• Home
  • News
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Web stories
    • Trending
    • Press Release

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest USA News and updates directly to your inbox.

What's On
EU moves to ban high-risk inverters from China

EU moves to ban high-risk inverters from China

May 4, 2026
Bindi Irwin’s Mom Terri Gives Health Update on Her Daughter After She Skipped Family Gala

Bindi Irwin’s Mom Terri Gives Health Update on Her Daughter After She Skipped Family Gala

May 4, 2026
Pritzker calls for criminal investigations into ICE agents over ‘Midway Blitz’ conduct

Pritzker calls for criminal investigations into ICE agents over ‘Midway Blitz’ conduct

May 4, 2026
Yankees radio icon John Sterling dead at 87

Yankees radio icon John Sterling dead at 87

May 4, 2026
Scammers are sneakily using a Google tool to target job hunters — here’s how to protect yourself

Scammers are sneakily using a Google tool to target job hunters — here’s how to protect yourself

May 4, 2026
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Just In
  • EU moves to ban high-risk inverters from China
  • Bindi Irwin’s Mom Terri Gives Health Update on Her Daughter After She Skipped Family Gala
  • Pritzker calls for criminal investigations into ICE agents over ‘Midway Blitz’ conduct
  • Yankees radio icon John Sterling dead at 87
  • Scammers are sneakily using a Google tool to target job hunters — here’s how to protect yourself
  • Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell, and Wagner Moura Will Star in ART Film Adaptation
  • 2 missing U.S. soldiers in Morocco were hiking when they fell off cliff, officials say
  • World leaders arrive in Armenia for eighth EPC summit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Contact
US Times MirrorUS Times Mirror
Newsletter
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Web stories
    • Trending
    • Press Release
 Weather Login
US Times MirrorUS Times Mirror
Home » One mistake unknowingly racks up over $5K on family’s cell phone bill — here’s how to prevent this from happening to you
Lifestyle

One mistake unknowingly racks up over $5K on family’s cell phone bill — here’s how to prevent this from happening to you

staffstaffApril 5, 20260 ViewsNo Comments
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Telegram Pinterest Email
One mistake unknowingly racks up over K on family’s cell phone bill — here’s how to prevent this from happening to you

She did what?

It’s bad enough that the cost of living is wildly high these days. Unfortunately, to add insult to injury, one mom, who already had a costly cell phone bill, received a bill one month that was almost $5,000 higher than normal.

In this economy? Absolutely not.

The disgruntled mom took to the r/personalfinance forum on Reddit to share her frustrations after learning that her daughter was the culprit.

“Got my cell phone bill for $5,185 instead of the usual $385 and I could have sworn it was an error but no, I’m getting screwed and have to pay the bill,” she wrote. “My daughter met someone on Roblox and wanted to chat, so they called & talked. She didn’t know she was making an international call and talked and talked.”

To make matters worse, the mom revealed that she doesn’t “even have 5K in my savings,” so she can’t help but feel “so screwed and defeated.”

This mom couldn’t believe her eyes when she opened that month’s wildly high cell phone bill. fizkes – stock.adobe.com

For those unaware, Roblox is an online gaming platform that “allows users to program and play games created by themselves or others,” which can be tricky in itself to navigate as a parent because no one wants their youngster meeting and talking to strangers online, let alone accumulating insanely high bills because of it.

Empathetic Reddit users came to her aid in the comment section, asking, “Have you called the phone company and asked if they would make a one-time exception?”

Another jumped in writing, “… Also, you could put international blocks on all of your phones (unless somebody actually needs it). It’s probably a scam, [a] North American number in a different country.  It’s an old one that still works. If the phone company won’t work with you contact your local news outlets, especially if they have a consumer protection feature. Embarrassment works well.”

“You can also see if they can potentially retroactively upgrade your plan to one that would have included international calling,” chimed in someone else.

Scams aside, one commenter was appalled at how high this mom’s cell phone bill regularly is: “The usual $385 seems too expensive, much less the $5,185. You need to shop around.”


Close-up of a young African American woman holding a smartphone.
Her daughter had no idea she was making a costly international call. fizkes – stock.adobe.com

As if this mom wasn’t already feeling bad, another person pointed out what the rest of us are thinking: “Not to go tangential to the topic of this sub, but if your daughter is meeting strangers online and talking with them without you knowing, that’s potentially a bigger concern than even a massive bill. Lots of horror stories of kids being targeted by predators pretending to be their same age, specifically through Roblox.”

This isn’t the first — and most certainly won’t be the last — time a youngster unknowingly racked up their parent’s bill.

One 5-year-old boy was left unattended with his parents’ phone and placed an over $3,000 Amazon order.

“You bought seven cars on Amazon. You spent over $3,000 on Amazon today. How did you do that? You are in so much trouble,” the shocked mom of the little boy said in a now-viral TikTok video captioned, “and casually had another $700 of items in the cart ready to check out with before we caught him. i’m currently on the phone crying to amazon – my husband is on the phone crying with our bank…”

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Telegram WhatsApp Email

Related News

Scammers are sneakily using a Google tool to target job hunters — here’s how to protect yourself

Scammers are sneakily using a Google tool to target job hunters — here’s how to protect yourself

Exclusive | People are doing ‘rage workouts’ to blow through their anger — and fuel their fitness

Exclusive | People are doing ‘rage workouts’ to blow through their anger — and fuel their fitness

Exclusive | Diners can’t eat 4 monster pizza-sized pancakes in 18 minutes in viral Long Island challenge

Exclusive | Diners can’t eat 4 monster pizza-sized pancakes in 18 minutes in viral Long Island challenge

Dear Abby: Should I distance myself from my friend who suffers from depression?

Dear Abby: Should I distance myself from my friend who suffers from depression?

Contract given to ‘adult child’ living at home sparks massive debate: ‘Needs to grow up’

Contract given to ‘adult child’ living at home sparks massive debate: ‘Needs to grow up’

Desperate Spirit Airlines flyers scramble to rebook flights — paying 0 for one-way tickets and asking for donations

Desperate Spirit Airlines flyers scramble to rebook flights — paying $900 for one-way tickets and asking for donations

Millennial mom slammed for teaching her kids not to share: ‘They don’t have to’

Millennial mom slammed for teaching her kids not to share: ‘They don’t have to’

Exclusive | How ‘Scarpetta,’ ‘Body Farm’ author Patricia Cornwell cultivated her life of crime — with help from Billy Graham and his wife

Exclusive | How ‘Scarpetta,’ ‘Body Farm’ author Patricia Cornwell cultivated her life of crime — with help from Billy Graham and his wife

‘Everest season has gotten off to a terrible start’ worries  ‘Into Thin Air’ scribe Jon Krakauer

‘Everest season has gotten off to a terrible start’ worries ‘Into Thin Air’ scribe Jon Krakauer

Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Latest News

Review: Record Shares of Voters Turned Out for 2020 election

Review: Record Shares of Voters Turned Out for 2020 election

January 11, 2021
EU: ‘Addiction’ to Social Media Causing Conspiracy Theories

EU: ‘Addiction’ to Social Media Causing Conspiracy Theories

January 11, 2021
World’s Most Advanced Oil Rig Commissioned at ONGC Well

World’s Most Advanced Oil Rig Commissioned at ONGC Well

January 11, 2021
Melbourne: All Refugees Held in Hotel Detention to be Released

Melbourne: All Refugees Held in Hotel Detention to be Released

January 11, 2021

Subscribe to News

Get the latest USA News and updates directly to your inbox.

Editor's Picks
Review: Record Shares of Voters Turned Out for 2020 election

Review: Record Shares of Voters Turned Out for 2020 election

January 11, 2021
EU: ‘Addiction’ to Social Media Causing Conspiracy Theories

EU: ‘Addiction’ to Social Media Causing Conspiracy Theories

January 11, 2021
World’s Most Advanced Oil Rig Commissioned at ONGC Well

World’s Most Advanced Oil Rig Commissioned at ONGC Well

January 11, 2021
Facebook X (Twitter) Pinterest WhatsApp TikTok Instagram
2026 © US Times Mirror. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sign In or Register

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below.

Lost password?