CenturyLink has agreed to pay nearly nine million dollars and reform its billing practices, after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison accused the telecom company of fraudulently overcharging its Minnesota customers by not making good on promised discounts and charging sham Internet fees. We asked Ellison, what ensures CenturyLink will comply with the settlement? “We believe that they will, which is why we entered into the settlement,” he says. “But there’s always the significant chance that they won’t, so we want people to give us a call…and let us know if things aren’t going right.”
CenturyLink is also required to submit audits to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Ellison says about 12-thousand Minnesotans will receive refunds totaling over 844 thousand dollars, plus CenturyLink will pay an additional eight million dollars which his office will distribute to other harmed customers.