Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill

exotikittenx · Sep 5th, 2008, 06:35 PM

Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill

http://www.foxcarolina.com/money/173...aa&psp=money#-

PORTLAND, Ore. -- A Portland family racked up nearly $20,000 on their AT&T bill, local station KPTV reported.The Terry family said they wished they would have received some kind of warning before receiving their 200-page bill in the mail for $19,370.In July, their son headed north to Vancouver, Canada, and used a laptop with an AirCard to send photos and e-mails back home. The bill showed he used the service 21 times, but because he was out of the country, the activity added up to thousands of dollars in charges.The AirCard allows users to connect to e-mail, the Internet and business applications while traveling, according to AT&T's Web site. On the Terry family's bill, they were charged international fees for the service.The Terry family said they asked an AT&T employee about the service before their son left the country. They said they were told nothing about international fees.Dave Terry also said they were never contacted by the company to be alerted of the high fees."(We) have a bill that runs normally $250 to $300 for our cell phones," Terry said. "When AT&T saw the numbers getting over $1,000, I would think it's their responsibility to inform us that something was amiss because that card could have been stolen."An AT&T representative said they're treating the matter seriously and looking into it. According to the company, they hope to have an answer for the family in the next few days.

exotikittenx · Sep 5th, 2008, 06:37 PM

I think this is outrageous! I hope they remove those charges.

natalie78 · Sep 5th, 2008, 06:48 PM

I'm on the fence on that one. I would be furious if they hadn't called me...especially knowing the amount of identity fraud going on these days. On the other hand, thinking in a business way, it's the customer's responsibility to know what they are being charged accoding to the contract they signed.

I am leaning towards the family on this one, but I don't know how they can get out of it.

ShimmaPuff · Sep 5th, 2008, 06:51 PM

My guess is that they will work something out with this family to avoid the story staying and spreading around the papers, because those "international fees" are a very lucrative revenue generator, most people are not going to have the kind of usage this guy did, probably keeping connection open even when not sending pics to the family, etc, but most people are just going to have a soft little balloon, maybe an extra hundred or so, from the weekend they were at the conference in Montral or whatever, and will just pay it without question or comment.

Multiply even $40 or $50 extra dollars for every time an AT & T customer goes to Canada and phones home, and consider that in some areas, there is actually some degree these days of competition in terms of international connections of various kinds, and it is easy to see that this family making a stink about their $20K phone bill will be a thorn that the company will wish to remove from its side - and the mouths of the public, including its other customers, as quickly and quietly as possible!

Jahpson · Sep 5th, 2008, 06:57 PM

damn, you gotta pay to send photos and email?

BiloxiBlu · Sep 5th, 2008, 06:58 PM

^^ It was b/c he was using a wireless card provided by the cell phone company...

exotikittenx · Sep 5th, 2008, 07:35 PM

It looks bad that they didn't make these "international charges" a little more obvious to the customer... if something is possible to rack up that high, they should make that very plain and obvious. It's like they try to keep these charges hidden on purpose to make more money. That is dishonest. That is a crazy amount of money, like someone's life savings, or not even!

twin53 · Sep 5th, 2008, 07:38 PM

you as the consumer have to read the fine print

exotikittenx · Sep 5th, 2008, 07:48 PM

I just think when there is a possibility to end up with charges in nearly $20,000 for something as silly as internet usage which in many places is even free, the fine print should be a little less "fine." :) It's like they make these charges difficult to even find on their contracts. It also said the family asked a representative from the company about the service and nothing was mentioned to them about charges like this.

moi et mes sacs · Sep 5th, 2008, 08:19 PM

That sounds a bit too extreme. No wonder these telecom companies make such high profits.

ValleyO · Sep 5th, 2008, 08:29 PM

While $20k is definitely excessive, you'd have to be pretty stupid not to realize that there'd at least be SOME int'l fees.

vlore · Sep 5th, 2008, 08:32 PM

Unbelievable!!!

dusty paws · Sep 5th, 2008, 08:42 PM

wow... that's intense.

twiggers · Sep 5th, 2008, 09:17 PM

That is insane! I was actually going to use our Verizon card in Canada (I was going to call first)....now I'll just pay the $20/day at the hotel!

ShimmaPuff · Sep 5th, 2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exotikittenx

...the fine print should be a little less "fine."..

If companies did not have the freedom to choose the font size they feel is in their best interest, that could mean a significant and immediate drop in profit for a very wide range of businesses.

Some people might even get fewer credit cards!

In short, it would mean that many rich men would receive smaller amounts of additional money, and could even endanger the high-status and esteem position that companies hold in the context of some cultures!

Sep 5th, 2008, 06:35 PM	#1
exotikittenx Ooh la la! Location: The City of Plain 'n Proper	Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill http://www.foxcarolina.com/money/173...aa&psp=money#- PORTLAND, Ore. -- A Portland family racked up nearly $20,000 on their AT&T bill, local station KPTV reported.The Terry family said they wished they would have received some kind of warning before receiving their 200-page bill in the mail for $19,370.In July, their son headed north to Vancouver, Canada, and used a laptop with an AirCard to send photos and e-mails back home. The bill showed he used the service 21 times, but because he was out of the country, the activity added up to thousands of dollars in charges.The AirCard allows users to connect to e-mail, the Internet and business applications while traveling, according to AT&T's Web site. On the Terry family's bill, they were charged international fees for the service.The Terry family said they asked an AT&T employee about the service before their son left the country. They said they were told nothing about international fees.Dave Terry also said they were never contacted by the company to be alerted of the high fees."(We) have a bill that runs normally $250 to $300 for our cell phones," Terry said. "When AT&T saw the numbers getting over $1,000, I would think it's their responsibility to inform us that something was amiss because that card could have been stolen."An AT&T representative said they're treating the matter seriously and looking into it. According to the company, they hope to have an answer for the family in the next few days. __________________ Please check out my collection! Click here.

Sep 5th, 2008, 06:37 PM	#2
exotikittenx Ooh la la! Location: The City of Plain 'n Proper	I think this is outrageous! I hope they remove those charges. __________________ Please check out my collection! Click here.

Sep 5th, 2008, 06:51 PM	#4
ShimmaPuff Sentient Post Whore Location: Earth	My guess is that they will work something out with this family to avoid the story staying and spreading around the papers, because those "international fees" are a very lucrative revenue generator, most people are not going to have the kind of usage this guy did, probably keeping connection open even when not sending pics to the family, etc, but most people are just going to have a soft little balloon, maybe an extra hundred or so, from the weekend they were at the conference in Montral or whatever, and will just pay it without question or comment. Multiply even $40 or $50 extra dollars for every time an AT & T customer goes to Canada and phones home, and consider that in some areas, there is actually some degree these days of competition in terms of international connections of various kinds, and it is easy to see that this family making a stink about their $20K phone bill will be a thorn that the company will wish to remove from its side - and the mouths of the public, including its other customers, as quickly and quietly as possible! __________________ http://www.tzuchi.org/ http://www.commongroundrelief.org http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com/chooseagift.aspx Your Friendly Resident Poor Person Embrace Inspired Pride! http://mangonocturna.blogspot.com/

Sep 5th, 2008, 06:57 PM	#5
Jahpson Member Location: The Playground	damn, you gotta pay to send photos and email? __________________ Amazingly Sophisticated Happy Holidays to all my TPF friends!

Sep 5th, 2008, 06:58 PM	#6
BiloxiBlu Bless your heart :) Location: Biloxi, Mississippi	^^ It was b/c he was using a wireless card provided by the cell phone company... __________________ Welcome to Dramaville. Pop. 1.

Sep 5th, 2008, 06:48 PM	#3
natalie78 Dave's not here. Location: Texas	I'm on the fence on that one. I would be furious if they hadn't called me...especially knowing the amount of identity fraud going on these days. On the other hand, thinking in a business way, it's the customer's responsibility to know what they are being charged accoding to the contract they signed. I am leaning towards the family on this one, but I don't know how they can get out of it.

Sep 5th, 2008, 07:35 PM	#7
exotikittenx Ooh la la! Location: The City of Plain 'n Proper	It looks bad that they didn't make these "international charges" a little more obvious to the customer... if something is possible to rack up that high, they should make that very plain and obvious. It's like they try to keep these charges hidden on purpose to make more money. That is dishonest. That is a crazy amount of money, like someone's life savings, or not even! __________________ Please check out my collection! Click here.

Sep 5th, 2008, 07:38 PM	#8
twin53 Member Location: Georgia	you as the consumer have to read the fine print

Sep 5th, 2008, 07:48 PM	#9
exotikittenx Ooh la la! Location: The City of Plain 'n Proper	I just think when there is a possibility to end up with charges in nearly $20,000 for something as silly as internet usage which in many places is even free, the fine print should be a little less "fine." :) It's like they make these charges difficult to even find on their contracts. It also said the family asked a representative from the company about the service and nothing was mentioned to them about charges like this. __________________ Please check out my collection! Click here.

Sep 5th, 2008, 08:19 PM	#10
moi et mes sacs Science Geek!	That sounds a bit too extreme. No wonder these telecom companies make such high profits. __________________ If you never change your mind, why have one? Edward de Bono

Sep 5th, 2008, 08:29 PM	#11
ValleyO Member Location: Sacramento, CA	While $20k is definitely excessive, you'd have to be pretty stupid not to realize that there'd at least be SOME int'l fees.

Sep 5th, 2008, 08:32 PM	#12
vlore Shop 'til you drop! Location: Miami, FL	Unbelievable!!! __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping. ~Bo Derek My newest baby: LV Azur Galliera PM I Margo Morrison necklaces

Sep 5th, 2008, 08:42 PM	#13
dusty paws Vuitton on the brain Location: RAOKville!	wow... that's intense. __________________ laura's teeny wishlist: [] mono french purse [] trevi pm [] seleya pm [] mono cles Laura and my babies: http://www.dustypaws.com My blog: http://makeupandpearls.blogspot.com/

Sep 5th, 2008, 09:17 PM	#14
twiggers Earning my PhD Location: The Library	That is insane! I was actually going to use our Verizon card in Canada (I was going to call first)....now I'll just pay the $20/day at the hotel! __________________ COME JOIN THE COOLEST CLUB AROUND...THE CURBING CONSUMERISM CLUB I've paid off over $50,000 in debt in 9 months!!!!! Only $13,250 more to go!!!