In early November, having mislaid my cell phone while traveling, I made four VISA credit card calls of about 1 1/2 minutes each at a Chicago Union Station payphone that had no notice as to fees. Figuring I was safe using my card (VISA guarantees protection against fraud supposedly), I was shocked to receive my statement showing I had been billed and paid more than $25 per call. Then I was notified by VISA that this is a well-known consumer gouging scam in hotels, etc. and that I should avoid using NCIC service in the future. As I looked for the appropriate agency with which to lodge a complaint (a daunting task even in the Internet age), what I learned about NCIC was dismaying. They are the subject of numerous consumer complaints. Not only do they fraudulently gouge the unsuspecting consumer who needs to use a public payphone, but they are the only public phone service available in many hotels, railway stations, etc. They also provide phone service to prison inmates. Great! Do they give them access to my VISA? How many inmate-minutes are subsumed in their outrageous charges to my credit card? I assume the prison gangs aren't paying the same fee for service that I was charged. I smell a wily Texas rat in the Windy City! Wake up, Chicago and AMTRAK. If VISA knows this a consumer fraud, why aren't they doing something about it?