Do I legally have to pay this?

Question

Here's the story. I tried getting a cell phone under my name last Nov. I was 17 at the time, so I wasn't able to, but then about a week later a lady from the same store told me that they could just say I was 18 and I would be able to get the phone. It was a T-mobile flexpay account, which normally don't have contracts, and you pay the bill ahead of time. I used the phone up until about June, when I lost my phone. I didn't pay the bill for July or August because I didnt have a phone and I didnt know I was on a contract, so I figured it would just end. Then I just got a bill in the mail charging me a 200 dollar early termination fee. Im about to start college so I dont have money to throw away like that. Ill be 18 on the 6th of September. So my question is would I still have to pay the contract cancellation fee if I let T-mobile know that it was a minor on the contract?

Answer 1

hostly i wouldn't do that it could cause trouble for you...but i dont think you would have to pay it  

Answer 2

You lied, so they could actually press fraud charges on you for that.  That lady should also get fired.

I would pay up.  This will affect you being able to get loans in the future if you don't pay up.

Something else they can do is take what is owed out of your income taxes.

Edit: To the poster above...the company entered into an agreement with what they thought was an adult.  That does not exonerate the minor from having committed fraud.

Edit: You probably won't be able to get another cell phone until you pay up.

Answer 3

i don't think t-mobile is suppose to charge you for early cancellation. i heard it recently became illegal.

Answer 4

If you signed the contract in the beginning that clearly states that there is a early termination fee, then yes. Then you might get into trouble lying about your age. The lady will deny she told you that. So there is no proof. I would just tell them you can pay maybe 20 a month till you get it payed. When you lost the phone did you report that to them? That can come back and bite you too.

Answer 5

Yes.  Minority is not a defense if you lie about it and a reasonable person would believe that you were telling the truth.  Consider this a very inexpensive lesson in being an adult.  Your parents might still wipe your *** and your college will almost certainly wipe your ***, but the rest of T-Mobile's customers shouldn't have to wipe your ***.

When you graduate and move out of mommy and daddy's house, you'll need to be responsible for yourself.  Trust me when I tell you that it will be much less painful if you start at a young age.

Answer 6

You could play dumb.

Write to them and explain that before you will do anything you want to see the full details of the service including all contracts and agreements.

Upon them arriving get back to them and explain that they must have the wrong guy as this was made on date xx/xx/xx and yet as your birthday is zz/zz/zz it could not have been you, you were not 18 at that time and yet the contract they have just provided clearly explains they the person must be 18.    

Answer 7

no you don't have to pay  they enters into a agreement with a minor just to make money that is illegal  

Answer 8

Yes you will have to pay. You signed the contract. Its your word against the word of the employee that you lied about your age.