Good intention turned costly for cell phone donor - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 03-01-2005, 08:08 PM

http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?O...7-c589c01ca7bf

Good intention turned costly for cell phone donor

ARVADA - The Rea family usually pays about $60 a month for their cell phone use. So, when they got a bill for $49,868, they thought it was just a mistake. "All of our calls are to California or local. Obviously, we didn't call Pakistan or India - ever," said Dave Rea. But the bill for January and part of February listed call after call to Pakistan, India, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

The Reas then realized that the phone they thought they had deactivated was still active, when they dropped it in a fundraising donation bin at an Arvada elementary school last November. The company, "Cartridges for Kids," takes donated cell phones and sells them to recyclers who refurbish the phones and resell them. The Rea's phone ended up in Houston, Texas.

Dave Rea said he thought he had deactivated the phone and bought a new one at a kiosk at Colorado Mills shopping mall. Cingular/AT&T Wireless' regional director of public relations, Anne Marshall, said the Reas donated a live phone, never calling a customer service agent to deactivate the cell phone or suspend the service plan. But the company has agreed to waive the expensive phone bill.

"We do try to monitor calls," Marshall said. "We don't do it in all cases. Unfortunately, this is one we did not catch."

Marshall said it is up to the customer to make sure service has been deactivated and no personal information is left in the phone before it is discarded or donated.

Seinatra · 03-01-2005, 10:17 PM

Well the next time I get a new cell phone I will make sure to run my old one over with my car a few times.

Janice · 03-01-2005, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seinatra

Well the next time I get a new cell phone I will make sure to run my old one over with my car a few times.

Then toss it in the middle of the ocean for good measure.

TJL · 03-01-2005, 10:34 PM

That's a lot of minutes...

Janice · 03-01-2005, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJL

That's a lot of minutes...

They add up fast when you're calling Pakistan and India.

dawsongirl · 03-02-2005, 02:13 AM

wt....like, duh. You can't just look at the phone funny and the company reads your mind. "Deactivate, damn you!" Though that might be on the horizon...

Mr. Television · 03-02-2005, 02:20 AM

Kazza · 03-02-2005, 04:23 PM

Cell phones should come with this message :'I will self-destruct in 30 seconds if you push the deactivate button'

Superstar · 03-02-2005, 04:27 PM

Wow

80s_Fan · 03-02-2005, 04:31 PM

03-01-2005, 08:08 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Good intention turned costly for cell phone donor http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?O...7-c589c01ca7bf Good intention turned costly for cell phone donor ARVADA - The Rea family usually pays about $60 a month for their cell phone use. So, when they got a bill for $49,868, they thought it was just a mistake. "All of our calls are to California or local. Obviously, we didn't call Pakistan or India - ever," said Dave Rea. But the bill for January and part of February listed call after call to Pakistan, India, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The Reas then realized that the phone they thought they had deactivated was still active, when they dropped it in a fundraising donation bin at an Arvada elementary school last November. The company, "Cartridges for Kids," takes donated cell phones and sells them to recyclers who refurbish the phones and resell them. The Rea's phone ended up in Houston, Texas. Dave Rea said he thought he had deactivated the phone and bought a new one at a kiosk at Colorado Mills shopping mall. Cingular/AT&T Wireless' regional director of public relations, Anne Marshall, said the Reas donated a live phone, never calling a customer service agent to deactivate the cell phone or suspend the service plan. But the company has agreed to waive the expensive phone bill. "We do try to monitor calls," Marshall said. "We don't do it in all cases. Unfortunately, this is one we did not catch." Marshall said it is up to the customer to make sure service has been deactivated and no personal information is left in the phone before it is discarded or donated.

03-01-2005, 10:34 PM	#4
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	That's a lot of minutes...
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

03-02-2005, 04:31 PM	#10
80s_Fan Healthcare_Clerk Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2004 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 1,697	People Always Have To Be Careful

03-01-2005, 10:17 PM	#2
Seinatra Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 29, 2004 Location: Gran Chaco Posts: 1,840	Well the next time I get a new cell phone I will make sure to run my old one over with my car a few times.

03-02-2005, 02:13 AM	#6
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	wt....like, duh. You can't just look at the phone funny and the company reads your mind. "Deactivate, damn you!" Though that might be on the horizon...

03-02-2005, 02:20 AM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132

03-02-2005, 04:23 PM	#8
Kazza Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 17, 2003 Posts: 3,244	Cell phones should come with this message :'I will self-destruct in 30 seconds if you push the deactivate button'

03-02-2005, 04:27 PM	#9
Superstar Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 08, 2003 Posts: 63,316	Wow