TracFone Wireless
reviews and complaints

Took my money didn't get the phone wont refund money even though it showed in their system that fed ex redelivered it back to them assured me about 20 different times i would get a refund never did. Very disgusted i have sick child needed the phone for emergencies got scr**** for a company to do this is sad they only owed me around $36 dollars but that means alot to me and they make enough money they shouldn't have stolen mine customer service was horrible almost cost me a heart attack from all the stress dealing with them and getting no where. It's been a couple years since this happened but it still takes up space in my brain and still upsets me that they continually lied to me.

My tracfone stopped charging, so I ordered a used one off ebay to get the battery. (I did buy a new one and deactivated the old one). The phone came and I tried to activate it on-line and was unable to. The 800 number said that I needed to purchase airtime to activate the phone, so I did, on-line. I then called customer service to activate the phone and get the 60 mins I purchased on it. The CSR put the 60 mins on it, but it still had an out of state (NY) phone #. When I asked her to give me a local #, she asked for the original # that the phone was registered with. I explained, again, that I bought the phone off ebay and she said she couldn't help me unless I had the info. I asked for a super and FINALLY got someone who said he was a supervisor and he said he couldn't help me with out the info. So I asked for a refund for the mins. I purchased and again he wasn't able to help me. He said that because the mins were on the phone, they couldn't be refunded. So, I then asked if he would transfer the mins. from the long distance phone to our phone and he said he needed the phone # that the tracfone was originally set up with... needless to say I got upset and was hung up on!

Two months ago I ordered a TracFone from their web site and after trying four phones, have still not been able to get service in my area. The web site first asked for my zip code, then displayed several phone that would work in my area. The first one I received was an LC3280. I activated the phone but was not able to get service at home, but it worked fine 80 miles from home. I called the company and they said they would send a new one. Again, the new LC3280 was not able to get service in my area, and neither was the 3rd LC3280 they sent. Finally they sent a Motorola phone with a sim card. I tried to activate it online, but was unable to do so. I called the the person I talked to said that phone would not work in my area. I was told a supervisor would call me within 48 hours to help straighten the situation out. It's past 48 hours, but still no call. I think they're hoping I will just give up.

Two years ago I purchased the LG 225 from the Tracfone site. I was replacing another phone that I had from them, and I liked the DMFL. I had to change the number due to some continued abusive calls I was getting last year, but otherwise I was happy with the service.

On 9/25/08 I purchased a 120 minute card and used the 60 minute bonus code of 53322 on their site. Nothing happened. I figured I probably had to wait a few hours, so I shut the phone off and went to bed.

I get up Saturday morning and guess what - NO MINUTES added! I called Tracfone and talked to someone who really couldn't speak good English. I was told that there was no record of the DMFL plan. I came back and told them I wouldn't have purchased the phone in the first place if there wasn't DMFL and this was the first time I had a problem.

After himming and hawing for about 30 minutes, they said they would give me to technical support. This was AFTER they got the card and bonus minutes into my LG 225, but still didn't have it doubled. Translation - "You're outta luck sucker" and I was disconnected.

I got on their website and created a ticket, explaining everything I had told them on the phone. I got an answer this morning saying that there was a code pending and to go to their website and follow the instructions in the letter. Guess what, no luck. I had to create ANOTHER ticket. I did copy and paste the original letter. I am still waiting for them to answer.

If this does not get resolved to my satisfaction, I will be on the phone to Tracfon's Executive Resolutions Manager at [protected] on Monday morning.

I admit that I live in an area that mobile phone has "Selected Areas" of service but my phone quit working and I called "The Desert" to get my limited service working again. After extended wait time, the ASSociate that received my call informed me that my phone would not work any longer for me and I was to return my phone to them to receive my new phone that "would satisfy me very much". They indicated to me that I should be happy that they were there to replace my NO PROBLEMS Noika phone that now is programed so that even in MY SERVICE AREA I am not advantaged my LIFE TIME MINUTE DOUBLER Card purchase when I was Noika that would not be rolled to the replacement TRASH Fone as I am now always "roaming" in a much smaller service area. I buy 400 minute add-ons that I "GET TO USE" in 200 minutes or less because any calls even a 15 second call has a one minute minimum whenever I make a connection to the SERVICE that they allow me. Plus the roaming fee. A 62 second call is costing me four minutes of my now 100 minute card that was a 400 minute card that should have been with my LIFETIME DOUBLER CARD 800 minutes plus...least I forget...the 20 bonus minutes!
Features like the Time of day, the alarm clock, the schedule, and the world clock do not work...because..."Service is required to use this feature"...there to on the "easier to read screen" to remind me that I have a new TRASH fone that "would satisfy me very much"! Two and a half hours of spelling my information and holding for 2 minutes and 30 seconds while they confer with a supervisor or programmer to seek resolution to this matter...did I mention that the new fone did not come with an adapter for the car...
Thank You Tracfone Wireless Service for that you provide to the public that put a roof over your heads and help you with your vacation budgets and lawn care services that left some grass clippings on the drive out front of your 5000 sq.ft. track home in your locked gate community. I take liberty to describe your world and better than me attitude because you take liberty to tell me that I "would be satisfy very much" with my replacement fone.
Seems funny too that an Idaho based fone WORKS in my Service area. Yes it roams all the time but it does work where local fones do not! Funny ### huh. Watch your wallet Mr Consumer.

I was a Tracfone user for since 2006.

My battery for my Nokia 2126 died and would not take a charge. i called the

1-800 number and spoke with a customer service person in india. i explained my problem he told me to go to the retailers and i could buy a battery for my phone. i went to 3 retailers in my town of 6ooo people, none of them carried the batteries. so i went to the next town over 30 miles away and looked at 3 more retailers, still no batteries.

i called them back and asked again how to get a new battery they told me to try the website. so i did, no batteries available, only new phones. i called back a 3rd time and by this time i was a little upset, my patience was wearing thin. i again asked them for a battery. well here's the kicker they WON'T sell you a battery if your phone warranty has expired. You CAN purchase a new phone, but not a new battery. So i flew off the handle and asked them why they hadn't told me this at the beginning at least i could have gone and looked elsewhere for a new battery instead of driving all over the country looking for a new battery locally that was not even available at a retail outlet in the first place. anyway i purchased a new battery from an online source and my phone is now functioning again no thanks to the people at Tracfone/Nokia who do not make all accesories(such as Batteries)available to the consumers that buy their products. maybe my experience will save someone else the irritation of trying to get something from Tracfone/Nokia.

Half the time that I try to call with my Tracfone I get no service... Come on! I am in the city limits of a 250, 000 population city. I tried their on line solution... NO help. Everything seems to check out ok with my phone.. Then the "fun" starts... The heavily accented technicians that you can not understand... accentuated by lousy headphones... lots of back ground noise, voices that sound surreal... maybe electronically enhanced ? or de-enhanced ? you can not understand them...

Then, after 15 minutes, they keep switching you to another department... if you are patient & wait... then comes the best part! They keep coming back & saying "give me 3 more minutes " I will contact another dept... which NEVER HAPPENS! After 7 times waiting to be connected to THEIR OWN department, I told them that I am done with Tracfone, thanks for their help... goodbye...

SAVE YOUR MONEY... JUNK PHONE, LOUSY CONNECTIONS, probably not enough towers for adequate service...

I called to reactivate my phone and was told it is no longer usable in my area. They would send me a new phone and what comes in the mail the cheapest model they can send you and it is a reconditioned used model. When I called to complain they told me that my phone I paid 30-40 dollars for is now only worth 14 what a RIP OFF. I was told this is the phone I get and sorry about your luck basically. I will not use them again. I want everyone to know what a rip-off they are find a new company to use.

My father purchased a card with the intent of expanding the number of days, but confusion over the terms led to an incorrect purchase. Both the store clerk and my father made the same error trying to understand the terms. The store clerk had already attempted to activate the purchased service before the error was discovered, so he could not obtain a refund.

TracFone support offered to exchange the erroneous purchase for 180 extra days of service and 180 minutes of time. This is roughly the equivalent of purchasing 2 of their $19.99 options with a few extra days thrown in to cover the price difference. We accepted and a happy resolution was at hand, but then our call was mysteriously disconnected.

We immediately re-contacted customer service, but suddenly everything had changed. They would not offer the 180/180 option again and refused reconnect us to the support rep who had offered it. They wouldn't even tell us her name. Instead they changed the offer to 250 minutes and 90 days, which was not acceptable.

We tried to escalate to management but the offer of 250/90 remained unchanged with each "manager" we spoke to. What good is having an escalation procedure if the only thing they can do is echo the same options that led to the escalation? We asked for a refund, but the unused service had been "activated" and could not be refunded. But they would have to deactivate that same service in order to process the 250/90 option, so we knew this was false obstacle.

All our calls to TracFone support are hampered by the horrific quality of the headset microphones the reps use. They sound as if they are speaking while gargling and what words can be made out are electronically distorted. If you check around the web, you'll see this is a well-documented issue. You'd think a company selling communications products would be more aware of the amateurish image this conveys, but TracFone may have a good reason for allowing it to persist. My father abandoned efforts to activate a $60 card because he simply couldn't understand the support rep. I think TracFone hides behind the lousy quality of their support lines because they can embarrass customers into accepting poor solutions to their problems. The caller feels self conscious constantly having to ask the rep to repeat what he/she said until they take whatever deal they can get just to get out of the call.

I will defend most of the support reps, though. Although most reps did have thick accents and spoke through the cheap-o headsets that garbled their voices, almost everyone we spoke with treated us politely and professionally, even though their hands seemed tightly bound by policies designed to make consumers regret the day they ever thought of using this rip-off mill.

The big exception is a "manager" named Sherry Davis. She spoke with a condescending sing-song tone that immediately angered us. She also refused to honour the 180/180 terms the other rep had offered. The call became angry and contentious. Ms Davis said we could not escalate higher than her. Her disrespectful attitude and confrontational tone are prime examples of why so many complaints about this company are on the web. If she is the highest level of management available in their support department, you'd probably be better off taking your complaint to a block of wood. At least a block of wood has the potential of serving a useful purpose and is less bound by bone-headed "policy."

If you haven't bought a TracFone yet, then don't.

Right now, two cans and some string are a more attractive option than anything TracFone can offer.

I used tracfone for over three years and I highly would not recommend it to anybody. You have to keep all your receipts and scratched off cards that you use to add minutes. If the cards don't work, and most of the time the cards do not work, they will put you through days of wasted time digging through your records to "prove" you bought the cards before granting you the services and minutes you purchased. Then you will spend days typing in long codes and repeating them back and waiting 24-48 hours to "see if it will work". It doesn't work.

I bought double minutes for the life of my phone. After one year the double minutes no longer work at all and the company will not help me, at all. I've called, written, and complained. I still get e-mails from them advertising that I can buy minutes which will be doubled. Doubling minutes is the only way to get a 10 cent per minute rate that is on par with other pre-paid cell phone services like at&t, which I highly recommend.

Tracfone has consistently recorded up to double 'units' (minutes) on my dialed and received calls. I have called them repeatedly about the issue. Speaking to three different tech reps over the past three months, I have provided details on the number of units I began with on date 'x', the number of units I should have been charged for my total dialed and received calls (as recorded in my phone), and the number of units I was actually charged. Each time I called I spent about 30 minutes on the phone (my landline) with Tracfone only to be told everything is OK... when it obviously is NOT OK. The folks at tech support (obviously India) appear to be quite capable at providing test codes and interpreting response codes, but have no ability to understand that regardless og the 'tests' they're told to run, I am still being overcharged. Next stop... FCC.

I tried to make a call on my Nokia cell phone and was told I no longer had service in my area. I was given a number to call for a replacement phone. I called and gave the customer service rep all the information on my phone but never received a phone or heard anything from them. I still had 108 minutes left if I called before 1/20/08 to be rolled over. I called before this date with serial #[protected] so I could at least get my minutes rolled over to another phone, but no response. I am very upset with tracfone for not responding to my call.

If you wake up one morning to see that you unknowingly made a 15.5 hour phone call, you can get back 70% of your minutes if you talk to at least four of their phone Reps and two of their Supervisors for a cumulative five hours. Remember to keep a copy of all three interaction numbers, the case numbers and the names of all the people you talk to. Also remember that you'll need to be concise in relating the problem because you'll have to repeat it in detail at least ten times. Oh, you can expect to be hung up on too. Best Wishes with Tracfone. H.C.T.III

I recently encountered a horrible customer service experience with Tracfone's customer service. At the time I thought I was completely in the right and argued quite a bit with the customer service rep, even her supervisor too. I was trying to use a promo code when I added my double minute airtime card and did not receive my 200 minutes. The rep kept telling me that I didn't qualify for the promo. After several minutes of some back and forth, I hung up and decided and search the web for help. I came across the following phone number [protected] that went to Tracfones corporate office, to their Executive Resolution team. I fully expected to have another round of being told I didn't qualify for the promo minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to get a rep that was professional and knowledgeable. She explained that I had purchased the wrong double minute card for the promo I was trying to use. If only the original rep told me. My recommendation to anyone else having a hard time with Tracfone customer service is to use this number [protected]!

Are you retired? Do you have time on your hands? If so, buy a TracFone pre-paid cellphone and spend hours of your time talking to incoherent blithering with a Service Representative south of the border. Nothing could be more rewarding than buying a Christmas Gift to help a destitute friend, but to find you really have no gift at all; just a little piece of junk that has been marketed as a great idea. Think of the fun, when you return this item to Walmart (who always has nothing but the best), on Christmas eve knowing the owner of TracFone is probably sitting on a beach somewhere, counting his millions and using a quality cellphone to check his bank account balances, while your friend is in need of an ambulance and can't call anyone... this is what makes America great!

Through Tracfone I bought a Nokia Md#1100 phone in 2004. Service was great other than the fact that it boiled down to an expensive .50 cents a minute. For the last several months I have not been able to add airtime directly into the phone. I would have to call the service reps and go through the multiple code entries to get the airtime added. Each time they would tell me the phone had to be "Reprogrammed". And when I got low on airtime and tried to add directly through the phone the same issue came up each time. I became so frustrated I emailed several complaints. Each time I was issued a case number and each time this issue was never resolved. The last email I sent I told them I wanted to speak to a bonified person about this, not a form mail. I never got a response from them and I ended up going with "iwirelesshome" a division of T-Mobile. It is digital service and not analog like Tracfone. There is a special offered at the Kroger grocery stores here in Memphis. You buy the phone with a 500 minute card inside the box. They give you aa very nice LG color screen phone with voice dial feature and you are actually buying the 500 minute card and getting the phone for free. Service and coverage is pretty good and only .10 cents a minute all day until April 1st 2008. After that it goes to .25 cents a minute between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM and .10 cents a minute all other time. Still less costly than Tracfone and a nicer phone to top it all off. I wish someone would sue the pants off Tracfone and put them out of business for good.

1. In Nov. 2006 we were told we had to get a different phone. We purchased the phone & airtime through customer service after not being able to purchase on line. The phone is not "new", but works. After spending a hour on the phone she finally understood what we wanted. We didn't get the promotion they stated. And, our "year expired" on the 15th of Nov so should have been 15 of Nov of next year, but when it came up on the phone it was the 9th ok. Now we're renewing again...We lost another day because we renewed on the 8th instead of 9th, plus when we went to use the Wagner class action pin number on line, we couldn't do it.

Talking with customer service the next day was a disaster. When we started with them in 2001? We were pleased. Not any more.

In September, when I tried to add minutes to my phone, I was notified that the service in my area was changing and that they would send me a replacement phone that I needed to activate by October 1st. I received the phone with a sims card. Around the end of September, I contact the company to activate my phone and transfer my minutes and phone number and could not get the sims card to work. The message said insert Sims card, even though I had it inserted correctly. I contacted tracfone and they said they would send me a new sims card. It would take 3-5 days. Approximately 2-3 days later, I received a 2nd sims card. I inserted the 2nd sims card as instructed and received the same message as before. I again called tracfone and once again tried to activate my phone and transfer my minutes and phone number. The reply was that they will send me yet another sims card that will work in the zip code that I provided to them. Upon the 3rd sims card received, I finally got the phone to at least turn on. When I called again to have my phone number and remaining minutes transferred, I was told that the phone that I received with a sims card does not work in my area and they would send me a new phone without a sims card that would work in my area. (By now, they have deactivated my old phone-the one that I have had for several years up to this point, so I have no phone service what so ever). The 2nd replacement phone was received within 2 days. When I received it, I was surprised to see that it was the same exact phone WITH a sims card as the first replacement phone that I received. Okay, at this point, I figured I have nothing to lose and call AGAIN-This is November 3rd, talked to a supervisor, again to transfer my minutes and phone number. After spending another hour and 1/2 on the phone trying to get one of the replacement phones to work was unsuccessful. I did request that I should get additional minutes of at least 500 for the inconvenience, since I knew someone in the area that received 200 additional minutes for the inconvenience of changing their phone number for free. She said she would only be able to transfer my existing minutes. However, at the end of our hour and half pointless conversation, I was assigned a 3rd case number at this point and another sims card would arrive in 3-5 days. I expressed how urgent it was since I've been without a tracfone now for 2 weeks. And since the 2nd replacement phone arrived in two days, why couldn't they express mail the sims card. She repeated that it would be 3-5 days. This whole conversation was pointless by the time I hung up. Wednesday, November 7, would have been 3 days. I called tracfone again to get an update on my case number and was told it was not activated or my name and address wasn't given to the appropriate department so they could mail out the sims card. At this point, (remember, this all started back in September) I asked for a name of a person that I could officially lodge a complaint and send something in writing to and was informed repeatedly that they could not give out that information. I did get an address to send complaints to. It is the Executive Resolutions Dept, 9700 NW 112 Avenue, Miami, FL 33178. I don't know what good will come of this, and I'm still waiting for a sims card to be sent and have been assigned yet a 4th case number. This is why I'm posting this message and plan on writing to the company and to the Better Business Bureau. I understand that some of the people only work there, but did advise them that they should search the internet as I did and review all the complaints about their company. It's not looking good out there for tracfone at this point. There is too much competition and if they don't take care of their customers, I'm sure there will be another company that will be happy to make accommodations for tracfone's former customers, which I plan on doing shortly if I don't have a working phone by Friday. The stress and being without a cell phone is very frustrating. Tracfone needs to get their act together or they are going to lose alot of customers. I'm not sure how much good it's going to get me as I've seen other complaints that get little or no response and if so, it's the same old story, but I'm sending a copy of this complaint to the Better Business Bureau and posting it on any other complaint sight that I can find for tracfone. And in the end, Buyer Beware of Tracfone.

TracFone - www.tracfone.com

This company is the most terrible i've ever experienced and has HORRIBLE customer service. I tried to add minutes to my phone on the 17th and a computer message told me I had to call customer service. After speaking to customer service I was informed that my phone I have at present (Motorola V60i) needed to be upgraded to work on their network. (THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I'VE HAD TO DO THIS IN 3 YEARS)...My new (refurbished) phone was sent to me and arrived in 4 days. For this time period I no longer had phone service and was out $20.00 dollars for a card. Even though THEY could not provide me with service and FORCED me to upgrade for the SECOND time they stated the do not give refunds. So i'm charged for a service I am NOT RECEIVING. After getting my "refurbished" phone for a replacement to the NEW ONE I paid $80.00 dollars for 3 years ago, I could STILL not get service. I spent nearly 3-4 hours on phone with "customer service" as they call it. Some customer service,..treated me very rudely as if I didn't know how to use my cellphone that i've operated for a total of 5-6 years. Made me enter numerous codes in phone, took two calls to them JUST to get my minutes transferred and THEN they gave away my old number (which numerous people possess). I was furious, I asked them why they gave my number away. They stated my phone service expired. I told them, your computer would not let me add minutes to my phone without upgrading the model and you still gave away my number? To date its been 24 hours. I STILL HAVE NO SERVICE. Oh sure, my minutes show, and I have a new number that is friggen USELESS to me (all friends and family have old number)and STILL HAVE NO SERVICE! She tells me it will take 24-48 hours for phone service to be in effect. I was floored! I have my OLD phone next to my NEW phone and it receives a PERFECT SIGNAL even though I can't call on it anymore,..and this NEW model (which as I said was forced upon me to continue service) doesn't even pick up a signal! And to top it all off, it doesn't even have voice-dial (which my supposed outdated old phone had)! So to top everything off, I have NO service, LOST my number, am OUT $20.00 dollars and possess a cheaper model phone than I originally had that doesn't work! STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY! It may seem like a lot to spend to go on a plan phone with another company, but in my opinion it is more worth it! I informed them that when my minutes I paid for and have not been able to use yet are done, I and my fiance and my son will ALL be switching companies. I will also be informing EVERYONE I COME INTO CONTACT WITH about my nightmare with this company and NOT to pay for service with them.

Just got off phone with them AGAIN today, (10/24/07). Still NO SERVICE, and i've been informed they need to send me a new SIM card! Now i'm another 3-5 days AGAIN without usable phone service. UNBELIEVABLE!