(MOBILE, Ala.) - Harriett Watters received a cell phone bill for more than $2,000 last summer. Her 16-year-old daughter, Ischella, had rung up the bill with texts. Lots of texts.
"5,268 texts? In one month? In one month." Needless to say, they switched to an unlimited plan.
With so much time spent on cell phones, how can you know what and who they're texting?
Cell phones companies don't print the messages on your bill and won't divulge the information without a court order, leaving parents to stealthily figure out what their teens are up to.
"You have to catch them off guard, when they come in and put their phone down," Watters said. "Go ahead and grab it while their setting it down to get something to eat. Take a look at it, while you have a chance. Very much so, you have to be with teenagers today."
To make sure you're not missing a message that's been deleted. There is a program that helps you keep track of all of the texts. By subscribing to My Mobile Watchdog, you'll receive a copy of every text sent and received.
Other software programs like Guardian Monitor and Spy Agent allow you to see what sites your kids are visiting, view emails, pictures and IM's they've sent and received.
Investigators say you can't do enough to protect kids from predators.
"It's not a matter of if your child will be contacted, they probably already have been, or they will be," said Mobile Police Officer Chris Levy.
Police say, often times, predators initially make contact online in a chat room or through a social networking site like Facebook or MySpace. Then, they get your teen's cell phone number.
Investigators say you should closely monitor your teen's Facebook or MySpace accounts, read their emails and their texts, even if that decision isn't so popular with your teen.
