Complaints

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:04/14/2025

  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.

  Why can't Pure Talk provide a different area code upon request when we change to a new phone?

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/18/2025

  Dear Mr. ******************* understand your frustration at not being able to get a new phone number with your desired area code. When you request a new number, our system automatically generates one based on the ZIP code and market area associated with your initial activation. Unfortunately, this process doesn't allow us to manually assign numbers with specific area codes.
  
  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this limitation may cause. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our **************** team by dialing 611 from your PureTalk device or calling **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/09/2025

  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.

  As a customer of ********************** I would like to say you are a scam service. If you are in any way veteran related you should be ashamed of your actions. Poor customer service. Unable to access website. Unable to make any changes to the service without waiting on the phone through painful chatter of ineptitude. Your agent lie to collect money and then state there is nothing they can do. Hundreds of cell providers and you all are the bottom of the barrel.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/14/2025

  Dear Mr. ******************* accept our sincere apologies for the unsatisfactory experience you encountered with PureTalk. We understand the frustration that can arise when our services do not meet your expectations.
  
  If you are experiencing difficulties accessing our website, we recommend attempting to clear your web browser's cache.Alternatively, you may try accessing the site using a different browser. Should you be unable to access your online portal, please utilize the "Forgot Password" option available on the login page.
  
  Upon review of your account, we noted that your service was temporarily disconnected on March 20, 2025, due to non-receipt of your monthly payment within the stipulated 7-day period following your bill date. We can confirm that payment was subsequently processed on April 9, 2025,and your service has since been restored.
  
  Should you have any further inquiries or concerns,please do not hesitate to contact our Support Team. They are readily available through our contact form at ******************************************************* via live chat on our social media platforms: ********* Instagram, and X (Twitter).
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk 
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/15/2025

   
  Complaint: 23183493
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  It does not address the poor customer service nor does it address their deceptive practices. Its easy to tell me to just turn it off and back on. This is 2025. These excuses and flat reasoning is why no one has confidence in America. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/20/2025

  Type:Product 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.

  Dear ***************** you are one the CEO of PureTalk, I am writing to you in order to seek help. I placed an order last November 2024, I had difficulty activating the phone, I then decided to call and cancel the order and ask for my refund, the representative told me that there was a 60-day money back guarantee. I was given a label, to return it, but your company never refunded me the money ($266). When I called to inquire about my refund, I was told that the phone was locked and they needed a pin number to unlock the phone, I called so many times and they still claimed that they needed the pin I created. After so many calls/attempts, the phone was sent back. The company told me I had to unlock the phone. Finally, my son was able to unlock the phone, the passcode had been the same Account Pin that ********************** gave me. My son had the intelligence to try the account pin that was given to me by your company, and which I do not recall using as a passcode), I sent the phone back to your company, but I still haven't gotten my money back, not even the money for the cell service that I did not use.Would you please be so kind as to refund me my money? This has been one of the worst customer service experiences of my life. We haven't even gotten our money back for this purchase, even though we were told there was a 60-day refund period, we sent it back in that time frame, and any delay was the fault of your company, not ours.I just want to put this all behind me, but I can't do that without getting my refund first. Please do what's right and honor your company's money back guarantee. Thank you in advance.The statement above is the truth to the best of my knowledge.****** *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/24/2025

  
  Dear Ms. **************** sincerely apologize for the difficulties you experienced with your phone return. We understand how frustrating this situation has been.
  
  To ensure a smooth return process, our policy requires all personal data to be erased and security features, including activation locks, to be disabled. This is outlined in our return policy, which you can view at ****************************************************.
  
  We've confirmed that your unlocked phone was received and inspected by our warehouse on March 6, 2025. Due to the initial transaction being beyond the standard 30-day return window, a manual refund request was submitted on March 20, 2025.
  
  We are actively processing your refund and anticipate it will be completed within 14 business days.
  
  If you have any further questions or require immediate assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our **************** team at **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk
  
  
  Cc:Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)
  Dear Ms. **************** sincerely apologize for the difficulties you experienced with your phone return. We understand how frustrating this situation has been.
  
  To ensure a smooth return process, our policy requires all personal data to be erased and security features, including activation locks, to be disabled. This is outlined in our return policy, which you can view at ****************************************************.
  
  We've confirmed that your unlocked phone was received and inspected by our warehouse on March 6, 2025. Due to the initial transaction being beyond the standard 30-day return window, a manual refund request was submitted on March 20, 2025.
  
  We are actively processing your refund and anticipate it will be completed within 14 business days.
  
  If you have any further questions or require immediate assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our **************** team at **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk
  
  
  Cc:Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/24/2025

   
  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.

  P.S. When we signed up for the service, we were told that we had 60 days to get a refund, not 30 days. Also, we never got past the activation phase, and thus, never used the service, yet we were not even refunded the money for the service. We are also not sure how the passcode got on the phone, as we never use passcodes, and as I said, I never finished activation and would have no reason to add a passcode. Also, seeing as how the passcode turned out to be the same as the account pin given me by **********************, it's possible that the passcode was added automatically, but we had no knowledge of this. Just to clarify the amount owed is $200.66. Thank you for your help.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/12/2025

  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.

  Ordered a phone and service on Feb 23, 2025. Waited a couple days for tracking (Seeing that they force ***** 2day). Called to find out why I havent got tracking info, and was told loss prevention needs proof of address. Quickly sent Id and bank statement. But never got any response (Feb 28th). Called a few days later on march 5th and was told order got cancelled and they never received images, they also said it would take 5 days to refund money. I then placed a separate order and was immediately asked again to send these sensitive items again. I sent the images again, and the same holdup happened. Had to spent about 6 hours talking to some very disturbing agents before I got a professional on the line. He found the email and opened the images, then sent them to loss prevention. Who apparently thinks every customer is a POS scammer, and does not possess the ability to retrieve images of document that they requested. Seems like a flagging operation, or even worse a boiler room

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/17/2025

  Dear Mr. ********************* sincerely apologize for the difficulties you encountered with your recent orders. We understand the frustration and inconvenience this has caused.
  
  A full refund of $93.10 was processed for your first order on March 11, 2025. Your submitted verification documents for your second order have been successfully processed and approved. Your order has been shipped via ****** tracking number ************, with an estimated delivery date of March 14, 2025.
  
  Upon receipt of your order, you may initiate the activation and transfer process by visiting *****************************************************  or by contacting our **************************** To facilitate a seamless transfer, please ensure you have the following information readily available:account number, transfer PIN, account holder's name, and billing address on file with your current carrier. The transfer process typically takes between 1-72 business hours to complete. Please do not cancel your service with your current carrier until the transfer has been completed.
  
  Should you require further assistance or have any additional inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact our *************************** at 611 from your PureTalk device or by dialing **************.  
  
  Kind regards, 
  
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/10/2025

  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.

  They cant tell me the status of my refund and no one ever contacts me Back

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/14/2025

  Dear Ms. *************** sincerely apologize for the delay in your second refund. A manual refund of $92.86 was processed to your payment card on March 19, 2025. You should see this reflected in your bank statement within 3-5 business days. We understand this delay is frustrating, and we appreciate your patience.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, contact our *************************** at **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk 
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/03/2025

  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.

  This is my last resort, I had no choice but to contact BBB after reading online complaints and problems just like my situation. I have listed an alternative phone number.PureTalk refuses to offer customer service to this paying customer (I pay with autodraft). I have had this account for three-months starting in 2024.They will not answer phone calls, answer emails, and will not accept email. They do not answer alternative phone numbers listed on the internet. Their website's support page does not provide relevant questions for support for basic cellular related questions. Before I was a customer, I called from a land line and they answered my calls almost immediately, and were the nicest professionals. Three months after becoming a customer, they refuse to answer calls, provide customer service, or return my phone call. Based on radio advertising (****, **** and ***** ETC), I had planned to move our entire company to PureTalk, with a large account. I'm glad I DID NOT move the account.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2025

  Dear Mr. ************************************ sincerely apologizes for the difficulty you have experienced in contacting our support teams via phone and email. We are committed to providing responsive customer support and regret any inconvenience this has caused. Our **************** team remains accessible at **************. You can also dial 611 from your PureTalk phone.
  
  You may also utilize our Contact Form at **********************************************. We will send a direct message to your email address on file to promptly address your concerns.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2025

  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.

  I was charged 3 times for one order and told it would take 4 to 7 business days for refund. I contacted support after a week and was told 14 business days. I'm seeking the refund of $234.92.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/31/2025

  Dear Mr. *************** We sincerely apologize for the multiple charges you received for your recent order. We understand how frustrating and concerning this can be, and we deeply regret the error. To correct this, we've processed full refunds for the duplicate charges. You should see refunds of $79.00, $78.46, and $78.46 credited to your original payment card on March 3rd, 2025.
  
  Bank processing times vary, but typically these refunds will appear on your statement within 3-5 business days. We recommend checking your online banking or contacting your bank directly if you don't see the refunds within that timeframe.
  
  If you have any further questions or require immediate assistance, please don't hesitate to call our **************** team at **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2025

  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.

  Puretalk force charge my credit card after the company said they are disconnecting my line. My credit card info was not updated for them to force charge my card. Disconnection is not the same as suspension of the line. However, customer service is saying they suspended the line so they can still force charge me. This if fraud as the line is not being used and you do not have my new credit card information. Why send an email with payment issue and say my line is not going to work if you can just go and force charge the card anyways. That means you had no issue with charging me in the first place so payment issue email is also false.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2025

  Dear Mr. ******************** understand your frustration regarding the line suspension and the associated billing. We apologize for any confusion caused by our previous communication.
  
  To clarify, while a line is suspended, monthly payments are still required to maintain the account and ensure the service can be reactivated. This is in accordance with our terms of service, which also stipulate that we do not offer refunds for unused service.
  
  We have confirmed that your line was permanently disconnected on February 27, 2025. Consequently, you will no longer receive monthly bills from PureTalk.
  
  We value your understanding and regret any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our *************************** at **************. 
  
  Kind regards, 
  
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2025

  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.

  I placed an order on ******* they stated the refund was expedited yet its not in my account

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/03/2025

  Dear Ms. *************** have reviewed your account and confirmed that a refund of $92.86 was successfully processed to your payment card on February 27, 2025.
  
  However, we encountered a technical issue that prevented the electronic processing of the second refund. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
  
  To rectify this, a physical check for the remaining refund amount will be mailed to your address currently on file.
  
  Should you require further clarification or have any additional inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact our *************************** at **************. Thank you for your understanding.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/12/2025

   

  They still havent sent me a check and they have. No status 

  
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/20/2025

  
  Dear Ms. *************** sincerely apologize for the delay in your second refund. A manual refund of $92.86 was processed to your payment card on March 19, 2025. You should see this reflected in your bank statement within 3-5 business days.
  
  We understand this delay is frustrating, and we appreciate your patience. If you have any further questions or concerns please contact our *************************** at **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk 
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2025

  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 Feb 8 2025, I contacted PureTalk about switching our cell phone service to them. On their coverage map, it clearly has us covered with service in the area where we live. I confirmed this with the person I spoke with on the phone. The website also states that there is a 30 day money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with their service or coverage, you can receive a full refund for the amount you paid. So I figured I had nothing to lose and would give the service a try. We opted to get free phones through PureTalk and sign a contract with them. The money back guarantee did not say anything about opting out of the guarantee if you sign a contract. We received our phones on Thursday, Feb 13 2025. We installed the sim cards, and attempted to port our phone numbers out to our new phones. For several hours, nothing happened. We could only read the message "Your phone is not connected to a wireless network". I gave PureTalk a call. A service *** told me that there may be a tower down in our area, to give it a day or two and we should have service. A couple of days passed, no service. We called them back. After a lot of back and forth and promises the service would work in a day or two, we decided this wasn't working for us. So I called them on February 17th, told them we wanted to receive a refund and cancel our service. I was told we would receive a refund, and must have the phones in the mail, postmarked no later than 2 weeks after we received them. I ordered sim cards from another provider and had to wait for them to get to us before sending the phones back. I received the new sim cards on Feb. 22, and attempted to port our numbers out of PureTalk into our old phones so we could send the new ones back. They have been stalling porting our numbers out, and have now told us we must pay $1300 for the 2 phones or they will put us in "pre-collections", and are threatening to auto withdraw the money from our checking account because we are in breach of contract.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/03/2025

  Dear Mr. *********************** accept our sincere apologies for the unsatisfactory customer service experience you encountered and for the technical issues you experienced with your device.
  
  To be eligible for a refund under our Money Back Guarantee, service cancellation must occur before your next billing date or before exceeding 500 minutes of talk or 500MB of data usage, whichever occurs first. Please note that the Money Back Guarantee does not apply to device purchases.
  
  If you acquired your device through our Instant Phone Discount program, cancellation of service before the completion of the 36-month conditional sale agreement will necessitate the payment of any remaining outstanding balance. A copy of your sales agreement was provided to you via email at the time of purchase for your reference.
  
  We have confirmed that your phone numbers were successfully ported to your new carrier on February 25, 2025. Upon receipt of your returned device(s), an inspection and testing process will be conducted.Upon approval, a refund will be processed to your original payment card.
  
  Should you require further clarification or have any additional inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact our *************************** at **************.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  PureTalk 
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/10/2025

   
  Complaint: 22993131
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I still have not received a refund on the $122.00 that I spent on one month's service, although I never RECEIVED any service at all, so I know for a fact that I never used 500MB of data or 500 minutes of talk time. I also spent $28.00 to send the phones back that we never were able to use. Never mind the hours and hours I spent on my home phone attempting to get in touch with customer service, which was largely a waste of time. Yes, the company did finally port my wife's number out to our new service provider. I feel they were stalling until the very last minute so that we could not get the phones sent back within a 2 week window, which, despite what is written in their response, is what I was told by at least 2 different customer service representatives... that we could send the phones back within a 2 week window of receiving them, as long as they had no damage and were wiped clean of all passwords and data, and not be charged for the phones. We have not been charged for the phones as of yet, but after witnessing some of this company's tactics, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to charge us for them after this complaint is settled. I have already alerted my bank to deny any further charges from PureTalk. I am not satisfied with this outcome. I feel I deserve a full refund. I wanted this arrangement to work. I wanted to support an American-owned and operated company, that says they support military veterans and I was willing to pay a premium for that kind of service, over what I had been paying in the past for wireless service. However, their "coverage map" clearly had us fully covered in our area. That was misleading, as we could not receive service at all here. I am now convinced that this company uses misleading marketing and sneaky tactics to scam customers. I should have looked into them further and read some of the horrid reviews online before signing up with them. ****** learned. Don't trust something just because famous people that you trust advertise their service.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/14/2025

  Dear Mr. *************************** inspection, the returned device associated with your line ending 0608 was deemed ineligible for a refund due to visible scratches on the screen. Consequently, the device is being returned to you via ***** tracking number 9439411105503988897116.
  
  Please be advised that the outstanding balance for this device must be paid in full to avoid further action. Failure to remit payment will result in the account being referred to a collection agency and the device being blocked from network use.
  
  To submit a payment, please get in touch with our *************************** at **************.
  
  We are pleased to confirm that the returned device associated with your line ending 3015 was approved for a refund. A refund of $52.98 was processed on March 11, 2025. Please allow 3-5 business days for the refund to appear on your bank statement.
  
  Kind regards, 
  
  PureTalk
  
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)