Need help dealing with huge cell phone bill (stolen) Please Help!

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paddlefoot

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About a month ago I left my cell phone on the train I take to work. At the time I thought I might have just misplaced it so I didn't have my mother call and suspend the service (was reported to Amtrak lost and found, but they never called). I told her, but she decided to wait a couple days. I have a tendency to misplace things and find them at a later date. She ended up cancelling the phone after four days. At the time she was told that whoever had the phone was calling NYC and Jamaica. She wasn't worried at that time (for some reason she thought Jamaica wasn't roaming). We got the bill today and the roaming charges were $1100.00 :bomb:. Does anyone know if there is anything that can be done to reduce or eliminate the charges? We have a cingular family plan. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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What you should have done was call the company immediately and have them suspend the service and only allow the phone to receive incoming until you knew for sure it was gone.

A guy I worked with at my last job lost his business phone, it ended up being used to call Brazil and the person racked up a huge charge within hours (he suspended the service almost immediately.)

My boss called the company, explained the situation, and they removed a portion of the bill, but still made him play ~$350 + new phone purchase charges. So, call Cingular, tell them what happened, and see if they can bring your bill down to a more manageable price.
 
Yeah, I realize now that the service should have been suspended immediately. The only reason we didn't is because the last time one of the phones was suspended they charged $30 to reactivate it.

My mother did call today, she was told there was nothing they could do. I am not sure how irate she got.
 
[quote name='paddlefoot']Yeah, I realize now that the service should have been suspended immediately. The only reason we didn't is because the last time one of the phones was suspended they charged $30 to reactivate it.

My mother did call today, she was told there was nothing they could do. I am not sure how irate she got.[/quote]

Yeah thats crap. WHy are you having your mother call?

Call yourself..
 
[quote name='Ice2Dragon']Yeah thats crap. WHy are you having your mother call?

Call yourself..[/quote]

Can't, its a family plan and is in her name.

At least the last time I called for something else that is what I was told (she needed to call)
 
[quote name='paddlefoot']Can't, its a family plan and is in her name.

At least the last time I called for something else that is what I was told (she needed to call)[/quote]

No as long as you have her info, I.e. social security number address etc.

you can. And you can dispute the charges, threaten to cancel the contract and they will gladly get rid of the charges.
 
[quote name='Ice2Dragon']No as long as you have her info, I.e. social security number address etc.

you can. And you can dispute the charges, threaten to cancel the contract and they will gladly get rid of the charges.[/quote]
OK, I'll definitely try it. I just hope it goes better than it did with her.
 
Cingular AT&T are pretty unkind to the customers. A friend's son racked up a huge bill text messaging and they told her they could not disable text messaging at all like they had told her they would and she is still paying the bill though at least she cancelled the contract. All the while, my room mate's Cingular AT&T phone never sent or received text messages for the first three months because they forgot to enable it but continued to charge for it. No leeway in billing either way.
 
[quote name='paddlefoot']About a month ago I left my cell phone on the train I take to work. At the time I thought I might have just misplaced it so I didn't have my mother call and suspend the service (was reported to Amtrak lost and found, but they never called). I told her, but she decided to wait a couple days. I have a tendency to misplace things and find them at a later date. She ended up cancelling the phone after four days. At the time she was told that whoever had the phone was calling NYC and Jamaica. She wasn't worried at that time (for some reason she thought Jamaica wasn't roaming). We got the bill today and the roaming charges were $1100.00 :bomb:. Does anyone know if there is anything that can be done to reduce or eliminate the charges? We have a cingular family plan. Any help would be greatly appreciated.[/quote]

The Calif Atty general sued AT&T for charging customers who had their phones stolen and had fraudlent charges. At&T settled the suit and agreed to recind and refund all charges of the customers whose phones were stolen. Other phone companies have taken note of this settlement and are trying to abide by it before they get sued as well.

The big problem you have is that you failed to report it when you thought it was lost/stolen so you might not be covered.

Google the artilce and talk to an atty or some legal service.
 
[quote name='strikeratt']Say fuck you take off the charges then hang up

Rinse repeat until they do[/QUOTE]

if he continued to do that, they could sue / press charges for harassment...

your best bet is to call, immediately ask for a manager, see how much they can take off the bill, threaten to cancel the contract, see if that helps, then just bite the bullet and pay the $1,100 / remainder after you get some taken off.
 
[quote name='DreamSymphony']Prepaid all the way! :)[/QUOTE]
Seriously, that's probably the best advice. Cancel the contract, dispute the charges, and be done with them would be my advice. Not sure how card companies consider those charges though. They might also sue you, but even if they do, you could settle out of court for probably half of what they want, which would still be better off then paying the full $1100.
 
[quote name='mietha']Seriously, that's probably the best advice. Cancel the contract, dispute the charges, and be done with them would be my advice. Not sure how card companies consider those charges though. They might also sue you, but even if they do, you could settle out of court for probably half of what they want, which would still be better off then paying the full $1100.[/quote]

My father alone uses over 1000 minutes per month. Pre-paid is not an option.
 
[quote name='paddlefoot']My father alone uses over 1000 minutes per month. Pre-paid is not an option.[/QUOTE]

ummm... I think this poster was talkin to you OP, not your family. Anyway, I say just get angry and move up the latter, threatening lawsuit after lawsuit untill you get progress. I would also consult an attorney to help with the matter (don't have to contract, just for advice in the sitch.

Good Luck and don't do stupid sheot with your phone, but then again learning is an experience!
 
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