$10,000 Bill... For Text Messages

Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:49PM EDT

See Comments (194)

The cell phone industry hasn't exactly been shy about billing its customers for all manner of things. Roadside assistance... without your asking for it? That'll be $2.99 a month. Ha, that's nothing. Now one customer, Sean Clark, has been slapped with a bill for a whopping 10 grand, because his developmentally disabled daughter sent a mound of text messages to a "premium" chat line, which billed an extra $1 or $2 per message it sent out.

Ironically, big texting bills drove Clark to upgrade his daughter's cell phone plan to an "unlimited" texting plan. What he didn't realize was that she was sending messages to a premium text system, the equivalent of a 1-900 telephone number. These services sent numerous messages to the daughter for a buck or more a pop, billed over and above any standard texting fees. The come-on: the promise of "romantic dialogs with 'cool guys.'"

Given the back-and-forth nature of a text message chat, bills can skyrocket quickly. $100 an hour wouldn't be unusual at all.

Clark's carrier, Sprint, offered a 50 percent refund considering the circumstances, but the third-party services running the chat systems haven't budged. He's clearly hoping awareness will help his cause and hopefully save others the same headache.

If your kids (or anyone else) carry cell phones, remember that premium texting services are almost never blocked by default, and many carriers don't offer a way to block them at all. Call your carrier and ask about blocking if you're worried such a situation could happen to you. If it isn't offered, you might consider turning off text messaging altogether.

Comments on $10,000 Bill... For Text Messages

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  • 186 Posted by elisadoowop on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    To me Text Messaging is like talking on the phone..if it is unlimited talking..then it should be unlimited texting How these companies get away with this is wrong..they should be held accountable..the word's Premium is just another word for *SCAM ARTIST* Just another way to communicate..like myspace..etc..except myspace is FREE

  • 187 Posted by sweetboxx2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    why would this father give his developmentally disabled daughter a cellphone? how old is the child and if so, can she speak?? I block my texting from my cellphones through the phone companies so that if I shold lose my phone, then it would be disabled. I also lock my phone as well with a code. I also have a developmentally disabled child( adult son 31 years old) and he lacks the sense to even know what a cell phone is let alone how to use one. Don't they sell phones that only call 911 or one number outgoing and block texting??

  • 188 Posted by djflipmix2003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    Just to let people know about premium sms, they are subscribe by the customer. So before the customer gets those wonderfull messages on there phone they accpted terms and conditions for them. Furthermore, if you dont want your children to receive premium sms you should add a txt block or go to VERIZON WIRELESS where they will be able block those premium sms without effecting your text msg.

  • 189 Posted by hbodah504 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    SHE SHOIULD SAY I THOUGH ALL TEXT MESSAGES WAS DEDUCTED AS MINUTES NOT MONEY

  • 190 Posted by kvndugan on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    developmentally. not mentally. huge difference.

  • 191 Posted by jay4jobs on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    To comment #5, that won't work. It's the young lady that is sending and receiving premium texting. ICQ/AIM and myspace have nothing to do with a person sending text messages to get stuff. For example, sending a text message to get a song, picture, enter vote for American Idol, those are all premium text services.

  • 192 Posted by infadinglight on Tue Jan 8, 2008 1:45AM EST Report Abuse

    thats crazy, all companies should follow like vzw and put a cap on how many charges from one prem service you can have in a month! If he had vzw it wouldve stopped at $100 which may still be a lot but is nowhere near as bad as $10,000!

  • 193 Posted by neen2005beach on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    I sent an answer to a quiz on tv and have been receiving texts back which are billed to me at approx. $5 per text. How can I stop this. I was not told about this happening. I cannot pay for this.

  • 194 Posted by tiffak1986 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    You were told about it. It's in the very fine print as the bottom of all those TV commercials, detailing the exact cost and frequency of messages you'll get. You text them to answer a question or get a wallpaper or song, and if you didn't pay attention to the fine print, you get slammed with all sorts of sudden surprise charges for the new 'subscription' premium text/data service you signed up for, plus charges from your carrier (if applicable). You usually stop them by texting 'STOP' to the number. If that doesn't work, contact your carrier and get them to help you get rid of it.

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