TracFone Consumer Reviews - Page 7

It was my son who found out about the new Senior Value cell phone from Tracfone and suggested I check it out. I did and I got it and am I glad I did. This is the perfect phone for people who are tired of struggling with electronics with tiny little keys they can't see. These keys are big. I can see the numbers and letters on the lighted display with no problem, even in the dark.

For those who might be interested in this other feature, it's hearing aid compatible. It's also got 911 emergency assist. If you use a lot of minutes, this is not the phone for you. It's for people like me who don't use many minutes, but want to know we're still getting the best reception. I think this cell phone is one of the best things to have hit the market and hats off to Tracfone for thinking about us seniors.

I bought a LG200C at the local Walmart with double minutes for life included in January of 2009. In March the screen started to go blank. In August, it quit working completely. Tracfone replaced the phone under warranty. I just added a new phone card to discover that the minutes did not double. I contacted Tracfone with the serial numbers of both phones. Their reply was they could not verify by the serial number that the original phone had the DMFL feature, but they know by the serial number that the replacement phone does not have the DMFL feature. Go figure that one!

I emailed them a second time and told them the original phone most certainly did have the feature as it did double the minutes every time I added a new card. I told them I paid for a double minute phone and I expect the replacement phone to have the same features as what I paid for. They then called me and told me their records could not show that the original phone had the DMFL feature. How convenient for them! They still won't honor the original purchase. What a bunch of scumbags. I am now filing a complaint with Walmart, the Better Business Bureau, and the FCC.

I purchased a TracFone for my 80-year-old mother and loaded it with 400 minutes that were supposedly good for one year without any further purchases of minutes required. The phone stopped working in 60 days and displayed an error message that we were required to purchase more minutes. She complained and received a new "Sim card" but when it arrived by mail, it could not be activated because "the system" did not recognize the number on the card as a valid Sim card number.

While we were trying to get yet another SIM card, after several long waits on hold, they cut off the call. I had to drive two hours to her house to work on the problem, two hours back and 1.5 hours on the phone -- and no result. That is obviously the Tracfone strategy. To wear you down. The tone of the customer service people I dealt with was superior and snide and they obviously enjoyed scamming an old woman. A $165.00 lesson.

My daughter got a TracFone for Christmas last week. We went online and followed all of the instructions for activating the phone. The website assigned her a phone number and said it should be working in 5 minutes, but give it up to 24 hours. I gave it 24 hours and it still didn't work, so I started calling the 1-800 number. Each time calling, I went through the whole "dial 1 for this, 2 for that, ..." and at the end was told they were too busy and to call back later, then disconnected.

This went on for three days (and at least 25 calls). I even tried e-mailing the company, and was told they were too busy and wouldn't even accept my e-mail! I finally got a person on the phone on the fourth day, who after 47 minutes of putting me on hold, told me I had to go online and reactivate it again. He also gave me a case # and said to call back once I got the phone to work. I was able to get it working (16 hours later), but have been again trying to verify with the company that it's working.

It's now 6 days later and haven't been able to speak to a person again. I also have been trying to set up the voice mail, but all the phone does is deduct units and disconnect me. All I'm asking for is to be able to speak to a real person on the phone (and I agree with the other person that it is virtually impossible to understand what the rep was saying. The accent was so heavy!).

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA -- I have been trying to transfer my sim card # as well as minutes, service days, and of course my contacts to my second new TracFone and neither one are working. I have been trying for 14 days now. This has me furious!! I have gotten a different answer from each representative that I have spoke with. I still have NO PHONE!! What happened to the "24 hour" down time? I was told this would take to solve (2 weeks later)? I noticed this same problem posted back in 2000. Come on guys... Do you see the problem(s) here. All other carriers seem to have figured it out. Give 'em a call if you can!

MIAMI, FLORIDA -- Although their website (http://www.tracfoneild.com/destinations.aspx) states: "International Destinations include cities within the countries listed below," and Belgium (32) is one of those countries listed you cannot make calls to landline telephones in city code 71 (Charleroi). I have been through repeated calls to Customer Service (Ghana and corporate) and have been simply told that, "We do not provide service to that city code" (There may be others but that is one of the ones that I want to call).

I filed a complaint with the BBB Miami and today a representative from Tracfone called me back to confirm that they do not provide service to City code 71 in Belgium, probably the second largest population area in Belgium. When questioned why she simply stated their carrier did not provide it. When questioned about the website statement, she stated she would let management know.

I asked for a refund and she would only refund the last $20 card (120 minutes) when I have 241 minutes left on the phone. Everyone need to be aware that when Tracfone says "cities within a country" they don't necessarily mean all cities. I would not recommend Tracfone to anyone and when I burn up these minutes I am going to another carrier.

MIAMI, FLORIDA -- For the person just wanting a cell phone for calls, for directions and/or emergency contact, Tracfone coverage for the cost is fine. But when there IS a service/coverage or phone issue, their customer service is anything but customer friendly or focused. They'll easily toss out a fix that when further inquired on for explanation as to how it will fix the problem and if it's even a guaranteed fix or just an expense to try to hope it fixes things, it's admitted what's been suggested is simply the best idea or suggestion they know of and is not a guaranteed fix.

But again, this last admission isn't owned until pressed for - so if simply accepting their advice and any additional associated time and expense, it's still a catch-22 as to whether or not you'll just be throwing more money and time away. Their reps are completely untrained, seeming to just grab onto whatever they hear in the customer's statement that might be workable into a response. There is no accountability or assurance in what they're stating (and so really no point in calling them or even their existence and pay as "customer reps.")

They appear to be no more than a bunch of job seekers brought in and told to answer "Tracfone" and offer a name so it appears there's a cust/tech group. I use them for the cost savings for now - but, for the complete no guarantees/hanging out in the wind experience as a customer when things DO need address by their end, I would not recommend them to anyone if you have a little more to spend for service with actual customer service..

GANESVILLE, GEORGIA -- Bought a TracFone with "double minutes for life", ha ha ha!! Good luck trying to buy minutes at any price. First you must call them and use many minutes that you have paid for to find out that the person on the other end not only speaks poor English but also is downright RUDE! For this lack of service, I must actually waste minutes that I have previously paid for. Wound up hanging up on the "foreign fool"--a first for me in 70 years!!

I threw the phone in the "recycle bin" and gave up!! I am amazed that TracFone can stay in business since after reading the many complaints on-line, this is typical "no service" that most people have to put up with! Dumb, dumb TracFone. Fool me once, shame on you--fool me twice, shame on me. Nope, not going to happen again to me. Take a running foreign leap you simple minded TracFone customer "NO service" reps!!!

We bought a new TracFone. It didn't work so took it back Walmart. They give us credit for it. I bought a new one at Radio Shack, where we could get help. They activated it, added our extra 200 min, everything OK. A week later it would not make a call. Go back Radio Shack. They call TracFone. They disconnect it. They explain how this all went. The stupid employee say we need a receipt for old phone. Who keep a phone receipt 3 week for 15.00? I lose phone, 40 dollar card, 150 min of driving it back. TracFone I'll ever have & recommend.

Purchased a new Tracfone and wanted to transfer my current phone number to the new device, as well as activate the new device. Called the service number 800-867-7183 and got a recording saying all agents are "busy helping other customers" so wait on the line or call back. I waited and another recording came on saying my wait time would be approximately 15 minutes.

I waited 2 hours and 18 minutes before hanging up; all I heard was music over and over and no person ever got on the line to service me, the customer! I should have known not to buy the new phone because we have used Tracfone for more than 5 years and EVERY TIME we buy minutes or upgrade it is a long wait on the phone.

Nothing is done easily, the service people try but must follow a script "please bear with me" wait, wait, wait, and then enter more codes, oops, try this one, OK, then try this one... My boss finally told me to GET OFF THE PHONE and work, so I don't know if I waited a bit longer than the 2 hours and 18 minutes that I would speak to a service agent. TRACFONE needs help to improve customer service.