AT&T Charged Me for Services I Didn't Order. My Bill Went from $80 to $140. Here's How I Fixed It.

My AT&T bill jumped from $80 to $140 overnight. I checked the bill and found charges for international calling, premium voicemail, and device protection. I had not ordered any of these. AT&T had added them automatically.

I called AT&T customer service. The first agent said I had agreed to the services when I signed up for my plan. I asked him to show me where. He could not. I asked for a supervisor. The supervisor said the charges were indeed unauthorized and removed them. She also refunded the previous three months of overcharges: $180.

This is called "cramming" adding unauthorized charges to your bill. It is illegal under FCC rules. AT&T has been fined millions for this practice but they still do it because most people do not check their bills carefully.

After this experience, I switched to a prepaid plan. No surprise charges. I save $40 per month and I know exactly what I am paying for.

Check your phone bill every month. Look for charges you do not recognize. If you find any, call and demand a refund for every month the charge was on your bill.