Straight Talk Wireless
Reviews and Complaints

when i try to call the United Kingdom I get a message that says You can not call out due to service area. Code number 47431 this has happen 4 times in the last 4 months. the first time it took me one month to get this resolve. No body in the company knew what that code number meant not even the corporate office. So the first time they decided to dial out from there phone from the corporate office and they were getting the same code number. so if you get that code number It is the problem in the United Kingdom on there lines. Make sure you talk to corporate because no one else understand that code number. Getting fed up with this international calling with the is company But they do have to the best rates for international calling

I ordered an AT&T Micro SIM card from Straight Talk. I received a regular replacement SIM card from them in the mail. It came with a paper with the Tracfone, Net10, and Straight Talk logos at the top, and it started by saying, "...enclosed you will find your replacement SIM card." After talking to a girl on the phone for a half hour, I was told that she couldn't find that SIM card number in their system. They didn't know where I got it from. She said that my Micro SIM card was mailed to my address and delivered on 7/19/12. I had the check the SIM number for what she said they sent me, and said it had been activated. Her idea was that someone swapped out my mail once it was delivered. Really? When I asked if I could report it stolen and have them cancel it, she told me I couldn't do that because it wasn't activated under my account. Uh, hello? How does that make any sense? She said Straight Talk would do nothing for me. They would not send me another card and there are no refunds on SIM cards. Of course, if I want to use their service, I will need to order another Micro SIM card. Yeah right!
I was able to find my tracking number today. It shows that the package was accepted at a Post Office, but there's no further information. So the card they supposedly sent did not get delivered to me. I called my Postmaster who looked it up on her computer. She said they had 1, 000 pieces in that shipment. When the USPS gets that many at once, they don't scan the packages individually. Straight Talk would've given them a paper with a list of what they had, and the USPS would have scanned that. So she doesn't think it really even made it to the USPS. And the delivery date of 7/19 that the rep gave me... that was the ESTIMATED delivery date.
Now I have verification from the USPS that it wasn't received. Now maybe I can do something about it.
(I believe what happened is someone at Straight Talk swapped SIM cards. He probably sold my Micro SIM card to someone else who activated it and sent me the replacement SIM just so I would think there was a mixup or something.)

On am on my 3rd Optimus Q, the phone constantly makes calls, when in my belt pouch, on a table, doesnt matter. They have replaced it at the store, in the mail now on my 3rd replaement. Their service is B A D. Customer no service constantly says "thank you" "how can i help" but never fixed anything. I have not had my phone for a week now. They make you send the phone back before they will replace it! Will not take a credit card to guarantee that you are sending it they must have the phone first! They have had mine for 2 days now and still have not sent a replacement. DONT BUY A STARIGHT TALK PHONE you will regret it.. Carl

sprint per straighttalk shut off my daughters unlimited cellphone service
alleging overuse of data with no prior warning and only verbal accusations of
overuse of this unlimited plan and refuses to provide any records of their
accusations without a court order because (they) have shut phone off. They
will turn service back on only if i buy another phone, phone they turned off is
still in first year warranty. Accusations of chat lines was their verbal reason
why they shut off phone, they refuse to give any written reason. My daughter
denies she has ever talked on one or has any desire to and was anxious for phone records to disprove their allegations, only to find fine print at bottom of form they emailed, keep in my sprint/straighttalk turned phone off:( If
the telephone number for which you are seeking call detail records is
inactive, the only way you may obtain call detail records relating to
the inactive phone is through the service of a valid subpoena or Court
order requiring the production of your call detail records.) Quite convenient for them! BUYERS BEWARE! No justice for me or my
daughter, they take my money and run, they take her phone service away during
the deadliest heatwave in Indiana history, no proof of their accusations. Shame
on HEARTLESS straighttalk and sprint! TMOBILE $50 no contract phone smokes straighttalk poor and injustice service all the way. Phone quality with TMOBILE blows away straighttalk junk phones too. LIVE and LEARN.

Worst service, horrible customer support. I have been on the phone numerous times to these people and have spent 10 -20 hours trining to get straight answers from them and never can. I switched over my phone to them and have had nothing but problems and lies. First I was told that they use Verizon towers because Verizon is the only carrier that works in my area, that was a lie. After I received my phone I had poor reception and sometimes none at all. Called again and they said it depends on my phone. Tried to get an answer on what phone should I ge using and still never got an answer. The price is a great deal if you have the right area and phone I guess. It's been 4 months and still can't get answers. I switched three phones and spent $600 dollars on phones that are now door stops. I finally found the phone number for the US location and they were just as bad as the overseas people. Bye the way, the coverage map shows my location as getting great service.

Purchased Straight talk phone with the one month talk, text and web. I actually liked the service better than my old service provider for $55 less per month. I am in a major city, so only downside was limit of phone choice. Went to purchase an additional 3 months of service. Instead of going to Wal Mart online, I went to Straight Talk online. I was over charged like crazy. They charged an addtional 2.1% in sales taxes. I live in the county (no city taxes) and was charged 7% instead of teh 4.9 that would have been appropriate. My question, is if they pay the states, counties and cities based on what they sell by zip code, then what do they do with the over charges? I think there is some kind of law broken. Any attornies want to file a class action? I FOUND THE CARD CHEAPER ONLINE AT WALMART where they collected the appropriate taxes (4.9 local, and 1.7 Federal and E911). and it was $5 cheaper. STRAIGHT TALK would not refund the first charge to my credit card so I could get it from WalMart. NO REFUNDS EVER - so beware. I did negotiate an additional 7 days which was the $10 difference, but that is the best I could do. BEWARE on any renewal. Check the prices before you buy! In addition, I live in a state where no online purchase tax is due - so total from both WALMART online and STRAIGHT TALK online should have been 1.7% Federal.

Straighttalk is the worst. I purchased a 30 card. They shut my phone off and I had 202 minutes left. What is funny is how they say that when you call *611 it is a free call but how is it free and they are deducting the mintues from your usage. Then when you call *611 option 1 then 4 to check your balance they say it is a free text message but it isn't because they deduct the message from you usage as well. So they lie all the way around. I asked several reps is there something wrong with my phone,, is it defective or does it have a recall? They said "no'. Then all of a sudden months later they say your phone is defective. They are trying to tell me that the call timer on my phone doesn't work properly. Excuses, excuse. Has it that and I have the same phone that they are currently selling in the stores. A bunch of bs. They just want people to spend on a 45 card. They take your minutes and then blame it on the phone doesn't work. Then you get people that you can't understand and they don't understand you. Really! I truly think they have a warehouse outside of the states for their business. I wish I can file a class action suit because they are horrible. It is straighttalk, tracphone and net 10. Why would the government allow this to go on and the ftc is a big joke. If they need to save money get rid of them. Then what is funny they cut my service of two days prior to end date, and say oh you have to buy a new phone. If not then we will permenately deactivate your account. Ok! They have to be stopped. People put there hard earn money out there and pay for service and you don't get what you pay for. A bunch of mess. I will be investigating on how I can file a class action suit.

How can we (all of us complainting) initiate a class action lawsuit against straight talk.

Im tired and exhausted from dealing with straight talk and there lack of customer services reps. I understand that there reps are based overseas but that is no excuse to not care about customer satisfaction at all. I have reported it to the bbb. I have also called straight talk resulotion center at [protected] ext 3324, karen calderon at 305.715.3634 but it seems that no one cares. now I am without a phone and they have told me that there is absolutely no refund. what am I to do? this issue of illegal number transfer has become very prominate in my community and the surrounding areas. I have no ideal what to do about straight talk. I wish all of us could initiate a class action lawsuit against straight talk?

I purchased my first (and probably last) straight talk phone about a month ago. I then purchased a minutes and texts package that included 1000 minutes and 1000 texts. Since then, I have been receiving countless unsolicited promotional texts from CMT and NASCAR from Straight Talk. I have phoned straight talk several times and been told that the issue would stop within ten days of my complaints. Well, it's well over two weeks later and I am still getting these stupid texts that are wasting my 1000 texts. I am not happy! It's really annoying. I had posted a complaint on the board and someone from strait talk e-mailed me and said the same thing- the texts would stop after 10 days. Big lie! I was told by one of the reps that I would be given 300 free additional texts when I purchased my next package, but I don't know if it will actually happen. Partly because they haven't been reliable with their word so far and partly because I may not choose to use straig talk any longer. Come on people, can't you find a way to make these stupid texts stop? If you can't even do something this easy, why would I trust you with my service? I would appreciate some help from someone who can actually do something before I decide to cancel straight talk and tell everyone I know not to bother with them because of my experience.
Thank you,
Tina

I had purchased my cell phone back in November '11. I have been unable to download apps from the same zip code I entered for compatibility for this phone prior to purchase. After going through several tech help calls with straight talk the problem still remained.
It has been over three months and still it is not resolved. This company should be investigated for false claims that their product's
features can not all operate properly in certain zip codes. I definitely urge cell phone buyers avoid straight talk. Since it is too late to return my purchase for a refund I have learned a hard valuable lesson. Stay away from crooks like these.
RC.

In order fro Straighttalk to boost sales they do a number of thing (remember this is a product sold and owned partially by Walmart):
1) So that you cannot add new credit cards (ex: from a new bank or even update the expiration date on a card which is expiring soon-my card comes in same number, new expiration date and new CID # on back) their website is defective. The company calls this a "systems error", but the "error" does not get resolved. When speaking to customer service you will be told your credit card (and I also believe debit cards from others I have spoken to) will be "declined" and you will be told your "did not pay your bill" or there is something "wrong" with your finances. BUT, you will be offered to have your transaction go through if you buy a 3 month/6 month/year plan or auto renewel and they will work on this and you will have your service again. Funny, why would your new credit info not be useable when you wish to buy a plan month to month or a basic 30.00 plan, BUT if you purchase a multiple month plan or okay the auto renewal plan your new credit card can be used? Of course you have to speak to a customer service rep to do this and chances are you will not be understanding what they are say AND they will become condescending if you ask to have them repeat what they have said. Oh, by the way, try to stop the autorenewal and it doesn't...you are out the money until VISA or MCard deny the charges for you...usually takes about 3 months for VISA to get this resolved...if you use a debit card, contact your bank and have them deny further charges from Straighttalk, but I think this will come with a fee from your bank (check your banks policy, there have been instances of banks having to close a debit card, issue a new one...it's easier with a credit card though as there are usually safety nets for card purchases.) Hmmmmm, something fishy here.
2) On the internet when you go in anywhere from five to the day before your plan expires and try to buy a new plan, there is another "error" that happens. Your expiration date not change to a new expiration date, so when your expiration date comes you have to purchase another span of service...and you will not be refunded. This will be blamed on you (happens intermittently so as to make people have an "accident" buying a new service period. You will not have a refund issued by the "refund specialist" at Straighttalk. I believe "refund specialist" is a hilarious term when it comes to Straighttalk as there is no such thing...refund specialist means a person who makes sure you can't get a refund you are due, lol. BEWARE of this practice of theirs, it is done intermittently and is a way to nickel and dime customers and a fraudulent practice.
3) Since they practice the fraud mentioned in 2, your phone will be turned off during your last service plan day and definately at 12:00 midnight on the day after your plan ends...try renewing your plan then, lol...you will be your credit card company is declining you, BUT they will fix things if you wish to okay autorenewal or buy a more expensive and longer plan.
4) The company makes sure they get what they want/not what you have paid for, by outsourcing their customer service to countries where English may be taught, but not understood. I actually was told by customer service when I kept saying I could not understand (and I used to teach ESL and have a good ear for accents and nuances in others' language) to turn up the volume on my phone, lollollol...when I tried to explain the difference in hearing and understanding, the rep certainly did not understand. The outcome is we will upsell you and if you don't buy the upsell, we will make sure you don't have service.
5) Many of the Straighttalk Tracfones (and that is what they are, Tracfone) are defective. There is no refund for lost service time and to return is a hassle...and if the average three months it takes to receive a new phone from them keeps on going, you are still paying your autorenewal plan. Oh, by the way, Walmart does not stand behind any Straighttalk product or service card...you are out the money, lol. Sp, please keep an eye on your credit card statements by checking your purchases through the internet/or if bank card purchases check your accounts daily.
6) Straighttalk preys on poorer people and seniors whom are trying to make it on their Social Security. This company is NOT a company that is offering a legitimate service. PLEASE, if you are looking for a prepay plan look into your local companies or a US based company whom does not outsource. Straighttalk is a scam, it is not a service.

I purchased a new Straight Talk cell phone on teir website straighttalk.com. On January 09, 2012 I received the phone package. I tried to start charging the phone and discovered that the WRONG battery had been placed in the package. Then starts the "customer service" nightmare. I had to talk to several of the so called customer service reps to finally get them to understand that I DID know how to install the battery, but they sent the WRONG battery and that's why I couldn't install it, it didn't fit. Then we have to go through the long ordeal of what we are going to do about it. First they wanted me to PAY to send back the phone. I told them point blank, no, that's not going to happen. I asked them to send me the correct battery and then I would return the wrong battery that I had. No go. Many more customer service reps, two days, and several phone calls later, supposedly they are sending me a battery. We shall see. If I hadn't already purchased the "pay as you go time card" that is non-refundable, I would just go with a different carrier. When the time is up on this time card, I will be doing that. This company is "out sourced". I could understand only a few of the reps I spoke with. The one that finally helped me was in South America. I can't say enough about how horrible dealing with straight talk customer service is. Walmart is supposed to be a "made in America" type company. At least it was when Sam Walton was running it. Now it's a "made by enemies of the USA" type company. When we shop there I now feel like I am supporting American enemies. So, good bye straight talk, good bye Walmart. I will start looking hard at who is making the products I buy and especially where the customer service is located.

I have been a customer of Straight Talk for about 2 yrs.
They post online offers...The only thing is, if you take advantage of the offers such as buy a service card get a free phone.They then put you on there BLACK LIST ...Which is directly out of the mouths of 3 separate employees of there's.
One would think that they would be glad that you are buying there products let alone giving them to people that are continuing to use there service.
That where not customers of there's before
Instead they put you on there Black List
They don't post any limits on these purchases So what kind of business practice is that other then a stupid one?
When you try and get customer service you get nothing but the run around handed off from one person to the next.Some that can't even speak English! Oh silly me...thinking that they might be able to communicate with you.Never getting anyone that can or will give you an answer
The phone service is fine but the customer service is...lets just say VERY LACKING at best
I guess in the end...you get what you pay for!

I purchased a $100 touch screen phone package from Wal-Mart along with a $45 unlimited service card. The cell phone was defective and I called Customer Service several times to get help. I finally was supposedly going to be sent a new phone and compensation minutes for those I purchased but was unable to use. This new package was to be sent to my address upon sending in my old defective phone, with the charger and battery. I followed the directions: I was sent a Fed Ex pre-paid envelope with the Straight Talk address where defective phones were sent. I sent the phone, charger and battery and waited three weeks. After not having received the new phone and phone card, I called for the fifth time to ask Customer Service about the phone. They then told me that my phone number did not exist and that they had no orders to send me compensation for their defective product. The supervisor then assumed I was lying about the whole ordeal and I am currently trying to have the recorded phone calls subpoenaed to prove that I was sold a defective product, then lied to about the replacement, as well as the treatment I received when I called for help. I will NEVER use Straight Talk again!

Loaded a $45 unlimited card with minutes and the phone broke and locked up. Called Straight Talk, they sent envelop to return phone saying it would be replaced and my minutes put on the new replacement. Received phone. It was working, then on 4/4/10 had no service, Should have had service till 16th of April. Lady reactivated the phone after seeing all the problems with 1st phone. Then today spoke with a Nicole who wanted the SN# of 1st phone, and do not have that info, Straight Talk has the phone. Nicole was rude and would not reactivate the phone saying from the first install of minutes it had exceeded the 30 day limit. I will contact a supervisor on 4/6/10.

On August 23, 2011 we bought a Samsung R451C phone from Walmart Straight Talk. The phone would never activate. It was bought for our daughter who is no kid. She tried numerous times along with her husband to get it to work. Called the service number and did everything they told them to do. Nothing. We finally bring the phone home and start trying to deal with it. I started with an email to customer service on October 10th, 2011. They sent me an email with instructions of dialing *22890 which didn't work. Then I called them. After having me do numerous things, including reprogramming the phone, it still didn't work. They were then going to turn it over to their tech guys and I had to call back the next day because they were closed then. Each time, I went through the same crap I did the first time. Am switched to another person and finally they tell me they are going to send a new phone and I have to send the old one back. I was also told that they would credit back all the minutes that we had been unable to use since the phone never worked. This was now October 14th. You would assume that the new phone would then be on its way, but it wasn't. What came was the bag to return the old phone. After another conversation about that, I found out that Fed-Ex has to let them know that they have the old phone. Oh and the bag is sent in a box and is sent 2-3 day arrival via Fed-Ex. The old phone goes back overnight. Then after they have the old phone, only then will they send the new phone, which is not sent overnight but by 2-3 day standard Fed-Ex. I finally get the phone on October 27th and am told that I have to go to the area code where the phone will be used in order to activate it, which is 25 miles away and I will have to call them about the minutes. I get the thing activated October 30th at 8:00 in the evening. Call them on Monday to see about the minutes and am told that I have minutes through Nov 10, which makes no sense since we never used anything. Until October 30th, we didn't even have a phone number for the phone because it wouldn't activate. I explained several times that this was not right on the minutes and we should have minutes to at least November 29th for full credit. She said it had been activated on October 10th and they would give me fourteen more days (I guess because of shipping involved). I explained that October 10th activation didn't do me a damn bit of good since we didn't have a working phone. I asked for a supervisor and to be transferred to someone in the United States as every one of these calls were to the Phillipines. I was told she could transfer me but there was no guarantee that we would get someone in the US, that all the service centers were in Asia. I finally had to get pretty irate and told her there would be hell to pay from the top to the bottom if I ddin't get minutes to November 29th. She finally gave in and told me she would extend the minutes to November 29th. I think that's the last time we'll deal with Straight Talk again. It's pretty sad that you get stuck talking to someone in Asia and can't even talk to an American citizen.

I am pretty tolerant of problems, so this isn't a total pan. BUT, the overall tone and feel of Straight Talk Wireless is a good deal less than
polished and professional. It is endless frustration to get to speak to a real live human via telephone. Their 411 service can't even find itself.
The squawky, talky tone of the 411 service (if you can call it that) is embarrassing, annoying and inaccurate. Many times the computer, which must
have been a bargain basement affair stolen from some old Bell labs, gets totally mixed up as to which category of listing it is searching for, and
misses the mark so frequently it is a blood pressure hazard to the user.
In this modern computer age, few things garner the title of "Stupid", but this is one of them. It would have been far, far better to set up a clean, modern
411 system with human backup available 24/7 and charge another 2 or 3 bucks per month than to put customers through this awful mess. BUT, it does
seem to be getting better by degree.
Replacement of stolen or lost phones needs a complete streamline., Saving a little money shouldn't be this painful.

I have NEVER been given such a ridiculous run around by so-called "customer service" in my life. I have a Samsung telephone purchased through Straight Talk that has not worked correctly since I first bought it. (microphone seems to be defective, People I talk to say they cannot hear me unless I am using a hands free headset, then I am loud and clear so, the phone works, but it is extremely inconvenient to only be able to use it with a head set) Samsung requires that this be handled through my service provider. Straight Talk's "policy" is to only replace a defective phone AFTER I send away my phone for up to 2 weeks and is clearly designed to hurt the customer in the hopes that they won't actually have to do anything. This policy potentially puts the customer's LIVES in jeopardy. My cell phone is my only phone. I live in the country not near ANY other phone service. Their policy would require me to be in a position whereby I would be unable to dial 911 in the case of an emergency for 2 weeks, not to mention the inconvenience of doing without communication AND losing prepaid airtime during those 2 weeks. I offered to pay for the replacement to be reimbursed when I return the defective phone...seems logical and puts me in more jeopardy than your company, despite the fact that the phone is defective through no fault of my own. The fact that they would not agree to this demonstrates that the policy is designed to hurt customers. I understand that this is a "discount service" and I am not expecting the high level of care that I would expect from Verizon or AT&T, but I still expect a level of basic logic, fairness, and decency that seems to be void at this company.
I spoke to every level of representative I could get on the phone at your company and all said "we have to follow rules given to us by the company". If I talked to the highest manager I could and was STILL told that he was just following "rules" then who makes the rules? Why can't I talk to that person? Your rules are bad and need to be changed. A friend who called Straight Talk later (when I explained what had happened to me) was able to get the phone number of a person in the corporate office, who then did not answer the call. All after going through rep after rep, loudly demanding to speak to someone higher up in policy making, and being on hold for over an hour.
I have looked at consumer complaint boards and discovered that I am definitely not the only one complaining about this incredibly ridiculous policy. As Straight Talk presumably has thousands of customers this bad policy potentially hurts many consumers, I would appreciate GMA's help in spotlighting a hurtful policy.