Shocking $40,000 Phone Bill After Abroad Trip: How to Avoid This Nightmare!

Last week, a tobacconist in his sixties was shocked to receive an exorbitant bill following his trip to Morocco. While the shopkeeper claims it was a mistake, his service provider disputes his account. This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder of the precautions you should take to avoid unexpected charges while traveling abroad.

It’s not uncommon for vacationers to return from a trip abroad relaxed, only to be greeted by a shockingly high phone bill. Such was the case for a tobacconist in his sixties this week. During his vacation in Morocco, he returned with a bitter souvenir: a bill for exceeding his internet data plan amounting to €37,621.91.

According to a report by Franceinfo, Dominique Lefèvre insists there has been a mistake: he claims he did not use his phone overnight and was not properly informed beforehand. “Throughout the night, from 3 AM to 6 AM, I was charged about €250 roughly every minute,” he stated. However, Orange, his mobile operator, challenges his story: Dominique Lefèvre had indeed authorized excess usage and received “16 SMS alerts notifying him of the excessive data usage.” Concerned about future implications, the tobacconist has hired a lawyer and hopes for a settlement. To avoid such situations, here are some best practices to follow.

How to Avoid Sky-High Roaming Charges

The experience of this tobacconist highlights one of the risks of roaming – known as itinérance in French – which allows the use of your domestic mobile services abroad. When you travel outside the European roaming area, roaming charges, especially for data, can quickly escalate. Here’s how to prevent them:

• Check with your provider: find out if you have roaming and which destinations are included.
• If you use up all your data, consider purchasing an additional data package, or use pay-as-you-go roaming data – the latter often being costlier.
• Monitor your usage: by enabling alerts if available and in real-time through your provider’s mobile app.
• Opt for a Travel Pass from your provider: for a fixed price, you get a data allowance suited to your needs.
• Avoid non-terrestrial networks to prevent unintended connections to these unlimited networks.
• Turn off mobile data to stop automatic updates (weather, emails, social media…) and switch to airplane mode.
• Disable background refresh for apps that consume a lot of data (emails, social networks…).
• Always use Wi-Fi whenever possible, even in airplane mode; however, avoid unsecured public Wi-Fi for banking transactions or when handling sensitive data.
• Be cautious with updates: set your phone to update apps only over Wi-Fi.
• Plan for offline access by downloading everything you might need in advance: maps, music, movies…
• Consider using an eSIM to keep your number without needing to switch SIM cards, and choose a plan that suits your needs.

Also read – Mobile Plans: Urgently disable this feature to avoid a hefty bill

Regarding mobile operators, be aware that they are required to send you a “welcome SMS” every time you cross a border, informing you of the detailed pricing and any additional charges. Also, they automatically cap your data usage abroad at a default limit of €50, unless you agree to a different limit. By being informed before you travel and by following these best practices, enjoy your trip without blowing your budget!