$400.00 cell phone bill. Oops?

A friend of the family reports their phone bill last
month was $400.00.

Though I do not have all of the details, it is my understanding
their youngest son was downloading something via the phone
(not sure, maybe video game stuff?) and left the phone on. No
one noticed, and the party stayed connected. Four hundred dollars
later, click.

It seems as though a few years ago, the telephone companies
began forgiving this type of bill one time, if the account holders
could prove (?) it was accidental or a teenager's doing.

Does anyone know if such a grace exists for a cell phone? They
currently have Sprint. I told the Mrs. that she should at least try
every avenue to have this erased. If not, at least she tried.

Many thanks for any advice,
Karen Marie

Ahh, tis closing the barn door a bit too late .. but, 'mom or dad' should be able to contact the cell service provider and have them DISable the mobile media (internet) and the text messaging features.

There's a button or two on ours, that no matter how carefully we try to hold the thing - - we always manage to push the things (that incidentally, 'connects' when we aren't aware of it - 'till too late. Had some charges to show up a few times .. for all of 35 cents, 67 cents, etc. .. for a few 'media downloads' that appeared on our bills. I'd not really noticed them, let alone questioned them .. until a few bills later, then made a call to our provider.

Called, reported the problems and complained a bit about how VERY easy these buttons are to get 'pushed' .. thereby 'activating' something that we're not aware of. These charges were immediately , and we specifically asked if there was something that (they) can do, to prevent such things from happening. We were then asked, if we'd like the service DISabled. Of course, I informed them that we'd not ever ENabled the 'media' service. * BUT, it was explained to us, that altho' we'd not ever 'subscribed' to the service, it was and has always been ENabled!

I told them that altho' we did choose the particular phone, and that it was mainly because we require the 'largest' key pad (that this phone provided, of all the various cell phones we'd considered, looked at, & with 'hands-on'). The young man I'd spoken with, very kindly informed me - that all cell phone manufacturers are going with the smaller-smallest sizes of phones, and the tiniest of keys. In a nutshell: he told us that it makes them more convenient, more 'tote-able' & less conspicuous. (Hmmm .. I'd still be with our ol trusty bulky handy-dandy (then!) bag phone from the dinosaur period, if'n I had my druthers! .. lol .. (Heck, far longer battery life!)

We've come to realize, too .. that if it weren't for our always powering down (turning our cell phone off) when WE were thru with calls (nor expecting any afterwards) - - goodness knows, what outrageous charges would've surely accumulated ! ! ! !

Most peculiar .. I still cannot figger out, the 'what' that the download/s consisted of! Seriously, it was nothing more than the accidental touch ('activation') of a button that seems to be most strategically placed on the sides of all cell phones - right there, and practically no way to avoid the contact - short of delicately picking up your cell phone, lifting the flip lid, and ever so carefully and particularly .. placing certain fangers, 'jes so'!! And for crying out loud - how many of us, do that, with (our) cell phones!?!

Also, the button is easy to push just from stickin' the phone into a shirt pocket, a purse, jeans, etc. AND even in its' leather belt clip-pouch .. still can be so easily pushed, by leaning up against something, getting seated in your vehicle or most any chair/seat, twisting around to distribute McD or BK goodies, a child giving you a hugg, the dog jumping up on you, and there are even more (realistic and proven) instances!!

Any chance that such a similar incident may've been the culprit, with these folks you've mentioned -?- Especially, IF this may've been a 1st time (hence, 'charge') of any kind associated to any type of 'media' connection ?!?!?

- Magpye

This message was edited Aug 8, 2007 9:33 AM