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A Florida woman was floored after her mother got a $2,221 bill for iPhones she'd never purchased. Debby Setzer-Ortelt reached out to WFLA's Shannon Behnken to investigate the puzzling case, which has suddenly left her mother, Donna Ortelt, with financial headaches.
A cell phone was mysteriously delivered to Ortelt's home in July with no paperwork, according to reporters. Setzer-Ortelt claims her mother "has never had a cell phone, nor does she want one."
Two more iPhones arrived weeks later before another strange letter came explaining that all of this was a mistake. The letter then requested the phones be forwarded to an address in Texas. The news station said this is part of a scheme where people steal phones and leave victims with the bill.
Setzer-Ortlet was able to clear up the messy situation with Spectrum and one bill, but her experience with T-Mobile has become a nightmare. They dropped the phones at a local store, but when they tried reaching out over the bill, things went nowhere.
“I would try calling them but because I didn’t have the pin, they wouldn’t talk to me. Well, no kidding. I don’t have the pin. I didn’t set this up,” she said. “Manager called me yesterday and said, 'You need to start making the minimum monthly payment. Otherwise, we’re coming after her for collections.'”
Behnken contacted T-Mobile, and a spokesperson confirmed they'll be looking into the matter.