Worst Experience With Tracfone

Jordan2 · ‎03-16-2010

First let me state I have had two Tracfones and never had a problem activating them before. I bought an LG Sunset phone from HSN.I activated it online and it is working. I download the Tracfone account app so I can keep track of my minutes, data, and texts. Anyway, not only aren't the 1350 minutes, etc that come with the phone not showing up neither are the 1300 minutes, etc I have left on my previous phone! My service on my previous phone I used didn't expire and I used the same number on my new phone. I call Tracfone and get disconnected twice! I call a third time and get through. I was on the phone for at least an hour. For some reason the 1300 minutes I had left on my previous phone weren't showing up in the system. She had to get approval to give them to me (it was like she was doing me a favor to give me what was rightfully mine). I have another Tracfone I haven't activated yet but am thinking of sending it back. I really don't know why I had so much trouble this time. I think if I do keep the phone I will activate it by a phone call.

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

I'm going through the exact same thing today - I called HSN - ask for a supervisor and explain your problem. I got a nice woman who was going to contact Tracfone for me. Unfortunately, they just called me and I was downstairs working on laundry and missed the call - tried calling back, but no one answers since it's the weekend. I got no rollover minutes/texts/data from my old phone either. I actually had to call today and get 60 minutes to even deal with all of this. Hopefully, it will be resolved.

You an go on Tracfone facebook and chat with someone. When I did this morning, she told me I needed a PIN to get my minutes (which is your order # if you got it at HSN). I gave it to her and she told me those minutes were activated and used in 2015! That's when I called HSN. Problem still not solved. I'll wait and see if maybe they will turn up before Monday, if not, I'll call HSN once again. It's the reason I bought the phone - for the MINUTES!

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

@Jordan2 wrote:
First let me state I have had two Tracfones and never had a problem activating them before. I bought an LG Sunset phone from HSN.I activated it online and it is working. I download the Tracfone account app so I can keep track of my minutes, data, and texts. Anyway, not only aren't the 1350 minutes, etc that come with the phone not showing up neither are the 1300 minutes, etc I have left on my previous phone! My service on my previous phone I used didn't expire and I used the same number on my new phone. I call Tracfone and get disconnected twice! I call a third time and get through. I was on the phone for at least an hour. For some reason the 1300 minutes I had left on my previous phone weren't showing up in the system. She had to get approval to give them to me (it was like she was doing me a favor to give me what was rightfully mine). I have another Tracfone I haven't activated yet but am thinking of sending it back. I really don't know why I had so much trouble this time. I think if I do keep the phone I will activate it by a phone call.

@Jordan2 - My problem just got fixed! Just hang in there - like I said - ask for a supervisor at HSN! She did a fabulous job!

Jordan2 · ‎03-16-2010

@hoosieroriginal wrote:
@Jordan2 wrote:
First let me state I have had two Tracfones and never had a problem activating them before. I bought an LG Sunset phone from HSN.I activated it online and it is working. I download the Tracfone account app so I can keep track of my minutes, data, and texts. Anyway, not only aren't the 1350 minutes, etc that come with the phone not showing up neither are the 1300 minutes, etc I have left on my previous phone! My service on my previous phone I used didn't expire and I used the same number on my new phone. I call Tracfone and get disconnected twice! I call a third time and get through. I was on the phone for at least an hour. For some reason the 1300 minutes I had left on my previous phone weren't showing up in the system. She had to get approval to give them to me (it was like she was doing me a favor to give me what was rightfully mine). I have another Tracfone I haven't activated yet but am thinking of sending it back. I really don't know why I had so much trouble this time. I think if I do keep the phone I will activate it by a phone call.
@Jordan2 - My problem just got fixed! Just hang in there - like I said - ask for a supervisor at HSN! She did a fabulous job!

I'm glad you had your problem fixed, mine was fixed as well. I don't understand why there should be a problem, it makes me think Tracfone isn't worth the hassle.

spent2much · ‎03-10-2010

I had a few minor problems with Tracfone customer service, mostly in the beginning (several years ago). The language barrier greatly contributed to the problem. But the last few times I've had to call, the service/language was much better. We have a fantastic plan (for us). For hubby and me, we pay about $17 per month. We get a certain amount of minutes added to our phone each month. I think I get 150 and hubby gets 120. I use my cell phone so little, I have over 5,000 minutes. LOL Hubby uses his a bit more, but he's always got 1,000 to 2,000 minutes.

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Ainhisg · ‎03-09-2010

I started a thread last week about my experience. After reading the Treasure reviews on HSN (always change the filter to "date--high to low"...otherwise, they put all the 5-star ratings first), I see that many had problems with the phone taking a long time to port. If I had waited and not contacted TF CS, I'm sure mine would have eventually ported, but I still would have had a defective phone with no sound, necessitating contacting CS to have my number ported back to my old phone.

It was quite a pain to go through, but when I started researching prepaid phone companies, they all cost more than what I want to spend or even need. Consumer Cellular would be who I would use for my needs if not Tracfone, but it is all done online or over the phone just like Tracfone. The only difference is that they tout CS reps based in the United States. From what I can figure, I would have the cost of the phone, and then the plan I would choose would run me about $17 a month. I can use Tracfone (if I can put up with their customer service or lack thereof...lol) for half that amount, have roll over minutes, and a better phone.

In my earlier thread, two pieces of advice I gave based on my husband and myself using TF for two years and porting 7 phones...is to port on a Monday or Tuesday so that if your experience goes sideways, you can be transferred to the corporate office in Miami. They do not shuttle your call or ticket overseas and can handle all problems themselves. They only work Monday through Friday, though. I did not follow my own advice and ported on a Thursday evening. I am just blessed that I was able to get transferred to corporate on a Friday, and the CS rep had my number/minutes ported back to my old phone in a matter of minutes.

Another thing to do (which I learned on Howard Forums' Tracfone Forum) is to take a screen shot of a page showing your minutes, texts, data and end date. If you don't know how to take a screen shot using your device of choice, you can google it and get a quick answer. Pull up your account or app showing the current balance, and take the screenshot. That way, if there is a question concerning how many minutes you have, you can attach your screen shot to a message and send it to them on the Tracfone Facebook page or through the contact us section on the Tracfone website.

I have had problems before this last time, but TF has always eventually gotten things corrected for me. I always say TF is good...until it's not. lol

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

The only problem I have had is buying pre-paid cards (from the store). They don't always activate through the phone itself (with the pin#). I have to either call or go-online. There system seems to be busy a lot. A few times i had to call a rep and do a bunch of things to add the minutes from the pre-paid card.

Frosted Cake · ‎02-01-2016

I add minutes on my older LG Tracfone online. It's fast and has always been accurate. I am still getting triple minutes from the QVC purchase years ago. It doesn't activate immediately all the time, but the most I've had to wait is 10 min.

MoJoV · ‎10-01-2010

This happened to me twice: buy a phone card,bring it home scratch the # off...nothing there. The first time they took the card back at the store because I worked there. Second time I had to FAX! yes fax the upc # on the card and later in the day I got the minutes through the phone. Now I always scratch the # off before I buy it.

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