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Business Profile

Cell Phone Supplies

Safelink Wireless

Headquarters

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Cell Phone Supplies.

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Safelink Wireless's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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Safelink Wireless has 4 locations, listed below.

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 824 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 164 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    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.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/21/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising 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.
      SafeLink wirless said they can do nothing to resolve since I bought the plan they advertised on their website. Even telling customers via website and by texting the word cash to ******. I received a yellow $20 unlimited data plan coupon with *** code to show the local ***** Speedway store to added the funds to my phone number. The Speedway worker added the *** code but had a bit of trouble scanning the *** code SafeLink Wireless provided. I added this plan what I thought was the unlimited data plan for $20 on 6/20/2025. After speaking with a SafeLink *** by phone today I was not able to resolve this issue. I do not think Speedway would refund the $22 and change I had paid for this SafeLink service that was entirely different than what I thought was the correct plan added to my number. I added the plan by text. The *** on 6/20/2025, when I had added the PIN on the receipt by texting ****** and word "Add". The plan I was told already was the unlimited plan. I dont know why ******* gives the option to pay cash at a local store they show on their website search menu after requesting the plan to pay it in cash. Then the plan you choose at the local store in their service network adds the wrong plan. It surprises me ******* cant do anything. Since it is a ******* service I added. I really am thinking about going with a different provider down the road. I tried to reach **************************** but the number has been unavailable . Their service and phone has been more reliable than Assurance Wireless my old provider. And ******* phones seem to last a bit longer than previous provider. It would be great if ******* could simply credit me with what I thought was the unlimited $20 data plan. I feel like I wasted money on something I didnt really need since it wasn't the product I thought I had purchased. And the local Speedway employee didn't seem to know what he was doing. I hope to continue with the SafeLink wireless service.

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/23/2025

      I spoke with **** at the **************   at the SafeLink Wireless. I also made a complaint to the *** regarding this same issue prior to resolving this matter just today. The customer service agent resolved this matter on 6-23-2025, 12:00pm. You may close this complaint as Resolved.
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/09/2025

      Type:Customer Service 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.
      SafeLink provided a SIM card under the Lifeline program, promising free service. They had assigned me a new number, which I had elected to change to my previous phone number. The service I had been receiving from SafeLink up to that point was abruptly discontinued, with no recourse in terms of reactivating the phone. I have tried numerous times to receive assistance from the company, but am continually directed to their customer service line in which I am placed on hold for hours at a time with no answer. I have even attempted to purchase service from the company, but the system just errors out.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/26/2025

      Dear Morgan Koger:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau
      complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated June 9,
      2025, regarding BBB case number 23445116 complaint.

      Your complaint states that your SafeLink service was
      abruptly discontinued, and despite your efforts to seek assistance in resolving
      the issue, it remains unresolved.

      Upon review, we found that you applied for the Lifeline
      program on 5/08/2025 and got enrolled on 5/12/2025, allowing you to receive the
      free benefit of unlimited talk and text with 10GB/month of free data including
      5GB of hotspot data. Your enrollment involves the use of a Bring Your Own Phone
      (BYOP) device.

      The record shows that SafeLink sent you a BYOP SIM card
      under reference number 1320232753. As per USPS tracking number 4204950492612903031358513036525741,
      the SIM card was delivered to your address on May 27, 2025.

      Upon further review, your SafeLink account is active,
      properly provisioned on the network, and continues to receive the Lifeline
      benefit. Additionally, the usage report for your ported number confirms that
      the service is currently being used. We found no record that the account has
      been disconnected.

      Please know that service interruption may occur due to many
      factors including your device, network changes, network traffic volume, network
      outages, technical limitations, signal strength, the terrain and your proximity
      to buildings, foliage and other obstructions, weather and other conditions.

      We spoke with you on June 11, 2025, via phone number 6162795904
      and you confirmed that the service is working well. No further assistance is
      required.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact
      1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1120. The hours of operation are Monday to
      Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please
      refer to email reference number 5500401 or Ticket Number 1322417221. 

      Based
      upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing
      SafeLink Wireless. 



      Sincerely, 

      Executive
      Resolution Department 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/26/2025

       

      Better Business Bureau:



      I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 23445116, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. I do find that the claim my service was never discontinued to be in contradiction with what the customer service representative I spoke to, Diana, had told me, as she had stated I had been unenrolled in SafeLink in error during my phone number change, but I will not be pursuing further action unless my service is arbitrarily interrupted again. All I was, and still am seeking, is the reliable service I was promised, and at this time I am receiving it.



      Sincerely,



      Morgan Koger
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:06/02/2025

      Type:Service or Repair 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.
      Why Safelink service with CA **************** plan Deactivated? My Safelink Wireless service plan with a California Lifeline program is deactivating every month these days. I submitted a complaint on 5-09-25 with Ticket# ***-030-5162. And they did made a temporarily activation but It was deactivated again few days ago. I am wondering why this is happening every month. Please help me!

      Business Response

      Date: 06/20/2025

      Dear ***** ***:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated June 3, 2025,regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

      Your complaint states that your SafeLink service, which is supported by your California Lifeline enrollment, has been frequently deactivated. You are requesting assistance to resolve this ongoing issue.

      Upon review, we found that you were enrolled in the California Lifeline program since 7/15/2020 and receives the benefit of unlimited talk and text with 25GB/month of free data including 10GB of hotspot data.

      In an in-depth review, we found that the disconnections in your service were primarily due to issues with linking your Lifeline enrollment number to your SafeLink account. Records show that escalations have been created regarding this matter since April 2025, but the issue remains unresolved. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and are committed to preventing similar issues in the future. 

      We spoke with you on June 6, 8, and 12, 2025, via phone at ************, and your service was reinstated during those interactions.Additionally, an escalation was filed to link your Lifeline number to your SafeLink account, as an error was encountered during the initial attempt.During the follow-up call on June 12, 2025, we confirmed that the necessary updates were completed. Your SafeLink account is now properly connected to your Lifeline enrollment.

      If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321962063. 

      Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing SafeLink Wireless. 



      Sincerely, 

      Executive Resolution Department 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/21/2025

       
      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,

      ***** ***

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/21/2025

      Hello BBB,

      Thank you very much for helping me to fix the frequently happening error in Safelink.

      With your assist, I now freely using the phone data.

      I appreciate it a lot.

       

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/27/2025

      Type:Customer Service 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 contacted safelink may ******* to transfer my service over and that was a mistake I was lied to my representative regarding the time I would receive the sin card I was hesitant I told the representative I did not want to be without service because I needed my service he said I would receive the card in 1-3 days the provider I was with terminated my service in Saturday I can't make phone calls to family or friends I had to cancel multiple appointments for therapy due to not being able to contact or go to the doctor appointment I had a MRI schedule that was canceled the tracking gives errors messages I need to understand why was i lied to regarding phone service and need to know where is the Sim card

      Business Response

      Date: 06/17/2025

      Dear Colby Smith:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau
      complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 27,
      2025 regarding BBB Case number 23380501 complaint. 

      Your complaint states that when you transferred your service
      to SafeLink, you were promised a new SIM card within 1–3 business days.
      However, you have not yet received the SIM card, which has left you without
      phone service and caused you to miss important appointments.

      We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have
      experienced and appreciate your patience. Upon reviewing your account, we found
      that you applied for the Lifeline program under SafeLink Wireless on May 17,
      2025, and were successfully enrolled the same day. As part of your enrollment,
      you opted to bring your own phone, and SafeLink was to provide you with a new
      SIM card under reference number 1320851656. We understand the importance of
      staying connected and are committed to preventing similar issues in the future.

      Our records indicate that your SafeLink account, associated
      with the phone number ending in 7305, is active and properly provisioned on the
      network. You are currently receiving the Lifeline benefit, which includes
      Unlimited Talk and Text, along with 10GB of free data per month and 5GB hotspot
      data.

      According to the usage report, you have been actively using
      the service since May 27, 2025. However, we understand you've reported an issue
      with your data service. Upon investigation, we found that your 10GB monthly
      data allocation has been fully used. This data allowance will automatically
      renew in the next monthly cycle. If you wish to regain access to data before
      the renewal date, you may purchase an additional data add-on plan.

      We attempted to contact you via email at [email protected]
      and by phone at (561) 608-7305 on the following dates: May 29, May 30, May 31,
      June 3, and June 7, 2025. However, we were unable to reach you directly and
      have not received any recent response from you.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact
      1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to
      Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please
      refer to email reference number 5497464 or Ticket Number 1321589278. 

      Based
      upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing
      SafeLink Wireless. 



      Sincerely, 

      Executive
      Resolution Department 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/19/2025

       

      Complaint: 23380501



      I am rejecting this response because: the company is lying they made zero attempt to call me despite me emailing my phone number to the person who responded. I explained to a representative named april i needed to go to physical therapy and couldn't because i had no data to order a lyft she lied and stated she gave a courtesy 1 gb a data which was never applied to the account i have called several times  the customer service representative barely speak English and refuse to transfer me to a supervisor or they placed me on hold for upwards up 40 minutes i called today because the plan should jage started over i have not received the 10 gb for the month preventing me seeking physical therapy they stole 5 gb hotspot lying saying it was used when i never connected a device to mobile hotpot because it kept giving error i will also send a complaint to the fcc regarding the issues with the internet issues 



      Sincerely,



      Colby Smith

      Business Response

      Date: 06/27/2025

      Dear Colby Smith:

      We have received
      and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in
      reference to your correspondence dated 6/20/2025, regarding BBB Case number 23380501 complaint.

      Your complaint
      states that you were not contacted despite responding via email with your phone
      number. In addition, you mentioned that you did not receive the 1 GB of data as
      promised, and that you still have not received the free benefit with 10 GB of
      data for the month. You also mentioned that you were unable to use the hotspot
      due to an error.

      We apologize for
      any inconvenience this may have caused you. Please note that SafeLink Lifeline
      benefits are delivered every 1st - 5th day of the month.
      Our records show that your free benefit for the month was sent on 6/1/2025. However,
      we found no records of service usage in the account, not until 6/22/2025. We
      confirmed that the account was updated on 6/22/2025.

      We
      received your email from [email protected] on 6/23/2025, providing your phone
      number. With this, we attempted to contact you via phone number 645-201-9066, and have responded to
      your email on 6/27/2025; however, we were unable to reach you, and have not yet
      received your reply to our email. We will make follow-up call attempts to
      confirm if the issue has been resolved.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact 1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. Hours
      of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

      Please refer to
      email reference number 5503188 or Ticket Number 1321589278.

      Based upon the
      foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for
      choosing SafeLink Wireless.


      Sincerely,


      Executive
      Resolution Department
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/24/2025

      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.
      On January ******* I purchased additional data for my phone ***********) on ************. ************ kept saying that transaction didn't go through. I have my bank statement saying it went through 6 times . I have contacted SafeLink/TracFone several times with no resolution. I was charged $22.29 three times and $15 three times. I was purchasing extra data for my government phone. I was told by ******** employee's that it was a glitch in the system, that it wasn't in their computers, and I was also told that there was nothing they could do. I would love to be reimbursed my money or give me my data I paid for. My phone service has really been bad lately.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/13/2025

      Dear Sabrina Diane Pickerell:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau
      complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 24,
      2025, regarding BBB Case number 23373072 complaint.

      Your complaint states that you purchased additional data for
      your phone but were charged six times; three charges of $22.29 and three
      charges of $15.00. As a result, you are requesting either a reimbursement for
      the duplicate charges or the corresponding data plan to be applied to your
      account.

      To safeguard the integrity of its customers' data, SafeLink
      Wireless implements its customer account authentication policy in accordance
      with strict security guidelines. Authentication is required for any account
      updates.

      Upon review, we found a record of an older device that was
      previously associated with your phone number. The redemption activity linked to
      that device closely aligns with the date you mentioned when the six refills
      were made. However, we still need to further investigate and validate some
      information.

      We spoke with you on May 28 and May 29, 2025, via phone at
      (270) 706-2629, during which you reiterated your concern. However, as we were
      about to assist you, you informed us that your phone was lost and requested a
      callback instead. We attempted to follow up with you on June 1 and June 4,
      2025, but were unable to reach you directly.

      Subsequently, we received your email response via
      [email protected], in which you indicated your intention to purchase a
      new phone. Given this update, we believe it would be most effective to speak
      with you directly to continue providing the necessary assistance.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact
      1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to
      Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please
      refer to email reference number 5496951 or Ticket Number 1321433458. 

      Based
      upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing
      SafeLink Wireless. 



      Sincerely, 

      Executive
      Resolution Department 

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/23/2025

      Type:Customer Service 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.
      My Safelink Wireless phone lost it's charging capability. I ordered a replacement phone in April. After several (failed) attempts of delivery, I finally received the phone on May 22, 2025.When i attempted to activate the new phone, Safelink customer service stated i was no longer an active account due to failing to make a call within 30 days, per California Lifeline ************* trying to resolve this problem, I was repeatedly placed on hold and then disconnected. I have a medical issue and need a phone. I have been borrowing a phone, but I need to return it to the owner. I would like to resolve this issue as soon as possible, maybe with a direct line to customer service supervisor?

      Business Response

      Date: 06/13/2025

      Dear Cheryl Hill:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau
      complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 23,
      2025, regarding BBB Case number 23370615 complaint.

      Your complaint states that you had a defective phone and
      were awaiting a replacement device. However, upon receiving the replacement and
      attempting to activate it, you were informed that your SafeLink service was no
      longer active due to a period of non-usage. You are now seeking assistance to
      resolve this issue.

      Upon review, we found that you initially applied for the
      Lifeline program under SafeLink Wireless on September 28, 2022, and were
      enrolled on October 17, 2022. However, your program enrollment was cancelled on
      May 9, 2025, due to the absence of an active SafeLink phone, which prevented
      you from using the benefit. Please note that all SafeLink customers receiving
      the Lifeline benefit are required to use their service at least once every 30
      days to maintain eligibility. However, the record shows that you reapplied on
      5/23/2025 and is now qualified to receive the Lifeline benefits once again.

      In an in-depth review, it was found that you reported your
      phone being defective as the port charging is defective. With that, a phone
      replacement request was created under the reference number 1319275109 on
      4/25/2025. Due to availability in our inventory, we manage to ship your
      replacement phone on 5/01/2025. Unfortunately, as per UPS tracking number
      1Z7X28F00256723772, the package was returned to sender on 5/07/2025 because the
      receiver name is incorrect. With that, your replacement phone request was
      reopened for another one. This time you received the phone on 5/22/2025 using
      the UPS tracking number 1Z7X28F00257272356. The phone is currently active and
      usage report indicate that the service is being utilized. Additionally, your updated
      Lifeline enrollment is well connected to your new device.

      We spoke with you on June 13, 2025, via phone at (951)
      282-0438, during which it was confirmed that your service is working properly.
      It was also confirmed that, moving forward, free benefits will be added to your
      new device. At this time, no further assistance is required.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact
      1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. The hours of operation are Monday to
      Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please
      refer to email reference number 5496946 or Ticket Number 1321384665. 

      Based
      upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing
      SafeLink Wireless. 



      Sincerely, 

      Executive
      Resolution Department 
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/22/2025

      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.
      I ordered a government phone from this company a few months ago, the phone worked okay but I was able to use data while off wifi, now this month and last month the phone has had no service and barley service but absolutely no data, I can't make calls from the phone says emergency only, when in congested LA City that I was able to use before and search Internet in the same location, now when it shows bars on the phone it says emergency only, or when it's connected in better service, it says no data connection, and is unusable, I contacted the company via email side chat bar they never contacted me back, it's the only phone I have, I can't call them, I can't make calls from it, I can't search the Internet, and it worked perfectly fine two months ago in the same spot, I need the company to address the issue and email me as the only thing it's good for is wifi connection right now

      Business Response

      Date: 06/05/2025

      Dear Lex ***************** have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May *******, regarding BBB case number ******** complaints.

      Your complaint states that your phone service was not working and that you needed assistance to resolve the issue.

      Upon review, we found that you reapplied for the Lifeline program through SafeLink Wireless on January 24, 2025, and were approved on February 6, 2025. As a result, you are eligible to receive the Lifeline benefit,which includes unlimited talk and text, 25GB of data, and 10GB of hotspot data per month.

      Our records show that your SafeLink account is active and properly provisioned on the network, with a phone number ending in 2928. We also confirm that coverage is available in your area and there are no reported outages at this time.

      Please know that service interruption may occur due to many factors including your device, network changes, network traffic volume, network outages, technical limitations, signal strength, the terrain and your proximity to buildings, foliage and other obstructions, weather and other conditions. 

      We attempted to contact you via phone at ************** and email at ******************** on May 27, 2025, but were unable to reach you directly. However, we received your email stating that you are only available via email as your phone is not working. In response, we provided basic troubleshooting steps applicable to your device, as we found no issues with your phones provisioning on the network. On June 2, 2025, we received your follow-up email confirming that your concern has been resolved.

      If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN ****. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1321453685. 

      Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing SafeLink Wireless. 


      Sincerely, 

      Executive Resolution Department 
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/19/2025

      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.
      Safelink wireless has been contracting fraudulent marketing and advertising services to promote free iPhone 13 14 15 and 16 available when signing up for their service. Upon entry of sensitive customer information, and approval of application, customers are sent a low quality android phone. This is fraudulent and predatory behavior, and when customer service is confronted with this false marketing, they simply claim that they do not offer any free iphones. I would like to be compensated for the deliberate misrepresentation of services and collection of my data in the form of an iPhone or the cash amount of an iPhone. My claims can be verified with screen recordings of the marketing scheme used to direct users to the safelink website for sign up from their advertisement posted on social media.

      Business Response

      Date: 06/03/2025

      Dear J C:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau
      complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 20, 2025,
      regarding BBB Case number 23352220 complaint.

      Your complaint states that SafeLink
      Wireless has fraudulent marketing and advertisement for a free iPhone when signing up for their service; however,
      approved customers are only being sent low quality android phones. You would
      like to be compensated in the form of an iPhone or the cash amount of an iPhone.

      We apologize for any inconvenience you may
      have experienced, and rest assured that we are here to help. Please know that
      SafeLink only offers free smartphones for customers who meet certain criteria
      upon enrollment while other customers will be provided with a SIM card to bring
      their own compatible device. However, iPhones are not part of the free phone
      offerings, but they are available for purchase at
      shop.safelinkwireless.com.

      We were able to communicate with you via phone at 8184190190
      and email [email protected] on 05/22/2025, 05/25/2025, 05/26/2025, 05/27/2025
      wherein you reiterated that you find multiple advertisements from SafeLink
      channels offering free iPhone devices. To further investigate the matter, we
      asked you to send the details of the said marketing advertisement which we
      received, and which is still being investigated. We will continue to
      investigate this issue and update our findings once additional information is
      provided.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact
      1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1120. The hours of operation are Monday to
      Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please
      refer to email reference number 5495691 or Ticket Number 1321158881. 

      Based
      upon the foregoing, we will continue to work on
      the matter and provide feedback once an update is available. Thank you for
      choosing SafeLink Wireless. 


      Sincerely, 

      Executive
      Resolution Department 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/03/2025

       

      Complaint: 23352220



      I am rejecting this response because:

      I have provided Safelink with evidence of fraudulent advertisements the business has posted and have been told that it’s being investigated but it’s very clear that the advertisements were contracted by the marketing department. I was deliberately deceived and I want compensation. At no point during sign up was there mention of a lack of availability of the iPhones advertised, only after collecting my personal information and receiving a subpar device that constantly crashes, and then calling customer support was I informed that the advertisements were false and there were never any iPhones. I have provided proof of this deception to the business and if there are no iPhones to be sent, the only solution would be the cash equivalent of the iPhone 13, 14, 15, or 16 that were advertised. The business’s lack of professionalism and unwillingness to take responsibility is very disconcerting considering the amount of highly sensitive information subscribers provide to them. In addition to fraudulently advertising iPhones they don’t have, there is a claim of “unlimited service” when in reality data is capped at 10-25gb per month, depending on if the customer opts for a sim card or sim and device.



      Sincerely,



      J C

      Business Response

      Date: 06/12/2025

      Dear J C:

      We have received
      and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in
      reference to your correspondence dated 6/04/2025, regarding BBB Case number 23352220 complaint.

      Your follow-up complaint
      states that you provided evidence regarding the fraudulent advertisements, and
      that it is now being investigated. Due to the deception, you are demanding a
      compensation equivalent to the price of the iPhones.

      SafeLink
      Wireless is committed to providing affordable and accessible wireless services
      through the Lifeline program. We take allegations of misleading advertising
      very seriously. We appreciate you sharing the materials that led to your
      concerns, and we assure you that this has been escalated for further
      investigation. At this time, we would like to clarify that SafeLink Wireless
      does not currently offer free iPhone models as part of our standard device
      distribution.

      Please note that
      SafeLink Wireless does not authorize any external marketing that falsely
      advertises specific phone models such as iPhones. Our devices are selected
      based on availability and compatibility with our service plans, and we strive
      to provide quality smartphones that meet program requirements.

      We have been
      sending you emails to [email protected], and have been receiving your
      responses since 6/9/2025, regarding the matter with your complaint. You
      requested the advertised iPhone or an equivalent monetary compensation;
      however, please note that this matter is being investigated, as SafeLink does
      not authorize these advertisements. In addition, SafeLink Wireless does not
      provide monetary compensation. Meanwhile, we will contact you once we have
      updates on the escalation.

      If you should
      still require assistance, you can contact 1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900. Hours
      of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

      Please refer to
      email reference number 5499486 or Ticket Number 1321158881.

      Thank you for
      choosing Safelink Wireless.


      Sincerely,


      Executive
      Resolution Department

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/13/2025

       

      Complaint: 23352220



      I am rejecting this response because:

      The business fraudulently advertised free iPhones. The business previously stated that they do not offer Apple devices AT ALL, and then upon being provided proof of the numerous advertisements for free iPhones, the business sent me a link showing they are now selling iPhones on the website. This was deliberate and calculated.




      Sincerely,



      J C

      Customer Answer

      Date: 06/16/2025

       

      Complaint: 23352220



      The business fraudulently advertised free iPhones. The business previously stated that they do not offer Apple devices AT ALL, and then upon being provided proof of the numerous advertisements for free iPhones, the business sent me a link showing they are now selling iPhones on the website. This was deliberate and calculated.



      Sincerely,



      Jennifer Casstevens

      Business Response

      Date: 06/25/2025

      Dear
      Jennifer Casstevens:

      We
      have received and reviewed your Better business bureau complaint. This response
      is in reference to your correspondence dated June 16, 2025, regarding BBB Case
      number # 23352220 complaints.

      Your
      subsequent complaint indicates that you were previously informed that SafeLink
      does not offer Apple devices; however, after providing the proof of the
      advertisements for free iPhones, you received a link showing SafeLink is now
      selling iPhones.

      Please
      note that as per our previous response, SafeLink Wireless currently does not offer
      free iPhones for enrolling in the Lifeline program. While SafeLink Wireless provides
      certain smartphones at no cost, iPhones are exclusively available for purchase
      and are not included within the free phone program.
       

      On
      the other hand, our team is still investigating and trying to identify the
      origin of these advertisements. In the meantime, please avoid misleading
      advertisements by confirming the legitimacy of the information from the official
      page or by contacting customer service.

      We
      attempted to contact you via phone number 818-419-0190 and have sent emails to [email protected]
      on 6/17/2025, 6/18/2025, 6/22/2025, and 6/24/2025, to discuss the
      aforementioned. We were unable to reach you via call; however, we have been
      exchanging emails, where you requested to receive the iPhone, and would like to
      know the actions taken to stop these misleading advertisements. However, please
      note of the aforementioned information. Our team is trying our best to determine
      the origin of the claimed advertisements and proceed with relevant steps to
      resolve this matter.

      If
      you still require assistance, you can contact 1-888-251-8169 enter PIN 1900.
      Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

      Please
      refer to email reference number 5501957 or Ticket Number 1321158881.

      Based
      upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank
      you for choosing SafeLink Wireless.


      Sincerely,

      Executive
      Resolution Department
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/15/2025

      Type:Billing 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.
      04/23/2025 and 04/24/2035 straight talk repeatedly billed my checking account for a total ******** unauthorized money. Amounts 62.32+40.21+51.27+40.21+40.21+51.27+51.27 and after countless hours nothing from straight talk. File fraud at *************************** they said straight talk presented documents meeting criteria for correct charges but didn't authorize them

      Business Response

      Date: 05/29/2025

      Dear ******* *******:

      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May 15, 2025, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

      Your complaint states that you were charged by Straight Talk multiple times on April 2025, and when you attempted to dispute the amount, it was denied since the transaction was authorized,which you did not.

      We reviewed your account with phone number ending in 1819; it is active and provisioned in our system. However, we could not find the claimed charges in the Transaction History. We determined that these charges were processed to a separate account. Please be advised that you must file a chargeback with your financial institution for unauthorized payments. An in-depth review shows that you filed a charge back for the mentioned charges on 4/27/2025.

      We spoke with you on May 16, 2025,via phone number ************. We explained to you about the refund process and informed you that there is already a charge back made. You will just need to wait for 7 to 10 business days and the maximum of 30 days depending on the bank institution for the charges to be credited back.

      If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN 1900. Hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.

      Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1320790004.

      Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless.

      Sincerely,

      Executive *********************
    • Initial Complaint

      Date:05/14/2025

      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.
      I bought 2 phones from Straight Talk and activated them on 2/20/24. Phones suppose to be unlocked after 60 days of activation (4/20/2025) but they refused to do so. They changed phones unlocking rules on 04/01/2025 and said I am not eligible to have my phone unlocked even phones were bought before new rules take effect which is 04/01/2025.

      Business Response

      Date: 05/28/2025

      Dear ***** ******:


      We have received and reviewed your Better Business Bureau complaint. This response is in reference to your correspondence dated May *******, regarding BBB Case number ******** complaint.

      Your complaint states that Straight Talk refuse to unlock your phones based on the unlocking policy in effect at the time you purchase and activate your phones.

      Straight Talk Wireless Unlocking Policy states that ******* Value will remotely unlock the phone when it becomes eligible for unlocking,provided it meets the following conditions:

      * The cellphone must be in working condition and turned ON.
      * The cellphone was activated with ********************* by purchasing and redeeming an airtime plan on that specific phone ("Activation")
      * For all cellphones Activated on the ******* network on or after November 23, 2021, the cellphone will be remotely unlocked automatically 60 days after paid Activation and 60 days of paid active service.

      Please know that this Unlocking Policy is subject to change at any time without advance notice.

      We spoke with you on 5/16/2025 via phone number ************ and discuss your unlocking request. Upon review, we found that your Straight Talk phone with an IMEI number ending in 9288 has been deactivated the same day it was activated due to transferring your number and service to another device. Reference ticket number **********. Therefore, as we checked the phones unlocking eligibility, the system prompted the message,Not eligible - insufficient time from device activation or 60 paid service days required. You were informed regarding the matter and expressed disagreement with the unlocking requirements. You refused to receive any further assistance. We understand that you desire to have your phone unlocked, but your device does not currently meet the eligibility criteria for unlocking as outlined in our policy. Rest assured once the account reflects the required 60 days after paid Activation and 60 days of paid active service, and the device meets the other conditions; you can resubmit the unlocking request. 

      If you should still require assistance, you can contact ************** enter PIN ****. The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. 

      Please refer to email reference number ******* or Ticket Number 1320763271. 

      Based upon the foregoing, we will close this matter unless we hear from you. Thank you for choosing Straight Talk Wireless. 

       


      Sincerely, 

      Executive Resolution Department 


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