Saturday, July 7, 2007

Lost the Phone thanks to the fraud

Well, due to my checking account being cleared of all funds, as I discussed in earlier posts, my phone has been turned off. No partial shut off either. 100% turned off. Because, as T-mobile explained, the computer sees that returned payment and it automatically turns the phone service off. If it had just been because of a past due amount, they would have done a partial shut off, for a time.

What is a partial shut off. It means you can't make outgoing calls, but incoming calls can still reach you. So, in my case, even though I was the victim of fraud, that is in part my fault, the computer doesn't differentiate, and automatically disconnects.

So this means that I will not have phone service, until Thursday, when I next get paid, and then only if I am lucky. I will need to come up with $100 to pay past due charges or $190 to pay all charges including T-mobile returned payment fee ($20).


This problem has certainly put my budget extremely out of whack. No one is getting paid at the moment and I just went online and seen another company, tried to charge my account for their bill. Taking my balance back to a negative $17. Come Monday Bank of America, may let it stand or send it back, who knows which at this moment, but they will certainly charge my account another $35 either way for going negative.

When will this end?

It will be Thursday, before my next paycheck or my $150, from the sell of my (auto savings) mutual fund.


Bills I must come up with money for to bring current:

  • T-mobile $130+
  • Cox Internet $40+
  • Dish Network $90+
  • Car Loan $400+
  • Electric $75 +
  • Gas 75+
  • attic Insulation $500



  • The above are just past due charges not the current charges that are due on top of that. I really need to get some money made from all those ads and programs like CashCrate.

    I still have some surplus of food, but I am out of milk, and it's hard to comprehend, until you are in the situation, how much you depend on having that gallon of milk in the refrigerator.

    I do want to thank the friend and reader, who surprised me while I was at work yesterday. I came home from work and my yard was mowed. I could tell it wasn't done by the neighbor kid, who I usually throw $10 to do it, because his parents yard hadn't been mowed and areas of my yard that he ignores (to my dismay) had actually been mowed. Thank you guy, for getting the yard. It looks better then it has all year.

    9 comments:

    1. I'm a personal finance teacher just looking around at blogs - if I were you I'd loose Bank of America FAST.
      They have the worst customer service and high fees - they also sock it to their own customers even when they are victims of identity theft!
      Check out Clark Howard's webpage and read about them.

      Everyone should join a credit union in my opinion. Might be something you may want to look into -- best wishes on your journey to being debt free :)

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    2. wow, you need to leave BOA as soon as possible. Try opening a new account for your paycheck to go into and then worry about paying off the negative at BOA.

      Don't wait too long though cause they can report you to ChexSystems if you don't pay, which means you can get blocked from getting a checking account for 5 years.

      That being said, the important part is getting food on your table. Besides, NetBank doesn't use CheckSystems, so you always have an option for a checking account if you get blacklisted.

      ReplyDelete
    3. time to prioritize, and live without some things. keep your chin up, kevin.

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    4. sorry to hear of all your troubles. hang in there.

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    5. Maybe you need to re-think your priorites as far as cutting back on monthly expenses? DISH network? Is that your cable? Or do you actually have DISH satellite? Can someone in your financial situation afford either of them? $90 a month is a lot of cash! Also, your cell phone bill is high, what plan are you on? Can you cut back on it? Is that your only phone? Anywhere else you can cut back monthly?

      ReplyDelete
    6. Chryl - to answer a couple of your questions...yes Dish is my cable...the $90 is not a monthly charge....that includes some fees to switch to them and get everything set up. Costs that i was not expecting. But still will be cheaper om the long rum.

      Yes, T-mobile is my only phone. It maybe possible to get a lower plan, I moved to my current plan when I had a girlfriend, because I started going over in my minutes. I will have to talk to them when I get them paid.

      Shawna/Anonymous -
      I still have my credit union checking account and they have my car loan. I have been thinking for a while that BoA was a mistake. I did it to have a national bank and so thatI could get the free money. But, not sure how good of a decision that was now.

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    7. I think first of all, get rid of BoA. I used them years ago--and well their charges are outrageous. See if you can find a FREE checking account in your area.

      Take a look at your budget, and really detail it out...and figure out what areas you can cut back in. Do you NEED dish network? And how much are you paying for Internet access?

      I am sorry you are going through such a rough patch...some lessons are hard learned, arent' they?

      If you run out of food, go hit the food bank...don't have too much pride you go hungry.

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    8. Can you sell your car, and get a beater for awhile to you get back on your feet?

      ReplyDelete
    9. Can you sell your car, and get a beater for awhile to you get back on your feet?

      ReplyDelete