And it's getting worse. All other complaints combined accounted for 37 percent. While Qwest is not responsible for slamming, it is handling many more customer complaints about the practice. The ratio of slamming complaints to service charges submitted to Qwest by long-distance companies has more than doubled, from 1.99 percent in 1994 to 4.34 percent during the first four months of 1997. How Slamming Happens Slammers often try to trick consumers into switching their long-distance service.
Some slammers even lie about who they work for.
Running contests that are nothing more than a guise to gather information about consumers and get their signatures. Telling consumers they must switch their long-distance providers in order to continue receiving just one telephone bill. Making obviously absurd claims about saving money or harassing customers. Qwest wants Slamming to Stop Slamming is a major headache for telephone customers, and it's a drain on Qwest's resources. Qwest isn't responsible for slamming, but we can help customers who fall victim to the practice.