According to recent investigations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the amount of inaccurate charges added to cell phone bills is on the rise. The billing of hidden or unexpected charges is called bill “cramming” or bill “shock.” BBB wants you to know how to prevent these additional fees from popping up on your monthly statements.

Four Tips to Help You Avoid Extra Cell Phone Bill Fees:

1) Understand Your Service Plan. Keep track of what services you want to pay for, such as unlimited minutes, long-distance, text messaging or mobile access to the Internet. Also, make sure that you understand what types of fees your service provider will apply if you choose to upgrade or change your plan.

2) Carefully Review Monthly Statements. Compare your service plan paperwork with your monthly bills and check closely for any additional charges that don’t match up. The sooner you spot any unexpected fees, the sooner you can stop them.

3) Restrict Your Account. Contact your service provider to see if you can completely restrict third-party billing on your account. This can be very helpful if you have family members or friends sharing one plan and want to limit their ability to add charges.

4) Be Cautious With Free Trials or Contests. Before you sign up for a free trial to download ringtones or enter a contest on your mobile phone for concert tickets, read the fine print so you know whether any future charges will apply.