Business Profile

Pre-Paid Phone Cards

TracFone Wireless, Inc.

Headquarters

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for TracFone Wireless, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

3,483 total complaints in the last 3 years.
809 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:05/20/2025
Type:Customer Service Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Reward pointsWhen trying to redeem, they always give the following error message: We apologize, but we cannot process your transaction at this time. Please try again later or call us at **************.Spent 1.5 hours with one customer service person named *******, trying to resolve it. He told me to try again in 30 minutes and then intentionally disconnected ****** back on with ***** ****. Spent 2.5 hours online with her. I told her I wanted them to go ahead and deduct points from my account and credit me with the add on data. They took the 2000 points for 2 add ons of 3 GB, then only gave me 1 add on of 3 GB. I did not get the extra 1000 points added back to my account. I was told I have to contact them again when we use the first 3 GB to get them to add on the 3 they already took my points for. I am guessing that will entail another 4 hours chat with customer service. This feels really scammy. You can see on Reddit, several other people have had this same issue trying to use reward points. I want either my points added back on, or my 3g of data and I want them to fix the issue without having to contact customer service. This is an issue that had been ongoing for over 2 years. This is the first time I had a free day to try to fix whatever the issue is.
Business Response
Date: 06/04/2025
Dear ****** *****-****:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 20, 2025,regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you have encountered an error upon redeeming your rewards points and when you call customer support for assistance, only one out of two 3GB add-on data was added to your phone.Therefore, you would like to either have your rewards points back or get the second 3GB add-on data refilled to your phone.

Upon review, we found that your TracFone account is active, and you are enrolled in the Loyalty Rewards Program. The record shows that on 5/19/2025, a deduction of 2000 rewards points was taken to redeem a two 3GB data ad-on plan. However, there was a system error encountered and only one of the 3GB data add-on was successfully added. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Rest assured that we are here to help.

We spoke with you on 6/02/2025 via phone at ************ and the aforementioned was discussed. In order to provide resolution to your concern, an additional 3GB of data was added to your phone with reference number **********. No further assistance is needed.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321229664.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 06/16/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

****** *****-****
Initial Complaint
Date:05/19/2025
Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
After having my phone stolen, I started looking for a lifeline phone service. I was able to get a SIM card from a provider. But, could not afford to purchase a phone for the lifeline service. I did have some old phones of mine laying in a drawer. I found out that it was not unlocked and was a TracFone Wireless phone I had years ago. I called TracFone Wireless and asked for it to be unlocked so that I could use it as a TruConnect lifeline phone. The phone is paid off 100% and it was me that purchased it. They refused to unlock the phone unless I had a paid service for 12 months. I fit all other criteria in the unlocking policy. Which, I believe, was made a policy after the phone was purchased by me. They also refused to transfer me to a supervisor after I had asked numerous times.
Business Response
Date: 06/02/2025
Dear ***** ****:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 20, 2025,regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you are requesting to have your TracFone phone unlocked so that you can use it with another service provider, ***********

TracFone Wireless Unlocking Policy states that for customers with cellphones NOT capable of remote unlocking, ******* Value will provide an unlocking code or codes to customers who request unlocking, provided the cellphones meet the following conditions:

* The cellphone must be in working condition.
* The cellphone has not been reported stolen or lost and there are no indicators of fraud.
* The cellphone was Activated with paid service.
* For cellphones Activated prior to November 23, 2021 on any carrier network and on or after November 23, 2021 on the T-Mobile or AT&T networks, the cellphone must have been active with paid service for no fewer than twelve (12) months.
* For cellphones Activated with new service on the ******* network on or after November 23, 2021, the cellphone is eligible for unlocking after paid Activation and 60 days of paid active service. Notification of the phone's unlock eligibility will be sent via SMS along with a link to the website where the unlock process can be accessed.

For certain customers who are not on the ******* network or who activated on the ******* network on or before November 23, 2021, if you have not met the required minimum period of active paid Service, ******* Value may unlock your cellphone but you will incur a charge of up to $300 depending on how long your service was active prior to the unlocking request.

Upon review, using the information available in the complaint, a phone with a serial number ending in ************************************ an in-depth review, we found that the phone was activated in September *************************** February 2020 due to non-renewal of service. Additionally, as we checked the phones unlocking eligibility, the system prompted the message, "Unfortunately, your device does not meet the requirements to unlock it for free today. You will be eligible for free unlocking after 12 months of paid and active service. However, you can still unlock the device today, for a fee of $150 plus taxes where applicable." Note, this fee is non-refundable.

We attempted to contact you via phone at ************ and email ********************* on 5/22/2025, 5/25/2025 and 5/26/2025 but with no success. However, you responded to our email stating that we can call you if we are to unlock your device; otherwise, you will refuse to receive further communication. We understand that you desire to have your phone unlocked, but your device does not currently meet the eligibility criteria for unlocking as outlined in our policy. Rest assured that once the phone meets all the unlocking eligibility conditions, you can resubmit the unlocking request.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321155808.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 06/03/2025

Complaint: 23352459

I am rejecting this response because:
If I am the person who ow s the phone and no money is owed for the phone, that makes it my property. And, to ask me to pay for a service from a company that I don't wish to use makes it less likely that I would be willing to pay anything for. Besides, the phone is old. In my opinion, Tracphone is at the bottom of the list of companies that I would do business with.
Sincerely,

***** ****
Initial Complaint
Date:05/19/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have a ******* + membership offer from Straight Talk. They wont allow me to activate it. Ive gone through all the steps and its just a run around and false advertising. Furthermore, my plan was due today and when I went to pay it, it stated that it was inactive. When I mentioned it to their customer service, they said that it had to be paid a day early or it gets shut off. Thats illegal. Now I just went in too log into my account, and it now says that Im being blocked for security purposes? So I cant get into my account because theyre pulling illegal activity?
Business Response
Date: 06/02/2025
Dear ******* ****:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 20, 2025,regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you were not able to enjoy the ******* + membership offered in your Straight Talk plan and when you tried to pay your service on its due date, you were prompted that it is inactive. Additionally,you are unable to access your My Account.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Rest assured that we are here to help. Upon review, we found that your account is active and well provisioned in the network. In addition, we found that your ******** subscription is active, and a valid email address is available in your account.

Meanwhile, Straight Talk Terms and Conditions state that to keep your Service active, you must purchase and redeem a Plan prior to your Service End Date. Your Service End Date is the last day of your Plan cycle and is determined by the date on which you activated your Service by redeeming a Plan with the day of activation being deemed day 1 of your monthly plan cycle. If you fail to redeem a new Plan prior to your Service End Date, your Account will be deactivated on your Service End Date. Your day of activation is deemed effective as of 12:00 AM on the day you activate service regardless of the time you actually activate your service. This may result in a partial day of service being deemed a full day of service provided.

We spoke with you on 5/21/2025 via phone at ********** and discuss the concern you have for your account. You were already able to reactivate your service but still unable to access My Account and use your ******** subscription. Therefore, we offered to troubleshoot, but along the way, a system error was encountered and to resolve the matter we agreed to submit an escalation, so a scheduled callback was put in place. We were able to call you back on 5/24/2025 wherein you inform us directly that you were already able to login to My Account and have successfully activated your ******** subscription. Thus, further assistance is no longer required.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321118821.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Initial Complaint
Date:05/19/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
On April 12, 2025 I purchased a 90 day prepaid card from TracFone for ***** on ******. The card includes 120 min of data, 120 min of airtime, and 120 texts. Since April 12 I have personally initiated 9 total texts but my balance today shows I have only 10 texts left and TracFone is telling me that I have initiated 110 texts which is untrue. I explained I am receiving spam texts and get charged for each one so the told me to get my number on the Do not call list which I did and since then nothing has changed. Today I did not even use my phone and lost 6 texts. The texts I am receiving are name specific to someone named *******. I spoke to customer service and they said they have a list of every text I made and when I said show them to me they said they couldn't do to privacy issues. I asked them what my options are and they tried to sell me a more expensive unlimited data plan which leads me to believe this is a scheme to get folks to purchase expensive unlimited data plans. I'm not sure if you can help with this or not but I thought it's worth a try. I'm not asking for anything but my texts back that I never used.
Business Response
Date: 06/03/2025
Dear ***** *******:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 19, 2025, regarding BBB case # ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you redeemed a 90-day service plan with allotted talk, text and data balance;however, your text balance was consumed faster since you are receiving unwanted/spam text messages. In addition, you were advised to purchase an unlimited plan when you contacted customer service.

Please note that for smartphones, you will be charged 1 unit per outgoing or incoming text message. You may proceed with some ways to avoid getting charged for unwanted text messages such as blocking the sender phone number. Additionally, please be advised that airtime plan, used or unused, has no cash value and is non-refundable.

We reviewed your account with phone number ending in 2589, and determined that you redeemed a 90-day service plan with 120 units of texts, on 4/12/2025. We verified your usage during the time you added the plan, and confirmed that it matched with the remaining balance of your account. You may purchase a text add-on to replenish your accounts text balance, and continue using the service.

We spoke with you on 05/26/2025 via phone number ************; and discussed the aforementioned. We recommended blocking spam messages and unknown message senders, to avoid being deducted. As courtesy, we issued 38 additional text messages to your account, with reference ticket # **********.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact an agent at ************** enter PIN ****. Hours of operation are from Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321147098.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive *********************
Initial Complaint
Date:05/19/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I use my phone for my hotspot more than anything well one day it randomly wouldnt work and then I spent a week trying to go through my phone service app to fix and it couldnt find it and then it escalated to where I had to call them for support and they fix it but the about a week later it happened again and then its multiple times and day and they say they fix it and it doesnt fix I have been in constant contact and have gotten zero help and each time I have to wait a hour to even speak to anyone when I call them it doesnt let me talk and Im so mad already that I wanna just break my phone and it doesnt let me talk to anyone it always says call back and I have proof I try to talk to them and it doesnt work and I have proof I have tried to talk to them during their hours and I have gotten a response back that said try again during their hours and I have gotten zero help with this and Im done and I took a video of the time it said to text back during their hours so I can show in the video that I was within their hours and but I cant send videos and the screenshots I am uploading the guy was nice so I was nice but when I updated my phone it didnt work and I tried to contact them again and I have waited a hour and still nothing and I know thats normal but I feel I should not have to if the isssue has been brought up so many times oh and another thing is I have called them before a lot because my ex got my calls forwarded to her phone and I dont know how and no one ever helped me fix that she still gets them is what she told me and I have multiple witnesses to where my calls have been forwarded to her
Business Response
Date: 06/02/2025
Dear ******* ****-*******:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May *******, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that your phones hotspot is not working, and customer support is not able to provide you with a permanent resolution regarding the matter.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the *********** assured that we are here to help.

Upon review, we found that your account is active and provisioned in the network. The record shows that you added a $55 airtime plan on 5/13/2025 which should provide you with unlimited data and 30GB hotspot data. Additionally, the usage report for the line shows that the service is being used, but we still need to confirm the performance of your hotspot connection.

Please know that service interruption may occur due to many factors including your device, network changes, network traffic volume, network outages, technical limitations, signal strength, the terrain and your proximity to buildings, foliage and other obstructions, weather and other conditions.

We attempted to contact you via phone at ************ also emails were sent to ******************** on 5/22/2025, 5/23/2025, 5/24/2025, 5/25/2025 and 5/28/2025 but we were unable to reach you. We have not heard or received any response from you.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321159669.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Business Response
Date: 07/18/2025
Dear ******* ****-*******:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated 7/09/2025, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your follow-up complaint states that you were out of service for 2 days, and was informed that you do not have the $55 plan.

We appreciate your feedback regarding your negative customer service experience. We value customer feedback to support future improvements. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. As part of our commitment to assist our customers, our team undergoes continuous training.

We reviewed your account, and our records show that your previous service due date was 6/13/2025,and consequently, your account was deactivated on the same day due to non-renewal. Nonetheless, you purchased another $55 plan and reactivated the phone on 7/9/2025, with a service due date of 8/8/2025. The account is currently active and provisioned in our system.

We attempted to contact you via phone number ************, and have sent emails to *****************************,on 7/14/2025, and 7/17/2025, to provide further assistance. We received your email response; however, we were unable to reach you via call. We need to speak with you directly to discuss this matter.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number **********.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Initial Complaint
Date:05/19/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
April 9 I ordered an Apple IPhone 12 64 GB black. I received an order confirmation email, no tracking number.Called a few days later to see about getting tracking information. Was informed phone was not available. Was asked if I wanted a refund or wait, I chose to wait.Few more days goes by I call again to check availability and for tracking status. Still nothing was offered the same offer, I chose to wait.Couple of more days this was on a Friday it has been 11 days. Still nothing phone was not available, so this time I took the refund. Was told to call back in three business days to check the status of my refund if I havent received it.Called following Wednesday, havent received refund. Was told phone shipped over the weekend and they would need to find the tracking number and would call me back with an update on refund.Called May 2nd talk to Joar who was dismissive and unprofessional. Hung up called back got transferred to Sharmen. She told me refund hasnt been processed told me she would talk to higher *** for options. Came back and manually started the refund process and gave me a reference #. Was told 3-5 business days. May 19 Still nothing refund, I called got ******* who transferred me to ****- who like Joar was dismissive she transferred me to April at Trac phone corporate. Gave April my Order confirmation number, Ticket number, and the reference number I had. Was told she couldnt do anything and was going to transfer me back to straight talk refund department and we got *************** has been about 2 months. Still nothing.I will provide some information here -Order confirmation # ****-10A4R154TG -Ticket # ********** -Reference # ********ABBG2CP8 -Account # **************** (not sure if will work transferring phone service)-Email - ***********************
Business Response
Date: 06/03/2025
Dear ***** ******:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 19, 2025,regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you ordered an iPhone 12 in which you received an order confirmation but without tracking information; when you called to track the order, you were told it was not available. You tried to wait for the order to be delivered, but later on you decided to get a refund instead. However, no phone or refund was given to you.

Upon review, we found that your order was placed on 4/10/2025 in which you paid $189.86 through ****** and redeemed a phone promo code costing 2500 rewards points just to get the phone. Order number 2216-10A4R154TG.We also found a refund escalation ticket ********** created on 4/18/2025, but the case is still pending for resolution. Thus, we forwarded another escalation to expedite the refund process.

We spoke with you on 05/27/2025 via phone number ************ and discuss the status of your refund request. We informed you that the refund was successfully process in the amount of $189.86 with its refund confirmation ID ************************ know that this refund will usually occur within 3-5 business days, and you can contact your financial institution for verification of this posting. You indicated that you will further review this information with your bank. Additionally, you stated that you no longer require the reinstatement of your rewards points since you do not have an active account with Straight Talk Wireless anymore.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN ****. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321109324.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 06/09/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

***** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:05/19/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I called TracFone to move the phone number to a new phone. I was told there was a $2 charge to unlock my phone. I gave them my debit card number and got the number switched over to the new phone. Several days later I looked at my bank account and there was not a $2 charge on it but there was one for $160.88. I have called them several times and was on the phone with them for 1 hour but the third time they transferred me to a new department, I got a recording that said no one was available to take my call and the call was disconnected. I do not have access to the phone or the pin number so they refuse to help me. Since they took way over what they told me, my gym membership payment was declined and I was charged $20 because of that so I feel they are responsible for that as well.
Business Response
Date: 06/04/2025
Dear *** **********:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 19, 2025, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you were informed that there is a $2 charge to unlock your phone; however, you were charged $160.88 in your account instead. You were not assisted accordingly when you contacted customer service regarding this issue. Additionally, this has caused you to be charged $20 for your other bill.

Please note that TracFone Wireless Unlocking Policy states that if you have not met the required minimum period of active paid Service for the phone to be eligible for unlocking, TracFone may unlock your cellphone but you will incur a charge of up to $300 depending on how long your service was active prior to the unlocking request.

We reviewed the account and determined that you purchased the phone from *******, and requested to have it Unlocked on 4/16/2025, with reference ticket # **********. Transaction History shows that you paid the Unlocking fee amounting $160.88. The device status is already Unlocked.

We spoke with you via phone number ************ on 5/23/2025, 5/24/2025, and 5/30/2025, regarding the aforementioned, and the refund process. However, you failed to verify the account. Please note that TracFone customer account authentication policy operates under strict security standards to protect the integrity of its customers' information. Any changes to an account must be authenticated. To provide further assistance, we submitted an escalation regarding this matter, and advised to call you back for updates.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321217623.

Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive *********************
Initial Complaint
Date:05/18/2025
Type:Product Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am complaining against Straight Talk Wireless for failing to honor their phone unlocking policy from my purchase date and refusing resolution.

On 02/28/2025 (Order #0524-TH64A163A6), I bought an iPhone 16e totaling $367.71 (MasterCard ****9614). The policy at purchase was unlocking 60 days post-activation.

Straight Talk later changed this policy, now requiring 60 days of paid service under new, more restrictive terms, and potentially an additional 30 days paid service. They are retroactively applying this to my purchase.

On May 8th, I spoke with representative Katrina (ID: 519028). She confirmed Straight Talk would not honor the original policy. They insist I comply with the new policy, implemented after my agreement.

This is unacceptable. I did not agree to these new terms. When I requested unlocking under original terms, a refund, or a return, Straight Talk refused all options. This leaves me with a device not usable as agreed at sale. The FCC's recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (WT Docket No. 24-186, proposing a uniform 60-day unlock rule) highlights the unreasonableness of Straight Talk's stance.

Desired Resolution:

Immediately unlock my iPhone 16e (IMEI: [Insert IMEI if you have it]) per original terms (60 days post-activation on 02/28/2025 purchase).
OR

Full refund of $367.71 for the phone and plan.
OR

Allow return of the iPhone 16e for a full refund of $367.71.

Straight Talk's actions are unfair and deceptive.

Paul Schnau
[email protected]
(616) 490 1835
Order #0524-TH64A163A6
Business Response
Date: 06/03/2025
Dear Paul Schnau:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau
complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 19,
2025, regarding BBB Case number 23347181 complaint.

Your complaint states that Straight Talk
refuse to unlock your phone based on the unlocking policy in effect at the time
of purchase and activation of your phone. If the phone cannot be unlocked, then
you will request to have it refunded.

Straight Talk Wireless Unlocking Policy states that Verizon
Value will remotely unlock the phone when it becomes eligible for unlocking,
provided it meets the following conditions:

* The cellphone must be in working condition and turned ON.
* The cellphone was activated with Verizon Value service by
purchasing and redeeming an airtime plan on that specific phone
("Activation")
* For all cellphones Activated on the Verizon network on or
after November 23, 2021, the cellphone will be remotely unlocked automatically
60 days after paid Activation and 60 days of paid active service.

Please know that this Unlocking Policy is subject to change
at any time without advance notice.

We spoke with you on 5/21/2025 via phone at 616-490-1835 and
discuss your unlocking request. Upon review, we found that your phone has been
deactivated since April due to non-renewal of service. You only refilled the
phone once and that was upon activation. As we checked the phone’s unlocking
eligibility, the system prompted the message, “Not eligible - insufficient time
from device activation or 60 paid service days required.”

Meanwhile, as per Straight Talk Wireless
Return Policy, if you purchased your Straight Talk device
from straighttalk.com, you have thirty (30) days from the date your device was
delivered to you to return it to us for either an exchange or a refund. Thus, a
refund is no longer an option for your phone since you have
had it with you for over 30 days. With that, we advised you to refill the phone and complete all unlocking eligibility requirements which you agreed to do.

To this date, the phone is active and
awaits completion of the 60 days after paid Activation and 60 days of paid active service.

If you should
still require assistance, you can contact
1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to
Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please
refer to email reference number 5495520 or Ticket Number 1321092434.

Based
upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing
Straight Talk Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive
Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 06/03/2025

Complaint: 23347181

I am rejecting this response because:

Thank
you for forwarding Straight Talk Wireless's response to my complaint
(Case #23347181). Their response fails to address the core issue and
misrepresents key facts. Crucially, their actions directly contradict
the principles and proposed rules outlined by the Federal Communications
Commission in its recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on handset unlocking (WT Docket No. 24-186, released July 19, 2024), which I can provide.
Contradiction with FCC's Proposed Uniform Policy:
Straight Talk quotes their current unlocking policy requiring "60 days after paid Activation and 60 days
of paid active service." However, the FCC's NPRM (Page 1, Para 1; Page
6, Para 12) proposes
a uniform rule requiring all mobile wireless service providers to
unlock handsets 60 days after a consumer’s handset is activated,
unless fraud is detected. This aligns with the policy I understood to
be in effect at my purchase on February 28, 2025. Straight Talk is
attempting to enforce a more restrictive, retroactively applied policy
that is out of step with the FCC's direction towards consumer protection
and fair competition. The FCC document itself (Page 5, Para 11) notes
providers are free to adjust policies but does not endorse retroactive application to existing agreements.
Retroactive Policy Change is Unfair and Anti-Competitive:
My complaint is that Straight Talk changed its policy after my purchase and is now refusing to honor the terms under which the sale
was made. The FCC NPRM (Page 1, Para 1) explicitly states its goal is
to "improve consumer choice and flexibility and to enhance
competition... by reducing barriers for consumers to switch." Straight
Talk's retroactive change creates such a barrier. Their claim that the
"Unlocking Policy is subject to change at any time" cannot justify
altering the fundamental terms of an already completed transaction to
the consumer's detriment.
Misrepresentation of Phone Call on 5/21/2025:
Their
assertion that I "agreed to do" refill the phone to meet new
requirements is false. My consistent position, as evidenced in my
initial call with Katrina (transcript available), has been to demand
unlocking under the original terms. Any subsequent "activation" is irrelevant to their failure to honor the point-of-sale agreement.
FCC Acknowledges Consumer Harm from Inconsistent Policies:
The
FCC's NPRM (Page 7, Footnote 37) details thousands of consumer
complaints about handset locking, demonstrating this is a widespread
issue. My experience is a clear example of the consumer harm the FCC
aims to prevent with its proposed rulemaking. Straight Talk, a TracFone
brand under Verizon (a company already subject to 60-day unlocking rules
in some contexts, as noted in the NPRM, Page 4, Paras 6-8), should be
held to a standard consistent with consumer protection, not one that
retroactively disadvantages customers.
My Position Remains Unchanged, Supported by FCC's Stance:
The
FCC's NPRM underscores the unreasonableness of Straight Talk's actions.
They sold me a phone under one set of unlocking expectations and are
now unfairly imposing new ones.
I reiterate my desired resolutions:
Provide a full refund of $367.71 for the phone and service plan, and I will return the device if they provide a prepaid shipping label.
Straight
Talk's attempt to close this matter is premature. Their practices are
precisely what the FCC is seeking to reform. I urge the BBB to consider
the FCC's position and facilitate a just resolution.
Thank you,

Paul Schnau
[email protected]
(616) 490 1835
BBB Case #23347181
Straight Talk Order #0524-TH64A163A6
Business Response
Date: 06/10/2025
Dear Paul Schnau:

We have received and reviewed your
Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your
correspondence dated June 3, 2025, regarding BBB Case number 23347181
complaint.

Your follow-up complaints states that
the Unlocking Policy was applied retroactively and is against the FCC’s
proposed policy. With this, you are requesting a requesting to get a refund for
the phone and service plan you purchased.

We understand your desire to use the
device on another carrier's network, and we want to provide clarity based on
our Unlocking Policy, which became effective on April 1, 2025. As outlined in
our policy, for cellphones capable of remote unlocking (this includes most
iPhones and some Android cellphones) that were activated with Straight Talk service
on the Verizon network on or after November 23, 2021, the cellphone will be
remotely unlocked automatically 60 days after paid Activation and 60 days of
paid active service. Unlocking requests submitted on or after 4/1/2025 must
comply with this policy.

In addition, please be advised that
Straight Talk Terms and Conditions indicate that for Straight Talk devices purchased from straighttalk.com, you
have thirty (30) days from the date your device was delivered to you to return
it to us for either an exchange or a refund. Moreover, airtime plans,
used or unused, has no cash value, and is non-refundable.

Transaction records show that your
phone was activated in March 2025 with a 30-day plan, and got deactivated in
April 2025. It was reactivated on 5/21/2025 with another 30-day unlimited plan;
however, it got deactivated on 5/24/2025, after you successfully transferred
the phone number ending in 8616 to another phone, with reference number
1321270645. Meanwhile, an unlocking request ticket was created on 5/21/2025, with
reference number 1321093974. This process may take 24-48 hours, and once
completed, you will receive an email regarding the steps to complete the
unlocking of your phone.

We spoke with you on June 6, 2025,
via phone number 616-490-1835, and discussed the aforementioned. You mentioned
that the phone was unlocked because you paid for it, therefore, you are
requesting refund for the plans you added. However, please be advised that airtime
plans are non-refundable.

If you should still require
assistance, you can contact 1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation
are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference
number 5499148 or Ticket Number 1321092434.

Based upon the foregoing, we will
close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk
Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 06/10/2025
To the Better Business Bureau,
I
am providing this additional information in response to Straight Talk
Wireless's final statement on my complaint (Case #23347181), and to
correct significant misrepresentations made by the business.
Core Issue Ignored - Retroactive Policy Application: Straight Talk continues to cite their current unlocking policy (effective April 1, 2025) as justification. My purchase was on February 28, 2025, under a previous policy requiring unlocking 60 days post-activation. Their attempt to
retroactively apply a new, more restrictive policy to a completed sale
is unfair and the central point of my complaint. This practice is
precisely what the FCC is addressing in its Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (WT Docket No. 24-186, released July 19, 2024 – previously
provided), which proposes a uniform 60-day activation-based unlock rule.
Mischaracterization of Communications & "Agreement": Straight Talk falsely claims I "agreed" on 5/21/2025 to refill and meet
new unlock requirements. My consistent stance, documented in my initial
call with Katrina (transcript previously provided), has been to demand
unlocking under the original terms of sale.
Any subsequent account activity, such as the brief reactivation they
mention, does not constitute agreement to their unilaterally changed
terms, especially when my primary issue remained unresolved.
Unlocking Request Ticket #1321093974: Their latest response is the first mention of an "unlocking request ticket" supposedly created on
5/21/2025. I will be following up with Straight Talk directly regarding
this ticket. However, even if an unlock is now processed, it does not
excuse their initial refusal to honor the terms of sale, the
misinformation provided, or the significant inconvenience and time I
have spent pursuing this. It also does not address the principle that
policies should not be retroactively changed to a consumer's detriment.
Refusal of Refund/Return: Their reliance on a standard 30-day return policy and non-refundable
airtime is inappropriate. This is not a standard return; it's a failure
by Straight Talk to deliver on the terms agreed at purchase due to their
own subsequent policy changes.
While
the BBB has closed this case for mediation, I want my dissatisfaction
and these rebuttals clearly noted. Straight Talk's response does not
adequately address the unethical retroactive application of their
policy, which is contrary to consumer protection principles highlighted
by the FCC.
My desired resolution remains:
Immediate unlocking of my iPhone 16e per original terms.
OR
A full refund of $367.71.
Thank you for recording this additional information.
Sincerely,
Paul Schnau
[email protected]
(616) 490 1835
BBB Case #23347181
Initial Complaint
Date:05/18/2025
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Tracfone deactivated our phone in error. The service end date is in May 2026. I cannot get through to speak to a person at tracfone. Their automated system just runs me around in circles. Phone was purchased April 23. 2024 and activated around May 7th. I left an alternate phone number for call back yesterday and today. No return call yet. Tried staying on hold, but no one from Tracfone customer service picked up. We need this phone as we are going out of town soon.
Customer Answer
Date: 05/18/2025
The tracfone number is ************. Phone number i can be reached at is ************.
Business Response
Date: 06/02/2025
Dear ****** and ******* ********:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May *******, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that your phone service was deactivated in error since your Service End Date is scheduled in May 2016, and when you tried to seek assistance from customer support, you were unable to reach them.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Rest assured that we are here to help. Upon review, we found that your TracFone account is active and provisioned in the network. In addition, the usage report of your line shows that the service is being used.

In our in-depth review, we confirmed that an unlimited talk,text and 6GB data for 365 service days was added to your phone upon activation which gives you the Service End Date dated 5/17/2026.

Please know that service interruption may occur due to many factors including your device, network changes, network traffic volume, network outages, technical limitations, signal strength, the terrain and your proximity to buildings, foliage and other obstructions, weather and other conditions.

We spoke with you on 5/19/2025 via phone number ********** and discuss the service of your phone wherein you stated that troubleshooting was already done and that the service has been working since then. No further assistance is needed.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1320976422.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department
Customer Answer
Date: 06/02/2025

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

****** And ******* ********
Initial Complaint
Date:05/18/2025
Type:Customer Service Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Event happened on 05/17/2025 around 11:30ish. I called Tracfone **************** at ************** to remove an old # from my account (I destroyed the phone connected to the # months ago). I was told I would have to buy a new service plan to remove the # from my account. I told them no, but could authenticate who I am. I told the lady I just purchased a new phone and got a new service plan last night and she could visibility see that on my account. I told her I wanted the previous # removed. She repeated I would have to buy a new service plan for the old #, even if it's for a phone I don't even own anymore. I said NO. She said that's the only way she could do it. I asked what would happen if I lost my phone, and someone had possession of it and continued to pay for the phone using the service plans one can buy at the store off the rack. She said they could do that under my name, and I couldn't do anything about. I asked what if they were using my phone for illegal activities, such as threatening people or politicians, or even looking at illegal ***********, or committing any type of felony, WOULD I BE RESPONSIBLE? She unbelievably answered YES, I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE! I don't know what kind of workflows Tracfrone is giving these CS agents, but this sounds like EXTORTION. Also, I am NOT responsible if someone obtains a tracfone under my name that I lost and starts performing illegal activities! That's UNHEARD OF! When I asked her for her information, she said "***" (I heard KAYT). I asked "****?" She said yes. I said, "then not ***" she said "***." I said it's either ****" or "***," which one is it? She said "***." I asked what department she worked at? She said "Corporate." I said "You're in customer service." She said "Yes." I said "Is it customer service, or corporate?!" She said YES. My head was going to explode. I asked for a reference #, she said ******. Who knows if that is even correct?! I am absolutely stunned right now.
Business Response
Date: 06/02/2025
Dear ***** *******:

We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May *******, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

Your complaint states that you wanted to remove an old phone number from your account, as the device associated with that number was destroyed and is no longer in your possession. However, you were told the need to purchase a new plan in order to do so, which you refused. Additionally, you were informed that you are responsible for any actions taken using your phone.

Upon review, we found that your number ending in 3267 has been deactivated since April due to non-renewal of ********** we checked, the number is still under your TracFone account along with your active line, which has the number ending in 6156. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will do our best to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Rest assured that we are here to help. Please note, to safeguard the integrity of its customers data, ********************** implements its customer account authentication policy in accordance with strict security guidelines.Any changes to an account must be authenticated. Therefore, in order to address the matter accordingly, it would be best for us to speak with you.

We attempted to contact you via phone at ********** and email ****************************** on 05/20/2025, 05/21/2025, 05/26/2025,05/27/2025, and on 05/30/2025 but without success. However, we received your email response stating that there is no need to reach out to you any further. Thus, we are closing this case.

If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321027437.

Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing TracFone Wireless.

Sincerely,

Executive Resolution Department

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