Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Consumer Cellular's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 1,496 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 483 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe 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:10/01/2025
Type: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 Sept 14 Consumer Cellular sent me a letter saying my account was past due. It's not, It was fraud. Their customer service team said the account was closed and there was nothing nor documentation that proves this was a fraudulent activity, and would not help me further. So I have no information to report back to credit agencies that this was fraud. I asked politely for any documentation I could use to report fraud and they refused to provide any information, nor route me to a fraud department to speak with them about this.
Business Response
Date: 10/02/2025
October 2, 2025
BBB / 23959677
******* ******* (#*****9960)
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond.
Following a thorough review, we have reason to believe that the account in question may have been created fraudulently. The account was initiated through our websites self-service portal on July 25, 2025, and was canceled the same day due to clear indicators of potential fraud. Regrettably, because the account was created online without direct engagement, we are unable to verify the identity of the individual responsible or furnish documentation to conclusively support this determination.
We recognize the seriousness of this situation and recommend that the complainant report the incident to local law enforcement and credit reporting agencies as a possible case of identity theft. We also encourage continued vigilance in monitoring financial accounts for any unauthorized activity.
We understand how unsettling this experience may be and sincerely regret any confusion or inconvenience it may have caused. Please be assured that we take matters involving potential fraud very seriously and remain committed to upholding the integrity of our services.
Sincerely,
****** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Initial Complaint
Date:09/30/2025
Type: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 having issues trying to activate my phone. I&#**;ve tried calling the customer service to having them assist me and they did not know how to guide me. I was on the phone with several ***** and they could not assist me. They were giving me contradicting information.Business Response
Date: 10/07/2025
October 7, 2025
BBB 23954818
******* ****** for Dartangnan ******* (#XXXXX3052)
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We apologize for the issues that Mrs. ****** had with activating her phone. We spoke to Mrs. ****** on the phone, and she informed us that we had provided her with a satisfactory resolution. We also gathered information about what issues she encountered so we could follow up internally.
Sincerely,
******* *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Initial Complaint
Date:09/30/2025
Type: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.
We were charged ****** on sept 17 three days later found out our monthly bill would be 78 dollars instead of 60 dollars by consumer cellular . They advertise on national tv if not satified within 30 days it will cost you nothing,we notified them on the 3rd day and as of this date sept 30 we have argued with them every day and have only recieved a credit on our card of *****.they refuse to give us a complete refund even though they advertise it every day on tv .they are misleading on pricing with hidden cost and refunding if not happy.Had to drive for two hours to return phone they sent because of their lies about cost of service.Business Response
Date: 10/01/2025
October 1, 2025
BBB 23953323
***** ******** (#XXXXX1959)
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We are sorry to hear that our service did not meet the needs of Mr. *************************************** offers a Risk-Free Guarantee period for customers to try our phones and services. After reviewing the account, we can confirm that it qualified for this guarantee. A full refund of $105.31 was processed on 9/26/2025.
Please note that shipping fees are not included in the refund, as they are non-refundable. The refund was issued to the original payment method, and depending on the financial institution, it may take several business days to reflect on the account.
Sincerely,
******** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Initial Complaint
Date:09/30/2025
Type: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.
Bought a new apple 16 pro from c/cellular and subscription. We used AARP to get extended total of days for trial period. After purchase, the phone was auto locked for 30 days. C/cell advertised they used Att&t or T-mobile only to find out they no longer used T-mobile. We cant get good reception in our area on Att&t. Tried to change after 27 days and couldnt. C/c has a limit for 500 MB, BUT ITS hard to find info,not meant to be seen! They issued, what they call a courtesy credit, but later found out, we would get another months bill. Not 1 month, but 2 months. BUYER BEWARE!!!Business Response
Date: 10/07/2025
October 7, 2025
BBB File No. 23952025
**** **** (Account No. **********
To Whom It May Concern,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. Consumer Cellular offers a Risk-Free Guarantee (RFG) period to try our phones and services. If within the first 30 days or 500 MB of data use (45 days or 500MB of data use for **** and **** members), whichever comes first, the customer is not completely satisfied with our service, they may simply cancel and we will waive any service fees.
This information is available on our website under Support & FAQs and states: With our 100% Risk-Free Guarantee, as a new Consumer Cellular customer, if you're not completely satisfied with our wireless service, within 30 days of activation (data use limited to 500MB), simply cancel and pay nothing except for any third-party charges and device upgrade fees. For certain active member affiliations, like **** and ****, new Consumer Cellular customers receive an extended ****** risk-free guarantee period.
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 and states: "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."
**** **** ported in on 8/14/25 and ported out on 9/10/25. While they did cancel service within the 45 days, their data usage exceeded 500MB. As a courtesy, we applied a credit of $36.60 on 9/25/25 which will automatically be applied to their final invoice. As the usage exceeded 500MB and we do not prorate service, we are unable to waive the final invoice; the charges remain valid.
Sincerely,
********* *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Initial Complaint
Date:09/29/2025
Type: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 recently changed my cellular service from Consumer Cellular to Xfinity. I did so on the 16th of September 2025. I was billed by Consumer Cellular for the billing period on the invoice from 8/25/2025 to 9/24/2025. In essence they overcharged me for the service by charging me for a full month. I contacted them and was told they did not do partial ******** anymore. I know this may sound *****, but it is a matter of principle that they charged me for a service that they did not render.Business Response
Date: 09/30/2025
September 30, 2025
BBB Case #********
*** ****** (#XXXXX0994)
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 frustration that the customer experienced regarding their final Consumer Cellular invoice. We spoke with Mr. ****** on September 30, 2025. During the call, we advised that Consumer Cellular bills in arrears for monthly services and usage, much like a utility company. When an account is closed, there is always a final bill through the end of the current billing cycle. Consumer Cellular does not prorate monthly charges when an account or number is cancelled. The customer will be charged the full amount for the billing cycle.
At the time of cancellation, the customer will have the option to disconnect service immediately or keep service active until the end of their billing cycle. In either case, the customer is billed through the end of the billing cycle in which their request to cancel was received.
This information is listed in our Wireless Customer Agreement (WCA), which governs the terms and conditions of our service. Mr. ****** agreed to the terms listed in our *** by signing up for our service. This agreement is sent to customers upon signing up for service, with each equipment purchase, and is also available to view on the Consumer Cellular website.
Because the customer ported their mobile number to a new carrier, their account was canceled on the same day, September 16th, 2025. After the account was canceled, the final invoice was posted to the account on September 27th, 2025. This was for the billing period that ran from August 25, 2025, to September 24, 2025.
As valid usage occurred up through the date of cancellation, the charges are valid, and we cannot offer credit for this issue.
Sincerely,
***** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Customer Answer
Date: 09/30/2025
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:09/27/2025
Type: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 was receiving phone services from consumer cellular, and received a bill for the month of August on September 1. I discontinue my services on September 8. I have been charged for the full month of September.I called consumer cellular, asking for them to adjust my balance the fact that I only had their services for eight days and they state that they dont prorate the bill and that the reason for the billingis that I could have received the services even though I cancelled the services on the 8th, and so thats why theyre billing **** am a senior who is on a limited income and feel this is fraudulent. I spoke to a representative directly on the 8th and cancelled my services.Business Response
Date: 09/28/2025
September 28, 2025
BBB #********
***** ***** (#*********)
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We value our customers and strive to provide them with the best experience, both in our customer service and with our products. We are sorry to hear this is not what ***** ***** experienced.
The account was cancelled as requested on September 8, 2025. Consumer Cellular bills in arrears for monthly service and usage, meaning after the billing cycle ends. To align our policies with industry standards, Consumer Cellular will no longer prorate service charges for canceled lines or accounts. Plans are priced on a month-to-month basis, which keeps billing simple and easy to understand. 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.
While we understand that this is not the resolution ***** ***** was hoping for, our stance remains unchanged. Unfortunately, a refund or credit will not be applied to prorate the final charge for the line/account, as per our policy and industry standard. As the customer ported their numbers to a different provider and the account was electronically canceled, we were not able to set the proper expectations verbally. At the time of any verbal cancellation, our customers have the option to disconnect service immediately or keep service active until the end of their billing cycle. In either case, the expectation is set that the customer is billed through the end of the billing cycle in which their request to cancel was received.
The amount to pay off the account in full is $162.96, for the service dates from July 25, 2025, to September 25, 2025. For immediate assistance with processing a payment, ***** ***** may contact our customer service at ************ or use our live chat feature at **********************************************.
Thank you for allowing us to address these concerns.
Sincerely,
***** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Customer Answer
Date: 09/28/2025
Complaint: 23943261
I am rejecting this response because:
I believe this to be fraudulent. No other business or service line charges the consumer for services they could have provided. The fact of the matter is that I cancelled the services on the 8th which Consumer Cellular was aware of.
Sincerely,
***** *****Initial Complaint
Date:09/26/2025
Type: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.
Late fee.Customer Answer
Date: 10/02/2025
I canceled my Consumer Cellular account on 4/26/25. ********************** told me that the billing end date was 4/23/25. They sent me a bill the next month for the full amount $60.30. I wrote to them saying that I should only have to pay for the three days. I call them and ended up talking to a supervisor and he refused to agree with me. I filed a complaint with BBB ( I thing claim # was ********), not sure. On July 10th I received an email from ********* *. From Consumer Cellular. She said that she had applied a credit totaling $52.35 and my new balance due on July 13th is $7.95. I paid it that day.
The July 23rd bill had my payment of $7.95 and a credit of $52.35. They added a late fee of $5.00 and taxes of .26 totaling $5.26. August bill had the same amount due. The September bill has an additional $5.26 now totaling $10.52.
I do not fell that I owe them anything. I was told to pay $7.95 and I paid it the same day.
I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me anytime.
Business Response
Date: 10/11/2025
October 11, 2025
BBB File No. 23939550
**** ***** (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.
**** Kurtzs payment of $7.95 was successfully posted to his account on 7/14/25. As this payment satisfied the outstanding balance in full, the associated late fees of $10.52 should have been waived. We sincerely apologize for the oversight. The balance has now been cleared, and Mr. ***** will receive a final invoice reflecting a zero balance due.
Sincerely,
********* *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Initial Complaint
Date:09/23/2025
Type: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 called to hook up their service and it wouldn't work. I had their service for less than one hour and went back to my old carrier. They told me they would credit the account, when they didn't, I did a charge back on my credit card. Now they are hounding me for $11.55Business Response
Date: 09/24/2025
September 24, 2025
BBB 23922782
*** ******* *****6177
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We value our customers and strive to provide them with the best experience, both in our customer service and with our products. We are sorry to hear this is not what the customer experienced.
We understand *** ******** concerns regarding the charges to his canceled account; it would be frustrating to be charged for service when the service was not used. As a courtesy, we waived Kens account balance of $16.55. The account balance is $0, and no further invoices will be sent to *** *******.
Sincerely,
****** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Customer Answer
Date: 09/24/2025
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:09/22/2025
Type: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 was a consumer Cellular customer for years with auto payment. I canceled my service on 8/4/2025, and I was told that I will pay for the remaining period of my contract. I paid my full payment on 8/25/2025. On 9/22/2025 I received an automatic paid bill for $54.63 and when I called to inquire about this bill, I was told that this bill was from 8/3/2025 to 9/2/2025 and consumer Cellular does not prorate their bill. I am charged a full moth of service for one day of usage.Business Response
Date: 09/23/2025
September 23, 2025
BBB 23917258
***** ********* *****6198
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond. We value our customers and strive to provide them with the best experience, both in our customer service and with our products. We are sorry to hear this is not what the customer experienced.
We understand ***** ElZorkanis concerns regarding being charged for a full billing period while they were only active for one day during that period. We understand it would be frustrating to receive a full bill once you have canceled your service with us. To align our policies with industry standards,Consumer Cellular will no longer prorate service charges for canceled lines or accounts. Plans are priced on a month-to-month basis, which keeps billing simple and easy to understand. 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. This agreement is not a contract since you are not locked into your account with us, and you do not pay any additional fees other than the charges for the service provided.
As a courtesy, we voided ***** ElZorkanis final payment of $54.63 since they were only billed for one day of the billing cycle. This refund should be processed back onto their original form of payment within the next 7 business days.
Sincerely,
****** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************Customer Answer
Date: 09/23/2025
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,
***** El ZorkaniInitial Complaint
Date:09/20/2025
Type: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 currently tried to purchase, a new phone from Consumer Cellular, after waiting for some time, I received an email stating that my request has been cancel and that my transaction will not be taken place. Upon hearing this I reached out to see if I could get an explanation as to what's going on and why my order was being rejected. I received no sensible reply from the sales representative at all , as to why this has occurred. Is this the type of behavior displayed towards all of your costumers, that try to make a purchase? Does everyone get to endure this as well? I would like to receive an reason/answer as to why I was refused . I await your response. If you are considering becoming a future customer you better do what the queen of soul ******* ******** suggest and THINK!!!Business Response
Date: 09/21/2025
September 21, 2025
BBB #********
******* **** (#*****5167)
Dear BBB,
Thank you for contacting us regarding this complaint and allowing us the opportunity to respond.
We apologize for any frustration this account cancellation caused ******* ****. When the account was established, there were multiple discrepancies that caused red flags with being able to provide them with Consumer Cellular services. We have provided our billing departments number, so ******* **** is able to get additional details on the reasoning of why Consumer Cellular cant provide services to them.
Sincerely,
****** *.
Executive Resolution Administration
T ************ F ************
********************************************************************
******************************
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.