Consumer Cellular
Reviews and Complaints

I signed up with consumer cellular in 2023 it took 3 days to get my phones working. I purchased out right a moto g stylus 5G for just under $300.00 my husband kept his flip phone, and my son got the I-phone 13 on contract. Yes! I also went to Target, they were no longer with Consumer Cellular, BUT they could sell me the new I-phone, but not on the contract. Nor did they sell the sim cards. Had to go to Walmart to buy the sim card, but no phone. More waisted time and gas. Phone service was good in the metro areas but not in the area where I lived. I retired and was long longer in the metro area. Finelly got sick and tired of dropped calls, no internet unless I was on my Wi-Fi (was paying for unlimited data) Kept getting text messages that I was out of data. Got checking out my bill alot better and consumer cellular was adding up data for ever call, text, and internet in with me on my Wi-Fi and my husbands phone was showing data use even though he had not used his phone. I finally was able to switch carriers, 48 hours for consumer cellular to release 2 of My numbers (which I have had for 20 years) at the phone that I had purchase out right was locked, they would not unlock it, I had to buy a new phone. Asked them to cancel my son's number and send me a final bill. They sent me a invoice, via email, I called them back to request a final bill. They had not shut off my son's phone until the 11th 6 days after I canceled their service, and are refusing to send me a final bill. I quote "U need a court order to get a final bill."
In my opinion they are crocks, frauds, and run false advertisements.
Lin P

After being ripped off by Verizon I thought I might save some money and switch to Consumer Cellular. The transition was a bit painful but got the new phone usable after about 2 weeks. Then became the billing issues about local and federal taxes that raised my bill about eight dollars more than expected. My CC
bill is not much lower than my old one. Stay with your carrier until they get there
S---t together.

I have been with consumer cellular for 6 years. I have stayed with them, not because I wanted to, because I take care of my nephew. Due to a stroke. I had the dual plan with a shared10mg. I wanted to switch after the first 3mths. But my nephew at that time really couldn't stand any change in his routines. Anyway the plan, at that time was $50. But with his phone purchased from cc, the plan was &59.00. I never paid that amount. It was always near $71.00. After taking my nephew off my plan and getting basic service. The bill is always around $50. For! Line. Customer service was absolutely terrible. No real techs with knowledge of the phones. Let me say, after purchasing a new phone. I received no instruction manual. Cc customer service could not help me, as it was the new flip phone. I had to make an appointment with a service rep. 22 miles away. Just to get it set up, that's just a few things bad about cc. I could go on and on. Have a new service provider now. They are great.

I am not impressed. The salesman who took my information was obviously too much in a hurry to make a commission as he got my social security # wrong and my pin # wrong. In trying to activate my service with CC, I ran into issues because the instructions sent were not inclusive of all steps needed and I had to call consumer cellular several times, issues I did not have when transferring with other cellular providers. Then, I try to sign into my account to change my credit card info and it is locked. When I call customer service, they tell me they can't unlock it. At this point, after only two weeks, I see no reason to continue with consumer cellular if this is how doing business with you is going to be. My account was locked because I contacted my bank about fraud on my card. Rather than contacting me, consumer cellular locks my account. Other companies, including the bank, contact the person to verify the issue and then take appropriate steps. After speaking with a manager and following the instructions, still no progress. When I mentioned I should probably look elsewhere for cell service, the customer service reps didn't try to convince me to say. One said okay.

Their ad on TV with Ted Danson says you pay less because they don't pay for their own cell towers. Did you know that over 80% of cell towers are not owned by cell companies. So their claim is rather bogus.
I had 2 friends who tried CC but found the coverage spotty in some parts of the country especially in the west and northwest. They both travel a lot so they switched back to T-Mobile and got better roaming if needed. They need unlimited service so CC is more money when you need that.

As a potential customer considering Consumer Cellular, it's important to note the mixed reviews from existing users. While some customers have praised the affordability and customer service, others have expressed dissatisfaction with issues like poor reception, misleading information, and frustrating experiences with activation and phone compatibility. It seems that the level of service and satisfaction can vary greatly among users. Before making a decision, it might be wise to weigh these contrasting experiences and consider your own priorities when choosing a mobile service provider.

Last year we had had Consumer Cellular for ten years, but then they dropped their contract with T-Mobile towers and then only used AT&T. We were forced to get a new sim card and then I discovered I now had only one bar and even though I tried working with them multiple times, they couldn't get more than one bar on my phone (that had been fine before) and then said I needed to buy a new phone (what guarantee would that be to have more bars on a new phone?).

In addition, the other phone (flip phone) couldn't get any bars and they again said I needed to buy a new phone. We bought a new Nokia flip phone (with no rebates from them) but in less than a year, the open/shut mechanism broke and falls shut. We had several flip phones before and never had a problem. It's labeled as a Nokia Consumer Cellular phone with a one-year warranty, but they refuse to honor the warranty and said we need to buy a new phone and we could an extended warranty and pay for that each month.

How many times do we have to buy a new phone? If I have to buy a new phone, it won't be with Consumer Cellular, as they can't provide more than one bar and drops calls.

I have several years' experience with CC. They're an ATT reseller that has carved out a niche exploiting an older and presumably less savvy clientele. I bought my backup phone from them and used them for years, during which time the $20/mo plan came to be billed as $30.49/mo, guess it's that inflation I've heard about.

I used the phone infrequently, but would repeatedly find that the network was not available when I tried to make a call until I contacted support, when all would be made good again. Were they pooling resources for a number of infrequents like myself, only providing actual service when there was a complaint?

Today, the supervisor had no answers for me, not even the customary "I'll check for outages in your area". This time, she just noted that the phone was six years old, and I should probably buy a new phone from them.

Ha, not likely. Already have a newer phone, which I bought online, new and unlocked. I had intended to activate it with CC's "bring your own phone" program, but the CC rep said it was not really unlocked and could not be connected.

That was a lie. The phone was absolutely unlocked and was compatible with both ATT and Verizon networks, as well as others. The CC rep simply lied to my face, since I had not bought the phone from them. These people are clowns.

Verizon connected it with no problem. It remains with Verizon to this day. And Verizon's network is always up. Always.

I'm through with Consumer Cellular.

I called Consumer Cellular a few months ago as I just wanted information and was curious about the possibility of switching over to them. So I created an account and received a sim card in the mail a week later. But in the interim I decided not to use them because the current company I was using lowered their price. So, two months after I called Consumer Celllular telling them that I changed my mind and didn't want to leave my current phone company they decided to charge me $31.55 for no reason! It's a good thing I check my bank account daily!
Of course I called them immediately and they said they would reimburse me. Good grief! Is anyone minding the store over there?

11/14/24 I purchased a IRIS flip phone from Consumer Cellular. I did have the phone fall off the bedroom table on to a rug. I saw no damage. I had also noticed that the flip par was getting loose on one side before it fell on the rug. As the weeks went by, it just got worse. Several days ago, it just fell apart. This is where the phone flips and where contact is made on both sides. without that contact the phone will not work. I went to a Consumer Cellular, they could not do anything about it. I called Consumer Cellular and they said the same thing. All I wanted was to replace the phone or give me a credit and I will buy a different phone. This IRIS phone is junk! I spent some time looking at flip phones on line last night and what I found that all the other ones had inboard contacts that were permatly attached to the bottom part of the phone. The IRIS contacts were exactly the opposite. So now I have to hold it with one had against the contacts for the phone to work. I have been with Consumer Cellular since 2019 and this is how they treat their customers. I will never do business with them, or give them a good rating!

We'll lsomekne is reading my mmessages getting. All my information, my name is RUth Enriquez my phone number is 6617898906. Also someone has stoe my identity causing fraud under my. Name I need this person tracked down. This people are getting all my informmati9n there seeing. The messages that I write to people. Please help. Thank you,,Ruth Enriquez

My name is Rosecleia Cummings. My Consumer Cellular phone number is [protected]. Since YESTERDAY, March/05/24, I HAVE NO CONNECTION. I had to bother someone else to use her phone to call Consumers Cellular and they put me on hold for several minutes, and no body came to talk to me. It is very FRUSTRATED and DISAPOINTED. I am UNABLE to make or receiving any calls. Now, is 07:02 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and am not able to be in touch with anybody to RESOLVE this problem.

I tried for 4 months to get my CC billing date moved to the 28th of the month so that it would coincide with my Social Security payment date (4th Wednesday of every month). FINALLY, in December 2023, on my 4th monthly call to them, the billing date was moved to the 28th. The CSR explained that there would be a late fee since the current bill date for that month was 3 days earlier. I said that would be fine, and I finished the call, assured that the bill would post on the 28th, and that there would be a small late fee for it.

Checked my account on December 29th, and sure enough, there was the automatic draft as expected. Then I get the invoice for January, and there is $47.18 "past due" on my account, which was added into my January billing. After more than an hour on the phone with two different CSRs, I got the same BS explanation. "Since you didn't make your payment in December, you are past due." My response - "OK, so if I didn't make my payment in December, why does my bank show a payment?". "Sorry sir, your payment that was made in December didn't include your past due for December, which was added to your January bill." "But all of my payments posted on time and in full prior to December, so how do I have a past due?" "Sir, you didn't pay your bill in December on its due date." "But I made my payment in December, aided by the CSR supervisor who handled the move for the billing date, with her assurance that I would have a small late fee." "Yes sir, and that bill was past due."

Apparently, CC has a policy that if you move your billing date within the month, and you wait to pay until that billing date, you are PAST DUE, even if you pay three days later, and even if their own CSRs helped you do it.

Fortunately my bank sees the scam and will credit my account. Assuming CC does nothing on this matter, I will fully document all charges and payment dates and submit a fraud claim with the NC Attorney General.

IMO These people are incompetent. I switched from Verizon to Consumer Cellular and they completely botched the whole thing leaving me with no cell service.

They put my number on my wife's phone and could not fix it. They lied to me and told me my phone was not esim capable when I know for a fact that it is. They told me I could pick up a physical Sim card from a local store. This was at 9pm.

In the end I had to take a day off work to get my phones put back on the Verizon network and I was unable to keep the phone numbers my wife and I have had for nearly 5 years.

I would not recommend this provider to anyone.

Well they are saying I owe more money even after I cancelled service for no signal and the motorola g play did not work and even sent another phone after cancelling service and had to send back and now they say I owe for service when I had no phone and no service-and cancelled it 2 times... It says I owe for dec.2023 — assurion sent emails saying the received the phone? So shows no data but cc says I owe for service now went from $32 to $96 while I was chatting asking why I owe $32 dollars for cancelling service in nov 2023... How can the phone be using the tower when it is traveling thru the usps postal service and then they say they did not get it on time — I have emails from assurion saying they got it... Sounds like a scam on me... I am not paying made of totals for nothing — I have good dates and records... They will remove the total. For nothing... So sad senoirs should not have go thru such a scam... I am honest and they lie about everything... Beware for your own peace of mind and keeping your money...

I was a loyal customer for years. My cellphone service was terrible. I finally decided to switch carriers. I contacted Consumer cellular and was informed that my sons and wives phone number would be locked. It took over a month for consumer cellular to UNLOCK our phones. I was billed by both carriers. I contacted CC corporate and they did nothing. I’m a senior citizen on disability.

I was trying to get some help with my husband’s phone, so I decided to go to consumer Cellular’s website to see if I could figure out why he keeps getting a message that he has no signal because he was dropped by the carrier.

I could not access the consumer cellular website because a page comes up asking me to verify I am human, but you click the box, and over and over it just keeps popping up that box. I use Duck Duck Go so I clicked off Privacy Protection to see if that changed anything, but no. I asked someone I called at Consumer Cellular, but she said no one was saying anything about having a problem, so maybe it was a glitch. Wait until tomorrow and try again. That’s when I went to see what cloudflare is. Apparently it replaces CAPCHA, but there are complaints all over about it not working! How am I supposed to access a website to check phone issues or change a plan when this stops me? Please I would love some answer here. Dolly Hallenbeck, [protected]

Today, Nov 4, 2023 I called to settle my past due bill of $290.57. My last bill was $172. 51. The last bill was for the billing period for September and October. On the aforementioned date, my bill is $290. and change. Another billling cycle was added to the bill for November. Being that my phone service was off as of 11/1/23, I needed a proration on the November bill.

I spoke with a CSR a Supervisor named Wesly and another Supervisor named Tyler, who gave me his badge number #73665. No one wanted to give me the prorated amount for my bill. Tyler, they just wanted to collect the bill. I was told that CC bills AFTER the service is use. Well, I haven't used any service, so why am I being asked to pay for a full month's of service.

I am still without service and was unable to pay my bill.

Jose at at the Consumer Cellular counter in Northridge was very unhelpful. He said he was the manager while the employee was more knoweldgeable and helpful. The employee let me know I had an active protection plan but was not able to reach anyone on the phone since it was a few minutes after hours and said I can come back another day. I went back today. That employee was not there. I spoke with Jose who only gave me a couple pamphlets and would not call and make the call like the employee. This manager Jose should not be the manager. Consumer Cellular can hire anyone to just hand out pamphlets.

On November 1, 2023, we paid our cell phone account in full. A little later on, that day, November 1, 2023, we changed our cell phone provider.

We're informed that the month we paid for, was for the month of October.

So on November 1, we're informed oh, you still have to pay for the whole month of November.

We've been loyal customers of Consumer Cellar since the year, 2008.

Now that really sucks, We're doing our best for our home.

Maybe you're not aware, of what's happening to seniors.

Can you please address this issue?

Thanks.

Hello, I talked to one of your reps one evening, mentioning my phone calls can not be completed since Sept. 23 rd, 23! I was ok w/my Facebook and Messenger working, but now it's downright horrible that I cannot use the calling part of my phone! It's an UMIDIGI Smart phone. Your company had just sent me the new Sim card in early September...My son said the triangle on top of the phone does not show active, it's next to the WiFi symbol, he tried everything he could to make the phone work, also did the Updates, which I had not done. Ok, what is my option now? Go to Target and get another Sim card, the nearest Target store is over 30 miles away...

Charlotte Boggess

ph# [protected] (this is my landline)

e-mail : [protected]@hotmail.com

I closed my account in april. I canceled autopay. It's sept, I am still getting billed. I have called the rude customer service. They want me to set up a code. I told the the a account is closed. I have no codes. My lg in never worked.

They are charging me for a month I didn't use. Refuse to give a itemized bill.

Sent me emails after I blocked them. I tried to give another rude rep. The account number on he email. The guy hung up n me,

I am a heart patient I can't hav stress like this.

I don't want a code or account with them! I want my account closed, nothing owed

At approximately 3:30 PM on Thursday, September 7th, 2023, I called Consumer Cellular customer service for help with returning a cell phone I had purchased from them. The customer service woman I spoke with was extremely condscending and rude. She repeatedly interrupted me when I tried to ask questions and explain my concerns about the return of the phone. It was clear that she had no regard at all when it came to showing respect for a Consumer Cellular customer. My Consumer Cellular account number is: [protected].

Regards,

Philip A. Normandin

Today marks the 3rd day I ordered a phone and phone plan and was told I would have my phone in 3 to 5 days the debited my debit card $94 dollars and I haven't gotten a tracking number for the phone so yesterday there was a message to call the billing department which I did they said there was no problem and I should receive a tracking number by the evening which hasn't happened so I called this morning and the guy said my order was being reviewed and hasn't been approved which was opposite of what I was told yesterday which was that tgey would be shippinf the phone last night. Once again they debited my account $94 dollars so I still have no phone and don't know what's going on when I called he said it was under review and that they had thousands of orders to fulfill so I guess the 3 to 5 days isn't happening even though they charged me $12 extra for it so yesterday I was told it would ship last night and no problem with my order today I'm told it's under review huh so am I getting it or not and if not then put the money back so I can go to a different phone company

Sincerely

Joann Clinton

I've seen the latest Consumer Cellular commercial, & it's extremely condescending. "Smart enough now?" it asks. Of course, one can't email the company to register one's displeasure with the condescending nature of the latest [censored]ic commercial, but I did call & got hung up on. Bottom line is I'd never use the company as it assumes that everyone is stupid if one doesn't use them for cellular service, & several of my friends (mostly seniors) absolutely agree. And AARP partners with them, so I'd never use AARP either - EVER. Stop treating us as if we were stupid - it's not a good look.

On August 23, 2023, my phone number was ported from Consumer Cellular to Locuscomm.com without my permission. My cellphone was not stolen. CC gave my number away to a hacker. I contacted CC immediately but they have done nothing. I was told they didn't know where my number was. I went into an ATT store and they tracked my number down within about 5 minutes and called the company where it was ported to, Locuscomm.net. Locus told me and the ATT rep that I just needed to get CC to put in a return request and it would be done immediately. They gave me 2 email addresses to send the request to. I waited 2 days. CC did nothing. I called back Locus and they said they would release it immediately if CC made a conference call with me on the line. They won't do that. CC now says they are performing a fraud investigation and will get back with me. It has now been 6 days and they tell me the same thing every day. We are working on it. There is no reason they can't work on the fraud and still return my number to me. The hacker has now used my number to get thousands of dollars on my credit cards using 2-step authentication with my number. I don't have the number to prove who I am and get texts or phone calls. I asked if they would just port back my number so the hacker couldn't use it but they didn't do that. I am self employed and really need my number. All of this could have been avoided if CC had acted responsibly.

I have been trying to get a MotoG play activated since last Friday. 3 C/C techs have verified that the phone is defective and cannot be activated. After 2 trips to Target over the weekend and a conference call with a supervisor (not a rep) I was assured by that supervisor she would get back to me within 24 hours. It is now Weds. afternoon and no response of any kind. I have talked to at least 4 people at C/C and not one has offered to help correct the situation. I am 79 years old and needed that phone as I am disabled and have health issues. I live alone and must have a phone. I had to purchase one from Target while I was there. Can't someone please help me? Gary Merrill [protected] I am even willing to have the $138 I paid for the phone credited to my monthly phone bill.

So today August 20th I checked my account and saw that Consumer cellular had taken almost $600 out of my account without my approval or even letting me know it would happen. I called them to see if they would give me the money back and let me make a payment plan with them…I do owe them the money and I planned on paying it out monthly as I live paycheck to paycheck. So bottom line is I had about $700 in my account to last for the next couple of weeks and out of that was to come rent and car payment t among other expenses which as you can see isn’t much for a family to live on. So I asked them to void transaction and work with me and they said no…so they left my family and I with about $150…and that is supposed to pay $500 rent and $200 car payment? I told them that they were being inhumane and that they should care more about humans well being than the cost of a phone and even offered fo give them their phone back. I will admit the last minute or so of the conversation went a little south and they hung up on me. The people working in the customer service department amd I talked with 3 of them were all very rude.. I would really appreciate some help in this matter and getting my money back asap.

Thank you

Alicia Hudson

[protected]