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I had thought about using my existing phone with all the add-ons but my phone will no longer be receiving any updates as of january 2027, so I just went with a new one. I’ve never had any major problems with tracfone, like how I’ve read in some reviews but if there was any question, customer support has always been helpful. just takes a little patience, it usually works out in the end.
I have used Tracfone for years and rarely have issues. The last year or so I had better luck using the app than the website. It hadn’t worked as it should for awhile.
I was having trouble logging into the app and the website and I realized I had not updated my password for a long time and since the changeover so I did that through the app and that seemed to fix a lot. I was able to log into the website without a problem since then.
I usually buy a new phone every two years but get the years service deal by adding a $10 add on card to the cart and the cheap year of service [$50 I think] is in the cart if you check the box to add it on the website and it updates quickly by turning the phone completely off then back on after the purchase.
I also buy extra data and had trouble adding it on the site so I text 611611 and type ADD and they reply to ask if you want to add to the phone you are texting from and I reply yes then it will ask for the card number.As soon as I text it back the data or minutes, etc are added instantly. I always turn the phone off and back on to allow it to update.
I think my old insecure password was preventing me from logging in.no issues since I updated it.
I had to cancel my first order due to delays in shipping as they over sold & did not guarantee I’d get the phone & would cancel order on HSN’s end by early Nov. I chose another color. Put it and warranty in my order page. But noticed the 23 reviews where 19 are 1 star, and two others 2 star. Only one 5 star & one 4 star. I did some investigation on my own. Do a deep dive internet search how to fix this from your caught in the middle customer position. There are several ph#’s for corporate offices in Florida where you can usually talk to a REAL english speaking human being. I also noticed asking for a supervisor at the regular # given doesn’t result in one. If at first your phone doesn’t load properly then immediately conact the Florida Headquarters to fix it. As far as HSN charging people to return these phones they should be ashamed as they basically arrive broken or non-operative as sold therefore they need to pay return shipping and no fee or return charges to the buyer. Clearly HSN needs to have the situation under control. I am going to attempt to buy the second one today. I live where cell phone coverage is iffy but we use when we travel and todays world often requires a cell # even if you never have it turned on so it’s value for specials are moot. PEOPLE be your own best advocate. Educate and Deep Internet Dive for the info you need. As to the warranty the links on HSN for 3 items for over 3 weeks has not worked. They give you a message sorry that information is not available. So I argued with a live CHAT today about that. (I’ve had 3 Samsung phones die due to bad battery issues. One a 1K purchase the other two HSN deals so not as high ended. I like Samsung phones & would buy an expensive one again but watching it split apart due to swelling battery? No thanks. Then two more phones die one 7 months old and another just 1 year. I decided to pick up the warranty package so a new battery would be covered when it happens again. As in not if it happens but WHEN due to the track record Samsung’s poor judgement is not fixing. Shame on them. But HSN also needs to have the information on the links for coverage info too. HSN? What’s going on. We know you are financial problems but reputation over this kind of thing does add up. People shopping sees these problems and they decline to buy then. No one has money OR TIME these days to waste. (I’m retired so I have a wee bit more time. My husband retired is not computer savy enough to even order anything on your site. Your average customer base is older people not younger. Meet them where it matters most. Advertise a product then stand behind what you claim..with this phone make sure in advance of any sales it’ll function just as described when they get it. And don’t charge return fees if you FAIL to provide. Your repsonsiblity to make sure Tracfone’s part in advance is working and on board for smooth transition too. NOT the buyer who is caught in the middle.
HSN reps, it’s easy for you to say “Call Tracfone Customer Service,” but that doesn’t always work. First of all, they’re not in the U.S. and their accents make them very hard to understand. On their side, they don’t always understand our issues (and maybe our accents make us hard to understand, too). I have to say, the last time I purchased an additional year of service, they didn’t acknowledge it, it didn’t extend my service date on my phone, but in the end my new service date did appear on the last day of my current date. So all in all, it worked out, but I still get warning notes to purchase more time or my service will end in July 2027. So things just don’t work as smoothly as they did before Verizon bought them out.
The Tracfone website is a nightmare IF you can sign yourself in. Most of the time it acknowledges my email sign-in or my phone number, but churns and churns and won’t let me enter my password. You would think Verizon would clean up the website, announce that they own Tracfone and show us what good customer service is. But no, they’ve done nothing with the website. I’ve given up trying to extend service or purchase texts on their site. It’s easier to go through Walmart, and hopefully I’d at least have Walmart on my side if anything went wrong.
The HSN hosts can rave all they want about Tracfone, how easy it is to add texts, how big the phones are, etc. But I wanted a smaller phone, so last year purchased a small iPhone on their website — obviously before the website became so inactive, because the purchase went through and I did receive it. But if I didn’t use Walmart to extend my service date, plus purchase texts and data, I’d probably have to start over with another provider. Tracfone doesn’t care about their customers, and obviously HSN and QVC don’t, either. (I wonder how many TV shopping hosts even have a Tracfone!) I’m holding out for as long as I can, but I would never recommend Tracfone to anyone.
Moderator- 07.12.26 2:37 PM
I’m sorry Tracfone has not been helpful with your service. We would contact them if we had the option to do so, but we don’t. Our Tracfone packages come with a separate activation for our promotional offers to obtain the minutes/texts/data. The promotional packages are usually added to the device outside the regular Tracfone agents. If you are having trouble attempting to “re-up” and add more service credit I would advise calling Tracfone and if the agent cannot help, request a supervisor if available. Hopefully they are able to help.
Many of us who purchased the Samsung A17 special on QVC recently had a horrible time getting the 4500/4500/4.5 package added. QVC was of little help to us. Weird seeing another package being added to a Tracfone without resolution of the other problem.
Posted in Forum: ElectronicsI have purchased multiple Tracfone phones from your sister channel QVC, and have been generally happy with them and their service. This past May 2026 I was able to purchase on the Tracfone website a year extension on my service plus an additional 1K of data. But now their website is non-responsive, and I cannot get to the point where I can put in my password and view my account. That means I cannot confirm my current usage; I cannot confirm that my current service will be extended past its current expiration date in July, based on the additional service I purchased in May 2026.
I have read online that Verizon recently purchased Tracfone and has been having trouble incorporating Tracfone into their business. But that’s not a reason why Tracfone customers should suffer. I think QVC and HSN should both respresent their customers to Tracfone management and get this resolved ASAP.
if you’re a light user, tracfone has a decent add-on that we often use. $10 for 8 hours and twenty minutes of talk time, provided that your phone still has service time. this talk time does in fact rollover.
Frustrated there are new tracfone offers. I’ve purchased new ones for years but will finally have to bite the bullet and add time to my a16. Definitely missing those HSN deals.
I have owned many Tracfones purchased through HSN and never seen any of them say they offer unlimited data. Unlimited data for a year + a new cellphone for that low of a price would be one heck of a deal! The 1-year service (365 days) just means that you get that long to use your 1500 Min/Text/Data that comes on the phone. For some that’s plenty of minutes for an entire year. But once the 1500 minutes run out more data has to be added to the phone.
- Moderator
- 01.05.25 7:56 PM
Yes, @lucy822, each order should contain a red activation card. The instructions are as follows:
To Activate follow the steps below:
Open your phone package.
Find the Red Activation Card that says START HERE, you will need your phone’s Serial Number which is written inside the white box as it is required for activation.
You do not need to provide a Service Plan PIN during Activation. Your initial Service Plan PIN comes bundled with your phone and will be automatically added during the activation process.
Go to Activate.Tracfone.com or call this exclusive number, 1-800-816-0663.
If you are a current Tracfone customer upgrading to a new phone, you will be able to transfer your service and airtime balance to your new phone. (Safelink customers cannot upgrade or transfer service to this phone)
I have had Tracfone for years. No problems with adding minutes. The 1500 number is for minutes. You should have received an additional 1500 minutes for text and so on. Again, take a look at the plans and choose what is best for you. Remember, when you use Wifi, the minutes do not work against you. So add your wifi to your new phone and when out and about, ask if they have a guest server for wifi.. Just before your year is up you will be notified to add the minutes. Anything not used will automatically be added to the following year. If you remember to use your phone with wifi, you will not be using the minutes given to you.
Posted in Forum: ElectronicsI purchased Blu Tracfone unlimited “ talk/text/data on May 1, 2024, received May 7, 2024, supposedly good for one year. Hyped by host and rep. from Tracfone. Turns out data was not unlimited. Fine. Added at extra cost to me. Yesterday, July 7, phone cut off in middle of conversation. Tracfone says my plan is 1500/ talk/text. NOT what they said when I activated.
Have contacted HSN “sorry for your disappointment with your order, cannot issue replacement/refund because beyond 30 days”, contacted Tracfone: “Your plan is 1500 talk/text.
DO NOT EVER BELIEVE HSN WHEN DEALING WITH OUTSIDE VENDOR. I’ve ordered thousands of dollars worth of products from HSN/QVC. Have never been so deceived with no recourse. Never ever ordering anything from HSN again.
Dec. 3 2024 New Galaxy Phone & bundle arrives. I spent 6 hours one Sunday with my Daughter trying to get it activated. Then an additional hour three more times, THAT IS 9 HOURS.
Still will not accept the bundle part of the phone activation.
This is outrageous. Tracfone says no plan associated with the phone. Activation website will not work. HSN was no help. Tracfone is no help. THIS IS A TRUE NIGHTMARE !!!
I have absolutely no choice but to SEND IT BACK
Posted in Forum: ElectronicsLast October, I purchased a Tracfone Samsung Galaxy A13 5G 6.5″ HD+ w/1500 Min./Text/Data/365 Days from your company. It was Item 802-380, and I paid $139.99.
My Order# was XXXXXXXXX
I purchased this item because the biggest feature was that I didn’t have to activate the item for a year or more.
Unfortunately, I tried to activate the item, and it didn’t work. The problem is that the phone doesn’t work, and I need the phone because my wife and I are in our 80s and I need to have a phone with us when we’re away from home, in case we need help. I spent about 4 hours on my home phone with Tracfone this week, and they weren’t able to help me, and I did some research and found out that what happened to me is happening to hundreds of people, and many of those people are complaining to higher authorities.
Obviously, there’s a valid reason why I didn’t return this item in 60 days. By copy of this letter, I’m requesting that you refund my money. If you want me to return the defective cellphone to you, your technicians can prove that the item is defective.
If you need any additional information, please call me or email me. My contact information is provided below.
Regards,
Fideauxdon