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TracFone Missing Minutes

TracFone • Missing minutes • Activation problems • Can't get local number • Defective phone • Network problems • Lost the phone • Advertising, promotions • Rebate problems • Inside Trac --- News • TracFone Pays $50,000 for Violating Missouri's Do Not Call Law

John of Chicago IL (02/14/06)
On 2/7/06, I attempted to make an online purchase of 60 units of airtime. Being told that the online purchase had been aborted, I made an attempt by land phone to make the same purchase. Again, the automated attendant informed me that the purchase had been aborted, but I discovered that, indeed, 60 units of airtime were now showing up on the cell phone unit. However, I was concerned that I would be charged twice for the same purchase. The next day, I called TracFone to determine if I'd been charged twice, and was told that yes I had been.

They offered to add the additional units, but since my original intent was to only purchase 60 units, I declined, and asked for a refund. The rep said that I'd have to call back and ask for the "refund department" which was closed at that time. The next day I called asking for the refund department. The rep (who sounded like the original rep) asked for the ESN, and said that he'd help me himself. After 50 minutes of being put on and off hold--and told that I'd be transferred to the refund department in "2 minutes", he hung up on me. I called back and spoke to another rep who said that there was nothing she could do about getting a refund to me.

Kathryn of Huntsville, AR February 9, 2006

Kathryn of Huntsville AR (02/09/06)
I've had my tracfone for about 5 years and have renewed on a month by month basis. At Christmas I received a renewal card for 1 year. I applied that time to my phone in December 2005. Yesterday, February 8th, my phone had a voice recording that said I was not registered. Yet, when I turn the phone on it says my card expires November 2006 and that I have 29 minutes left.

The customer service representatives insist that I did not have a 1 year card and since I renewed as usual and threw away the card I have no proof. Although, the phone clearly states I have minutes and should not have to renew until the end of the year. Needless to say, I am very disappointed.

Kimberly of Dallas, TX February 7, 2006

Kimberly of Dallas TX (02/07/06)
My daughter has a tracfone. Her friend at school switch out her SIM card and when I called tracfone customer service to tell them what happened they said they could port the number to the new phone but the 219 minutes on the old SIM card could not be added to the SIM card. Tracfone just made 50 free dollars off of me. I asked that the old card be deactivated but they said they could not do that. One day later I called the phone number and the other little girl answered the phone as if it was her own phone number. It has been three days and that phone is still on.

Roger of Vero Beach, FL February 7, 2006

Roger of Vero Beach FL (02/07/06)
Tracfone somehow manages to get away with defrauding consumers regularly: I bought an "Airtime Card" (which is a numerical code to activate a specified amount of phone time) I also took a promo code (a coupon) to gain addition minutes FROM TRACFONE's own website. I went thru the long process of entering the codes... the promo code was NOT accepted. I tried a second time: NOT accepted. OK, now in my business I must perform as I promise, and I expect the same.

What to do? Simple: file an online FCC complaint. TRACFONE IS TERRIFIED OF THE FCC. Tracfone called me right away, and asked what they could do. They ended up giving me twice the minutes they had defrauded me of.

Patricia of Metairie, LA February 1, 2006

Patricia of Metairie LA (02/01/06)
I bought a Tracfone five months ago, a necessity after Hurricane Katrina as the local landline providers were not able to make sufficient/speedy repairs. All went well until I broke the phone. While I realize there is no warranty for accidents of your own doing, I did not expect them to replace my phone itself. However, their website clearly states that minutes can be transferred to another unit if you buy a new phone. When I called Tracfone customer service after purchasing an identical unit to the one I had, they informed me that minutes cannot be transferred from a broken unit.

They offered a 30 days wait for a replacement and update my units, ONLY in fact if the unit was broken due to manufacturer defect. I had informed them from the beginning that the breakage was physical and my fault. Their website does not provide information that broken phones cannot replaced with another unit by the consumer. In addition, their website also does not show how one could retrieve their voice messages from a standard landline phone or another cell phone. I had approximately 175 minutes remaining on my phone, and a brand new phone that was entirely useless to me as I refuse to deal with a company that, in effect, has stolen my money.

They did not offer a refund for the unit I could not use and in addition it was purchased from Sam's Club who would not accept it back in "used" condition, i.e. the packaging had been opened.

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