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Deciphering the secret language of phone bills

Your phone bill can't leave you scratching your head. So says Uncle Sam.

According to the Federal Communications Commission's truth-in-billing rules, all phone bills must feature "clear, non-misleading, plain language describing services for which you are being billed."

So how come phone customers often can't figure out what they're being charged for?

Covina resident Steven Barad, 68, shared a recent Verizon land-line bill with me. It was pretty straightforward, until you started kicking the tires and looking under the hood.

The $23.39 charge for "current activity" seemed clear enough. And the $3.27 charge for "taxes, governmental surcharges and fees" won't break the bank.