Imagine being unhappy with your cellphone service so you decide to switch, only to find out you’re now being charged for your choice. One Texas woman reached out on social media to tell her story. By wanting to simply switch carriers, there were consequences to it. In a world where we’re already spending too much on phone service, this came as a total shock and was worth warning others because it could happen to them.
Isabella (@bubbleteabella on TikTok) from Texas discovered when you cancel your cellphone service, that may not be the be-all-and-end-all. She posted a video detailing how her mother was “scammed” out of $500 in bills and late fees after her line cancellation with T-Mobile. As Isabella explained, “There were three lines. And she made it very clear she wanted all three lines canceled so she could switch to Mint Mobile.”
For the months that followed, Isabella reported that her mom stopped receiving any paper bills in the mail. She assumed that T-Mobile ran the cancellation and she was good to go. However, a few months later, her mom noticed that she was still receiving a $120 bill from T-Mobile every month. She got on the phone with T-Mobile and, lo and behold, they were still charging her. Only two of the lines she request were canceled!
Isabella’s mom told a customer service representative that the “third line hadn’t been used once since the account was closed.” The representative assured her mom it was a mistake on their part and that they were going to “refund $120 right away” and approve the other $351 for reimbursement. However, as Isabella and her mom would soon find, that was not the case. T-Mobile actually sent a bill claiming the charges between September to February were valid, nor was the company at fault. They also added late fees her mom was not aware of!
Because the bills have technically been late, Isabella went on to say, “And now, they’ve sent it to collections. And they’re refusing to return the $351 they owe her.” She also added, “This is happening after being a loyal customer for over 20 years.” Isabella’s mom decided to turn to the FCC and make a complaint. Isabella warned on the TikTok video legal action may well be the only option people have in this situation.
This, unfortunately, is not the first time T-Mobile and other carriers charged people for lines they weren’t actively using. Multiple customers have reported that they were charged hundreds of dollars in overpayments, some of which were successful in receiving a refund and others not so lucky.
One commenter on Isabella’s video stated, “We gave them 2 months notice we were switching 3 lines to Verizon once our contract ended since our service in the city was horrible. Sent me to collections for $1,400.”
It appears phone companies are quick to send money to collections, sue, or otherwise leave people in financially straining situations. And most big businesses in general. As one person left in the comments on this informative video, “T-Mobile is famous for ripping people off. They don’t honor trade ins or credits or sales. Beware!”
If you decide to make the switch when it comes to your phone service, always make sure that everything is laid out for you so you too don’t accrue extra charges you shouldn’t be on the hook for.
