Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Consumer Cellular's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Consumer Cellular

  12447 SW 69th Ave Portland, OR 97223

  
• 

  Consumer Cellular

  7204 SW Durham Rd Ste 300 Portland, OR 97224-7574

  
• 

  Consumer Cellular

  PO Box 45859 San Francisco, CA 94145-0859

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:08/21/2025

  Type:Billing 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 been with consumer cellular since December of last year. I have had nothing but problems since day one and Im really getting sick ofit now back in July. I canceled out one of my lines and I have been on the phone with them every other day trying to out my bill because Im only supposed to be charged $100 for my two lines. They are charging me over $200 a month for two lines.Thats not what our agreement was and every time I call I get nothing but the runaround every single person tells me a different story And its sick

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2025

  August 26, 2025
  
  BBB File No. 23780472
  **** ********* (Account No. *****)
  
  
  To Whom It May Concern, 
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. Consumer Cellular bills in arrears for monthly services and usage, much like a utility company. We are not a prepaid provider, and service is month-to-month; service will remain active until a request to cancel is received or the number(s) are transferred to a new provider. As Consumer Cellular does not prorate final service charges, when an account or line is cancelled, customers are billed through the end of their billing cycle, which is industry standard.
   
  This information is available on our website under Support & FAQs (**********************************************************************************************); "If you cancel your service before the end of your billing cycle, we will not prorate or refund the monthly charges in your final invoice. You will continue to have access to your services until the end of your billing cycle, unless you transfer the number for your service to a different carrier prior to the end of the billing cycle."
   
  For a detailed explanation of our billing processes, please review our Wireless Customer Agreement (***). This agreement is binding when service is activated on your specific phone number(s).
   
  Section 1.2 of the *** states: "For existing customers, you may cancel this Agreement at any time for any reason, but you will be responsible for all charges incurred in your final invoice. We may also cancel this Agreement. If we do, we will attempt to notify you in advance. Even though the Agreement is cancelled, you are liable for all charges to your account through the last day of your monthly billing cycle. If you cancel your Service before the end of your billing cycle, we will not prorate or refund the monthly charges in your final invoice. You will continue to have access to your Services until the end of your billing cycle, unless you transfer the Number for your Service to a different carrier prior to the end of the billing cycle."
  
  As requested on 7/22/25, **** Belliveaus billing cycle was updated to have a due date on the 25th of each month. The new billing cycle will begin on the 6th of each month and ends on the 5th of the following month. The invoices will be created on the 8th of the month and payment will be due on the 25th of each month.
   
  To facilitate this change, the billing cycle was prorated for 42 days of service, 6/25/25 - 8/05/25. As the billing cycle was 42 days instead of 30 days, the monthly service charges were $203.22 plus tax.
   
  An email was sent to the email address on file on 7/22/25, confirming this change and explaining that they would receive a transition invoice from the previous billing period to the new one. The email provided the monthly charges on the transition invoice (pre-tax). 
   
  When the customer cancelled the third line of service on 7/22/25, they were billed for the full billing cycle, as we do not prorate final charges. 
  
  Ms. Belliveaus account was suspended due to non-payment on 8/19/25. As the customer cancelled their service prior to making payment and reinstating service, their final bill will cover the service dates of 8/06/25 8/19/25.
  
  As a one-time courtesy, we have applied credits totaling $65.00 to rerate two of the Unlimited plans. The balance due on the account is now $340.98, of which $144.96 is past due. This amount will increase once the final invoice is created.
  
  Please be advised that the account will continue to accrue late fees until the balance is paid in full. If the customer chooses not to pay the balance due, the account will be turned over to a third-party collection agency.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********* *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/26/2025

   
  Complaint: 23780472
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********* I have documentation proving that they are wrong. What they have done has ripped me off and I am not tolerating this from businesses anymore. Maybe somebody else will, but I will not. I have documentation that proves that my bill is paid in full and no every single time Ive called them since I became a customer of them. I have gotten nothing but ******** stories from every single customer service agent and supervisor. Nobody at that place tells you the same thing its one same one thing and the other thing another thing I dont except anything from them and if I have to, I will bring them to court. They were a poor company and they do not look out for people over 50 like they claim they do. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/21/2025

  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 been with consumer cellular for 8 months. 6 complaints and 3 new phones and STILL NO FUNCTIONAL PHONE! They are no different from other companies! They are just nicer when they tell you there is nothing they can do to fix your problem. They keep pushing the problem off to someone else!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/29/2025

  August 29, 2025
  
  BBB 23777743
  ****** ****** (#*****6676)
  
  Dear BBB,

  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by their phone not working properly and we are happy to assist with this issue.
  
  All new Consumer Cellular phones come with a one-year warranty for any manufacturer's defects or mechanical failure. Once all the necessary troubleshooting steps are completed and it has been determined that the issue is caused by defective equipment, the defective device can be submitted for the warranty process. The troubleshooting steps are a requirement in the warranty process as, most of the time, troubleshooting can resolve the issue. When a warranty replacement is created, the replacement phone is the same model phone unless it is no longer in stock. When this situation occurs, the customer's phone is replaced with a comparable model phone that is available in inventory. Any physical damage to a phone or damage due to liquids or extreme temperatures voids the warranty, even if it only appears to be cosmetic.
  
  A replacement device, the ******* Galaxy A35 5G, was shipped to our customer on August 21, 2025, and was activated through our automated system on August 23, 2025. If the issue our customer has experienced occurs on the replacement device, we recommend contacting ******* directly to confirm if there are any known issues with the recent software update that may be causing problems with their devices.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.comTell us why here...

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/19/2025

  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 had a phone with consumer cellular for years under my prior name **** *****, it was a cheap plan for seniors for $26 a month with an old flip phone with large numbers for my elderly mother. In March of this year she was diagnosed with cancer and moved in with me on hospice. She passed away on July 12th. I completely forgot about the phone between dealing with the cancer and funeral and everything. There hasn't been any use on it since maybe July 8th, and the email went to my mother's email which I never checked. I remembered the phone last night and called today to cancel. The last bill I paid was the one due June 17th which I paid July 1. So, I assumed I owed for 2 months of service. When I cancelled it, the woman told me I owed nearly $80. I asked how since we had not even used it since July 8th. She said well then you should have called to cancel it before now. I said I am sorry I was distracted dealing with my dead mother. She said Well if you have a car payment then your car payment is still due no matter what you are dealing with. Ok first off, all of my bills are paid, I never used this phone or paid it so why would i have thought of it, my mother paid it, my phone bill is with ATT and secondly how unbelievably ignorant and uncalled for. She then said we were in the middle of a billing cycle, and it is not their policy to prorate for any reason, so I was going to have to pay it. It is not a very large balance, however at this point given the reprehensible behavior by their representative I do not feel it is a fair amount to ask for.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/28/2025

  August 28, 2025
  
  
  BBB File No. 23770236
  **** ***** (Account No. *****)
  
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. Consumer Cellular bills in arrears for monthly services and usage, much like a utility company. We are not a prepaid provider,and service is month-to-month; service will remain active until a request to cancel is received or the number(s) are transferred to a new provider. The account will remain active until the end of the billing cycle, and customers may continue to use the service through that date. The final billing will be for the full billing cycle, which is industry standard.
   
  This information is available on our website under Support & FAQs (**********************************************************************************************);"If you cancel your service before the end of your billing cycle, we will not prorate or refund the monthly charges in your final *********** will continue to have access to your services until the end of your billing cycle, unless you transfer the number for your service to a different carrier prior to the end of the billing cycle."
   
  This information is also available in Section 1.2 of our Wireless Customer Agreement (WCA) and states: "For existing customers, you may cancel this Agreement at any time for any reason, but you will be responsible for all charges incurred in your final invoice. We may also cancel this Agreement. If we do, we will attempt to notify you in advance. Even though the Agreement is cancelled, you are liable for all charges to your account through the last day of your monthly billing cycle. If you cancel your Service before the end of your billing cycle, we will not prorate or refund the monthly charges in your final invoice. You will continue to have access to your Services until the end of your billing cycle, unless you transfer the Number for your Service to a different carrier prior to the end of the billing cycle."
  
  **** ****** account was cancelled on 8/19/25 and, as a courtesy,we backdated the cancellation to 7/27/25. The last payment received was $26.47 on 7/01/25 for the service dates of 4/28/25 5/27/25. The balance due on the cancelled account is $52.93, covering the service dates of 5/28/25 7/27/25.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********* *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/19/2025

  Type:Order 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.

  I purchased a phone on July 8th for my son and paid extra for expedited shipping. At first, I received a notification of the phone being delivered, however, my son said that it never got delivered. I contacted their customer service, and they said that they phone was sent back to the facility, and they will send it back out. I waited some more days and never received the phone. I contacted support back and I found out they had put in the wrong address for the phone to be properly delivered. I paid $191.78 and they only credited me $161.71 back. I find this unaccepted as I feel that I should be reimbursed for the full amount that I paid. I've been a customer since 2002.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/20/2025

  August 20, 2025
  
  BBB Case #********
  ***** ****** (#XXXXX0220)
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We are very sorry to hear of the issues the customer has experienced with her recent order. We spoke with ***** on 08/20. ***** ordered a ******* Galaxy A15 5G from us on 07/28/2025. Unfortunately, the order was lost or stolen during transit to the delivery address. Due to having waited so long for the device, the customer eventually requested a refund for the order. 
  
  We received the order back from **** on 08/17/2025 and set up a return for the order. Once the return had been processed later that evening, the customer was refunded $161.78 of the $191.78 that she originally paid for the order. Of the remaining amount, $25.00 was for shipping and $5.00 was for the activation fee. Shipping and activation fees are non-refundable; however, as a one-time exception to this policy, we have chosen to accommodate the customer with a one-time credit of $30.00, as they never received the order. This will be deducted from the customer's next bill.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/05/2025

   
  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:08/19/2025

  Type:Billing 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.

  The phone was transferred to T*Mobile on 16 July ******* Discover card was billed $57.47 on 16 July. On 6 August I called and ****** said my account would be credited. Her supervisor is ********.on 15 August 2025 they billed my Discover again for $52.77.I called on 19 Aug 2025 and the phone conversation with a Consumer cellular rep * they said billing cycle went from 26 June * 25 July 2025.She said she saw my account had been stopped and then said something about it takes a month to get out and I would be billed again but she was trying to cancel that bill from happening and I would have to call back later in the month. I said that on 6 Aug ****** said that they would credit my account and that there would not be any future bills.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/21/2025

   
  
  August 21, 2025
  
  BBB / 23766941
  ***** ******** (#XXXXX6550)
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for any frustration caused by the billing on this account. 
  
  ********************** bills in arrears for monthly services and usage, much like a utility company. We are not a prepaid provider; service is month to month. An account will remain active until we receive a request to cancel service or until the phone number ports out to another provider. When an account closes, there is always a final bill through the end of the current billing cycle.
  
  On 7/16/25, ***** ******** contacted us to obtain a transfer PIN, which is needed when moving a phone number to a different provider. The PIN was sent, and later that day we received a transfer request for the customers number; however this was denied for having the incorrect information, and the number was not transferred. 
  
  ***** ******** contacted us again on 8/6/25, and per their request, the account was cancelled. During the call, the customer requested credit for their most recent service charges, which had been processed through automatic payment on 7/15/25. We explained that we are post-paid, reviewed the invoice usage dates, and advised that those charges were valid. It was explained that while no credit was due, as a courtesy, and due to no usage, the cancellation date was manually adjusted to prevent a final invoice from being generated. 
  
  We have contacted ***** ******** about their concerns. We reviewed the disputed charges with the customer, explaining that the charge from 7/15/25 was to cover the usage dates from 5/26/25 to 6/25/25, and the charge on 8/15/15 was to cover the dates of their final billing cycle, 6/26/25 through 7/25/25. As there was usage during these times, the charges are valid. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/22/2025

   
  Complaint: 23766941
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I also sent an email to close the account on 7/15 and I verbally told them to close the account. The phone was moved to a new T-Mobile phone line on 7/15. All usage was stopped on 7/15 and the bill should only be till 7/15, not to 7/25.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/18/2025

  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 am the daughter of the account holder and I am representing her. **** has passed away in April. I canceled the account in May and have written confirmation. Every month I still get Bill's in ****** name and I call customer service constantly. My last conversation with them, they told me the outstanding balance is the balance she owed from April, I told them her account was up to date and I have proof of that, then I was told "well we cant go backwards that's why the account is not updating". I just received a debt collection notice for $130.83. Consumer Cellular boasts that you pay on a month to month basis, but they wont cancel your account, even if you're dead. I have called customer service every month only to be ignored. They also confirmed the phone line has not been used since before April.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/19/2025

  BBB 23765277
  **** ********* (#*****0693)
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. Consumer Cellular is sorry to have learned of the passing of **** *********. We would like to express our sincere sympathy during this difficult time. We are also sorry to hear of the frustration with the outstanding balance on the closed Consumer Cellular account. ********************** is not a prepaid service. We bill in arrears for service and usage. Since we bill in arrears, an outstanding balance remained on the account up to the date of cancellation.
  
  Once an account is canceled, a final invoice is issued for the service and usage through the account cancellation date. Unfortunately, the balance on this account was not paid. Since we did not receive payment, the account was transferred to the collection agency, **************************** (***), on 08/12/2025. Consumer Cellular is no longer pursuing collection efforts. All contact regarding this balance after 08/12/2025 will be provided through PCS.
  
  When an account is moved to PCS, the entire account, including the balance owed, is transferred. All payments, arrangements, negotiations, or questions about the balance should be referred to ********************************** at **************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/19/2025

   
  Complaint: 23765277
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  I was never given an outstanding balance owed as of the cancellation date of 5/22/25.

  What is the balance owed as of 5/22/25?
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/18/2025

  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 began service on 4/10/25 and ended service on 8/4/25. The bill was prorated for the first month, but not for the last month. I called 8/18/25 to have a copy of the bill mailed to me because the system would not allow me to access the bill online. I inquired about the bill being the full amount when the service was cancelled 2 days before the end of the billing cycle. I was told they do not ****************. I advised the representative that proration was done for the first month so they do prorate bills, but try to penalize customers for terminating services. I also stated that customers should be told that final bills will not be prorated prior to signing them up for service. Had I known, I would not have activated service with them. I should not be financially responsible for service after cancellation. The billing needs to be adjusted to reflect my last day of service.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/19/2025

   
  
  August 19, 2025
  
  BBB / 23763133
  ****** ****** (#XXXXX3941)
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for any frustration with the billing on ****** Taylors account.
  
  To align our policies with industry standards, Consumer Cellular no longer prorates service charges for canceled lines or accounts. Service plans are priced on a month-to-month basis, which keeps billing simple and easy to understand. This information is outlined in our Wireless Customer Agreement (WCA) and is also available on our website under Support & FAQs; "If you cancel your service before the end of your billing cycle, we will not prorate or refund the monthly charges in your final invoice. You will continue to have access to your services until the end of your billing cycle, unless you transfer the number for your service to a different carrier prior to the end of the billing cycle."
  
  While we understand that this is not the resolution ****** ****** was hoping for, a credit will not be applied to prorate the final charge for the line/account, as per our policy and industry standard. As such, the final charges of $70.87 for service during the last billing cycle remain valid.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/19/2025

   
  Complaint: 23763133
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I don't agree with the policy and I was not made aware of the policy until cancelation. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/18/2025

  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.

  We canceled consumer cellular with in a week after paying the bill. They want to charge us for the following month that we did not use there service. I am old and live on ss alone. I may owe for a week but not a whole month. I thought consumer cellular looked out for older people.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/26/2025

  August 26, 2025
  
  
  BBB File No. 23762484
  ****** ****** (Account No. **********
  
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. Consumer Cellular bills in arrears for monthly services and usage, much like a utility company. We are not a prepaid provider,and service is month-to-month; service will remain active until a request to cancel is received or the number(s) are transferred to a new provider. The account will remain active until the end of the billing cycle, and customers may continue to use the service through that date. The final billing will be for the full billing cycle, which is industry standard.
   
  This information is available on our website under Support & FAQs (**********************************************************************************************);"If you cancel your service before the end of your billing cycle, we will not prorate or refund the monthly charges in your final *********** will continue to have access to your services until the end of your billing cycle, unless you transfer the number for your service to a different carrier prior to the end of the billing cycle."
   
  ****** ****** account was cancelled on 6/25/25, when her number transferred to another provider. As their billing cycle starts on the 10th of the month and ends on the 9th of the following month, their final invoice was for the full billing cycle of 6/10/25 7/09/25. As a courtesy to our customer, we have applied credits totaling $20.00 to rerate them to a plan that better fit their usage. The new balance due on the cancelled account is $50.19. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********* *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/30/2025

   
  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:08/18/2025

  Type:Billing 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 cancelled my service with Consumer Cellular on May 5, 2025 due to flagrant false advertising. They advertise two lines for $55 per month but in reality it is $75 per month. I am going to report them to the Consumer *************************** for deceptive and abusive business practices and false advertising. I have attached a photo of their false advertisement for $55 per month.I paid more than $100 to cancel which included part of the previous month. After that I got a new phone, and new service with **** for $45 per month. Consumer Cellular continued to send emails to my old email address on my old phone demanding an additional $76.49. Then they made another false claim that I have them in auto pay with my credit card and I would NEVER put an "autopay" on my credit card because the amount on my credit cards fluctuates. I did NOT authorize them to take this money from my credit card. The only way I found out Consumer Cellular had ripped me off again was because I went to the grocery store and my card was declined! So I am going to dispute this with my credit card company. Consumer Cellular can take it to collection if they want and I will again dispute it with my credit report for FALSE ADVERTISING. $75 a month is too much for cellular service, especially when it is advertised at $55. I want nothing to do with this company, EVER. They are deceptive scammers. I specifically cancelled for this reason and they have the nerve to charge me more, unauthorized by me. Do NOT take any more money out of ANY of the cards I have in file with you. There is a reason I want you out of my life permanently. I hate people who steal from those of us who are **********. It is very hurtful. Also, stop using my old email address!!!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/18/2025

  August 18, 2025
  
  BBB #********
  ******* ***** (#XXXXX3877)
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for any miscommunication Ms. ***** experienced when signing up for our service. 
  
  As of 4/9/2024, the *** requires that all high-speed internet providers give customers access to a broadband facts label, which provides precise details about their plans, including fees and surcharges. Our Broadband Facts are available on our website at ************************************************; a full copy of this information is also provided to the customer when establishing service. 
  
  Consumer Cellulars monthly rates are pre-tax. We apologize if this was not communicated thoroughly to Ms. ****** This information is provided on our website when selecting a plan and states, The totals shown here are costs for your monthly service only. They do not include any taxes and fees. Plans include a $5 monthly credit for participation in AutoPay and E-Billing.
  
  Ms. ***** did qualify for and receive a discounted rate for ages 50+, which is $60 per month before tax for two phone lines. To qualify for the $55 before tax plan listed on the website, the customer must be an **** member with two active lines on the account. During Ms ****** tenure with Consumer Cellular, we do not show that an **** membership was associated with the account, and unfortunately, she would not have been eligible for this plan. 
  
  Consumer Cellular is not a prepaid cellular service provider; we bill in arrears for services and usage, and as a result, an industry-standard credit check is required. The purpose of the credit check is to determine payment requirements and to ensure that services will be paid for monthly. Depending on the credit check results, customers are approved for service or approved on required autopay with a debit or credit card. Ms. ****** account required autopay to be set up to sign up for the service. 
  
  To align our policies with industry standards, Consumer Cellular does not prorate service charges for canceled lines or accounts. As per our service agreement, the service is billed until the end of the current billing cycle. This information is provided in Section 1.2 of our Wireless Customer Agreement. Ms. ****** account was closed on 5/5/2025. All charges associated with the account were valid; however, nothing further is owed to Consumer Cellular.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/18/2025

   
  Complaint: 23760344
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This problem is occurring because Consumer Cellular is sending out false advertising through the mail. Never in my life have I paid $75 per month for ***************** There are OBVIOUSLY more affordable plans, as I am only paying $45 per month to AT&T. If my monthly bill was $55 per month ASAP ADVERTISED we would not be having this problem!

  I have reported Consumer to the *** and I will report them to the ************** as well. It actually hurts to be ripped off by billionaires. That extra $20 Consumer Cellular deceptively took from me for many months could have gone to other critical needs like local gas money, pet food, etc. Some of us have to budget carefully sometimes.

  Consumer Cellular seems to think they can seize control of someone's budget by attaching undisclosed and hidden fees. I had to terminate auto pay from my bank account so they would stop taking the liberty of tweeking extra money from my budget, causing me to lose control of my own budget.

  No, it was not at all clear I had to belong to ****. No it was not at all clear that when I cancelled auto pay from my bank account that auto pay would attach to my credit card. I do not consent to this! I CANNOT consent to this because the amount of money I have on my credit card is never guaranteed. I did not KNOWINGLY CONSENT to auto pay from my credit card. To my knowledge there is an "opt out fee" of $5 if you decline auto pay (another one of their many hidden fees scams).

  This company is LOADED with hidden fees and supposedly legal jargon to justify it, but most of us don't have time to read 50 pages of legalese for simple cell service. These people are SCAMMERS.

  They are now apparently trying to bill me for THREE WEEKS of unused service for a billing cycle of the 26th of the month to the 25th of the month when I cancelled on May 5. It was not disclosed to me that I would pay for UNUSED SERVICE and therefore I did not KNOWINGLY CONSENT to having my credit card charged. I DID NOT authorize that transaction. Consumer Cellular only "got lucky" the month of August ************************************************************************************************************************************************************* other words, the money was on my card for my own specific needs and it came as a total surprise when my card was declined at the grocery store.

  As I have already stated, I will also report Consumer Cellular to the **** due to their multiple deceptions. I would have no problem with them if this was a $55 monthly bill, but I did not knowingly consent to being scammed for a $75 monthly cellular bill. We ALL know we can get better rates than that 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/17/2025

  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.

  Sign up for a plan. Receive ** network SIM. Pop the **** SIM out, install the ** SIM, and go through the activation process. All only to have ** say: we have encountered a problem activating your line. Please call. Yeah, well now upon reinstalling my old SIM, this so as to friggin be able to call, my phone says: for emergency calls only. So, not only has ** failed to activate my network access, but they have rendered me without a phone! Never the fact that they have ALREADY charged me for their service (which has not been provided). Add to it all, with "chat" being the only means of contacting customer support, there all we find is unhelpful, do-nothing, circularly spun blah-blah-blah. If there is a less helpful help contact anywhere in this country, I would be greatly surprised. As things sit, I HAVE NO PHONE; and this is far from acceptable!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/18/2025

  August 18, 2025
  
   
  BBB #********
  **** ******** (*****4270)
   
  
  Dear BBB,
   
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for the frustration **** ******** experienced with getting services working on their phone. We contacted them, and they advised the issue had been resolved. They will be calling back later this week to activate their second line with Consumer Cellular.
   
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *.
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ********************************************************************
  ******************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/20/2025

   
  Complaint: 23759127
  
  We figured out the network access issue. Consumer Cellular may in the future want to explicitly note on each SIM card mailing which phone each particular chip is for; as sending two chips when two lines are being switched over, but without noting which SIM is for which phone, creates the problem we experienced.

  On another subject: while with AT&T, our long text messages always afforded very long character filled messages. Now, however, I continually receive the "can't enter anymore characters" message. This limitation is a deal-breaker. When one must breakdown messages and then send multiple text messages on the same messaging subject, it's more than merely a hassle; it creates a sense of disorganization that the recipient of the text assumes is reflective of the sender. Nobody would make 5 trips to the grocery store each week because they are only allowed to utilize 1 grocery bag per visit. Such is not only poor form, but it's an avoidable hassle. The fact that one's cell carrier in **************** utilizing a protocol that was only of utility during the early days of limited tower access is troubling.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********