Well...i'm boned

[RecentMidget]

Guess what happened to me and my celphone...i had been using the internet and youtube on there and racked up a 61,000 dollar bill. No warning that it was happening too, after 2 to 3 months of usage they called and told my mom and I that we were boned. What they said they were gonna do is charge us the $30 a month fee for the months that I have been using it, and take off a 'big' chunk of the fee. However, we don't know what it will be until thursday, and the only reason it will take so long is because the bill is so high that they need CEO clearance or some **** like that. No one but you guys, Miko, and my mom know about it. So I need your advise here.

Miko said that they should have contacted me when the bill reached $2,000 at the most, and that I could take it to court, but that would be a last resort next to moving back in with my mom to help pay the bill. Either way, it will take a few years to pay off, but I could always move out again.

[The Million Dollar Prons]

Gohan, you are so far from screwed the light from screwed will take a billion years to reach you

[RecentMidget]

Gohan, you are so far from screwed the light from screwed will take a billion years to reach you

care to illuminate?

[The Million Dollar Prons]

30 dollars a month to pay off 61,000 may take some time na mean.

[ComicalParamore]

that suck hair monkey balls man. i had that happen once but my bill was only $800 thank the gods

[RecentMidget]

30 dollars a month to pay off 61,000 may take some time na mean.

no...they are going to pretend like we had the service all this time, but we still have to pay whatever exess there is. The guy who called us guessed around 20,000 as a price, which is nice, but it would still take some time. i get paid about 1,000 a month (walmart, carts), so thats about 12,000 a year. My last resort plan is to move in with my mom again, (even though i just got out of there), put my entire paychecks into paying this off, and keep doing it until the bill is paid. That way, my mom doesn't have to get a third job to make ends meet, i don't have to pay any more rent, and 1,000 a month will be going towards a massive bill. (before the flames hit, no I haven't thought out the details yet, I don't know what the actual bill will be before thursday, and inb4 Waltsoph's conspiracy thought process)

[Old Ape Face]

At first I thought the thread was called Well... I'm Blond.

And I was hoping for a blond moment from Gohan, and i guess this works lol

[SlackerDude]

Um, Gohan? Do you own a call center agency man?-_-;

[RecentMidget]

Um, Gohan? Do you own a call center agency man?-_-;

no idea what that is and i am with verizon.

[Phantom]

How is it even possible to rank up that big of a bill?

[Siendra]

You're boned. Unless your contract explicitly stated stated that they would inform you when your overages reached a set amount you're completely liable for anything you're being charged for.

Out of curiosity, why were you browsing the internet without knowing the details of your own cellular agreement?

[Soluzar]

OK. So here is the best plan. Find a documents guy, and leave the country under your new identity. Cause really... that's a big chunk o' change, and it sucks that you have to pay that much. If you had a data plan with your cellphone provider, it probably wouldn't have cost that much. The way my provider goes is that the price per meg with a data plan is cheap, but the price per meg if you don't have a data plan and still use data services anyway is horrendous.

[Spike]

I'm curious they charged you for viewing youtube? I'm lost now. I've never had a cellphone but recently thinking about getting one but if this **** can happen screw that.

[Soluzar]

On a cellphone you get charged per meg for data/internet usage regardless of what it is. YouTube transfers more megs than your typical webpage, so it costs a fair bit. If you get a plan with an inclusive data allowance, it's usually cheaper than just paying for it ad hoc, as Gohan probably did.

[Mosinmatt]

damn dude. This is why I dont trust cellphone companies. Especially with internet.

[Siendra]

damn dude. This is why I dont trust cellphone companies. Especially with internet.

You don't trust the companies because customers can't be bothered to understand the pricing structure?

[Mosinmatt]

You don't trust the companies because customers can't be bothered to understand the pricing structure?

I dont trust them, cause they gouge, tack on all kinds of hidden fees, and force you to sign a contract for a phone, give ****** service, then charge you if you want to stop their ****** service.
Then they advertise "free text messaging! Free calls to these people!" Yet you still pay $100 per month.
This is a free market, if people were smart enough, they would stop using these **** companies, then when they realize they are losing money, they would shape up.

[Jia]

At first I thought the thread was called Well... I'm Blond.

And I was hoping for a blond moment from Gohan, and i guess this works lol

I thought boned meant he got laid.


The best thing to do in this case is call the telecommunications thingie in America/your country. I know we have one here but I'm not sure if you have one. But normally you can fill out a complaint with them and they have a certain time to respond. Then they normally give you a number for your telecommunications company and you can sort it out from there.

And from personal experience don't call the company direct with it. Go find the complaints person :)

http://www.complaints.com/

[master terrence]

wait for the $30 a month clearance and when you find out how much the excess is say thankyou.... but then tell them you push carts and how you didn't know and that there was a lady choking and you had to go on youtube once to watch a cpr tutorial (make sure this lie works)... blah blah blah. just keep nagging. and say thank you :) once they say they'll cut it down thank them... but call them again the next day and ask if they can break it down for you and tell them you would like to make sure they get their money within a year and that you would like to work with them to cut down the monthly payments... but still be done in one years time.

[RecentMidget]

i could always do a barrel roll.

[master terrence]

just keep calling, I'm sure by the third time they'll give you some leniency. Just make sure you get some guy in India and not some 16 year old chewing gum and painting her nails.

[Umagon]

holy crap, that sucks man =/

good luck.

[Mosinmatt]

This happens with people going on vacation, or even going to the store, and they get charged roaming fees. I seem to remember someone having roaming charges in their own home.

[Trefellin]

Well, I know a guy who can get you to Brazil.

[Siendra]

I dont trust them, cause they gouge, tack on all kinds of hidden fees, and force you to sign a contract for a phone, give ****** service, then charge you if you want to stop their ****** service.
Then they advertise "free text messaging! Free calls to these people!" Yet you still pay $100 per month.
This is a free market, if people were smart enough, they would stop using these **** companies, then when they realize they are losing money, they would shape up.

What kind of crappy service providers have you been with?

And when the give you a $600 phone for $25 (If it's not free, for that matter), I see no reason for them not to have a contract. Just as you're investing in the phone, they're investing in you.

[fujyoshi]

wow what kinda crap o_o didn't you have a plan for it? Man what describes this situation is not even screwed is something WAY worse o_o

[Leader Desslock]

I also can't quite figure out how you managed to rack up a bill that large. I mean... were you using the internet constantly for weeks while roaming? If so, then... why?

Of if you have a plan that's, say, 400 hours prepaid/month, then... how could you exceed that by enough to rack up a 60k bill? Does your plan not cover any internet usage at all? If not, then... I mean, after using it for ten hours, didn't you once stop and think, "Wow, I'm going to have a big bill this month! I'd better wait until I get home to watch this YouTube video..."

I can't imagine how it would be possible. I really can't.

[Tidusauron12]

^He couldn't stop because he was watching the video in my signature. You should click down there and you'll see why he couldn't stop, Desslock. ;)

[VidelCoolGirl]

Oh man, that sucks. Well, now I don't feel so bad for being in debt myself.

[ryushe]

$61,000?

US dollars?!

How is that even possible?

[Shiroiyuki]

Dude, should have used dial up; you'd never have this problem.

You'd just have bigger, more annoying problems. And a very slow reaction time. And lag. And the constant reassurance that at any given time your computer might blow up, call you a *****, and die completely.

Sure, it's a hate/hate relationship. But at least I don't have to pay $60,000+ bucks to be treated like **** – I get to be treated like **** for FREE. And that, my friend, is priceless.

[superplough]

^Sometimes I consider switching to dial-up... even if it is gonna treat me like ****, free is always good.

But then I look at your posts, and I'm like "no, I dont want to do that."

@Gohan: I also recommend skipping the country.

[Neko]

Dialup is free now?

Anyway, damn, that's a LOT of money. I had a friend who managed to rack up an over $500 bill one time when she went on vacation, but that's nothing compared to this. Hope it works out for you! heh

[goddessofanime]

How in the f**k does one wind up with a 61,000 cellphone bill? Either they made a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggge mistake on your bill or......I've heard of people going on the internet thru their cellphones but goddamn you must be glued to your cellphone....

[Shiroiyuki]

Dialup is free now?

Ours comes with the phone service, which we'd have to pay ANYWAY as we need the phone, so yes...I guess in a way it is free.

[Holy Knight]

Why is it that people never read the fine print, or, in this case, a contract that amounts to a few pages at most. I'd have thought one would be absolutely sure about the terms of anything he/she accepts.

Can't say I'm feeling apologetic, though I do agree carriers are pretty much getting free money with all their contracts, fees, and small charges.

Nag them, and you should be able to get the price down to a manageable level, and learn how to bargain and trade. What I'd do is sign up for data service, and get them to agree for an extended contract or something, at least after apologizing, and trying to get away with it scott free. Anything to get that bill erased.

[Tom Servo]

I also can't quite figure out how you managed to rack up a bill that large. I mean... were you using the internet constantly for weeks while roaming? If so, then... why?
The longer videos on YouTube are usually around 10-15mb, watch 2 or 3 of those a day and by the end of the month you're getting close to 1gb - dunno how much internet costs on phones (mine can't even display smilies) but I can imagine it stacking up quickly.

[AsukaxSohryux]

I find it quite funny...sorry bro, but its really too funny =/. Thats when you use a computer to surf Youtube...ha.

[Jon]

I regularly visit a site called www.dslreports.com and if you contact the administrators they will most likely post the story and give negative media attention to whoever charged you that insane bill. Verizon, ATT, Time Warner, all the big telco/cable companies browse that site and WILL respond by working out a deal. It's happened many times in the past.

Just make sure you say your telco/ISP didn't even warn you about how much you were spending.

http://www.dslreports.com/contacts

[Midoriko87]

Are you sure you're not making this up to get outta living with Mikosage? Sorry, sorry, I'm being affected by AnimeNation conspiracists.

I'm curious, though. Are you and your mom sharing a phone or something, or is this your phone in your mother's name? I mean, if it's the latter, that's kinda messed up, gohan. If it's solely your phone (on your credit file) and she's decided to help you out, that woman is a Saint.

Anywayz, I hope all goes well... Heavens! Like, 2 or 3 months, this kinda stuff doesn't show up on monthly statements? Cellphones truly are the devil's ding-dong. It's just hard to grasp, maybe someone's scamming you?

[hiei_kurama27]

This is why a phone should just be a phone. Take & recieve calls and leave it at that.

[Siendra]

How in the f**k does one wind up with a 61,000 cellphone bill? Either they made a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggge mistake on your bill or......I've heard of people going on the internet thru their cellphones but goddamn you must be glued to your cellphone....

By using your phone as a wireless modem for a laptop.

[Jia]

How in the f**k does one wind up with a 61,000 cellphone bill? Either they made a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggge mistake on your bill or......I've heard of people going on the internet thru their cellphones but goddamn you must be glued to your cellphone....

Option c/d - He was glued to his phone.

[Arnold]

Good lord.

All I want from my phone is to take/make calls, and -maybe- GPS functionality...

[Tidusauron12]

After having no cell phone or iPod for a couple of months now (lost both), I can say I'd much rather just have an mp3 player and no phone. Life is much more whole without constant texts/calls and other annoying gimmicks that cell phone allow.

[goddessofanime]

Seriously dude...where were you calling Japan?

[l0k1]

You agree to pay a certain amount each month over many years, the reasoning being they'll actually get the money where as it's inpractical to suggest you have that kind of money available to pay a large bill.

[ToyMachinist_86]

at thirty dollars a month, it will take you around 55 years, 6 months, 2 weeks, 3.5 days, 12 hours, 30 min., and 30 seconds to pay your bill.

I personally think you're yanking our chains, but that's just me.

[sailornyanko]

Damn, that sucks man! My cheap cellphone charges with small amounts of credit (I only have to pay like 5 dollars a month for it). Nothing flashy, but that way I never have to spend a lot of cash on useless things and can save money to go to Cancun again somewhere around November or December when my next vacations will probably hit. I rarely even use my cellphone anyways.

READ the fine print in documents man. If you got hit this bad with a cellphone, I can only imagine how bad you could fare with a credit card. Read the document of the agreement clearly to see if the company is liable for a max amount to call you or something. If not, you're screwed. I'm surprised you could even move out on your own with just a 12,000 dollar salary. O_o'

[sailornyanko]

You agree to pay a certain amount each month over many years, the reasoning being they'll actually get the money where as it's inpractical to suggest you have that kind of money available to pay a large bill.

I bet they will charge interest to boot so in the end the cash he owes could beam up to 100,000 dollars.

[Meggles]

Wow, I'm having a hard time believing this is even true. Like whoa.

I hate how people are using their cellphones as computers these days. I only use my phone for calls/texts. It actually annoys people because I barely ever carry my phone with me. ;)

[KabukiSaMuRaI]

I get youtube capabilities on my phone but I signed up for an unlimited data plan before I started using the Internet. Even casual data usage brought my bill up higher than normal, which is still more than I'm willing to pay.

I am sorry for your troubles and I hope there is a reasonable solution.

[Soluzar]

I get youtube capabilities on my phone but I signed up for an unlimited data plan before I started using the Internet.
It only makes sense, right? Next phone I get will probably be my first serious 'internet phone' and I plan on making sure I've got either unlimited or plenty of data allowance in my plan.

[tenshi_a]

A guy I work with bought his current phone based entirely on it being the only one he could get unlimited internet access on, so he can listen to last.fm anywhere he goes.

It ended up being an iPhone and he's all -_-; "I feel dirty" -_-; but that's how important a good deal on 'net access was to him.

Radios these days are expensive things, huh? Or at least, the equivalent to them.

[Soluzar]

A guy I work with bought his current phone based entirely on it being the only one he could get unlimited internet access on, so he can listen to last.fm anywhere he goes.
In...ter...esting. As far as I know my service provider offer it as an addition to any plan. You pick the handset and tariff you like, then just add it on for a smallish additional charge.

[ryushe]

I personally think you're yanking our chains, but that's just me.No, it's me also.

[Jia]

I get youtube capabilities on my phone but I signed up for an unlimited data plan before I started using the Internet. Even casual data usage brought my bill up higher than normal, which is still more than I'm willing to pay.

I am sorry for your troubles and I hope there is a reasonable solution.

This is what happens when you guys download porn. :(

[KabukiSaMuRaI]

It only makes sense, right? Next phone I get will probably be my first serious 'internet phone' and I plan on making sure I've got either unlimited or plenty of data allowance in my plan.

The one and only Touch Pro my friend. :) With the casual usage I had in the beginning, my bill shot up dramatically and that was with only a few thousand kb of usage (if I remember correctly). And that was because there was this auto feature that kept on connecting to the net and then there were intermittent weather updates. That was annoying.

When watching videos though or long conversations, the phone heats up and stops charging (safety mechanism I guess).

But unlimited data is a good way to go about things if you plan to use the web at all. Overage charges are not good and you can always downgrade this feature after you are able to better gauge you usage (just like minutes). Cell phones aren't just for calling now....what else can your phone do for you?! is the big selling point nowadays.

This is what happens when you guys download porn. :(
Now that's a little bit assumptive and I'm a little bit surprised that you would bring that up. :( Although being no stranger to porn, I usually reserve youtube for martial arts based videos.

[Caster13]

How is it even possible to rank up that big of a bill?

Have a few teenage daughters and let them call from the country your family is visiting on vacation.

[RecentMidget]

you aren't going to believe what happened...

they let it go. Thats right, it when from 61,000 to 0. I don't know how, i don't know why. all I owe them is the 60 dollars for the past two months i could've had the service.

the only reasoning for this that i could think of is that they screwed up so massively for not keeping an eye on this and warning us about the bill, that they said to themselves, "do you think they know we ****ed up?" and went with the safe road and deleted the debt.

[Caster13]

NICE.:thumbsup:

[animeotaku99]

now just remember to only surf the internet on your computer not your phone or buy the service and GET A JOB. lol
but it is great that they let the entire bill go. They probably aren't losing any money anyways.

[superplough]

Awesomesauce