Need help understanding your bill?
billbros's profile

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

Friday, August 10th, 2018 12:26 PM

Fraudulant charges on my last bill

My last bill included fraudulent charges for roaming while my children were on a cruise ship.  At no time were they warned of these roaming charges.  I spent over two hours on the phone with various co-conspirators with no success.  I was even threatened at one point that if I chose to  withhold payment through my credit card company, all my phones will be disconnected.   I've been a loyal customer with AT&T for over 15 years.  I am very disappointed that these reps could not find a way to return my loyalty and reverse these charges.  I'll be looking at switching to a competitor at my first opportunity.  What a shame. This is not how to retain customers.

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

ACE - Expert

 • 

64.7K Messages

6 years ago

Sorry but your children not understanding how roaming works or roaming charges does not make those charges fraudulent. If they used their phones and/or left their cellular data on, those charges are valid. Withholding payment will result in all phones being disconnected and eventually your account cancelled. That was not a threat, that was just giving you the facts. There is a process for disputing charges, simply not paying is not the way. Those charges came from the cruise line, ATT has to pay them. ATT will usually work with you to reduce those charges if you catch them before they are billed. 

 

Everytime I’ve been on a cruise ship, I get a text warning me of the roaming charges the first time my phone connects to the ship’s cell tower. I’d be very surprised if your children didn’t get that same text.

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

ACE - Professor

 • 

3K Messages

5 years ago

@EsssBeee This info is on each device needing the cruise package from the FAQ link below

 

https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/cruise-ship-faq.html

 

Will one AT&T Cruise package cover all the devices on my account

No. AT&T Cruise packages are added on a per-line basis. If you are traveling with multiple wireless devices that you wish to use during your cruise, each device must have its own cruise package.

 

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

ACE - Professor

 • 

3K Messages

4 years ago

@Pamrocks Link below for international calls. May need to signup for one of the international calling plans if you are planning to make international calls. Tanzania calls are $5.00 per minute without a calling plan. No wireless provider offers free international calls. 

https://www.att.com/shop/en/wireless/international/long-distance.html#t

 

 

ACE - Sage

 • 

116.6K Messages

6 years ago

If your kids are on a cruise ship and did not disable their phones, the charges are valid.  You might want to plan ahead in the future so this doesn’t happen.  

(BTW a third party billed ATT for your kids connecting to their network.  ATT passes it on.  ATT could not possibly know unless the phones DID CONNECT to a third party network)

   Others who have cruised say there are notices on the ship EVERYWHERE.  On the TV screens, as they board the ship.  

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

6 years ago

Allow me to explain further.  My plan includes unlimited data/text in US and Canada.  Because those two countries are the only two they were visiting on their Alaskan cruise, they felt no need to turn off data roaming. 

 

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

6 years ago

continuing from last post.  Because they never felt a need to turn off data roaming, they did not think to preemptively turn it off during the cruise.  I too have been on many cruises and was never aware that wifi was even available on the cruise.  Neither were they.  If they did have wifi access, they probably assumed it was coming from either a US or Canada tower and therefore were covered by our plan.  Good for you that you were aware but we were not.  I was just asking for a bit of consideration for a loyal long time customer who spends almost 300$ per month.  What I got was an offer to provide a partial refund of charges but no offer to refund the entire amount which was over 100$.

ACE - Expert

 • 

64.7K Messages

6 years ago

Once again, your kids not knowing is not an excuse. Their phones did not connect to the cruise ship’s WiFi, it connected to the cruise ship cell tower and their phones had “Cellular at Sea” on the display. ATT has nothing to do with the cruise ship’s WiFi. Besides, the cruise ship plan that includes data is $100 per phone. If they offered you a partial refund that puts your bill at less than $100, you are making out quite a bit better than had you bought a plan. I understand you being upset over the charges but they are valid. In my opinion, expecting ATT to refund all charges is not reasonable.

ACE - Sage

 • 

116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@billbros

$100?    Someone just posted they went to Europe and cruised and ran up $3000.   

 

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

6 years ago

ok, so I guess my kids were caught up in a real gotcha moment.  My bad.  I wish they were as knowledgeable about the fine print as you are.  You are missing the point.  Wonder how much money AT&T makes on people who have an innocent lapse of judgement when it comes to the fine print.  As I said on my other post, they have unlimited data in US and Canada.  Since those are the only two countries they were visiting, they had no need to turn off their data.  Hard lesson to learn … I'll have them comb through the fine print on the AT&T agreement the next time they travel anywhere outside of a 10 mile radius of their homes.

Tutor

 • 

5 Messages

6 years ago

Terrible.  Hope they have some success in getting some of that back.  I guess my point is that AT&T should be able to put in place a safeguard, perhaps a mechanism whereby the user hast to respond positively with a button push, stating that they are aware that roaming charges will be billed.  But then, that would be a revenue loss for them wouldn't I?

 

Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.