the account from BBG for 50 dollars (I’m guessing he called his mother)…over 100 dollars for a 1 minute phone call to home??? Disgusting.
the ph to the office is 011 52 664 134 6359
the company is in tijuana baja california
July 24, 2012 – 04:49 AM
D. R.
JULY 24
I was just scammed at the Leipzig airport a couple days ago heading to Afghanistan for a nine month deployment. I suggest we force every employee of this company to perform “metal dan” on each other inside their company facility while its burning down. We can then deploy the owners of the company to Afghanistan in a remote area without and resources for survival. We then distribute all of the money the owners and employees have to the victims of this scam.
good question.We are finding out that DOD has got the airport (finally) to put up warning signs. We urged the airport last year to at least warn the troops and they finally did but only recently .We should note that the airport makes a huge commission on every call.Yes the airport has been in on the scheme
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/BBGCommunicationsSTOPOverchargingUSTroops/
What is the response of the Pentagon? Have they informed troops heading home to avoid these scam co.’s and give a safe list of co’s to use?
Where’s the online petition?
I first heard about this scam on the Norman Goldman radio show tonight (3-14-12). There really aren’t enough details in this article to explain the scam to people…please rewrite and devulge the details so others can understand better the plight our troops went through!!! Thanks for what you are doing and get the word out!!! Also, I thought via the radio that there would be a petition to sign on this site…where is it???? Thank you for your time!
I cannot find the website to sign a petition about overcharging military for phone calls.
Please, how do I leave a comment or sigh a petition? what the hell is moderation? Do I have to leave this web site, and go to Twitter. Is any one there to answer my comment? I am a computer moderate, I do not understand most computerize, I am 70 yrs old, and have little tolerance for trying to make this stupid computer crap functional. Thanks for not accepting my input.
I heard you on the radio, not blaming the Pentagon. But itis to blame for letting this go one for so long. Would it really cost that much to have cheap laptops with skype to let the soldiers call home for free?
I am signing your petition to stop bbg from cheating our troops
Add my name to the petition to stop bbg from scamming and overcharging out troops for phone service. The rates ( I understand) are not posted, and are an overcharge for the service rendered. Thanks Thom Gates 18th brigade Military Police > Vietnam 1967-68 ( Dominican Republic, 1965-66 )
Just heard about this on Norman Goldman show. If true this is outrageous.