Phone company trying to steal my money

[isthia]

I got my cell phone bill yesterday and it was more than double what it normally is! It doubles as my home phone, so I have a more expensive plan ($60 per month) but I get a lot of enjoyment and functionality from it. Anyways, this bill was a bit more than $200!!! At first I thought maybe I'd forgotten to pay the previous bill (oops!) but I hadn't! $122 had been charged for one 8 hour long distance call to Ontario (I'm in BC)! The call supposedly started at about 5pm, and last until around 1am the next morning. Well, I think I'd remember that! And I hadn't lost my phone at any point, and I live alone. And I didn't recognize the number! So I called Telus and explained the situation.

The girl I spoke with listened to what had happened and told me that she would offer a $60 credit. WHAT?! I didn't make this call!! Then she offered an $80 credit and told me I should have been more responsible with my phone and that was the best she could do for me. WHAT!!??

Of course, I asked to speak to a supervisor. After several minutes wait, the supervisor was able to determine that "a little known glitch in the system" had caused the computer to think I had made a call when really I hadn't. I was only saved because he could prove I had made a call about 10 minutes later (when I should have been still on my 8 hour call). He said that the girl I spoke with first hadn't known about this glitch. The whole amount was refunded.

I can only imagine what would have happened to someone more timid than me, or who might have given up when told there was nothing else to be done.

GRRRR Phone companies!!!!

[walkonby]

absolutely shocking CS! Basically called you irresponsible, a liar too. OMG! I am so glad it was proven that you did not make that call. What a bunch of hooey these companies are trying to pull.

[anisa]

glad they sorted it out!

[salady]

Huh? What's this got to do with SDM?

[hello_kitty]

OMG same thing happened to DH's cell phone. His phone bill was doubled this month. And he almost paid it, I reminded him to look over his bill before he made the payment. And what do you know- FIDO charged us 200.00 in long distance which was not made by us( we use our cell number as our home phone). Fido gladly fixed their error and did admit it was an error on their side. CRAZY.

[coupongirl99]

This actually doesn't surprise me. This 'glitch' likely happens to many, many people and sadly, a good portion of those people probably just pay it. Good for you for not backing down.

[SavenRaven]

I am so glad I read this. My telus bill was incredibly high this month but I didn't question it since we have 6 phones on the account and use it for business. I'm going to comb through it right now! I already paid it but I have no problem calling for a credit.

[xXtiggerXx]

We got a double bill this month too, but got double whammy-ed. We were in Niagara Falls second weekend of May and were billed for international calls and texts we didn't make, even though we were always on the Canadian side. Stupid AT&T tower picked up our phones even though we were a great distance from the border at the time. I turned off my phone once I got a text saying I was in the US, and I apparently made 40 texts and a 20 min phone call during this time. Oh the joys of cell phone companies...

[karissadahl]

wow that is shocking! you think if so many ppl experience this issue they'd be able to do something about it!

[nicolthepickle]

Wow, this has never happened to me, but that's awful! Glad they fixed it for you.

[greencanuck]

We got a double bill this month too, but got double whammy-ed. We were in Niagara Falls second weekend of May and were billed for international calls and texts we didn't make, even though we were always on the Canadian side. Stupid AT&T tower picked up our phones even though we were a great distance from the border at the time. I turned off my phone once I got a text saying I was in the US, and I apparently made 40 texts and a 20 min phone call during this time. Oh the joys of cell phone companies...

The issue of a cellphone grabbing a stronger signaled US tower instead of Canadian tower is a problem all along the Canadian side of Great Lakes.
It has been a serious ongoing issue along Lake Huron with customers having to argue with the cellphone company regularly about what country they were in when a call was sent/received.
Many people have had to shut off the cell phones when at home, travel inland and triple check the country before dialing.

[babyluck]

wow, that was crazy.
I was in the states last month, I just received my e-bill yesterday, saying i made $20 long distance phone call + roaming, I don't remember my password to log into my bill so I didn't even bother to take a look, but I'm going to find out now. I'm glad I read this post.

[luckbealady]

I've got issues with Rogers home phone.

When I moved into my apartment I was given the impression by my leasing agent that I HAD to go with Rogers. So I had it set up to be installed the day I moved in. Turns out I never had to go with Rogers. So I switched to a different company, and my number was transferred 20 days later.

Got my bill, and they actually charged me for the long distance call the technician made to check that the line was set up right. Was only a few cents, but I was shocked. They charged me for a few extra days too, besides the month. But it didn't amount to very much, so I just paid it, wanting to be done with it.

Next month I get another bill. Call them, trying to figure out why I'm paying for phone service they aren't supplying. CSR tells me that I didn't change my service provider until a month after I actually did. Told her that wasn't right, and I can prove it. Then she tells me that I had to pay for 2 months because I transferred my number 20 days into the first month. I told her no, it doesn't work that way. I had a month to month contract. I called previously (even wrote down the date, time, and name of the rep I spoke to) about when I had to tell them I was cancelling my service and was informed by their rep that my contract would automatically be cancelled when my service was transferred. Took almost an hour to finally get them to listen to me.

[es89]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRR! to phone companies is right good for you to fight that stupidness they like to make mistakes I think.