14 DAY TRIAL // The smart thing to do when your cellphone gets stolen is to immediately call your mobile phone operator and ask them to suspend the wireless service so that the thief cannot overcharge your bill.
A Japanese tourist probably didn't know that and returned to his home in Fukuoka to find a massive cellphone bill of nearly $9,800 (€7,000).
The iPhone user, identified only by his Twitter handle, Omomo, fell victim to thieves in Spain, while he was on a trip. He did call his carrier to cancel the service, but he did it after 15 hours, so the thief had enough time to reach that dazzling amount on his bill.
The tourist's mobile phone was stolen from him on December 29 last year while he was riding the Barcelona subway.
The victim says his service contract specifies that it doesn't matter who made those calls, as all fees fall under the responsibility of the contract holder.
“I talked to the staff at SoftBank shop (the service provider) and the police. I was told that if the thief is caught I won't have to pay the fees, but the chance of that happening is pretty slim,” Omomo tweeted, according to Rocket News.
Now, Omomo regrets not having acted more quickly and is still looking for a way to resolve the issue.
If you plan to travel anytime soon, be aware of smartphone thieves or completely disable data connectivity before leaving the country.