A Reddit thread filled with posts from current and former wireless salespeople revealed some shady practices taking place at wireless providers and their authorized retailers. Some of the employees admitted to lying to customers and adding unnecessary new lines just to take advantage of special phone deals. This deceptive practice, known as Cramming, is often done to boost a salesperson’s or store’s performance metrics, and it is allegedly encouraged by store managers.

One AT&T authorized retailer employee disclosed on Reddit, “ATT Authorized retail employee here. I [have] been with the company for well over a year and I can wholeheartedly say ATT is in the business of scamming!”

The employee also mentioned that the store manager made them lie about adding a “necessary promo” line to “refresh the account” and “activate the new promos” to get trade-in credits for any trade-in. The motive is to inflate commission and improve sales numbers.

Other Redditors also shared their experiences of being forced to participate in these unethical practices, and some left their jobs as a result. Some posts also discussed illegal acts like SIM swapping, where a new SIM card is ordered for an existing subscriber and fraudulently used to gain access to the customer’s phone and change passwords.

Aside from Cramming and SIM Swaps, salespeople working in both authorized and corporate-run stores have reported being pressured to add services like insurance coverage that the customer didn’t ask for. Some even faced threats of termination for not complying with these practices.

If you suspect any fraudulent activity on your wireless bills, the U.S. Government’s USA.Gov website advises customers to reach out to the phone company directly, and if the issue is not resolved, contact the consumer protection office or the FCC. It is important to thoroughly review your wireless bills to identify any unauthorized charges and take immediate action by contacting the carrier’s corporate office.