Understanding "Collect Calls"

When you are overseas, your cell phone is your life line.  We had set up with Verizon a global plan for the paltry sum of $4.99/month.  It reduce our charges a bit and allowed me to use my phone to call home if needed at a much lower rate and use my cell here.  After my pocket was picked and all our credit cards had to be cancelled, we made several "Collect Calls" to MasterCard, American Express and City Bank.  Then I received our monthly bill on-line from Verizon.  Seems our "Collect Calls" to the credit card companies were charged calls.  One call lasting 59 minutes, due to many times being placed on hold by MasterCard, was $92 alone.  So the bill for $497.42 was a bit shocking, to say the least.

With the help of Erin, who called Verizon for us from home, we found out that if we notify the credit cards, they will re-imburse the charges from "Collect Calls" to Verizon.  Thank you Verizon.

Funny how they never mentioned that when we called 800 #'s Collect in desperation trying to cancel, resend and restore our cards.  "Collect" has a different meaning now.

Don't you just love big credit card companies!