Tricked Net porn users get payout

Internet users conned into running up huge phone bills viewing pornography are to get $2.74m in compensation.

The 38,000 users of a "free" software program, which connected them to four erotic sites, unknowingly spent $2 a minute on calls.

Their bills showed the calls were routed through numbers in Moldova in eastern Europe.

Even when they left the four sites and closed their Internet browser, the charges continued to mount. Only when they turned off their computers did the connection stop.

Some users quickly found they had added thousands of dollars to their telephone bills.

Workers at the telecommunications company AT&T first drew the scam to the attention of the US Federal Trade Commission after they noticed a jump in callers to Moldova.

The FTC on Tuesday announced two settlements involving several companies and individuals responsible for defrauding the 38,000 customers.

The firms named were: Audiotex Connection Inc, Promo Line Inc, Internet Girls Inc, Beylen Telecom Ltd and Niteline Media Inc.

They must pay back the telecommunications companies that handled the calls, which will then issue credits to the Internet users.

Perhaps the final stroke of embarrassment for both the customers and their phone companies is that their calls never actually reached Moldova.

The conmen tricked both into believing they were, when instead they were sent to Canada.