Yet another scam
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
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From: Frequently frozen MN
Yet another scam
I just read about a guy who got a cellphone bill of 10K for his daughter's phone. It's a real bill.
Turns out that the girl has some issues( forgot just what), and one of the few things that she enjoys is text messaging. So, pop bought the plan with unlimited text messaging, and some other safeguards.
Unfortunately, there's text messaging, and there's text me$$aging. Various magazines, targeted at young girls, advertise text chats with hunky guys. This text me$$aging is NOT covered. There's probably a similar service aimed at guys.
The cell provider did 'generously' offer to settle for 5K.
Another way to get into your pocketbook -- no credit card required.
ford2go
Turns out that the girl has some issues( forgot just what), and one of the few things that she enjoys is text messaging. So, pop bought the plan with unlimited text messaging, and some other safeguards.
Unfortunately, there's text messaging, and there's text me$$aging. Various magazines, targeted at young girls, advertise text chats with hunky guys. This text me$$aging is NOT covered. There's probably a similar service aimed at guys.
The cell provider did 'generously' offer to settle for 5K.
Another way to get into your pocketbook -- no credit card required.
ford2go
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 693
Likes: 1
From: SouthWest Ga.
Originally Posted by jake00
stupidity isnt a scam 
Pay as you go the only way for no surprises. Especially with kids and teens involved. Stupidest thing I've ever seen. Kids (6-10yrs old) running around with cellphones. Sorry even if I had kids they wouldn't get a cellphone untill they were at least in their teens and then it would be pay as yoou go.
Ok I'm thru ranting now. Sorry.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,577
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From: Southern MD
The cure-all for kids overusing a cell phone, or one for emergencies, is a Pay-As-You-Go phone.
I have one just in case I need it for an emergency. I don't need it for business, or to yak at friends all day long. I don't like to talk on the phone anyway.
It costs me about $7 a month.
I have one just in case I need it for an emergency. I don't need it for business, or to yak at friends all day long. I don't like to talk on the phone anyway.
It costs me about $7 a month.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,606
Likes: 5,629
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
a friend gave his 10 year old son a cell phone after almost 1 year of the kid begging for one. it has 3 numbers in it, and those 3 numbers are the only ones that can be dialed out, or received. the house, his cell phone, and 911.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 423
From: Long Island USA
If you ever get nailed by a cellphone bill, DO NOT PAY EVEN PART OF IT.
The instant you pay even a small portion of it, you accept the invoice.
I had a beeper company do almost the exact same thing to me.
"1000 free messages" - Max message length is 55 characters. So I thought they had a limit on it, because my beeper wasn't capable of receiving more than 140 chars anyway.
Turns out, if you send a message that's 1000 characters, they break it up into 18.18 messages. At least, they BILL it that way.
I got a bill for over $900 bucks. Plus they never sent a bill, it was supposed to be billed directly to my credit card, and because they never billed me, I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.
So, I just never paid the bill, called them up, they argued with me, and I never heard another thing. A few months later, the company went out of business.
They were pumping up their revenue (owed to them, but not payed yet) to make their company look good for a buyout - it failed.
--
Got a "collections" letter from a place in Florida I think, a few months back. Says I owe Verizon over $400 for a phone number I haven't used in 13 years. Ignored it, never heard another thing. Another lovely scam.
The instant you pay even a small portion of it, you accept the invoice.
I had a beeper company do almost the exact same thing to me.
"1000 free messages" - Max message length is 55 characters. So I thought they had a limit on it, because my beeper wasn't capable of receiving more than 140 chars anyway.
Turns out, if you send a message that's 1000 characters, they break it up into 18.18 messages. At least, they BILL it that way.
I got a bill for over $900 bucks. Plus they never sent a bill, it was supposed to be billed directly to my credit card, and because they never billed me, I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.
So, I just never paid the bill, called them up, they argued with me, and I never heard another thing. A few months later, the company went out of business.
They were pumping up their revenue (owed to them, but not payed yet) to make their company look good for a buyout - it failed.
--
Got a "collections" letter from a place in Florida I think, a few months back. Says I owe Verizon over $400 for a phone number I haven't used in 13 years. Ignored it, never heard another thing. Another lovely scam.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by jake00
stupidity isnt a scam
dang, that should be in one of those great quotes books.
i am still just wondering....10k???? was she that horny for a guy?
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Moderator
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 158,702
Likes: 12,090
From: Greenfield, MA
Gotta read and understand the fine print in contracts that you sign...
...gotta agree with jake00...stupidity isn't a scam. Boy would I like to settle debts incurred for 50% on the dollar...i'd be a very wealthy man!!! 
...gotta agree with jake00...stupidity isn't a scam. Boy would I like to settle debts incurred for 50% on the dollar...i'd be a very wealthy man!!!
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Kansas City, MO
Those comercials you see on tv that stay text "this to 12345" are like that. they will charge you a montly fee plus what ever you text message charge is. And trying to get them taken off your bill is a pain in the ***.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 700
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From: waterloo, iowa
Originally Posted by krewat
Got a "collections" letter from a place in Florida I think, a few months back. Says I owe Verizon over $400 for a phone number I haven't used in 13 years. Ignored it, never heard another thing. Another lovely scam.
Last edited by ididntdoit99; Nov 2, 2007 at 05:17 PM.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 423
From: Long Island USA
Originally Posted by ididntdoit99
I'd say it not over yet... if they sent you to collections letter a couple months ago, and you never called them back, there's probably someone sitting in an office right now typing you up another letter, haha
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,476
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From: Frequently frozen MN
The guy doesn't appear to be an idiot. His daughter has a condition -- and I forgot what -- that apparently limits what she can do. But, she can text, and she likes to do that.
So, good old pop tries to help her out. He THINKS that unlimited text messaging is just that. Well, it is, except for these 'text a hunk' deals.
I don't think that the cell providers mention that there are charges like this. But, they're the ones that do the billing, and in a category that they say is 'free'. That's why I put it in the scam category. The place that you contact is generating the charge ( apparently), so they should be the ones doing the billing. And, they should have to get a credit card #, not just pass it through your cell phone. This is not a charge for anything that the cell phone carrier is providing.
ford2go
So, good old pop tries to help her out. He THINKS that unlimited text messaging is just that. Well, it is, except for these 'text a hunk' deals.
I don't think that the cell providers mention that there are charges like this. But, they're the ones that do the billing, and in a category that they say is 'free'. That's why I put it in the scam category. The place that you contact is generating the charge ( apparently), so they should be the ones doing the billing. And, they should have to get a credit card #, not just pass it through your cell phone. This is not a charge for anything that the cell phone carrier is providing.
ford2go
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