Have you ever received a bill that left you scratching your head and questioning your sanity? Well, you’re not alone. In this article, we dive into the mysterious world of bogus charges that have left people perplexed and downright furious. From crummy cable companies to outrageous mini-bar expenses, we’ll explore real-life stories of people who took matters into their own hands to rectify their bogus bills. All content has been edited for clarity purposes.
Table of contents
1. “I Couldn’t Help But Burst Into Laughter”
“Years ago, I got into a car accident with my friend. After the accident, we were taken to the hospital for treatment. I was fine, but my friend sustained some injuries.
As my friend was being whisked away by a swarm of nurses, I stood there, feeling a little lost. I glanced around, desperately looking for a bathroom. No signs of relief were in sight until I found a doctor standing in the hallway.
Seeking guidance, I mustered up the courage to ask, ‘Excuse me, but where can I wash my hands? I’ve got this tiny cut that doesn’t even need a bandaid.’
The doctor barely glanced up, and with a nonchalant wave of his hand, he pointed to a sink in the corner. I shrugged and made my way to the sink, thankful for the possibility of clean hands amidst the chaos.
Little did I know, my quick visit to the sink was about to come with a hefty price tag. Weeks later, a bill arrived in the mail. I eagerly ripped open the envelope, expecting to see a charge for the bandages, the expertise of the medical staff, or even the questionable cafeteria food I dared to taste.
But no, what caught my eye was a mind-boggling charge of $250. For what, you ask? Emergency room treatment? Nope. Surgical intervention? Nah. It was for washing my hands at their state-of-the-art sink!
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. I mean, come on! Needless to say, I promptly sent them a letter, explaining the minor nature of my hand injury and the ridiculousness of the charge. Surprisingly, the hospital acknowledged their absurdity and rescinded the bill. I was glad the charge was taken away, but I still couldn’t believe it.”
2. The Cable Conundrum
“Some years ago, I had a roommate for less than a month. He didn’t have the money for his rent, and he never actually paid me anything. When I got the cable bill, there had been another box and remote added without my knowledge or permission. I saw the charge of over $300 and went to the cable office to straighten it out.
The employee at the window said, ‘Oh yeah, I remember your roommate coming in to pick up the cable box. We tried to call you at work, but we couldn’t reach you.’
The company had a policy about how anyone renting equipment needed to have a driver’s license and present their social security number. Since I already had cable service from this company, they transferred my ID and social security information over when my roommate picked up the box. All without my permission, too.
‘We’ll get it straightened out,’ the employee assured me.
However, the situation wasn’t fixed. I was charged another $300 the following month. So, I went back to the cable office.
At the office, the manager explained, ‘Well, we have your social security information and ID. So, you must have rented the equipment. I don’t see another way around it.’
I explained, ‘No, I didn’t rent the equipment! Your employee simply copied over my information when my roommate came in. Nobody had my permission for the transaction!’
‘You’ll either have to find your roommate or pay for the equipment,’ the manager argued, ‘We never release our customer’s information without permission.’
My roommate was about fifteen years younger than me, half a foot shorter, and fifty pounds lighter with a different hair color. Essentially, he looked NOTHING like me. How the office could have mistaken him for me was beyond belief.
Livid, I ripped a paper poster off the wall and ripped it in half. The manager threatened to call the cops on me if I didn’t leave. After I left, it took six months or more to find someone at the cable company who could help me. I did finally get the charge off my bill, thankfully. I’m still angry about it to this day, though.”
3. “They Charged Me A Small Fortune”
“I had just returned from a much-needed vacation when I received my credit card bill. It was then I noticed a charge that made me nearly spit out my coffee on the kitchen counter. The hotel had billed me $500 for the mini-bar in my room, even though I hadn’t touched it!
Angry, I was determined to expose their sneaky charges. I called the hotel and politely expressed my dismay and insisted on an explanation. They claimed it was a mistake and assured me the charge would be removed. But I knew better. This was no simple error; it was an opportunity for revenge.
I hatched a plan involving a bit of mischief and a sprinkle of creativity. I contacted a local newspaper, pitching an article about outrageous hotel charges and sharing my story as the main example. They loved the idea and agreed to publish it the following week.
But I didn’t stop there. I created social media accounts and shared my story with hashtags like #HotelHeist and #MiniBarMischief. The post went viral, catching the attention of news outlets and travel bloggers.
Within days, the hotel was inundated with negative reviews and requests for refunds from other guests who had experienced similar bogus charges. The hotel’s management panicked, fearing a massive dent in its reputation.
They quickly reached out to me and promised to rectify their billing practices. They not only refunded my charge but also offered me a complimentary stay in their most luxurious suite, complete with a fully stocked mini-bar.
The victory was sweet, and revenge never tasted so good. I enjoyed my deluxe hotel experience, sipping on drinks from the mini-bar that had caused all the trouble in the first place.”
4. The Lousy Landlord
“This wasn’t just a bogus charge, it was an entire bogus bill.
Right after my husband and I got back from our honeymoon, we moved into a rented house. We had only lived there a day or two when the power bill came. I called the landlord to come get it since it was clearly from before we were living there. I had to stop and call him from a payphone because we didn’t even have a phone connected, yet.
The landlord argued, ‘No, the tenants are expected to pay the bill.’
‘We’ve only been here for 2 two days,’ I responded.
‘You have to pay on the grounds you currently live. I think it’s fair,’ the landlord replied.
Not willing to back down, I said, ‘I’ll pay you for two days of power. Nothing more.’
He finally accepted, but he was ugly about it.
What the landlord didn’t understand was, we had NO money. We had both graduated from college a few weeks before we got married and then moved there. It was summer, I had a teaching degree, and I was looking for a job for the coming school year. However, the school year was still a few months away. My husband was in graduate school and had a part-time job. Unfortunately, his job paid next to nothing. I couldn’t have paid the insane bill even if I wanted to.
In retrospect, I should have seen the bill as the first warning sign. He was a terrible landlord. He once walked right into our home because we didn’t immediately answer the door. Then, he tried to keep our entire security carpet for a little stain on the carpet. The stain was there before we moved in, too. Needless to say, I’m glad I stood up for myself for the electric bill.”
5. The Ridiculous Restaurant Charge
“Years ago, I went to a restaurant with my friends. When the waitress brought the water to our table, it was only cool at best. As in, the water was within five or ten degrees of room temperature. Also note, it was summertime, so the water wasn’t extremely cool.
I asked the waitress, ‘Do you mind bringing over some ice?’ and she brought over a full glass.
It made me wonder why there wasn’t any ice in the water as is. After receiving our meal, which took about an hour or more, several other people in our party requested ice. Once we received the bill, there was $2 charged for ICE. Seriously? Of course, we asked to speak to management.
The manager rolled his eyes and responded, ‘A charge for ice is standard.’
Standard? For who? I felt like the waitress was scamming me! My table declined to pay the charge. Within the next month, the incident was all over social media and their website reviews. I believe it caused a serious decline in the restaurant’s business. Needless to say, they no longer charge for ice. Who would have thought!”
