CHICAGO – Legislation banning a telephone bill scam known as “cramming” was signed into law Wednesday, making Illinois among the few states to ban third-party companies from adding fees to bills.

The new law prohibits such companies from adding unwanted, unneeded or bogus charges on a landline telephone bill for things such as extended warrantees or vague service fees.

The scam – with charges ranging from $10 to $45 a bill – has been around for years on landline phone bills and is creeping into the cellphone industry.