Slamming: What to Do If Your Landline Carrier Was Switched Without Permission
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of the FCC's consumer page on slamming, checked October 29, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Slamming is the illegal practice of switching your traditional wireline phone company, for local, local toll or long distance service, without your permission. The rules are written for traditional wireline service. If a mobile number was moved without your OK, that's a different problem: see SIM swap and port-out fraud.
Small businesses that still keep a copper line for a fax, alarm panel or main number should watch for it too. The FCC has fined a carrier for slamming and cramming that targeted small businesses.
How a switch must be verified
A new company can legally switch you only if it verifies your choice in one of three ways:
- An independent third party confirms your spoken authorization.
- You sign a letter saying you want to switch.
- You call a toll-free number to confirm the order.
Telemarketers also may not misrepresent their service on a sales call.
Protect yourself
- Read every phone bill right away. A new company name on your bill is the warning sign. Call the number shown in that section and ask why.
- Ask your local phone company for a "freeze" so no one but you can change your carrier.
If you've been slammed
- Call the slamming company. Tell it to fix the problem, and that under FCC rules you don't have to pay for the first 30 days of its service.
- Call your real (authorized) company. Ask to be switched back to the same calling plan and to have all switching charges removed.
| You... | Under the FCC rules |
|---|---|
| Haven't paid the slammer | Pay nothing to the slammer for up to 30 days, and nothing to your authorized company for that period. After 30 days, pay your authorized company at its own rates |
| Already paid the slammer | The slammer owes your authorized company 150% of what you paid, and you get 50% back. Or ask for a re-bill at your authorized company's rates |
Where to complain
The FCC handles slamming complaints for Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Include a marked copy of the bill. Everywhere else, file with your state public service commission. See how to file an FCC complaint.
Related: phone bill cramming, porting your business number.