Why is my cell phone bill thousands of dollars after traveling?

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

1. 1
   Calling the mobile carrier to request a one-time exception or financial hardship payment plan
2. 2
   Asking the provider to retroactively apply an international calling plan to lower the charges
3. 3
   Putting international call blocks on the account
4. 4
   Contacting local news outlets or the State Attorney General's consumer protection office for mediation
5. 5
   Using a cheaper international eSIM
6. 6
   Switching to a different mobile carrier with lower roaming costs
7. 7
   Buying a temporary local phone contract or SIM card at the destination

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.