AT&T user's erroneous $6,223 bill is reminder that AutoPay can wipe you out
It's not unusual for monthly bills to go up and down but if your bill explodes one month for no reason at all, your best bet is to contact the relevant company and hope for the best, as one AT&T customer has learned.
Usual-Guava-8899 (via Android Authority) says their bill hovers around $250 to $266 a month for four lines and installments for phones. This month, their bill suddenly shot up to $6223.60.
On Wednesday 12/11 I received my bill summary email from att. My bill is usually around $250-$266 a month for 4 lines and some monthly installments for phones. I look at the email and to my shock I see my amount due is $6223.60!!! I seriously almost had a heart attack. I have been with AT&T for over a decade and I have always had unlimited plans so I knew this was a mistake. The only change I have made to my account is last month I moved my line over to first net. I am a first responder and I was told my price per month would actually do down a few dollars a month.
They have revealed that they weren't traveling overseas, which could cause your bill to inflate due to roaming charges. They also say that they have been with AT&T for more than a decade and always have had unlimited plans, so no anomaly could have caused the bill to spike.
The only thing that was different this month was a switch to FirstNet, a network operated by AT&T for first responders. The switch made sense because Usual-Guava-8899 is a first responder and was told their bill would go down after moving.
When they called the customer service helpline they were told their bill for the month was $205, adding to their confusion as their account dashboard said they were supposed to pay $6223.60.
Usual-Guava-8899 went to a store the next day and were told that their bill was indeed $6223.60. Apparently, during the migration to FirstNet, they were mistakenly put on a pay-per-use plan for a day and charged for 3,097MB of data at the rate of $2 per MB.
Despite acknowledging this, the store staff wasn't able to remedy the issue right away. The problem remains unresolved, making them wonder if they will be charged a late fee or if their account will be terminated as their due date was 15 December.
Usual-Guava-8899 has expressed their disappointment with AT&T, and they are rightfully wondering why the company doesn't have a system in place to prevent errors like these from happening.
The incident is also a reminder that enabling AutoPay isn't necessarily a good idea. Usual-Guava-8899 had AutoPay, but they disabled it before they could be charged an amount they didn't owe.
Some users have expressed shock at the preposterous $2/MB rate, regardless of the nature of the plan.
Usual-Guava-8899 (via Android Authority) says their bill hovers around $250 to $266 a month for four lines and installments for phones. This month, their bill suddenly shot up to $6223.60.
Hi- I am going to do my best to recap what has been going on with my att wireless bill since last Wednesday 12/11/2024.
Usual-Guava-8899, Reddit user, December 2024
The only thing that was different this month was a switch to FirstNet, a network operated by AT&T for first responders. The switch made sense because Usual-Guava-8899 is a first responder and was told their bill would go down after moving.
When they called the customer service helpline they were told their bill for the month was $205, adding to their confusion as their account dashboard said they were supposed to pay $6223.60.
Usual-Guava-8899 went to a store the next day and were told that their bill was indeed $6223.60. Apparently, during the migration to FirstNet, they were mistakenly put on a pay-per-use plan for a day and charged for 3,097MB of data at the rate of $2 per MB.
Despite acknowledging this, the store staff wasn't able to remedy the issue right away. The problem remains unresolved, making them wonder if they will be charged a late fee or if their account will be terminated as their due date was 15 December.
The incident is also a reminder that enabling AutoPay isn't necessarily a good idea. Usual-Guava-8899 had AutoPay, but they disabled it before they could be charged an amount they didn't owe.
This is exactly why I will never ever use auto pay! Companies, even banks, make mistakes that can wipe you out and snowball while they are working it out.
PedricksCorner, Recdit user, December 2024
Something everyone seems to be glossing over here, $2/MB is criminally insane. There is no world, no situation, nothing that should make that an acceptable rate from any company, regardless of travel or anything. It’s 100% an error in some code somewhere.
Marijuweeda, Reddit user, December 2024
Others have recounted having had similar issues in the past, with most assuring Usual-Guava-8899 that their issue would likely be resolved.
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