+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Phone bills are awesome.     submit to reddit submit to twitter

  1. #1
    Sea Torques
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    613
    BG Level
    5
    FFXIV Character
    Makwa Ironwill
    FFXIV Server
    Brynhildr
    FFXI Server
    Sylph

    Phone bills are awesome.

    Hello BG. Long time lurk, etc etc.
    Got a neat little story here.

    I moved into my current place at the end of June, for the year prior to that, I've been fed up with my roommate, some trashbag waste of space guy who does nothing but tries to pick up girls over the internet all day or glorify the freemasons/navy.

    We've known each other since preschool, and we USED to be great friends. Either way, he paid the electricity/internet/phone bill and part of rent, and I made the rest in rent... This was sort of a stupid habit I guess but I dismissed it because his job at the least popular bar in town as a bartender pays absolute crap, so he could hardly afford enough to fully pay half the rent.

    Anyways, after I moved to the new place, I went up to the phone/internet provider to notify them of my change of address. Now for about 4 months the roommate has been paying it and telling me "don't worry I took care of it" everytime I'd bring it up, and he'd show me the receipts too, so I figured today would be no different.

    They slapped me in the face with a $300 bill of long distance calls, all under MY name and MY name only. I figured "Okay, he didnt pay last month's, no problem." and told her to hold it, but cancel the line till my payday, the following wednesday. She said she'd have the full current bill for me by then.

    Fast forward to that wednesday, I come up, this time my dad decides to come raise hell because I don't make long distance calls, I just use my phone for work, etc. Some kid is at the counter, I ask him to bring up my bill(I'm expecting something between 400-600 here) and he says "Um.. total comes to $1,753.32."

    Both my dad and I just sat there for about 5 minutes, wondering wtf he just said.

    Turns out my roommate has been calling AUSTRALIA from a basic $15 land line every day when I'd be at work, on my account. He even somehow got them to change my phone number without my consent, because some drunk Aussie guy kept calling him back, something about his ex-girlfriend, etc.

    Yeah, so I file a lawsuit on his ass, I take him to court. He doesn't show,and I automatically win. Which would be great if it wasn't for two things:

    1) I got a surprise SECOND bill adding about $1,100 to the total, meaning he rang up damn near $3k in long distance alone in the span of a month. Judge couldn't do anything about it, said I'd have to refile the lawsuit.

    2) The reason he wasn't a no-show? The douchebag got the notice, tried to steal $2500 from his own mother(who takes care of her ailing mother and granddaughter), abandoned his cat in his car at the local Wal-Mart, and hopped a plane to Australia.

    So now I'm sitting here, and I can't afford to pay this bill. I'm not sure what I can do about it, either. Any suggestions BG?

    Also, the phone operator said he changed my phone number overnight, she doesn't remember the conversation, but is covering her ass by saying "I'd definately have asked for a social security number, so he must have taken that from you." Which is odd, seeing as how I've painstakingly made sure he never got it from me.

    tl;dr notes: Roommate rang up almost 3k in phone bills under my name then fled the country, wtf do I do?

  2. #2
    Title: "HUBBLE GOTCHU!" (without the quotes, of course [and without "(without the quotes, of course)", of course], etc)
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    3,141
    BG Level
    7

    Get a pair of hancuffs, a rope, some blunt objects like a baseball bat or hammer, and a ticket to Australia.

  3. #3
    Not Killing Ganon
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    1,273
    BG Level
    6
    FFXI Server
    Siren

    well you have the phone number to the most likely place he is in australia... so basically you give it to the cops to track his ass down to pay you... oh and learn your lesson;
    NEVER HAVE A LAND LINE PHONE WITH ROOMMATES, get your own cell, or dont call anyone.

  4. #4

    I'd do that as well, get on a plane to Australia and go kick his ass. but you might end up in a worse situation. Talk about it to his mother, maybe there's some collateral stuff that you can have from him like stuff he's got at that house and just pillage his room and take everything.

  5. #5
    Rivieras
    Guest

    Quote Originally Posted by Woozie View Post
    Get a pair of hancuffs, a rope, some blunt objects like a baseball bat or hammer, and a ticket to Australia.
    QFT

    Just refile it and considering he has a social that will dump the 3k into his name if I'm correct. I had an ex try to screw me for around 1700, sent her to small claims court; she didn't show up, I won and she has that on her credit record as not paid. I just ensured that the 1700 was taken off my name and it was said and done.

    I wouldn't expect an extradition for something like that and so stupid for him of doing it and thinking he'd get away with it. But suing him again for the full amount should do the trick.

  6. #6
    Red Parrot
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    247
    BG Level
    4
    FFXI Server
    Phoenix

    Similar situation here...

    Back in college I had a roommate who pulled a similar stunt. This was 15 years ago but the same thinking should

    Ah the horrors of campus housing.
    The school operated its own long distance because they could. We had to sign up for access to make long distance calls and there was some crazy 15 digit code we had to punch in for EVERY call to ensure it was the person who signed up.

    My roommate brought most of the stuff for the room TV, fridge, etc. He even had a cellphone (one of those huge ones) to make calls home on. He was the consummate spoiled kid who had never really had to bust his ass for anything. Long story short, we shared a mail box in the lobby. He steals a phone bill with the Long Distance code after his parents shut down his cellphone for calling his Mormon Girlfriend in Utah.
    Needless to say I was clueless for over a month.
    When my next phone bill came there were about 1000 dollars in long distances calls to his home town and Utah. The same weekend I was visited by the Cops because he had gone missing. His Parents had filed a missing person report because they hadn't heard from him. Turns out he was on the lam with his under aged girlie in Utah.

    Anyway back to the phone bill.
    Since he had used my access code to make the calls, I was responsible for those calls. However if I was able to prove that it was impossible for myself to have made those calls i.e. I was at my Work Study job on the other end of Campus I would not be held responsible. They would "adjust" the bill to remove those calls. You need to ask your Long Distance provider for an "adjustment" on your phone bill. Your long distance provider is a separate entity from your phone company. You need to contact them directly.

    Luckily my story had a happy ending. My idiot roommate's parents covered the bill when I called them and explained the situation. However, you should be able to do something about the calls that you did not make. It's fraud plain and simple.

    Good luck.

  7. #7

    If you explore every avenue, and think you'll have to pay it, make them a vastly reduced offer, like 25%, companies often settle to avoid court and possible bad press.

  8. #8
    The Optimistic Asshole
    Sweaty Dick Punching Enthusiast

    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    27,518
    BG Level
    10
    FFXIV Character
    Tyche Six
    FFXIV Server
    Tonberry

    This reeks of (gross) negligence by the phone company. If you have already won a civil case, I don't see why you can't take the judgment to the phone company, which shows you aren't responsible for the charges, and file a cease and desist letter.

  9. #9
    BG Content
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    62,815
    BG Level
    10
    FFXIV Character
    Six Souls
    FFXIV Server
    Gilgamesh
    FFXI Server
    Quetzalcoatl
    WoW Realm
    Malorne
    Blog Entries
    9

    Quote Originally Posted by Killgannon View Post
    NEVER HAVE A LAND LINE PHONE WITH ROOMMATES, get your own cell, or dont call anyone.
    this is excellent advice, I learned that all too well.

  10. #10

    sounds like identity theft since you didn't sign for the utility.

  11. #11
    Not Killing Ganon
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    1,273
    BG Level
    6
    FFXI Server
    Siren

    even voip is bad in this case (international) =/

  12. #12
    Black Belt
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    5,921
    BG Level
    8
    FFXI Server
    Bahamut

    Quote Originally Posted by Makwa
    Also, the phone operator said he changed my phone number overnight, she doesn't remember the conversation, but is covering her ass by saying "I'd definately have asked for a social security number, so he must have taken that from you." Which is odd, seeing as how I've painstakingly made sure he never got it from me.
    Are there any documents floating around your house with your SSN on it? University ID #, tax returns, W-2, anything? Although it's a "secure" number, SSN's sure show up a lot of places. Even if it's buried in your room somewhere, it's pretty clear the roommate would have no qualms with digging through your stuff to find it. Also, doesn't the phone company keep voice records of any account changes?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tyche
    This reeks of (gross) negligence by the phone company. If you have already won a civil case, I don't see why you can't take the judgment to the phone company, which shows you aren't responsible for the charges, and file a cease and desist letter.
    This sounds right. At the very least, they should be willing to sit down and discuss options. If you make it clear to them they aren't going to get their $3,000, they might be willing to settle for less, which would perhaps make the problem go away, which is sometimes worth a few hundred $$$.

    If you're a student, another thing is that many universities have free legal counsel for their students (I know my alma mater did), a fact which is often very poorly known. While these lawyers aren't going to be defending you when you murder your ex-roomate, they are going to be VERY experienced in things like landlord-tenant law and roommate financial arguments. I'm sure conflicts between phone companies and customers would fall into their "Oh, this again" category. If you're a student, you might see if this is an option for you.

  13. #13
    Not Killing Ganon
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    1,273
    BG Level
    6
    FFXI Server
    Siren

    btw which phone company is this? if its AT&T you may very well be screwed (they do not give a fuck about customers, or employees, or anything really except money) but also if it is EVERY phone call into them IS recorded, if you file gross negligence against them you can request it, they should also document EVERY call they take, and you should be able to get that too.

  14. #14
    BEAHCAT
    BOSTON'S FINEST

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Posts
    6,627
    BG Level
    8
    FFXIV Character
    Mith Lothaire
    FFXIV Server
    Gilgamesh
    FFXI Server
    Phoenix
    WoW Realm
    Cenarius

    You have the court paperwork, stating the bill is that of your formor roommate...not yours.

    Call your telephone provider, explain to them the situation. Show them you have court documentation that the bill is not yours. If they still persist that you pay them, and keep asking for payment.... take the company to court, for a cease order.

  15. #15

    Depending on your provider there are three different things you need to take into account.

    In phone companies there are three providers, most people use the same company for all three but you need to make sure. There is Long Distance(LD) Local Long Distance(LDD); Both of which are called InterLATA and can be provided by different companies. There is also the Local Calls which is referred to as the IntraLATA and can also be provided by a different company.
    The InterLATA's charge their own rate but the billing is transferred via an IXC to your IntraLATA provider so you can get a bill. You need to find out if these are all the same or you will be barking up the wrong tree.
    Easiest way to find out is to call up TechSupport for your Local Provider and ask what your PIC/LPIC codes are on your phone. If they are different, you need to look them up here and then call those companies up to get the charges overturned.
    If they are the same as your Local Providers, then you need to definitely be speaking with a Billing Supervisor at the very least as more than likely a regular call center rep will not be able to assist you. *PRO-TIP: Don't be rude to them, if they refuse to send you up, hand up and call back. You probably won't get the same person twice.* Advise them that you have legal documents stating that you are not responsible for those charges and ask them if they would like to receive a faxed copy for proof.
    If they aren't helping you, go in person to the nearest branch to your home and deal with it there.

    As the above poster mentioned, if they do not cease the collection calls or place a block on your phone line due to this, then you can go back to court and ask for a Cease and Desist. If it got to that, I would also switch providers as well as you will obviously no longer be in good standing with them.

  16. #16
    Sea Torques
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    613
    BG Level
    5
    FFXIV Character
    Makwa Ironwill
    FFXIV Server
    Brynhildr
    FFXI Server
    Sylph

    Phone company is some small town thing called ACS. Apparently they've been known to let bills get out of hand like this.
    Currently I'm using Qwest, and now have a cell phone.

    Thanks for all the advice, I'm gonna go up there wednesday and see if I can't get someone more competent to talk to. Funny thing is, I think the lady in charge at the building is my supervisor's wife.

    I just can't help but think that if I didn't listen to my dad on this subject, this bill would be gone by now. By taking him to court, it seems to me he ended up moving to avoid it. The guy was a moron anyway, I bet if I caught him the day I found out about the bill I probably could have 'forced' him into signing his name onto it, since he was planning on moving anyway, just not as soon. Hell, he's even got her name and her kid's name tattoo'd on his arms. -.-

    Also, I checked the files under his account.(he's been using my computer whenever I'd be gone, fail on my part.) He has alot of disturbing text conversations. I think the guy is a bonafied(sp) predator or something. I counted about 4 girls, 3 of em 17, out of country, that he tried to promise he'd marry so they can get into the country. >_>

  17. #17
    preachy and pretentious
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,609
    BG Level
    7
    FFXI Server
    Bahamut

    Get wafik to be a tracker/bounty hunter.

Similar Threads

  1. Customer Service Call Center Jobs are awesome!
    By Meresgi in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 66
    Last Post: 2010-08-21, 12:25
  2. Warning** Check your cell phone bills.
    By Skan in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 24
    Last Post: 2007-11-28, 09:47
  3. These are awesome and you should buy some.
    By Mr.City in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 2007-04-19, 13:39