Woman Stunned by $200,000 Cell Phone Bill
Brother’s Roaming Charges Massive
In the world of customer service, cell phone providers aren't usually the most popular companies. This week, one U.S. woman got a massive shock to find she owed more than $200,000 in mobile charges.
South Florida's Celina Aarons, who usually pays about $175 each month in cell phone fees, was stunned this week to find she had racked up a catastrophic bill of $201,000.
"I was freaking out," Aarons said. "I was shaking, crying. I couldn't even talk that much on the phone. I was like, my life is over!"
When she investigated the situation, Aarons found that, technically, the charges were actually legitimate. You see, Aarons' brother Shamir is legally deaf, and on a recent trip to Canada, perhaps accidentally, left his cell phone on. That meant he racked up enormous roaming charges, since Aarons' usual service region is a thousand miles from the Canadian border.
It's unclear if Shamir, who is currently attending college, knew what kind of bill his sister would have to pay if he left the phone on while visiting the Great White North. It's been reported that Shamir also texted and streamed Internet video while north of the border.
Regardless, Aarons was frustrated and angry that the provider failed to contact her when the charge ballooned from the usual $175 to $10,000, $50,000, even $100,000. And she's right -- a credit card company will often contact a card user if they see alarming and irregular purchases. The fact that this provider didn't say a word suggests it doesn't always keep the customer’s best interests in mind.
In considering the total charge, Aarons was left wondering what else she might have been able to buy with $200,000. "That's like paying for a nice house right now," she said.
But there is a less frustrating, if not happy, ending to this story. Aarons contacted Miami TV station WSVN-TV to see if anyone would be interested in her story. Not only did WSVN take notice, they attempted to broker a better deal for Aarons with the provider, and were eventually successful in having the bill reduced to $2,500 -- with six months to pay off.
Thankfully, it appears these kinds of charges may soon become a thing of the past. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, recently reached an agreement with phone companies that will see customers alerted when their bill drastically exceeds the typical fee.
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