You should definitely dispute the bill. I’ve dealt with cingular in a similar situation before and found them to be very disingenous, or at best negligent of what their workers do and say. I filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), although this body has no real authority, Cingular is a large enough company that they don’t want to be blemished by this organization. Also, file a complaint with your local Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit, and perhaps the Federal Trade Comission. If you believe your situation is unfair make a big deal about it, or else they will just try to railroad you!

I would also err on the side of not trusting Cingular. Definitely send that letter to the collection agency saying that you dispute the charges. You should probably send it certified mail with return receipt, which will cost you about $4, but you’ll have proof that the letter was received which may come in handy later on.

I’ve come across quite a few situations where my bills have been incorrect in such a way that I actually felt like the company (credit cards, in my case) was tacking on dubious charges in the hopes that I would either not notice or not question them.

What is the phone deactivation fee for? I’ve never heard of that. Is it the equivalent of breaking your contract and having to pay an early termination fee? If you continue service with them, will they drop any of the charges?

You may also want to contact Consumerist (www.consumerist.com).

[…] a couple more comments: Cingular Charges $705 For $218.26 Phone Bill (Your Advice) - Personal Finance Advice […]

Some basic suggestions:
1. Keep records of all your correspondance: detailed phone records w/date, time, name of person talked to, substance of conversation, etc.
2. Whatever you mail, use an option that gives you proof of mailing and/or receipt (Amy F. already said this)
3. By no means accept the numbers that they are giving you. By all means, dispute the bill (as Danilo said). Demand that they give you an itemized list of all of the charges that comprise whatever final number they throw at you.
4. Note that some (many?) collection agencies can function quite unethically in that they will say anything to make their buck (yes, this includes downright lying). Don’t accept their word at face value.
5. The few cell phone companies I have dealt with have had customer service that is at best utterly horrendous. Getting a different story each time you call (and thus with a different representative) seems to be the *norm*, not the exception. In your situation, I would say cut the cord with the regular Cingular plans.
6. It may be worth your while to look at some pre-paid cellular options, depending on your usage. Despite what I said above in #5, Cingular seems to have a good pre-paid phone plan (’Go Phone’ or something like that). Just consider what your typical usage is and compare that to pre-paid plan details. Tip: Watch out for expiration timeframes of the minutes/credit you put on your account.
7. Finally - If you do switch cell companies, don’t go hog wild buying the latest and greatest new phone. You can live without polyphonic ringtones and all that jazz - just get what you need.

Good luck!

Heres an idea… pay your bill on time and forgot about the idea that the company ‘owes’ you something. You are more neglegent then the company. I’m sick of people crying about companies that ‘took advantage of them’ just because they didnt get their way or are mad because a not-for profit company made money on them….. Hello ?

Jake wrote:
eres an idea… pay your bill on time and forgot about the idea that the company ‘owes’ you something. You are more neglegent then the company. I’m sick of people crying about companies that ‘took advantage of them’ just because they didnt get their way or are mad because a not-for profit company made money on them….. Hello ?”

From his attitude, Jake or his mother must work for one of these companies who believe THEY are doing YOU the consumer a favor by taking your money. We used to call guys like him “The Company Man/Boy, now Company Robot”, “Apple Polisher”, Lickem’, “Brown Noser”, of my favorite, “FLUNKIE”. I’ve had a female acquaintance who’s been doing collections for almost 20 years. It’s infected her personality. She’s an Old Maid at age 49…Even her 70 year old formerly desperate boyfriend dumped her.

My point?. Punkish comments like his remind me WHY I fight everyday to get what I paid for consumer-wise. Not any more than due. Certainly NOT less! I too worked in banks for a total of 13 years way back in the 70’s and 80’s. Customer wrath was the only thing that kept them in line.There were pencil pushers like him, never did an honest days work in their life, always trying to screw someone out of more money. Like one ole’ Depression Era gent once told me Banks (in particular) can make paper ‘lie’…His generation remembers how the banks hurt millions in the Great Depression and kept their eye on how HIS money was handled.

We need the same philosophy in every transaction whether with a bank or not.

Remember the ole’ saying. “The Customer is ALWAYS right!”. AND beat it into the head of any company that tries to “give you the BIZNESS”.

The Cingular example is one of simple “piling.”

How about the New Jersey housewife who fell into the 809 (Caribbean) call-back trap, and got a phone bill for #12,400? Now that’s serious con man activity.

–Jack Payne

Hi there,
I think you should gather your cell phone records as evidence and sue them for over charging you as a customer. Good Luck!

Ray
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Information on how to obtain your Telephone & Cell Phone Records at http://www.fonerecords.com

If you were charged on your cell phone bill for ringtones or other
mobile content that you never authorized or ordered, you might want to get in touch with some class action attorneys who are investigating unauthorized cell phone charges:

http://www.ClassActionConnect.com/?q=node/680