TracFone Wireless

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!

The bottom line of my complaint is that Tracfone would NOT stand behind what their customer service reps told me. And, because of it I was unable to port my phone number. Their Reps told me that I could transfer the minutes I had left on my Tracfone either before or after porting the number. So, once I (actually AT&T) started the process of "porting the number" I called Tracfone (second call where I was LIED to) and had the minutes transferred. Then when I tried to finish the port, Tracfone told me that since my phone was deactivated so they could not port the number. Two of their Reps lied and the "supervisor", that I asked to be transferred to, couldn't do a thing for me. Said I would have to buy more minutes and reactivate my phone. And, he actually said I would need a new sim's card! Reaching customer service is hard enough and I have yet to speak to one that has a "minimal" accent--I constantly ask them to please repeat what they have said and go slowly. There is so much background noise that it makes their accents even harder to understand. Tracfone has a HUGE customer service problem and should be avoided as an option for "pay as you go" cell use.

TracFone Nationwide Prepaid Wireless
www.tracfone.com

I had a Nokia TracFone. When I tried to extend the service date, I was informed that the phone was DEFECTIVE.

I phoned --- after being on hold for hours -- and was told I would receive a new phone. I was also told that I would be given the 70 minutes that were left on my defective phone as well as my old phone number. I DID receive the phone, but close to ZERO minutes and a new phone number. Also: I have to charge it EVERY DAY.

I phoned TracFone DOZENS of times and sent the company NUMEROUS e-mails.I received no response. Today, after TWO WEEKS, I finally reached TracFone. First, I talked to an "Astrid." When I asked her her employee number, she HUNG UP.

Then, I talked to a woman named Lidia who had problems spelling her own name and didn't understand much English. I told her I needed my phone today and she insisted on sending me a new phone. She gave me a Reference no. [protected] --- for a new phone although I said I needed to activate the other one TODAY.

When I asked for a supervisor, she said "you stupid" and then hung up. It is IMPOSSIBLE to reach these incompetents other than a toll-free number that is always busy.

These people are truly ### of the earth.

After being Net10 customers for 2 years and regularly using 3 of their phones in our family, we bought a new phone for one family member and attempted to port the old Net10 number to the new phone. The SIM card sent didn't work, so we called customer service. Long story short, after they removed all the minutes from the old phone, they couldn't get the new phone to work so this family member was left with NO phone at all. 4 nights of endless calls to various countries, waiting on hold off/on for 1-1.5 hours each night, we were told several stories about when it would be fixed. first it was 3-4 days, then 24 hours now 5-10 days. We also got cut off every night at 9pm when their system shuts off and the shifts end. If you ask to speak to a supervisor, you really just get another rep in another country. I googled Net10, found it was owned by America Movil and Tracfone. I called the CEO of Tracfone in Miami directly then followed up with an email. He answered my email within 2 hours. Get in touch with him if you have problems. FJ (Frederick) Pollak, /phone number removed/ or [protected]@tracfone.com. He also copied in [protected]@tracfone.com (Mark Mahan) and [protected]@tracfone.com (VP Steve Ritter).

I've had a TracFone for about 5 years now, and never really had any problems as far as the actual phone service is concerned. The customer service used to be pretty good despite the fact that the customer service reps had accents that could be a bit tough at times to understand. Unfortunately, the customer service has gone down hill.

I had a TracFone that broke, so I called TracFone and after a rather long wait on hold I got a CSR who verified my info and informed me that a new phone would be sent to me because the one that broke was under warranty. That was good news. I told the service rep that I wanted to keep my current phone number and have it "ported" over to the replacement phone. I was assured this could be easily done- new phone, same old phone number.

This did not prove to be that case. The folks at TracFone failed miserably on this one. I got the replacement phone really fast, we transferred my minutes and annual service time over to it easily enough (but oh, the wait time on hold for a service rep sucks!), but try as they might, they could not port the old number over to the new phone and get the phone into the cell network. Mind you, they did not have to port it over from another provider that could have messed up the process-- it was from one TracFone to another, within their own system and company.

We tried four replacement SIM cards, and none of them did the trick. The problem was not with the equipment; the problem was with the folks programming and running the TracFone network. Honestly, in this day and age, how hard could it be to port over my old number and get service to my phone? I'm sure I'm not the first person in the world who asked them to do this: they should have it down to a science at this point, no confusion, no guess work, no screw ups.

The customer service reps have a standard script and limited knowledge. If it gets too confusing for them, they assign the problem a case number. I know that they have a lot of phones to deal with, but its not like they are doing me a favor- I'm paying for the service, so give me my money's worth- get on the case and get it fixed.

After numerous phone calls (and the agonizingly long hold times that go with them), multiple case numbers, four SIM cards, and three weeks without a phone, I finally gave up and simply accepted a new phone number. As soon as I did that, I was on the air again.

I consider myself to be a patient and understanding customer. I know things take time and don't always go perfectly. But this was simply a case of inexcusable incompetence compounded with long hold times.

It's a shame. TracFone is a good concept, and like I said, they have performed other tasks for me like adding minutes over the phone without problems.
Maybe they just got too big, maybe the CSRs need better training, I don't know, but this issue left me mad, disappointed in them, and wondering if they will get worse over time.

Check out other cell phone service providers first- TracFone is not the only game in town when it comes to a phone that does not need a contract and can have minutes loaded to it when you need them.

A cell phone is only as good as the network behind it and customer service.

I had a replacement Nokia tracfone. I adjusted the volume to maximum but it is still much too low. I switched to loudspeaker and adjusted that to minimum but that is too high! I phoned help which took 30 minutes and they told me I had to phone them from an external home phone to get adjustments made to the tracfone. If I wanted another replacement they would have to cancel my existing 400 minutes while the new phone was being mailed to me. I don't believe any adjustments can be made other than replacement. Minutes were lost during the whole of the help call.

Gil.

It has become more difficult to put minutes on my Tracfone and I've finally said ENOUGH! Two days ago I gave my VISA for purchasing minutes bing, bang, boom. The message said you now have 200 minutes. WRONG. Not there! This happens all the time! Then you have to call customer service and they have you punching in all these codes --- a lot of time and frustration. You want to know frustration. Sitting on the phone for over 30 minutes tonight when the announcement said it'd be 10 minutes. I never did talk with anyone! My boyfriend's older Tracfone died literally and he emailed them about transferring the remaining minutes to a new phone. NOTHING HAS BEEN HEARD FROM THEM! In two days, I'm calling my bank and disputing my charge since I did not receive my minutes and we're going to US Cellular for a real phone. HA HA HA. I'm not up to their sub-standard antics any more. GO TO HECK TRACFONE. Others BEWARE!

I have had a tracfone for a few years for emergency use. Recently tracfone told me my phone was obsolete and they would send me a new phone. I could not use my phone while this new one was arriving. I got the new phone but it was defective.

I tried calling this company to tell them i need a new working phone and not a defective phone to replace my previous phone. You only get people who can hardly speak english when you call tracfone on their 800 number. You can hardly get a real live breathing customer service person at all. I spent hours describing this problem to them. They refuse to solve it by sending another phone.

This company is unbearable to have as a service provider. They should be put out of business. I certainly am still without a phone due to their negligence in sending a phone that works.

I bought a one year plan & refurbished phone from TracFone (www.tracfone.com). I have had a problem with my tracfone from day one. It took from the day I got it (4/9) until 4/27 to finally get the thing activated. I tried to port my verizon number, and received a new sim card the second day or so, but that didn't work because the number didn't port. That didn't bother me, as long as I got the phone to work. I called customer service. The person I talked to asked for my SIM card #, the new sim card I had just received, and told me that the SIM card wouldn't work in my area. She said she would send a new one. I waited 3 days and never received a new one. DON'T LIE AND TELL ME YOU'RE SENDING A SIM CARD IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO NOTHING.

I called back and the next person told me that my number didn't port and that he would have to send me a new sim card so that I would have a phone number. Sim card # 3. On 4/24 it did come, I popped it in the phone, went thru the activation online, on the phone, and nothing happened again. I called back on two different occasions, was walked thru a ton of code-entering. Once they got the phone "activated" they asked if I had an airtime card to add, to which I gave them the number. The typical ending answer would be to "wait 3-4 hours and if it isn't working then call back." Which I did. Again and again.

In the early morning of 4/27 the phone actually was working, and actually had its very own phone number, but out of my 250 minute card (ended up being 400 minutes total with bonuses, every time I tried to activate the card it told me that much) I only had 120 minutes on my phone. And that happened by accident by one of the people trying to help me get my phone activated, I entered a code she read me and 120 minutes show up on my phone.

So I called back on 4/28 to find why the remaining minutes weren't received. The last time I called tracfone was the worst. I called and ended up with a man who I hung up on because I couldn't understand what he was saying because his English was so heavily accented. No problem, I could deal with that.

Calling back I got someone I could understand. I explained that I didn't receive my original 400 minutes, but I had 120 (which seemed to confuse her) and asked why I didn't receive the other 380 minutes. She checked the airtime card and told me that the card had been redeemed on 4/12 (funny...my phone wasn't even working then!) and that I had used my minutes. I said no, I couldn't have used my minutes because I didn't get the phone to work until 4/27. Is someone else using my minutes? She said no, that I had used them. At this point I was very angry. Finally, during one of the many "I need to consult with someone, can you hold" episodes, I asked if I could talk to her supervisor since she wasn't helping me.

After 15 minutes or so on hold, he came on the line. I told him my problem and he told me the same thing, that the phone card had been activated and the minutes had been used. I told him that I hadn't used them. I was so furious that I then told him I wanted a return authorization number to return the damned thing and get my money back. He said he would have to talk to his supervisor. I asked if I could talk to his supervisor. He said sure, let me get her, and I spent another 15 minutes on hold to have the same man come back on!

Then he said he would try and get me my minutes. No return authorization number. He fiddled with things, I entered codes, and when nothing worked, he lied to me and told me that the system was down, he couldn't give me my minutes tonight, and to call back tomorrow. WHAT?! Tracfone's service motto must be "Call back tomorrow so maybe you would forget about the whole damn thing because the maze of customer service is so aggravating customers would rather forget they wasted their money than keep dealing with customer support."

So he ended up LYING TO ME because when I got ### with him, mainly because I had by then spent over an hour on the phone with customer nonsupport, he fiddled around some more and ended up telling me FINALLY HE SENT THE REMAINING 380 MINUTES and that I should receive them shortly. I have waited. I am still waiting. Still 380 minutes missing.

After all of these many phone calls and hours on the phone I have still not received the original 400 minutes that I PAID FOR!

This morning, while trying to help myself and going thru the instructions online (which are a hell of a lot more helpful than anyone I've spoken to thru customer support) suddenly I received a text message that says "0 units and 380 bonus minutes added. Please turn phone off and on. Time: 7:38pm 4/30/07" I don't know if my phone wasn't set correctly and I just now got this message or if it's been there all the time. But I've since turned the phone on and off, on and off, and nothing. NOTHING!

The worst part about this whole ordeal (worse than the lying) is that you only have one freaking phone number to which you always get people that can't help, follow that damned script which is very annoying because if you get someone off their script they don't know what the hell they're doing, and to which English is not their first language, which I would think would be essential to providing helpful customer support. Divide up the phone line and specialize people, then maybe SOMEONE would know how to fix the problem!

I have already filed a report with the BBB. I'm just getting this out there to as many sites as possible.