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

  PO Box 7175 Pasadena, CA 91109-7175

• 

  Consumer Cellular

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

  

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:05/20/2024

  Type:Delivery 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.

  Ordered a Consumer Cellular (CC) home phone base May 9, 2024. Base arrived 5/14/24. Tried to set it up 5/15/24. Spoke with CC agent 4 times. land line number not ported. 5/16/24 spoke with CC agent number not ported. Land line provided assured me line was ported on the 17th. Called CC agent was told it will take awhile. Land line provider assured me on 5/20/24 that the line was picked up by CC. Called CC on 5/20/24 - agent tried 6 times to to get base to function. Call CC again. agent could NOT get system to work. Called CC again. Agent said try a different phone system. Could not get system. Called CC again. Agent could not get system to work. Said I should try a different phone system. Tried three different systems ****** Bell South and Conair. System does not work. CC will not sent a replacement base. Results, no working land line. CC will not or cannot fix. Now we no longer have a working land line as it was ported to CC.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/29/2024

  May 29, 2024
  
  BBB File No. 21738344
  ****************** (Account No. **********
  
  
  To Whom It May *************************** you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. All new Consumer Cellular phones come with a one-year warranty for any manufacturer's defects or mechanical failure. Any physical damage to a phone voids the warranty. 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. 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 customers phone is replaced with a comparable model phone available in inventory. Phones must be in like-new condition with no physical damage or damage due to liquids or extreme temperatures.
  
  On 5/24/24, after the required troubleshooting steps were completed and the device found to be defective, it was processed for warranty replacement. We will need to receive the defective equipment back, in like-new condition, by 6/14/24 to ensure the customer is not charged for the replacement device. 
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **********************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/20/2024

  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.

  On May 9th I made a One time payment over the phone to consumer cellular they asked me if I wanted to keep that card on file and I said no they asked me if I wanted to make a future payment with it and I said no they asked if they could take an automatic payment in the future and I said no. I had already been disputes and had had fraud on my account so this was why I said no to all of their questions but May 19 I no longer had service with them. I switched to another company to save myself money and they decided on May ************************************************************************************************************************************** pre-authorize any type of payment to come out of my account and my card was locked my bank account because of fraud issues so Im wondering how they legally got it at all they did not it was illegal and I want my refund for both charges!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/21/2024

  May 21, 2024
   
  BBB #********
  ************************* (#XXXXX7936)
   
  Dear BBB,
   
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We are sorry to hear of ***************************** experience with our customer service. Unfortunately, their name is not listed as an authorized user with authorized access to the account. We will not be able to access the account and provide detailed information. The Account Holder may contact our phone support at ************ for further assistance with the Autopay status of the account.
   
  Please note that Consumer Cellular bills are in arrears for monthly service and usage or after the billing cycle ends. Because of this, when an account is closed, there is always a final bill for service provided through the cancellation date. The customer is only charged for the time the account was still active. If the account was canceled before the end of the billing cycle, the final invoice is prorated only for the days the service was active. The customer is not being charged for service after the cancellation date; it is only for service already provided. The charges remain valid.
   
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
   
  Sincerely,
   
  **************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21737516
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  The company Completely ignored what I was explaining to them and what they did to us and I do have permission to speak on the account. My husband has given it to me before the account holders name was ***********************, which is my husband.

  The problem was not the bill and what was billed the problem was they took money from an account that they had no permission to take from except for one time when a payment was made from debit card earlier this month and that was a final bill and it was supposed to be prorated not the amount that was charged was it was fraudulently taken out with no permission no prior authorization and it should be reversed immediately

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

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/05/2024

  June 5, 2024
   
  BBB File No. 21737516
  ************************* (#XXXXX7936)
   
  To Whom It May *************************** you for contacting us with *************************** rebuttal and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We certainly understand that their frustrations stem from the use of their card on the account. As a security measure, when an account is canceled, all Secondary Users that had previous authorized access are removed from the account. We absolutely want to resolve this issue but will need to speak with the Account Holder directly concerning the sensitive information on the account.
   
  For immediate assistance, the Account Holder can reach our customer service at ************ or via live chat at ********************************************** We would be happy to go over the information on the account and the final charges. With the Account Holders permission, we can also void the payment made on any wrong card, and process the payment on the correct card. We look forward to speaking with the Account Holder at their earliest convenience.
   
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
   
  Sincerely,
   
  **********************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com
   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 21737516
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Because they are refusing to work with me now my husband is going to have to file a separate complaint, and that is highly offensive, considering the fact that he has a traumatic bearing injury and has seizures and this is extremely stressful to him and now youre forcing him to have to submit something when I am his spouse. I have been there every step of the way that yall have Abused and taking advantage of our payment method and fraudulently taking out a payment so youll be hearing from him now 
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/20/2024

  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.

  On or about March 19, 2024 I contacted Consumer Cellular regarding their **** 2 for $55 plan. The representative assured me that I was eligible for the plan and confirmed I would not be subjected to taxes. I agreed to the 2 for $55 plan based on that conversation. The Consumer Cellular representative had difficulty porting my phones and I had to purchase a new phone to resolve the issue they created. The Consumer Cellular representative indicated they were upgrading their system as well, and I was bumped from the **** plan, however it would be corrected. When I received my first bill, it was $68.73 and I assumed it was probably due to proration. The second bill was $72.40 and I called for an explanation. I was advised that unlike my previous carrier, they have junk fees in the form of taxes which the representative falsified. The representative was unable to justify $17.40 in junk fees and had me speak with a supervisor. The Supervisor apologized that I was given false information when I agreed to the $55 plan, but stated there was nothing he could do. I think it's a scam to advertise a plan and increase the rate by 40% taking advantage of senior citizens. I think Consumer Cellular should honor the plan or reimburse me for ruining my phone and I will find a different carrier.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/21/2024

  May 21, 2024
  
  BBB #********
  *********************** (#XXXXX0047)
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding *************************** complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We can confirm that their account receives the **** Promotional offer, which includes Unlimited Talk/Text/Data for 2 lines for only $55 plus monthly tax. All of our plan prices do not include tax. Our website provides a notice, 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.
  
  Taxes vary based on the customers zip code. The taxes on our service include city, state, and county taxes based on the billing address. Federal taxes and surcharges are the same for everyone. In some states, other taxes get charged, such as E911. Sometimes, a tax may be based on monthly charges with other taxes combined. Please note all these fees are mandated by federal, state, county, or municipal governing bodies, and Consumer Cellular has no control over their type or amount. We cannot provide a specific amount for taxes until the invoice generates, as tax rates can change monthly or quarterly, however, they can range from 15% to 40% depending on location.
  
  Additionally, when trying to activate ******************* phone on 3/17/24, it was discovered that their device was still locked to their previous provider. As a security measure, phones can only be unlocked from the provider from which they were purchased. Sadly, we are not able to unlock phones purchased from different carriers. This information was provided to the customer then, and they were advised to contact their previous provider to unlock the phone. As this is a common issue, phones are available for purchase starting at $69 plus tax. We also provide a Trade-In Program for unlocked phones. Because of this, we will not refund the customer for a phone purchased from a different party.
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Choose Name
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21734683
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I specifically asked the representative about taxes and they informed me my bill would be $55.

  The phone was unlocked by the previous carrier however consumer cellular failed to verify both phones were ready for porting. My understanding from the consumer cellular representative is that should be basic knowledge when porting.
  
  40% tax is something that should definitely be communicated and I hope BBB will warn consumers.

   

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

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/05/2024

  June 5, 2024
  
   
  BBB File No. 21734683
  *********************** (#XXXXX0047)
   
  To Whom It May *************************** you for contacting us with ******************* rebuttal and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for any misinformation provided by our phone agent. We will certainly provide coaching to our agents to ensure they understand that our pricing does not include taxes. As the taxes and surcharges are required for the customers location, we cannot remove them from future invoices. Additionally, the taxes are not calculated until the first invoice is generated. They are essentially the same taxes as the customers previous providers.
   
  Regrettably, we cannot conclude that a phone is locked until an active SIM Card is placed in the phone. We can only inform the customer beforehand that a phone must be unlocked from any previous carrier, use a SIM Card, and have a VoLTE feature. Please understand that while we do everything we can to help solve problems, we cannot guarantee every cell phone model can be configured with our service. However, we have a Trade-In Program if the customer decides to purchase a new phone through Consumer Cellular.
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
   
  Sincerely,
  
  **************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21734683
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Consumer Cellular apologizes for any misinformation provided by their phone agent, however I consider this fraudulent business practice when I specifically asked the question. Consumer Cellular states they will provide coaching to their agents to ensure they understand pricing does not include taxes but are unwilling to honor the agreement. Consumer Cellular states the taxes and surcharges are required for the customers location and cannot be removed from future invoices, however they haven't been removed from any invoice. Consumer Cellular claims the taxes are essentially the same taxes as the customers previous provider, however that is a false statement, because I made it clear I wasn't charged taxes with my previous provider and in essence prompted the question. Consumer Cellular claims they cannot conclude that a phone is locked until an active SIM Card is placed in the phone, however they are required to ensure there is no lien on the phone prior to activation, which is determined by the phone being unlocked. Again, Consumer Cellular sent me to a Target store, where the representative was a Target employee and obviously wasn't trained properly resulting in ruining a $899 iPhone. Consumer Cellular states they can only inform the customer beforehand that a phone must be unlocked from any previous carrier, use a SIM Card, and have a VoLTE feature, however they are supposed to be trained and have the tools required to verify. Consumer Cellular states that while they do everything they can to help solve problems, they cannot guarantee every cell phone model can be configured with our service. The other iPhone 13 is configured with their service and was not ruined by a Target employee. I purchased an iPhone 15 after the Target employee ruined my iPhone 13. The Target employee stated the phones carried by Consumer Cellular were junk compared to the iPhones I have, so why would I be interested in their Trade-In Program. Consumer Cellular has made it clear they aren't willing to take responsibility for misleading the customer, ruining the customers phone, and taking advantage of Senior Citizens. Hopefully this complaint with BBB will keep other Senior Citizens from falling prey to Consumer Cellular.
  Sincerely,
  

  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/16/2024

  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.

  Consumer Celular lied to my mother about her cell phone working on their network Sent her a card to be inserted into her cell phone and all should work fine Went through 3 phone calls over two weeks trying to get help and ending with a technician telling me that the cell phone will not work on Consumer Cellulars network. Yet the sales agent told my mother it would. LIE!The final technician talked to with a language barrier problem ended the call with how the cell phone my mother had would not work on CC network Then it took time to get her money back from Consumer cellular and that was forever!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/16/2024

  
  May 16, 2024
  
  BBB 21720099
  *************************
   
  
  Dear BBB,
   
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We value our customers and want them to have the best experience with our customer service and products. We are sorry to hear this is not what the customer experienced.
  
  We understand ************************* concerns regarding their mothers account. The account associated with Phills mothers name had been previously canceled. If the account holder was charged $54.35, we recommend that they reach out to their financial institution to find out where this came from, as it wasn't processed on our end.
   
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
   
  Sincerely,
  
  ****************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/15/2024

  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.

  Slow, slow, slow connectivity. Emails, text messages received from 1-3 days later. Dropped phone calls frequently. Can't hear person on other side of phone call or they Can't hear me frequently. Frequently Can't connect to internet or websites.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2024

  AT&T has confirmed that the matter involves Consumer Cellular. Transferring complaint to be addressed by Consumer Cellular.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/25/2024

  ***** from Consumer Cellular's **************** in ****** called me. According to *****, they are sending me a new ******* A54 5G phone for which I am very, very, very grateful.

  The agents at Consumer Cellular are friendly & helpful. They just give incomplete advice & sometimes seem not to have complete knowledge of what I need or am asking, although I try to be as clear as possible in communicating with them.

  I still recommend Consumer Cellular. 

  Thanks y'all.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/25/2024

  May 25, 2024
  
  
  BBB #********
  ********************* (#*****5722)
  
  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 and service.  We had the pleasure of speaking with our customer, *********************, and a warranty replacement device has been shipped to them.  The shipment includes the ******* Galaxy A54 5G replacement and a prepaid return label for ********************* to ship the defective device to us at no charge to them.
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/15/2024

  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.

  Consumer Cellular has fraudulently taken a payment out of my checking of $71.57. I paid $71.68 yesterday and they said that they used autopay to take the other payment. I was never on auto pay. I want them to credit me for the $71.57. It has overdrawn my checking account. I have to pay $35.00 for late fees. They will not credit me.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/21/2024

  May 21, 2024
  
  BBB/21716661
  *************************** (#*****3932)
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We spoke with ******************** over the phone today regarding the payment issue. We apologize for any frustration these issues may have caused.
  
  ******************** contacted us on 5/9/2024 and requested a payment arrangement. We agreed to set up a payment plan for 5/14/2024. Unfortunately, the call got disconnected before we could provide the payment arrangement details. We proceeded to set up the payment plan for 5/14/2024 with Autopay enabled, and we sent an email to inform ******************** about this. On 5/14/2024, ******************** made the April payment, and the remaining balance for the May payment was processed through Autopay. We offered to cancel the payment, but ******************** declined and expressed her desire to move forward from this point.
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/15/2024

  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 May 1, 2024 I signed up for service with Consumer Cellular. I confirmed that it was 100% risk free within the first 30 days since I wanted to see if their service was good in my area. It was confirmed so I signed up. I received my phone May 3, opened it immediately, and could not get it to work. I called IT and after spending almost an hour with them, and they could not fix the problem, and was told that they would "send it up the line" and it would take 3 to 4 days. At this point I cancelled. On May 1, I paid $97.13 for the phone. On May 14 I received an email saying that my return was received and refunded me $85.13. Which is ***** less than I paid. I called on May 14 and was told that the difference was that I had to pay for shipping. I could not find where this was 100% risk free except for the shipping, and it certainly wasn't told to me when I talked to their representative. I signed up because of the 100% risk free guarantee, they sent me a defective phone so I cancelled. First of all I shouldn't have to pay shipping because it was supposed to be 100% risk free, and definitely shouldn't have to pay to receive a defective phone. ACCOUNT #: *********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/15/2024

  May 15, 2024
  
  BBB 21715266
  ******************************* *****9865
   
  
  Dear BBB,
   
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We value our customers and want them to have the best experience with our customer service and products. We are sorry to hear this is not what the customer experienced.
  
  We understand any frustrations regarding *********************** experience while they had service with us. Our risk-free guarantee period applies to the monthly service.However, it does not cover the cost of shipping. As a courtesy for *********************** experience, we have applied a $12 credit to ******* canceled account for the shipping fee that they paid. The original form of payment will be credited within the next 2-3 weeks, otherwise, ******************************* can expect a refund check within that time. 
   
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
   
  Sincerely,
  
  ****************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/15/2024

  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.

  yesterday 5/14 i phoned consumer cellular tech support. it was a disaster i hope you listen to the calls as of at the end of it i resolved the problem on my own. the call transfer initially is of utmost concern because a child was suffering abuse in the background. this needs to be explored and i implore BBB to get this in the right hands maybe CPS and Cons cellular to do same. the gal was unable to help me and i finally told her he should not be saying "shut up" to the child. background. a supervisor of hers i then spoke to who promised a call back never did it. *** the supervisor didn't know the software and directed me, off putting, to my work company to resolve. finally **** tried to help and directed me to ********* the solution was to hit "next" on my screen to keep it from locking up. total disaster. seeking compensation however the suffering of that child in the background is paramount.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/22/2024

  May 22, 2024
   
  BBB #********
  ************************* (#XXXXX0561)
   
  Dear BBB,
   
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We wish to express our sincerest apologies for all the problems ************************* has encountered, the customer service that was experienced, and the frustration it has caused. We do greatly value them as a customer.
   
  We will be working diligently to address this and review the agents situation to avoid future recurrence. While we understand this doesn't address the inconvenience ************************* experienced, we hope it will ensure that their future interactions with Consumer Cellular will remain positive. We are glad to hear that the issue was resolved on the customers own time. As a courtesy, we have applied a $20 credit to the account that brings down the charges due in May.
   
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
   
  Sincerely,
   
  **************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com
   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/14/2024

  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 filing this complaint because I switched services from Consumer Cellular with my internet service to save money. I brought my own phone I purchased from Consumer Cellular, transferred the service in January 2024. According to Consumer Cellular I transferred my service in March 2024. I have proof that my phone was transferred in January. In March I had to contact Consumer Cellular that my phone was transferred and they told me it wasn't transferred. I contacted ******* because my phone was disconnected. According to their records my phone was not disconnected. ******* contacted Consumer Cellular and they had not put in the code that my phone was transferred. That was in March. Now Consumer Cellular is trying to charge me for services and my services were transferred in January. I am sending my phone payments from ******* for services starting in January 2024.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/17/2024

  May 17, 2024
  
  BBB File No. 21712450
  ***************************** (Account No. **********
  
  
  To Whom It May *************************** 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; service is month to month and will remain active until we receive a request to cancel service. When an account is closed, there is always a final bill for service through the cancellation date.
  
  ***************************** purchased the ******** ************ via EasyPay on 4/27/23. EasyPay is an interest-free financing option available for eligible customers. A small down payment plus the total taxes is required at the time of purchase, and payments are then made monthly for 24 months or until the phone is paid off. If the account is cancelled before the EasyPay balance has been paid, the remaining balance will be billed to the credit or debit card on file. The customer is required to electronically sign an EasyPay Agreement, accepting the number of payments and the terms and conditions of the agreement.
  
  Upon reviewing ******************************* account, we do see that their phone number ported out to their new service provider on 1/26/24, however, the account remained active in error. We have applied credits totaling $59.07 to the account to effectively backdate the cancellation. The balance due on the account is now $179.02; $49.16 for the service dates of 12/21/23 - 1/20/24, $26.86 for the final prorated service dates of 1/21/24 - 1/26/24, $98.00 for the remaining EasyPay balance and a $5.00 late fee. Upon receipt of $174.02, we can waive the late fee. 
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **********************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/18/2024

   
  Complaint: 21712450
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the amount of $49.16 was withdrawn from my account on January 8, 2024
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/12/2024

  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.

  I signed up for Consumer Cellular phone service in early May 2024. I planned to use my cellular phone. I was told my phone was compatible by Consumer Cellular. It turned it my phone was not compatible so I bought a new phone from Consumer Cellular. I was told I would be credited for my inability to use my phone, as well as, the transit time for my new phone, as Consumer Cellular told me my phone was compatible when in reality it was not. Consumer Cellular debited my account and never credited me. I called and was told they would only credit me 3 days, versus the 15 days I had no use of any cell phone. I ultimately canceled my service because the **************** rep started making statements, "it's in the contract." There is no contract! When asked where it stated that CC can be wrong about compatibility and the customer will be charged anyway, she could not tell me where it stated that. I told CC they do not have authorization to debit my credit card. That was met with, "it is on auto pay." I wrote CC's chat and told I had canceled and that CC no longer has permission to debit my account, via my debit/credit card. That was met with call the phone number I just had called and canceled on.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/19/2024

  BBB 21700941
  *********************** (#*****3313)
  
  
  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We are sorry to hear that the customer had a negative experience with his device's compatibility and billing. We spoke with ****************, explaining that Consumer Cellular does not have a contract when starting service. However, we do have terms and conditions of service that are part of our Wireless Customer Agreement. Our customers agree to these terms and conditions when they use our service. A copy of our Wireless Customer Agreement is provided in our Getting Started guide.
  
  While we have had success with most fully unlocked third-party devices, we cannot guarantee the functionality of all devices or features of a non-Consumer Cellular device with our service. This information is clearly stated in our Wireless Customer Agreement in Section 3.1. Unfortunately, the device **************** brought when starting the service was incompatible, leading to his decision to purchase a new device on 4/8, which was delivered and activated on 4/11. **************** requested that we waive any accrued charges until he can activate his device. However, there was no invoice to apply credit to at the time of his request, so we advised him to contact us once the invoice was generated so we could take another look. Unfortunately, the customer canceled the account on 5/12 after learning that the invoice was paid automatically through automatic payment.  
  
  Please know that many customers keep their service active only for emergencies or travel or use it minimally. Zero usage does not indicate to our system that a credit is due for non-use, nor does it justify issuing one.However, we recognize that the customer had minimal usage minutes since starting his account on 3/31. As a courtesy, we have refunded the first month's invoice of $15.44 and waived the final charges of $14.42, which brought the account balance to $0. After speaking with the customer and offering our solution to the concern, he reinstated his services on 5/16.
  
  Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of additional assistance.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **************
  Executive Resolution Administration
  T ************ F ************
  ******************************************
  www.ConsumerCellular.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/23/2024

  Hello **********,
  
  BBB complaint ID ******** has been resolved. Oddly, it only took 6 phone calls to Consumer Cellular and not a single person who understood that customers do not have to pay for services they did not receive.
  
  The BBB complaint resulted in a troubleshooter calling me and providing me a credit for services I had paid for, but never received. 
  
  It was an absolute nightmare to reinstate the account because my bank placed a hold on any more payments to Consumer Cellular. That took another 5 calls to Consumer Cellular and my Bank.( 10 total calls) ******** blamed Consumer Cellular and Consumer Cellular blamed the  Bank. I ended up in the middle of all of it. It took 4 hours to fix that issue.
  
  At any rate it is now resolved. Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Please close ID # ********.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************