A $19,370 wireless oops
Filed under: Technology
This is not the first time we've heard of someone running up a huge wireless bill with a laptop computer. This story isn't quite as bad as the C$85,000 bill one family got, but racking up almost $20,000 in charges has got to hurt. Dave Terry got an AirCard from AT&T for wireless access to email and the internet while traveling. AT&T says they told the customer that the wireless plan didn't include international use, but Dave says when he got the card he wasn't told anything about international fees.
Dave Terry's son went to Vancouver in July and used the card 21 times to send pictures and emails. Their 200-page bill totaled $19,730 because of international charges. Dave says that since the family's wireless bill is usually $250 to $300, the company should have alerted them as soon as it got over $1,000.
I have a bit of a different take. Sure, I feel kind of badly that they got such a huge bill. On the other hand, it's the consumer's responsibility to know what the costs are before using the service. If I were traveling internationally, you better believe I'd have it in writing exactly what the cost would be before using the service. And don't expect the service provider to alert you that you're spending money with them.
AT&T could be nice to the family and reduce the bill so that it just covers the company's cost of providing the service. If it costs more for AT&T to provide international services, the family should definitely bear this cost. And everyone traveling internationally should be more careful in the future!
Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.
Dave Terry's son went to Vancouver in July and used the card 21 times to send pictures and emails. Their 200-page bill totaled $19,730 because of international charges. Dave says that since the family's wireless bill is usually $250 to $300, the company should have alerted them as soon as it got over $1,000.
I have a bit of a different take. Sure, I feel kind of badly that they got such a huge bill. On the other hand, it's the consumer's responsibility to know what the costs are before using the service. If I were traveling internationally, you better believe I'd have it in writing exactly what the cost would be before using the service. And don't expect the service provider to alert you that you're spending money with them.
AT&T could be nice to the family and reduce the bill so that it just covers the company's cost of providing the service. If it costs more for AT&T to provide international services, the family should definitely bear this cost. And everyone traveling internationally should be more careful in the future!
Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
9-08-2008 @ 11:14PM
Devin said...
I believe that its not AT&T's fault I believe that its the laziness of the family for not checking everything out. AT&T should not have to reduce the bill because of a family not looking into everything. AT&T should not have to alert the family, the family should have known. WHAT IS THIS World coming to blaming everyone else except themselves??? I really would hate to see this world in 10-20 years down the road.
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9-06-2008 @ 1:57AM
M Mead said...
I've never had this happen to me (thank God) but it seems like it would make common sense to send an alert when the bill got to $1,000 or even $5,000. That is obviously unusual and in need of an alert.
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9-06-2008 @ 7:09PM
Robert said...
The MAGIC WORDS HERE ARE "Common Sense" Corporate America is only concerned consealment and profit usually generated by greed to appease the stock holder and support the outragious golden parachutes, most often referrred to as an "Exit Stradegy" at the time of employment. I not only forbid the company I used to own with a 40K per month phone bill from using AT&T or any company afiliates, We did our level best to keep banking activities to an absolute minimum with US banks often paying an extra preimum for using international credit cards here in the US. If you think the Communications and Mortgage businesses are shady just wait to see who pays for the failure of financial institutions that you would never dream are in deep trouble.
9-06-2008 @ 11:23AM
Walter H Harrison said...
That's the NEW AT&T for you.,They are the wrost scum on the earth/
They will do anything to scew the consumer.
I had a brawl with them over the DSL service.
It never worked.
Their workmen never showed up for appointments.
I tried with them on the phone, which is a horrifying put off.
I got lucky. Someone in my building installed a hi spee system and I hooked up with them.
AT&T wanted me to pay full charges for everything and a huge penalty for early cancellation for a system that never worked and they could not repair.
I filed a written complaint with the PUC in Calif. Sending copies of the complain to both Senators, and Congressman.
The PUC interceded on my behalf and AT&T settled be eradicating all charges, upon my return of equipment in the original box, which I had kept.
If you deal with AT&T you can expect to get screwed.
If you deal with Time Warner, expect the same treatment.
BUT-one has to deal with both or similar.
Verizon now is in the club of screw the public.
I would like to hold them accountable-
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9-06-2008 @ 3:12PM
FRENCHY said...
SEEMS U CAN'T GET ALONG W/ ANYONE, MAYBE UR THE PROBLEM ???
9-06-2008 @ 7:15PM
Linda B said...
I have to agree with you about Verizon. AT&T is bad but Verizon is the absolute worse. Everytime I hear them talk about "The Network", I think Mafia, kneecaps and "Can you hear me now, smuck?"
9-09-2008 @ 6:57AM
randy epner said...
Absolutely on the mark about ATT.
I had their wireless service a few years ago in the NY metro area. 50% of the calls got dropped. I complained, and went to Verizon which was 100% better. ATT did not live up to their contract by providing decent service, but they did make me pay $ 175.00 to leave. I was willing to do this due to credit considerations and that I was just so pissed at them. I vowed on that day never ever to have anything at all to do with ATT again.
9-06-2008 @ 11:30AM
STEVE said...
TYPICAL OF AT&T TO HIDE THEIR "INTERNATIONAL" PRICES IN THE SMALL PRINT, AND WHO READS THE "LAWYERSPEAK" ANYWAY?
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9-06-2008 @ 2:28PM
Billy said...
Steve,
It is your job to read the "Lawyerspeak," as you call it. This is the one place where the corporations can pull the rug over you and you can not do anything about it. If you are going to put your name to anything you MUST know what you are getting into. Would you sign a mortgage agreement or a loan for a vehicle without thouroughly reading everything you put pen to? Do your really think that the corporate lawyers make the kind of money they do by simply turninng out meaningless documents? NO! They are there to protect the company and its shareholders. Maybe look into to your lawyerspeak a little futher next time.
9-07-2008 @ 11:06AM
Janie said...
ATT blasted me with a 1000$ phone bill after a representative misinformed me of the roaming area. I was SOL. Dropped my account and then they bought Cingular. :-(
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9-06-2008 @ 11:32AM
whitcombc said...
I have a problem with globalization when a multinational company ups it's charges 20 fold when you travel 20 miles across a river. My kid went to Niagra Falls, called and then went across the border to the Canadian side and called again. The cost was over $20 more than the US call. Come on! Not being a seasoned European traveler, I wonder if this happens between France and Belgium?
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9-06-2008 @ 4:51PM
bee said...
Poor family. Just as bad are those awful ZPDI charges you can get on your bill. I picked up the phone in my house and heard a "click". Later in my bill I got charged $29.90 for the call. Cox cable did nothing about it. I wouldn't suggest them either
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9-06-2008 @ 12:05PM
Karen said...
Are you kidding me? Every month I have to call ATT for something they messed up. Here's the best story:
I have two lines. The first line is just an "extra" line used for absolutely nothing, The scond line is my "do everything" line (DSL, home network, home phone, long-distance) I send in a separate check to pay each bill each month because ATT could NEVER figure out on their own that the first bill (which has the phone number wiritten on the check at the bottom in the comments section) stapled to the invoice. The first bill is about $12 a month. The second bll is ablout $90. I staple the second bill to the separate invoice as well. EASY, right?
A third grader could see the different bills, right? WRONG, again! The idiots apply the $90 to the $12 bill and nothing to the $90 bill. This happens for about three months. I call ATT each month and have to straighten it out and waste at least an hour (when I could be looking for better phone service) on the phone waiting listening to specials for ATT! Finally, the rep comes on the line (always get their name and ID #) and I have to explain the story. After another 20 minutes the rep "accidentally" disconnects me and I have to start all over again. So, finally, in May I am do my usual monthy correcting when an especially nce rep asks me if I want to have a "combined" bill, meaning my cells, home, and internet are all on one bill. Cheaper and easier, right? WRONG. I get the first bill and not only have those morons appplied my entire payment to my first line ($440), but they tell me that my payment is due immediately. So, of course, I call (This time I crunched tortilla chips, really loudly in their ear, to get even) to fix the problem. I'm on hold and transferred three times. Finally I think the problem is sorted out (Wireless=one amount which the idiots there have to figure out, line one=one amount, and the remainder goes to? Line two. Well, apparently, ATT only likes my first line because they applied the whole payment again to line one! Did they not notice that line two, the usual $12 bill now had a credit balance of like $772? It took these idiots 3 hours (I had a glass of wine for each hour I had to wait)
to finally figure out. Finally, today, five months later, it's all done and corrected. Now that is what I call excellent customer service!
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9-15-2008 @ 4:51PM
cathy said...
darn
now I know what to do
drink wine with mybill problems.
I have done ok with them so far except that I read novels when on hold.
I always take notes. I always am polite.
I always read every word of the fien print.
I am single.. it takes so long to read fine print.. my dating time is much reduced.
9-06-2008 @ 11:43AM
ru said...
My bet is that AT&T would lose little if ANY money not collecting the ridiculous amount !
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9-09-2008 @ 2:37PM
Star said...
How do we fight back ???? CC company's, cable, phone etc. is out of f'in control. In this day and age of leagalized theft, its time to take a stand !!! How do we fight back ????
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9-06-2008 @ 2:02PM
coco said...
You have to fight back these big Corporate giants that take advantage of their customer/consumers by taking them to court. Fight fire with POWER. If you cant afford to take them to court, contact the Attorney General's office like I did when AOL ripped me off for over $1800!!! I wrote a letter as long as the broadwalk in Atlanta City with detailed accounts of the over charges and dates they charged my credit card to the Attorney Generals office. This was some 3 years ago when AOL was marketing those disks "try for Free" Well they were not FREE. Because when you contacted them to cancel the "Free" trial period they would not cancel and continued to charge. So, number one, don't always believe the hype. But on the serious side, these Corporate Giants always look for ways to make money and take advantage of the small consumer. Number two, STOP THEM!!! COMPLAIN!!
CONTACT your ATTORNEY GENERAL'S office and see what they can do to help you. You may surprised to find out that there is someone on your side willing to help the consumer. They certainly were able to help me get my $1800 back from those thieves!
9-06-2008 @ 7:57PM
Linda said...
You fight back by keeping your money in your pocket. They control you because you beg them to control you. You get up every day and put "yourself" into that little gerbil wheel and at the end of enough cycles they hand you a paycheck that you immediately hand over to the big guys. It is not broken for them so why should they fix it? Want power? Pull the plug.
9-06-2008 @ 11:49AM
nick said...
It would be smart business if AT&T sent an alert both for the customer and AT&T. The higher the bill is, the higher the chance the person is not going to be able to pay it back. Then both the Company and the Customer are at a loss. More offten than not it's going to be the company that is going to be out of actual money. More than likely that bill will not get paid and all the customer is out of is just a bad mark on their credit. they can always get a new service provider and learn from their mistakes.
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9-06-2008 @ 11:48AM
joan said...
I feel for this family. But at some point don't you think as consumers we should start taking some responsibilty and take the time to read the fine print. I don't work for AT&T thank goodness, but I am in a reatail business that people feel they should have no responsibility for fees and charges. When did companies become resposible for our use of products and services?
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