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Walmart review: ripoff 26

T
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12:47 pm EST
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We purchased a straight talk phone and card at Walmart. Took it outside and attempted to scratch the black off the pin number area to see the pin. The black came off but so did the pin numbers. Went back into Walmart and was informed very rudely at customer service that the cards are not refundable as stated on the packaging. Went home and called the Straight Talk customer service after 1 hour of broken English run arounds the lady told me very rudely that we had lost the $45.00 because without a pin there would be no service. Called Walmart back fussed with a manger for awhile to no avail. I am going to copy the receipt and card and send to both companies. This is a scam, I don't know how they can be so rude and aggressive while they steal your money. Wouldn't that be robbery?

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26 comments
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Lisssaa
NY,NY, US
Jan 07, 2010 5:03 pm EST

I can top that one. The $98.00 phone I purchased from them was suddenly not able to receive the signal, so they had me send it back, sending me an air bill, claiming they do not send you a replacement phone until they get the old phone back - which I found weird, since all other companies immediately send you a replacement product, and simply charge you if you don't send them the original product back. Well, I followed their orders, sending it back the next day (December 22, 2009), and it was received by them the morning of December 23, 2009. I had the paper with the air bill that stated that they would send out my new phone immediately upon receiving their defective one.

It's now January 7, 2009 - been without my cell phone for 3 weeks, and they've given me the run around and continued to lie to me, telling me it was being sent out the 'next day' 7 different times. Even the Corporate office in Miami told me that, and NOTHING has been done AND still no phone or even a tracking number to prove it's been sent. In fact, they've even told me on several occasions that they would call me with the tracking number the following day, and never did.

They've literally stolen my phone from me, and I have no idea what to do now. Contacting the Department of Consumer Affairs will probably be my next step. At this rate, I may have sue them for the price of the phone.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY - spend the extra 10 or 15 bucks for similar plans!

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CindyH
New York, US
Jan 26, 2010 1:37 pm EST

I have had such a different experience! Straight Talk has been incredible for me. I have saved SOO Much money and for 45 dollars a month am using UNLIMITED minutes, data, and texts. THe service is amazing because its on the Verizon Network and I just wouldn't want it any other way. I'm sorry you didn't have the same experience but whenever I have reached customer service they were so willing to help and everything has been fabulous.

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Ticked Of In Tally
Tallahassee, US
Feb 17, 2010 9:35 am EST

I wasted $75 on a phone and card only to not be able to activate it because the serial number was already associated with another account? Calls to the so -called customer service were a waste of time. All I got were cheerful " I will be happy to help you"s in broken english as well "I have to place you on hold while I update my supervisor" and finally having my call transferred to another department that never bothered to answer!

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Brezzy
US
Mar 29, 2010 3:01 pm EDT

I recieved my $98.00 striaght talk phone the day before my 15th birthday as a earlybirthday gift. The day of my birthday, my mom gave me the activation card as a another gift. I got to school SOOO excited to get my phone turnd on. I spoke to the spanish representive, and gave him all my information, including the pin number from the card. The man EVEN sung ''Happy Birtghday"" to me. he said hold on, i am know activating you phone. CLICK! ( he hung up on me) i thought our conversation was finished, with that being said, i mistakinly through my card in the trash:(! i called them pack, when i found out that my phone was still not activated, i recieved a different representive and told her ALL what happen. She asked for my serial number to my phone, and told me to hold on. When she came back to the phone, she said: '' Your phone has no history of even being activated, we have no information on your phone, and as far as i know you have NEVER been in our data system!'' she rudely said that their was nothing they could do for me and i would have to purchase a new card. THEIR REPRESENTIVE HAS ALL MY INFORMATION, AND PROBABALY TRYING TO GET TO AMERICA USING ALL OF IT! they ruined my birthday, adn my phone is still not has been actived... THANKS STRAIGHT TALK, YOU HAVE BEEN NOOO HELP WHAT SO EVER!

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Robbbert
Honolulu, US
May 03, 2010 3:01 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I wish i would have read Lisssaa's comment becuase I am in the midst of this EXACT same issue. And now for the last 3 days the customer service line has either been a busy signal, or i get a message saying to call back later due to increased call demand. I even called Fedex & they said the have no record of a package in transit to me. It's been 7 days since they received my defectice phone. I called the processing center that received my broken phone & the eferred me to the straight talk number that isn't working. this service works great until you have even the smallest issue, then its a minimum of 30 minutes on the phone with someone who gives you a lot of apologies... that is IF you can get through in the first place. All I want to do right now is cancel my service and get my phone number back... but I CANT GET THROUGH TO ANYONE! call the cust service number, get a busy signal. Frustrating to say the least. Do yourself a favor, stay away & pay a few bucks more for good customer service

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smb83
New Haven, US
Jun 12, 2010 11:19 pm EDT

I wish I would have read this before hand, also, but when do you come to these things? When you have a problem and want to tell others about it. Oh well. My fiance wanted to quit using the gophone she has since she can't keep from texting and thought this would solve the problem, so she brought me along to check it out at WalMart. Got on Craigslist and found a phone close by for half the price of the one at the store, so we bought a $45 card and left to get the phone. Got home, got online to activate, since customer service is closed, plugged in the serial number and such just to find out this number is associated with another account. After reading your comments I can't wait for the phone conversation tomorrow, assuming I can get through to them. If anyone has success with activating a used phone, please post. For the rest of you looking to go with Straight Talk, do your homework first. Also as a note, the Walmart guy told me Straight Talk uses ALL other towers, ATT, Verizon, etc, when in fact it's only Verizon towers that they run off of. As far as I know, the small town we live in doesn't have great verizon coverage. We shall see.

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clden
Austin, US
Jun 13, 2010 2:13 pm EDT

Oh my gosh...yep, the "scratch-off" took my pin number with it...hours later with customer "service" (much of which I could NOT understand, as she was in Ghana), I was told I'd have to copy both sides of the card and fax it, along with a boatload of other information, to be credited. I went ahead, on the phone, and gave them my credit card number for another $30 and monthly auto renewal. Finally got a supervisor in Colombia who assured me the initial $30 had been credited, I would not need to fax anything, and the auto-charge to my credit card had been set up. So, today my number has been ported and I've activated the phone, only to get the message that I don't have enough money on my account to place a call! Add this to calling customer "service" and getting a message that they are too busy to take my call! Caveat Emptor!

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Newport
hardford, US
Jun 13, 2010 2:35 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i personally would love to save money too, but after reading all these complaints i might [censor] well spend 10, 20 bucks extra to get great service without the hassle and frustration of these companies claiming to save but if fact are just a scam. Thanx for the heads up

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Chad777
Oak Grove, US
Jun 25, 2010 7:39 am EDT

Yeah, I bought 2 cards to refill my account, no where in the papaer work when I got the phone did it say that you can't use 2 cards. When I did they only gave me one month of service and told me that the other I put on the next day wiped out my old card. This is crap and now looking at going with tmobile after this BS. I will not stand by and let a company rip me off any amount of money. I am in the middle of getting a lawyer and sue their pants off for stealing my $45.

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scoobydoo
Orlando, US
Jul 15, 2010 12:12 am EDT

Ok, so for once this is somewhat of a legitimate complaint. I think those cell phones should be recalled. I know someone who purchased one and wow what a piece. They need to work on some improvement if they want to design and establish their own products to sell, just like Miley Cyrus.

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David16
Portales, US
Sep 02, 2010 1:35 pm EDT

They are not spanish representives. They are from India or somewhere like that.

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backspace
Rockford, US
Oct 08, 2010 7:45 pm EDT

I havent had much problem with streight talk until now. I just moved from florida 2 IL.should be the other way around ha, ha! anywho, I made a call 2 canada 2day and they take my money right out of my checking so I now have no sevice.and cant get a # 4 streight talk.it used 2 be 611.but if anyone has the # 2 talk with some one, India or BFE.could you please post! thank you ! pepper

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Trfletch
Cashion, US
Oct 18, 2010 9:53 pm EDT

I am currently having the same problem with straight talk. On August 26th, 2010 I contacted straight talk reguarding my phone because my screen just stopped working. They told me they would send me another phone. So I waited a week and finally on the 7th of October I contacted them to see if it had been shipped and they told me no that they were waiting on my broken phone. I explained to them that I had not been told that I was suppose to send it back in and they informed me that in order to get a new phone I must send it in. So she explained that they would send me a package with instructions and an over night package to send it in, so five days later I recieve my package and send it back the same day. They recieved it on Oct 13 and I called today Oct 18 to see how long it will be before I recieve my phone and they informed me that it will be another 3 to 5 days to process it then and additional 7 days to recieve it. Which will end up being a month without my phone. I then asked to speak with a superviser to let them know that I wanted my money back. The superviser explained to me that I could not get my money back because they had my phone in processing? (by the way I have only had my phone for 5 mo) I begged, pleaded and then just straight out told them to get me my phone or refund my money they did not budge they refuse to give me a refund and will not get my phone here any quicker. I refuse to deal with staight talk anymore. I am waiting on my phone then I will return it to walmart and if they refuse to take it I will call straight talk and refuse to give up until they refund it. This is the worst service I have ever recieved.

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alimac2009
The Plains, US
Nov 12, 2010 12:12 am EST

I bought a straight talk phone and I know many people that have those phones and they are fine. Due to security purposes I guess is why they are so hard to scratch off but you must have been scratching too hard. It is difficult but it is possible. I love my straight talk phone, I would never buy another.

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Bobbitybobbity
US
Nov 12, 2010 12:29 am EST

I spent 6.5 hours fighting with these [censor]s over three days. I have never been so frosted. Run arounds, lies and BS. I even had to argue with Walmart to return the stuff. But, I told the gal there we had two options: 1. She fully refunds my purchase, or 2. We will be on the 6 o'clock news tonight. I got my money back. I would rather chew off my testicles wearing rusty braces than ever, EVER have anything to do with what I can only describe as the worst customer service on earth.

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Mone_34
US
May 13, 2012 9:52 am EDT

straight talk is a bunch of crap if i would have known this from the start I would not have even bothered about spending $45 a month on a cell phone bill which is a great price for unlimited everything, and turned around and spent $139.00 on a phone with them they keep on giving me the run arounds about my phone is going to be back up and running in the next hour and aint even back and running and it's been going on three hours I just want to know how can i get my money back for this phone this phone is practically still brand new I only had it for two months now and no scratches or blemishes if any one knows how can i get my money back please write back ASAP or is interested it's a Samsung Galaxy Precedent .

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Lisadarkstar
Pine, US
Jun 01, 2013 7:27 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi, I am just wondering if any of you ever got your replacement phones from straight talk? I have been waiting for over 3 weeks and have spent countless hours on the phone with reps that say 3 to 5 business days over and over again. Thanks

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SteveZizum
US
Oct 28, 2014 10:51 am EDT

I went into Walmart today and bought a $45 straight talk card. When i tried to scratch the film off to uncover the pin number the whole thing just fell off leaving the numbers clearly illegible. I called Straight Talk and got the run around on needing to fax in a copy etc...who uses fax anymore?! I tried to ask to scan and send it by email and the lady on the phone (who called herself a manager) says oh no thats against the rules/process. These scratch cards are a rip off and need to be fixed. The film should peel off rather it should be able to be scratched as intended. I never post on anything but this is too much and someone needs to stop this scam! My first experience with Straight Talk 2 years ago was much better and thats why i wanted to get back but this scratch card business really needs urgent fixing. I have been scratching cards for years and never had this issue.

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honest John ll
Los Angeles, US
Nov 16, 2014 11:10 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Essentially experienced the same. Purchased a phone and card from Straight talk. When it arrived after the recommended 5 hour charging, I carefully attempted to remove the scratch off tape as directed. The tape was fused to the card and only 9 of the 15 numbers were present. After considerable lost time with a Straight Talk "representative" in the Philipines who had difficulty with U.S English, it was clear nobody wanted to do anything and I was screwed. I have bought a number of things from Walmart but never returned anything nor needed customer service and thought Walmart to be reputable. Wrong! American Express has filed a complaint but ultimately I may have been screwed.

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bob1414
Grand Rapids, US
Jan 18, 2015 10:37 pm EST

Purchased a phone card, never used it...2 years later it has no value...Ripped off!

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Floshekia Barber
US
Mar 11, 2015 3:56 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Straighttalk sucks. My daughters grandmother bought her a service card from Wal-Mart like she always does every month for her cell phone. She mails it to us. We got the it out of the mailbox, scratched it off ourselves, entered the service pin and Straighttalk told us that the pin had already been used. So I tried it again thinking that I may have mashed a wrong number, Straighttalk said the same thing. I called the corporate office and argues with them. My daughter turns on her phone the same way every month with the card that her grandmother mails to her and have never had this problem. Basicly, whomever is using my daughters service pin is getting free phone service off of a card that they didn't spend a dime purchasing. I am the MOST DISSATISFIED WITH STRAIGHTTALK

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jzb
West Covina, US
Jul 01, 2015 1:10 pm EDT

Don't get straight talk. Their service plan already is used before you use it. Spend a day trying to resolve it. Don't try to save a few bucks with straight talk. They don't provide service and will not help you.

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Allen D N
US
May 26, 2016 2:20 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

March 5, 2016 my phone stop connecting to voice network, I was told I had to turn it on in my zip area before it would connect, such a lie, will phone still not connecting. On March 7, 2016 I went to Walmart and their person talk to straight talk and they promised to replace phone I was told I would receive a new phone with instructions on how to send my old one back. I waited several weeks and nothing so I called was told they were waiting for my old phone so they told me they would send box. I called several times after that and never received the box, went back to Walmart and their manager called their excuse I gave them an unreachable address, which I did not. I am a show bird so in the winter I stay in Mesa where all of this happened but at this time I was leaving to go back to VA. for the summer so the manager gave them my address in VA.. When I got there the box was there so I followed the instructions and shipped my phone out which they received on May 3, 2016 and to this date May 26, 2016 I have got nothing but one excuse after another but no phone. Having purchased the insurance plan from Walmart I requested my old phone back and was told they had already shipped it back to the manu. for credit, bottom line straight talk got paid for my phone twice once from me and once from Samsung. I went to Walmart and asked them what they were going to do about it and they said absolutely nothing. Conclusion: 1: Walmart made money off the phone, air time cards, and insurance. 2: Straight Talk made money off the phone, air time cards, and received a new replacement phone from Samsung. 3: The insurance company made money off the protection that could not be used because I did not have the phone. 4: I paid for everything and it is my belief that a mayor crime is taking place here for this is called stealing.

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Dr. Az
US
Jun 05, 2016 3:26 pm EDT

Walmart online offers so much we can get from them. Packages, mail-in rebates (which don't always happen) and even emailed PIN numbers for your StraightTalk service plans. So I'm trying to help a friend of mine reactivate her phone and I end up wandering over to Walmart.com to buy her a 30$ card. Now note. Walmart's initial description of the item does not say anything on the type of phone that certain cards can be used for. So I go ahead and purchase a 30$ card for my friend, who has a smartphone. Ended up waiting about five hours for the emailed pin, big deal, until this happens. "This pin is not compatible with your device"... What? I just bought a 30$ PIN for $32.55, and it's telling me it's not going to be compatible. Okay, call up StraightTalk and ask them if I can get a refund on my pin. "No we go not process refunds here"... Are you kidding me? Who the hell else am I going to yell at for not being able to get 30$ that I worked an entire day for (yes I'm part timing it cause I've got a physical disability, which I can't get any compensation for that either), and Walmart does not do returns on Pin Cards. How the heck are you supposed to know if the damn pin is going to work unless you try it? Walmart didn't have that info in their description except in the 'fine print' Terms and Conditions policy. Waste your time reading through an entire page of ###, waste my day's worth of money, and waste my time trying to figure out WTF just happened! Screw Walmart!

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Jess Henny
US
Aug 14, 2021 10:42 am EDT

I just bought the 35$ PIN top up card and the pin they gave me doesn’t exist. I called straight talk customer service and they couldn’t help. Pure [censored]ing scam right there. Also nonrefundable so I can’t get my money back.

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Lynette Lindsey
US
Mar 08, 2022 9:11 pm EST

It just happened to me too I scratched the back off and all of it came off

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