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Phone Company Tries to Bill Ex-Customer for $3.50 and Ends Up Paying Him Instead

by Carolyn Mullet
February 2, 2026
in Social Issues

Ever felt like you were finally free from a subscription, only to have it pull you back in for a few measly cents? We have all been there. It is that tiny, lingering balance that feels more like a mosquito bite than a financial obligation.

Recently, a Redditor shared a story about a phone company that just would not let go of a $3.50 charge. Instead of getting frustrated, our hero decided to lean into the absurdity of the situation. It was a clever way to handle a small annoyance.

What followed was a delightful comedy of errors involving automated systems and postage stamps. It turns out that sometimes, paying a bill can actually make you a profit if the computer system is feeling generous. Please keep reading to see how this little bit of financial mischief played out for one clever user.

The Story

Phone Company Tries to Bill Ex-Customer for $3.50 and Ends Up Paying Him Instead
Not the actual photo

Phone company sent me a bill after I closed my account for a petty amount. So I paid it?

So I recently switched phone service providers. Besides a bit of a headache with migrating my phone number to the new service, things weren't bad.

Due to the migration taking a couple days past the end of my normal billing period the previous Provider sent me a bill for let us say $3.50.

Postage alone in my opinion made this a bad move on the service provider part but hey, it is a bill so I will pay it.

I don't want to send my money back by mail as that could risk bill never being paid

and I don't feel like calling them and paying them over the phone, so I hop on their website and go to their guest pay

since my old account was closed when they migrated my account. Turns out guest payments are a $5.00 Min.

You would think this is where they are trying to s__ew me but this is actually why I came to pay online.

Due to the bill being under $5 this means they have to send me my change back in the mail.

The postage cost of 2 pieces of mail is nearing the difference in change that I expected them to send me.

Their change return mail finally got to me today. They sent me $9 on a debit card.

I have no idea how that math works but they are the ones that sent me the bill.

There is something so satisfying about watching a giant corporation get tangled up in its own red tape. We often feel like just a number in a database, so seeing the database get confused is quite a treat. It makes the world feel a little more human.

It is funny to think about how much money the company spent just to collect that initial three dollars. Between the paper, the ink, and the human time involved, they were likely losing money from the start. Seeing the OP get a $9 refund instead of the expected change is the perfect cherry on top.

Expert Opinion

This situation highlights a fascinating clash between modern automation and common sense. Large companies rely on algorithms to handle millions of accounts because human oversight is expensive. However, these systems often lack the logic to realize when a task costs more than it is worth.

In the world of business, this is sometimes called the “cost of collection.” According to reports from Financial Management, many organizations lose thousands of dollars annually by pursuing debts under $10. The administrative costs simply outweigh the potential gain. The process is often completely automatic.

Psychologically, there is also a phenomenon known as “reactance.” When we feel a company is being petty or unfair, we often look for small ways to reassert our control. By choosing the online payment method that forced a refund, the OP used the company’s own rules to achieve a tiny victory.

The experts at Investopedia explain that automated billing is designed for efficiency. However, it can create “ghost balances.” These are tiny amounts that stay on books for years because the system is programmed to never let a balance reach anything other than zero.

A study by Consumer Reports suggests that many people simply ignore these tiny bills. This can actually hurt credit scores over time. The OP’s decision to pay was responsible, even if he added a little bit of flair to the process. It was a smart move for his credit.

Ultimately, this story reminds us that while we live in a digital age, the systems managing our lives are far from perfect. Sometimes, a little bit of curiosity and a few extra cents can reveal the funny cracks in the corporate world. It is a win for the little guy in a very literal sense.

Community Opinions

The internet community absolutely loved this tale of petty success and shared many of their own stories about corporate accounting blunders.

Accountants explain that balancing the books often costs more than the debt itself.
linecrabbing − Haha! You got them good! But again they have to balance their books for tax auditing purpose, so $0.01 is still a cent own.

It is stupid and archanic but it is a principle for book keeping. If they have to waive your ownage, it requires some manager signature,

so it is easier to have their automate system got your $3.50 and pay you back $9.

Several people shared their own experiences with persistent bills for tiny amounts.
68hoss − I had a similar issue years ago, I changed phone companies and somehow had overpaid by 2¢ before closing my account...

for nearly a year they mailed me a monthly statement saying my balance was $ -.02. I finally called and got an actual person on the phone...

The next month they mailed me a check for $.02.

Dropthetenors − In school I was charged $0.17 on my lunch account and was given about 3 letters telling me how much I owed. It got paid back. Eventually.

antmakka − In the days before online payments I received a bill for a penny. I refused to mail my payment as the stamp cost more...

I received two more demands for payment, which I ignored, before i finally received a bill for zero.

Readers shared funny stories about “red flagging” corporate systems with extra pennies.
One-Satisfaction8676 − Pay them 1 cent more than you owe them every month...

It seems that my 1 cent kept the books out of balance every month and finally raised a red flag...

Gentleman identified himself and ask if we had a problem... Never had a static problem again.

Others warned about the potential for these small debts to cause big headaches.
Zym1225 − Several years ago I had an outpatient procedure done and about 6 months after I received a letter saying I owed $0.00 and if I didn’t pay I...

There was a general sense of joy over the company’s accidental generosity.
4linosa − It’s been 9 years and they haven’t asked about it so i guess I got free money to the tune of about $115.

Aiku − I once got a check from PG&E for 9 cents...

yearofwonderchicken − I thought it was hilarious. I am Petty AF.

tailgunner777 − I do this with every company I close my account with...

The best ones are when they send me a letter and a cheque for under $5... that has been manually signed by staff.

[Reddit User] − Go in and pay in cash but only pay one cent of the bill. They will have to mail you a new bill. Repeat forever.

How to Navigate a Situation Like This

Dealing with tiny lingering bills can be a bit of a headache, but it is usually best to handle them quickly. Even a balance of a few cents can occasionally trigger an automated “late notice” that might impact your credit. It is a small task for a big relief.

If you find yourself in a situation like this, try calling the customer service line first. Many times, an agent can simply “write off” a balance under five dollars with the click of a button. It saves the company money on postage and saves you the trouble of making a payment.

If you do decide to pay a tiny amount online, be aware of minimum payment rules. As we saw in this story, paying more than you owe can lead to a long cycle of refund checks and mail. Keeping a simple record of your “account closed” confirmation is the best way to stay organized.

Conclusion

This story shows that even a tiny bill can turn into a big win if you have a sense of humor. The Redditor turned a small annoyance into a nine-dollar victory and a great story to share. It is a perfect example of making the best of a weird situation.

Have you ever received a bill for an amount so small it was almost funny? Did you pay it, or did you wait for the company to give up? We would love to hear your experiences with corporate math in the comments below.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS STORY?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS STORY?

OP Is Not The AH (NTA) 4/4 votes | 100%
OP Is Definitely The AH (YTA) 0/4 votes | 0%
No One Is The AH Here (NAH) 0/4 votes | 0%
Everybody Sucks Here (ESH) 0/4 votes | 0%
Need More INFO (INFO) 0/4 votes | 0%

Carolyn Mullet

Carolyn Mullet

Carolyn Mullet is in charge of planning and content process management, business development, social media, strategic partnership relations, brand building, and PR for DailyHighlight. Before joining Dailyhighlight, she served as the Vice President of Editorial Development at Aubtu Today, and as a senior editor at various magazines and media agencies.

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