WebProNews

Tag: Bill Shock

  • Chloe Goins Vows to Fight Bill Cosby in Civil Court After Prosecutors Refuse to Charge Him

    Chloe Goins vows to fight on in civil court after prosecutors refuse to charge the beleaguered actor for an assault that allegedly occurred at the Playboy Mansion in 2008.

    The 78-year-old comedian was told Thursday that no charges would be brought against him in Los Angeles for the alleged assault on Chloe Goins. He was also told he would not be charged for another alleged attack of a 17-year-old in 1965.

    Telling the Daily Mail Online that she was ‘devastated,’ Goins said she was determined to fight him in court.

    “I’ve not given up yet,” she told the website.

    Chloe Goins claims she she met Bill Cosby at the Playboy Mansion when she was 18 and a Las Vegas dancer. She told prosecutors he gave her a drink and she awoke to find him biting her toes with his pants around his ankles

    The District Attorney pointed out a number of problems with Goins’ claim, starting with the fact that Goins was not certain of the night the assault had happened at the Mansion in the summer of 2008.

    Prosecutors said no charges would be brought against Cosby because he was in New York on the date that she had originally said she believed the attack to have taken place at the Playboy Mansion. There was also no footage of either Goins or Cosby outside the party from video studied by the investigators in the case and guest lists show that Cosby only visited the mansion on one occasion in February of that year.

    But Chloe Gains stands by her claim.

    “Bill Cosby sexually assaulted me at the Playboy mansion in 2008. I’m grateful to the LAPD for conducting an investigation, but I am devastated by this decision,” she said. “But while I’m disappointed that there won’t be any criminal charges, I believe we still have a chance in the civil court. I’ve not given up yet.”

    In a statement Goins’ lawyer Spencer Kuvin said the news “is a disappointment” and said that her legal team is standing by her claims.

    “However, we recognize that the bar for criminal prosecution, which is proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, is extremely high. We nonetheless commend the efforts of the LAPD and the District Attorney’s office with respect to their criminal investigation,” he said.

    “This criminal investigation did reveal some very important evidence. Most importantly, it uncovered documentary proof that Mr. Cosby was at the Playboy Mansion in early 2008, a time when Ms. Goins was under eighteen years old,” he said. “The decision by the District Attorney’s office to decline criminal prosecution of Bill Cosby for the sexual assault of Chloe Goins in no way affects Ms. Goins’ civil lawsuit against Cosby, which is proceeding.”

  • FCC Finds 30 Million Americans Experience Mobile Bill Shock

    The Federal Communications Commission has released the findings of an agency survey on the consumer mobile experience that found 30 million Americans have experienced "bill shock," a sudden increase in their monthly bill that is not caused by a change in their service plan.

    In addition, the survey found nearly half of cell phone users who have plans with early termination fees (ETFs) and almost two-thirds of home broadband users with ETFs don’t know the amount of the fees they are responsible for.

    FCC-Julis-Genachowski "The FCC’s consumer survey provides an important snapshot of the real-world experiences of mobile customers," said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

    "The wireless industry has achieved remarkable innovation — and mobile is increasingly essential to the daily lives of Americans.  But there is still more that can be done to help customers navigate what is sometimes a confusing marketplace. A simple and easy to understand mobile purchase and billing process will empower consumers to avoid bill shock and other unexpected fees."

    The amount of bill shock varies widely but if often sizeable. More than a third of people who experienced bill shock said their bill jumped by at least $50, and 23 percent said the increase was $100 or more.

    When it came to early termination fees for cell phones, 54 percent said they would have to pay an EFT if they ended their contract before it expired, and 18 percent were unsure if they would have to pay an ETF. Among those who are subject to an ETF, 43 percent said it was $150 or more, but 47 percent did not know how much it was. Only 36 percent of cell phone customers who are familiar with their bills said that they include "very clear" information on ETFs.

    The findings were similar for home broadband termination fees. Only 21 percent of home broadband users said their contracts include an early termination fee. Among those 64 percent don’t know what the fees, a higher level of confusion than for cell phone service.

    "These findings support our ongoing efforts to help consumers get better information on these charges and fees," said Joel Gurin, Chief of the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.

    "As we know from our consumer complaint center, even an unexpected charge of $20 or $30 can make a difference to many people. Several carriers are taking steps to make their fees and billing more transparent, and we would like this to become a universal practice. We’re confident that we will be able to work with both wireless carriers and public interest groups to help consumers avoid these unwelcome surprises."

     

  • FCC Wants To End Mobile Phone

    FCC Wants To End Mobile Phone

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said today it is considering requiring mobile carriers to alert consumers about excessive wireless charges in order to avoid "bill shock."

    Joel-Gurin-FCC "We are hearing from consumers about unpleasant surprises on their bills," said Joel Gurin, Chief of the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.

    "We’ve gotten hundreds of complaints about bill shock. But this is an avoidable problem. Avoiding bill shock is good for consumers and ultimately good business for wireless carriers as well."

    The FCC’s public notice asks for comments on what differences exist that would prevent wireless providers in the U.S. from using alerts similar to those now required by law in the European Union.

    Gurin says that complaints about bill shock come from all over the country and involve all the major wireless carriers.

    "There can be many causes of bill shock, including unclear or misunderstood advertising, unanticipated roaming or data charges, and other problems," Gurin said.

    "All can lead to charges that people don’t expect to get. In the European Union, carriers are required by law to send text messages to consumers when they are running up roaming charges or getting close to a set limit for data roaming. We’re issuing a Public Notice to see if there’s any reason that American carriers can’t use similar automatic alerts to inform consumers when they are at risk of running up a high bill."