Verizon Credits $22k Data Usage for Teen: Will They Do It For You?
I just came across a story out of Haywood, California in which a teen downloaded nearly 1 million kilobytes of data and his father received a phone bill for $21,917.59. Well, of course, the father didn’t have the money to pay the bill. But the great news is Verizon Wireless actually credited the account! Did you read that right?
Yes, Verizon credited the account.
So for all of you parents and teens out there who are going over on your cell phone/data usage- you should quote this story and the link to the story below.
If they can credit nearly $22k, they should be able to credit some of yours also.
Let’s face it, data usage charges are OVERKILL anyway. Give us a flat rate and keep it moving!
TeenRacksUp22K - the link to the original story that inspired this post.
Please let me know if you try to get some credit on your data usage. Let me know how it goes.
Tags: cell phone, data usage, overcharges, verizon, verizon wireless
About the Author
Yasmin Shiraz is the President of Still Eye Rise Films, an independent production company which films educational and thought provoking documentaries that chronicle the lives, traumas and experiences of youth. Her first production, Can She Be Saved?, a documentary that examines violence among middle school girls, was an official selection of the 2009 Roxbury Film Festival and recently won a 2009 Indie Award of Merit from IndieFest.
Yasmin Shiraz is the Award winning Author of Retaliation a novel about a community’s response to youth violence. In 2009, it was selected as one of the top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers by the American Library Association. She is the author of The Blueprint for My Girls: How To Build A Life Full of Courage, Determination & Self Love (Simon and Schuster) and five other books. Her best selling “Blueprint” empowerment series is utilized as a self esteem, motivational, and educational tool at middle and high schools, after school programs, non-profit youth centers, as well as Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the country. 
2 Comments for Verizon Credits $22k Data Usage for Teen: Will They Do It For You?
December 16, 2009 at 8:20 am
I don’t think there is anyway I could have my Verizon plan without having that data plan @ flat rate. I could ONLY imagine what my bill would look like without that. lol
Good stuff by Verizon. They really should not be charging in that fashion anyway.
December 16, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Nice post. Personally, it’s so hard to imagine what it was like for Estarija to get that $21,000-plus phone bill. Talk about shock! And the human-factor here continues to his son, who is apparently taking the predicament very hard. But in terms of your point regarding essentially a double standard in terms of crediting Estarija and not others who incur large bills, I wanted to respond to you with a practical strategy for eliminating those large bills before they even happen by effectively “right-sizing” your plan to your needs. I work in the consumer advocacy division of the Houston-based company Validas, where we electronically audit and subsequently reduce the average cell bill by 22 percent through our website, http://www.fixmycellbill.com (and I’ll add that 22 percent equates to over $450 per year for the average user).
You can find out for free if fixmycellbill.com can modify your plan to better suit your individual needs by going to the website. Check out Validas in the media, most recently on Fox News at http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/consumer/conlaw/lower_cell_phone_bills_072409 .
Good luck to everyone reading on retaking control over your wireless expenses and potentially freeing up some extra cash this holiday season. These kinds of situations are imminently avoidable!
Dylan
Consumer Advocacy, Fixmycellbill.com