Comments for Poojan (Wagh) Blog http://poojanblog.com/blog Requests for comment Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:01:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Got slammed (or crammed) by ESBI & “EMAIL DISCOUNTS, LLC” by PoojanWagh http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/03/got-slammed-or-crammed-by-esbi-email-discounts-llc/comment-page-1/#comment-16665 PoojanWagh Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:01:43 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/?p=512#comment-16665 Well, thanks for the information, Leslie. Can you verify that these procedures were in place when the incident occurred? I understand that you have policies and procedures to reduce fraud. However, the fact is that in my case, the operator on the phone said that the charges were authorized through my yahoo account. Which happened to be <em>first name + last name</em> @yahoo.com. Except no one in our house has a Yahoo account. We do, however, subscribe to a Yahoo news group. I suspect that someone at the company saw a posting to a public Yahoo newsgroup and figured that first+last name @yahoo.com was a likely email address, and they could get away with validation. I see no value as a consumer of AT&T's service to allowing additional purchases to be placed on my phone bill. If I want to pay a merchant, there are plenty of more convenient and more verifiable ways of doing it. Incidently, I never did get a refund. Well, thanks for the information, Leslie. Can you verify that these procedures were in place when the incident occurred?
I understand that you have policies and procedures to reduce fraud. However, the fact is that in my case, the operator on the phone said that the charges were authorized through my yahoo account. Which happened to be first name + last name @yahoo.com. Except no one in our house has a Yahoo account.
We do, however, subscribe to a Yahoo news group. I suspect that someone at the company saw a posting to a public Yahoo newsgroup and figured that first+last name @yahoo.com was a likely email address, and they could get away with validation.
I see no value as a consumer of AT&T’s service to allowing additional purchases to be placed on my phone bill. If I want to pay a merchant, there are plenty of more convenient and more verifiable ways of doing it.
Incidently, I never did get a refund.

]]> Comment on Got slammed (or crammed) by ESBI & “EMAIL DISCOUNTS, LLC” by Leslie Ausburn http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/03/got-slammed-or-crammed-by-esbi-email-discounts-llc/comment-page-1/#comment-13837 Leslie Ausburn Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:18:15 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/?p=512#comment-13837 BSG is a local exchange carrier (“LEC”) clearinghouse, not a telephone company or telephone service provider. BSG is simply the billing clearinghouse, not the initiator of any charges. BSG forwards charges for services provided by various long distance, operator service, and digital content providers to local phone companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Qwest to be included consumers’ local telephone bills. BSG’s customers (vendors NOT consumers) include long distance, operator service and enhanced service providers that offer valuable services to millions of consumers across the nation. As a result, BSG enables competition in the long-distance, operator service, and digital content markets by providing consumers with service provider alternatives at highly competitive rates. It is important to note that before BSG accepts a service provider as a customer, BSG subjects the service provider and its officers and directors to a comprehensive due diligence process. This process includes extensive product review, background checks, and site visits. If the service provider becomes a customer of BSG, then BSG monitors the number of end user inquiries each service provider receives each month. BSG may require the service provider to cease billing or terminate the service provider based on performance.  Here is the typical transaction flow for most services: o Service provider markets its service to a consumer. o Service provider must obtain consumer’s consent through third-party verification (“TPV”) recording or electronic letter of authorization (“LOA”). o Service provider validates information provided in the consent to ensure charge is authorized. o Service provider sends charge to BSG. o BSG sends charge to appropriate phone company (because BSG holds the contract with the phone companies the charge will appear on ESBI, USBI, ZPDI, OAN, or HBS page of local telephone bill. This is often where confusion comes in. Consumers will note that the actual VENDOR from whom the charge is coming is typically printed right below ESBI’s information.) o Phone company includes charge on appropriate consumer’s bill page. o Consumer pays telephone bill. o Phone company deducts amounts for fees, refunds, and reserves and then remits balance to BSG. o BSG deducts amounts for fees, refunds, and reserves and then remits balance to service provider. (Note: If the charge is for a long distance, collect call, or 1010XXX call, then the service provider will have a record of the call actually taking place on the network. The record of the call is called a “switch record.”) While no company in any payment industry can ensure the elimination of fraud, BSG has done more to prevent fraud in the third-party billing industry than any other company. Should a consumer find a charge on their bill that they did not authorize, we recommend they start at the source by first trying to remedy the issue with the service provider. If they don’t get relief, they can then contact BSG at: www.billview.com (800) 460-0756 for ZPDI (800) 460-0556 for USBI (800) 460-0078 for ESBI (800) 604-4653 for HBS (800) 944-9646 for ACI/OAN One note is that – because charges billed through BSG do require valid authorization - in only rare instances a vendor charge is made in error. (Could be the consumer doesn’t recognize the charge because it is being billed through BSG; a spouse made a charge without notifying their partner, or the consumer simply forgot). That said, BSG is happy to help consumers clear up any questions they may have. BSG is a local exchange carrier (“LEC”) clearinghouse, not a telephone company or telephone service provider. BSG is simply the billing clearinghouse, not the initiator of any charges. BSG forwards charges for services provided by various long distance, operator service, and digital content providers to local phone companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Qwest to be included consumers’ local telephone bills.
BSG’s customers (vendors NOT consumers) include long distance, operator service and enhanced service providers that offer valuable services to millions of consumers across the nation. As a result, BSG enables competition in the long-distance, operator service, and digital content markets by providing consumers with service provider alternatives at highly competitive rates.
It is important to note that before BSG accepts a service provider as a customer, BSG subjects the service provider and its officers and directors to a comprehensive due diligence process. This process includes extensive product review, background checks, and site visits.
If the service provider becomes a customer of BSG, then BSG monitors the number of end user inquiries each service provider receives each month. BSG may require the service provider to cease billing or terminate the service provider based on performance.
 Here is the typical transaction flow for most services:
o Service provider markets its service to a consumer.
o Service provider must obtain consumer’s consent through third-party verification (“TPV”) recording or electronic letter of authorization (“LOA”).
o Service provider validates information provided in the consent to ensure charge is authorized.
o Service provider sends charge to BSG.
o BSG sends charge to appropriate phone company (because BSG holds the contract with the phone companies the charge will appear on ESBI, USBI, ZPDI, OAN, or HBS page of local telephone bill. This is often where confusion comes in. Consumers will note that the actual VENDOR from whom the charge is coming is typically printed right below ESBI’s information.)
o Phone company includes charge on appropriate consumer’s bill page.
o Consumer pays telephone bill.
o Phone company deducts amounts for fees, refunds, and reserves and then remits balance to BSG.
o BSG deducts amounts for fees, refunds, and reserves and then remits balance to service provider.
(Note: If the charge is for a long distance, collect call, or 1010XXX call, then the service provider will have a record of the call actually taking place on the network. The record of the call is called a “switch record.”)
While no company in any payment industry can ensure the elimination of fraud, BSG has done more to prevent fraud in the third-party billing industry than any other company.
Should a consumer find a charge on their bill that they did not authorize, we recommend they start at the source by first trying to remedy the issue with the service provider. If they don’t get relief, they can then contact BSG at:
http://www.billview.com
(800) 460-0756 for ZPDI
(800) 460-0556 for USBI
(800) 460-0078 for ESBI
(800) 604-4653 for HBS
(800) 944-9646 for ACI/OAN
One note is that – because charges billed through BSG do require valid authorization – in only rare instances a vendor charge is made in error. (Could be the consumer doesn’t recognize the charge because it is being billed through BSG; a spouse made a charge without notifying their partner, or the consumer simply forgot). That said, BSG is happy to help consumers clear up any questions they may have.

]]> Comment on GTD in Review by Poojan (Wagh) Blog : My GTD Setup http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/gtd-in-review/comment-page-1/#comment-7158 Poojan (Wagh) Blog : My GTD Setup Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:56:54 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/gtd-in-review/#comment-7158 [...] recently posted about both what I was doing wrong in my previous GTD systems and what I learned from a recent David Allen seminar and promised this [...] [...] recently posted about both what I was doing wrong in my previous GTD systems and what I learned from a recent David Allen seminar and promised this [...]

]]> Comment on My GTD Setup by Poojan (Wagh) Blog : GTD in Review http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/my-gtd-setup/comment-page-1/#comment-7157 Poojan (Wagh) Blog : GTD in Review Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:55:53 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/my-gtd-setup/#comment-7157 [...] it. In the next instalment (or maybe the one after), I’ll post what’s I’m trying next: a text-file GTD system. Share/Save Posted by PoojanWagh on Monday, May 4, 2009, at 8:08 am. Filed under productivity. [...] [...] it. In the next instalment (or maybe the one after), I’ll post what’s I’m trying next: a text-file GTD system. Share/Save Posted by PoojanWagh on Monday, May 4, 2009, at 8:08 am. Filed under productivity. [...]

]]> Comment on GTD Seminar by mdwsmith http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/gtd-seminar/comment-page-1/#comment-2276 mdwsmith Sun, 17 May 2009 07:00:57 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/gtd-seminar/#comment-2276 Hi Poojan, Great writing about some compelling topics within GTD. I've been studying GTD too, but I've never been to a live conference (lots of audio though) and indeed, the horizons of focus 'altitude' idea came from David's work consulting for aerospace corps. One thing in your post that caught my eye is this: You say that you would like to automate linking projects to their actions. Even this is unnecessary--in the DavidCo podcast, there's a great interview between Kelly Forrister and David Allen where they address this very point. David says that we should never worry about linking projects to NEXT actions--this is done in our minds during the weekly review. The 'then I need to, then I need to...' ad hoc project planning should go onto a mindmap or other project support document, not on the action list. If you do this, there is no need to link next actions to the project they drive forward. Kind Regards, Matthew Smith Hi Poojan,
Great writing about some compelling topics within GTD. I’ve been studying GTD too, but I’ve never been to a live conference (lots of audio though) and indeed, the horizons of focus ‘altitude’ idea came from David’s work consulting for aerospace corps.

One thing in your post that caught my eye is this: You say that you would like to automate linking projects to their actions. Even this is unnecessary–in the DavidCo podcast, there’s a great interview between Kelly Forrister and David Allen where they address this very point. David says that we should never worry about linking projects to NEXT actions–this is done in our minds during the weekly review. The ‘then I need to, then I need to…’ ad hoc project planning should go onto a mindmap or other project support document, not on the action list. If you do this, there is no need to link next actions to the project they drive forward.
Kind Regards,
Matthew Smith

]]> Comment on GTD Seminar by Scott http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/gtd-seminar/comment-page-1/#comment-2237 Scott Sat, 16 May 2009 01:18:34 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/05/gtd-seminar/#comment-2237 "GTD isn’t for everyone." I have a theory a person's productivity method marry up to Myers-Briggs test results. “GTD isn’t for everyone.”
I have a theory a person’s productivity method marry up to Myers-Briggs test results.

]]> Comment on Got slammed (or crammed) by ESBI & “EMAIL DISCOUNTS, LLC” by Shiela http://poojanblog.com/blog/2009/03/got-slammed-or-crammed-by-esbi-email-discounts-llc/comment-page-1/#comment-851 Shiela Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:54:29 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/?p=512#comment-851 Just found the same thing on my phone bill on a fax line. My charge was $15.25! Frontier refunded the two months and put a block on the line. Call AT&T, I'm sure they will do the same. Frontier suggested I call ESBI. When I tried, it kept wanting me to put in a Phone # which I didn't want to do so I just entered 4 random numbers and it accepted and put me through to a person who you could tell was in another country and reading a script. Bogus! Just found the same thing on my phone bill on a fax line. My charge was $15.25! Frontier refunded the two months and put a block on the line. Call AT&T, I’m sure they will do the same. Frontier suggested I call ESBI. When I tried, it kept wanting me to put in a Phone # which I didn’t want to do so I just entered 4 random numbers and it accepted and put me through to a person who you could tell was in another country and reading a script. Bogus!

]]> Comment on Laconica on DreamHost by Francesco http://poojanblog.com/blog/2008/10/laconica-on-dreamhost/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Francesco Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:37:11 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/?p=243#comment-352 Hi, i have a proble with gtal xmpp configuration it don't work!!!!! but if i use this example http://code.google.com/p/xmpphp/ it work!! i can send a message with the browser! please help me!!!!!!!!!! Hi,
i have a proble with gtal xmpp configuration it don’t work!!!!! but if i use this example http://code.google.com/p/xmpphp/ it work!! i can send a message with the browser!
please help me!!!!!!!!!!

]]> Comment on I’m Leaving Motorola by Non-Radix-2 FFT in Cadence/Ocean/Skill/Spectre | Using Cadenc IPC to talk to Matlab (or anything else) | Circuit Design http://poojanblog.com/blog/2008/11/im-leaving-motorola/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Non-Radix-2 FFT in Cadence/Ocean/Skill/Spectre | Using Cadenc IPC to talk to Matlab (or anything else) | Circuit Design Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:44:04 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/?p=435#comment-167 [...] The same C program could be controlled using IPC. However, I wasn’t getting paid to program (at the time), and I already had most of the functions already in Matlab. Share and Enjoy: These icons link to [...] [...] The same C program could be controlled using IPC. However, I wasn’t getting paid to program (at the time), and I already had most of the functions already in Matlab. Share and Enjoy: These icons link to [...]

]]> Comment on TDP: Time-Dollar Product by Andy K http://poojanblog.com/blog/2008/12/tdp-time-dollar-product/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Andy K Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:17:07 +0000 http://poojanblog.com/blog/2008/12/tdp-time-dollar-product/#comment-106 Just FYI, I signed up for an iDrive.com account and they provide a Windows application that runs in tray and provides the backup. They provide encryption both during transport and during storage on their servers. And they keep multiple revisions of your documents on their servers. The free account gives you 2GB of space, but you can send emails to 10 friends and get a free upgrade to 12GB space. (Hint: you can send emails to 10 disposable addresses to get this upgrade). Just FYI, I signed up for an iDrive.com account and they provide a Windows application that runs in tray and provides the backup. They provide encryption both during transport and during storage on their servers. And they keep multiple revisions of your documents on their servers.
The free account gives you 2GB of space, but you can send emails to 10 friends and get a free upgrade to 12GB space. (Hint: you can send emails to 10 disposable addresses to get this upgrade).

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