Son's $ 5,174 cell phone bill includes a good lesson

A KOMO news report about a mom whose son ran up a $5,174 cell phone bill includes a good lesson. According to the story, the consumer didn’t pay to block Internet access because her son had agreed not to use his phone online.

But as any parent knows, 13-year-olds don't always follow the rules.Daniel went online to download a couple of ring tones and to check his e-mail.

"I checked my mail and I got off it," he said.

But it wasn't so much what Daniel did as much as what he didn't do that rang up the charge.

"I didn't sign out, so it just kept going and going," he said.

Inquire about parental controls that let you block or limit access to expensive services.