When a Newport business owner recently opened a bill from AT&T for nearly $30,000, he was shocked because he’s not an AT&T customer. Business owner Tim St. about 29 thousand dollars”, he said. “We have no existing business with AT&T at all.” The bill was charging the St. Louis company. Pierre for some phone lines and electronics. >> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<"At first, I wasn't too worried about it," he said. "I assumed it was a scam post and someone was fishing to try and get a credit card payment or something." A call to AT&T would confirm it was a real bill. "So I called the AT&T customer service person, gave him the account number, and he identified it as a legitimate account," St. Pierre. "I told him it was fraudulently opened. We don't have an AT&T account. I asked for the account to be closed and the charges dropped." Pierre said he was told he had to provide his Social Security and other personal information to AT&T's fraud department in order to close the account. "I debated it. I did a quick Google search and saw that in 2024 alone, AT&T has had two major data breaches," said St. Pierre. "The fact that they didn't have my private information made me feel really good. I wasn't willing to give it up anymore, so I felt like I was at a dead end." Pierre contacted WMUR for help. News 9 Investigates reached out to AT&T and a spokesperson explained the process. "We have spoken to the owner of the business," the spokesman said. "We agree that this appears to be a hoax. As per our standard procedure, we have requested that he file a local police report on this crime and the charges will be dropped." News 9 Investigates also brought the case to the attention of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office. "It's just the latest iteration of a very common scheme," said Senior Assistant Attorney General Brandon Garod. Garod said that while the office has not seen anything specific to the St. Pierre case before, it has seen an increase in fraud and identity theft. "This is an extreme example of a circumstance where someone is the victim of a large amount of fraud, but it happens all the time with any type of identity theft," he said. There are ways people can protect themselves from this type of scam "You just have to pay attention and be diligent," Garod said. "Monitor your bank statements. Monitor your credit card statements. Monitor your credit check." Anyone who notices a fraudulent bill or charge should contact the company that sent the bill." If you're being charged for services or goods you didn't purchase, the company may refund those charges if you can convince them that I'm not the one who made these purchases," Garod said. "If that doesn't work, people should file a complaint with the attorney general's office." This advice was echoed by St. and you don't pay attention," he said. "For whatever reason, that threw me off as I better pay attention. It's a message for everybody. Also, I hope people realize there are resources out there. You just have to be persistent."
When a Newport business owner recently opened a bill from AT&T for nearly $30,000, he was shocked because he’s not an AT&T customer.
Business owner Tim St.
“It was a monthly bill for about $29,000,” he said. “We have no existing business with AT&T at all.”
The bill was charging the St. Louis company. Pierre for some phone lines and electronics.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <
“At first, I wasn’t too worried about it,” he said. “I assumed it was a scam post and someone was fishing to try and get a credit card payment or something.”
A call to AT&T would confirm it was a real bill.
“So I called the AT&T customer service person, gave him the account number, and he identified it as a legitimate account,” St. Pierre. “I told him it was fraudulently opened. We don’t have an AT&T account. I asked for the account to be closed and the charges dropped.”
St. Pierre said he was told he had to provide his Social Security and other personal information to AT&T’s fraud department in order to close the account.
“I debated it. I did a quick Google search and saw that in 2024 alone, AT&T has had two major data breaches,” said St. Pierre. “The fact that they didn’t have my private information made me feel really good. I wasn’t willing to give it up anymore, so I felt like I was at a dead end.”
St. Pierre contacted WMUR for help. News 9 Investigates reached out to AT&T and a spokesperson explained the process.
“We have spoken to the owner of the business,” the spokesman said. “We agree that this appears to be a hoax. As per our standard procedure, we have requested that he file a local police report on this crime and the charges will be dropped.”
News 9 Investigates also brought the matter to the attention of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
“It’s just the latest iteration of a very common scheme,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Brandon Garod.
Garod said that while the office has not seen anything specific to the St. Pierre case before, it has seen an increase in fraud and identity theft.
“This is an extreme example of a circumstance where someone is the victim of a large amount of fraud, but it happens all the time with any type of identity theft,” he said.
There are ways people can protect themselves from this type of fraud.
“You just have to pay attention and you have to be diligent,” Garod said. “Monitor your bank statements. Monitor your credit card statements. Monitor your credit check.”
Anyone who notices a fraudulent bill or charge should contact the company that sent the bill.
“If you’re being charged for services or goods you didn’t purchase, the company can refund those charges if you’re able to convince them that it wasn’t me who made those purchases,” Garod said. “If that doesn’t work, people should file a complaint with the attorney general’s office.”
That advice was echoed by St. Pierre, who said he was glad to take a second look at that bill.
“Sometimes you don’t open it and you don’t pay attention,” he said. “For whatever reason, that threw me off as I better pay attention. It’s a message for everybody. Also, I hope people realize there are resources out there. You just have to be persistent.”