Tracfone Glitch
I know there's at least a couple Tracfone users here so thought I'd spread the word. I'm not sure I'd call this a warning as, so far, it looks as if I came out ahead.
I'm sure I'm not the only one that gets frequent offers to renew my time early. Often they'll offer extra minutes if you renew within a certain period of time and use a promotional code they provide. I got one this last Tuesday offering me 150 minutes- 20 minutes extra- if I bought 60 minutes and used their promo code within two weeks.
That was a bit early for me so I just pressed "OK" as I always do when I'm done with a text message and didn't think much more about it. That normally puts the message in my inbox as having been read.
The next afternoon I turned on my phone and got a text message advising 60 minutes, plus 60 bonus minutes had been added to my account. WTF? I also noticed my available minutes had been increased accordingly to over 1400. Except I didn't order anything and I never provided my PIN number as is necessary when you renew your account and order more time.
I checked both my checking and credit card accounts and there's no indication of a new charge on either of them. Some kind of freebie? I'm guessing some kind of mistake and they can't take back the free minutes from their end.
So, next time you get one of those promotion messages, don't press OK when you're done reading it. Pressing CLR puts the message in your inbox. Then again, maybe you'll be lucky as I was and get some free time if you press OK.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 12:18 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Thanks for mentioning this . My anniversary is coming up and I have to decide on renewing (which I will but I'm thinking of getting a smartphone also).
In case you weren't aware, I believe cellphones aren't made "locked" anymore, which means you can buy a non- Tracfone phone and use it with Tracfone. I'm pretty sure I saw something on the Tracfone web site where you can add any phone to your Tracfone account now.
But, I believe Tracfone also offers smartphones. You'll probably only get to keep about half the minutes you've saved up, though. At least that's what's happened to us every time we've switched phones. I have no idea why.
Yes, I'm trying to sort thru all that. Tracfone offers at least a couple of Samsung options. You're supposed to figure out whether Verizon gets good reception in this area. I guess they do. Who SELLS Tracfone phones is more puzzling- used to be Radio Shack, now the website refers you to the Arcata Safeway. This will not be fun and since the smartphone is a "Want' not a "need" I'll take my time deciding.
I bought my last Tracfone at Radio Shack but they only had four different models, if memory serves. The most expensive one might have been a smartphone, but I can't be sure. They must still sell them.
Rite aid also sells Tracfone, but only two lower priced models.
They have all kinds of models available through the Tracfone web site but, for some reason, the models available seem to be dependent on your zip code, or something along that line.
IF you read the reviews, people seem to have problems using the Tracfones in other than the zip where it was activated.. I've used mine all over the country and haven't had any problems.
I'd assumed the zip code thing meant certain services or "apps" might not be available in certain areas, but it would seem to me the phone would still work fine otherwise. I've used mine all over the state without problems, but it's pretty much a basic phone so I'm not sure if that counts.
Besides, I know people with smartphones that use them for everything up here. My bum nephew uses his as a computer. The only problem I've seen him complain about is when he's at my house trying to go online, the phone will try to tap into his parents wifi across the street instead of going 4G, or whatever it's called. Don't think that has anything to do but with him being to close to his parents house.
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