The Comcast Center in downtown Philadelphia is seen on December 3, 2009. On Thursday, Washington State officials accused the internet and cable giant of adding services to customers' bills without their consent. File Photo by John Anderson/UPI |
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Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Cable and internet giant Comcast put customers on an additional monthly service plan without their consent, Washington State officials alleged Thursday.
Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and his team reviewed 150 call recordings from Comcast customers who were subsequently subscribed to the company's "service-protection plan," which costs an additional $5.99 per month, the Seattle Times reported. Ferguson's team found that 74 people got signed up without the plan ever being mentioned on the phone and, in at least two cases, they were signed up after they specifically declined to enroll in the plan.
"We've now uncovered evidence that many Washingtonians are paying for it without their consent," Ferguson said, according to Q13-TV.
More than 500,000 Washington residents have been subscribed to the plan, totaling $73 million between 2011 and 2015. It's not clear how many may have been enrolled without consent.
Marianne Bichsel, vice president of external affairs for Comcast in Washington, denied the company di anything wrong.
"The Attorney General's new assertions are largely based on a flawed methodology and assumptions, and today's press conference misrepresented the facts," she said.
Ferguson's investigation is part of the state's larger, ongoing lawsuit against Comcast.
In August 2016, Washington sued Comcast for $100 million for misrepresenting what is covered under the service-protection plan and inappropriately charging customers for credit checks.
