Apparently, phone and Internet companies sending their customers outrageous bills for high sums is commonplace, according to CNet. Recently, this circumstance happened to 83-year-old California man Ron Dorff, who received a bill from AT&T (NYSE: T) for $8,596.57, CNet reported. Dorff was an AT&T customer, subscribing to a $51 per month dial up plan, so this bill perplexed him. After contacting the carrier and being told that the situation would be looked into further, more and more bills came, eventually totaling more than $24,000. This is when he contacted The Los Angeles Times, CNet reported. After an LA Times reporter contact AT&T, the charges disappeared. "The charges were due to our customer not using a local phone number option for dial-up connection to his Internet access provider," an AT&T representative said, according to CNet. "We have waived the charges and explained to him how to use a local number to reach his service."