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: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)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2025

  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 place an order with pure talk wireless on February 14 for and iPhone 14 and there service I then decided to go another route and ship it back and get a refund every time I contact this company to get the status of my refund I constantly get a run around and get told it will take 7-10 business days after the ten days I still have not received a refund so I call back and get told the exact same thing as the first time I need help and don't know we're else to turn

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/31/2025

   Dear Mr. ******************* sincerely apologize for the delay in processing your refund for your recent order and for the subsequent unsatisfactory customer service experience.
  
  Our records indicate that a refund of $68.83 was credited to your payment card on February 27, 2025. Please note that our current policy does not include refunds for shipping costs. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to appear on your statement, depending on your financial institution's processing time.
  
  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:02/21/2025

  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.

  We initially placed the order to switch from **** to PureTalk on 2/15. We were told the **** cards would be 2nd day deliver by *****. We have three (3) lines and one of those is in ********. That said, one Sim card was to be sent to **, which was never shipped. Nor was the one to **. Third phone is an eSim, so no card. Nobody emailed us or called or anything to alert us of any problems. We waited until the 20th and still had not received our **** cards so we called back and was told there needed to create an address change for the Michigan Sim card and the ** was on the way. We did call back on the 21st and was told the cards didn't ship out and it would be sent when the warehouse opens next Tuesday, the 25th. We asked to speak to a supervisor and after holding 40 plus minutes they hung up on us. People need to be warned about PureTalk. I cannot express how badly I hate being lied to and poor service. We need our **** cards delivered to the correct address and quality service.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2025

  Dear *** and **** *****,
  
  We're so sorry to hear about the mix-up with your SIM card shipment. We understand this is frustrating, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
  
  We've checked your account and confirmed that two physical SIM cards were delivered to your Texas address on February 22,2025.  To get a SIM card shipped to your Michigan address, please call our **************** team at **************. They can help you cancel the existing order and place a new one.
  
  Once your PureTalk service is activated with the new SIM card, we'll gladly apply a $20 credit to your account as compensation for this error.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk
  
  Cc:Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2025

  Type:Delivery 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.

  Upon me placing an order for device plus service with Pure Talk in OCT 2024, they shipped me the device, which I was obligated to activate within 30 days under a discounted price, which I did not do. When I did not activate the device within 30 days, Pure Talk sent the "bill" for the converted discounted price-to-nondiscounted-price straight to collections. I was not billed, I was not contacted, I received no form of communications from Pure Talk whatsoever, they skipped notifying me, and sent the price difference to collections.... A collections firm may have damaged my credit....time will tell. When I called Pure Talk and spoke with a supervisor, she simply read her explanation to me off a sheet of paper - no part of her rehearsed explanation addressed my complaint - I was complaining about not being billed. When I corrected this supervisor on the nature of my complaint not being mentioned in her statement, she argued that my complaint had been addressed. There was unproductive back-and-forth about this for approx 60 seconds, until I realized I was talking to an irrational person, who lacked the sufficient cognitive processing capacity necessary for her role. The call ended with no attempt to address why this firm acted outside of any measurement of ethical reporting - by reporting the amount to a collections firm, which was NOT past due, and was NOT communicated to the customer.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2025

  Dear Mr. ***************************** regret any inconvenience caused by the lack of communication regarding your subsidy agreement. We understand your frustration and sincerely apologize for any resulting difficulties.
   
  As outlined in your sales agreement (sent to your email on October 31, 2024, sections 8 and 9), service activation is required within 30 days of purchase. Failure to activate service within this timeframe results in a default of the agreement, which requires full payment of the subsidy balance. Our records indicate that service was not activated within the stipulated period, resulting in the agreement defaulting and the outstanding balance being referred to our collections agency.
   
  To settle this balance, contact the ****** ***** agency at ************. For any further questions or concerns, our *************************** is available at **************.
   
   Kind regards, 
  
   PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/22/2025

  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 have been a customer of ******************** for several years with no problems. I had to switch to a different cell phone provider for financial reasons and was told to call PureTalk about porting my number. My phone is an iPhone 15 and only has an eSIM. I contacted LureTalk and the woman told me that I had to have a physical SIM card to be able to port my number. I explained this phone didnt have a physical SIM card. She tons me it wouldnt be possible. Today, three days later, the number was ported without a physical SIM card I was told I could request a refund since the service just regenerated. I asked about that and was told they dont do that. I explained that they have been giving me a hassle for three days ( it was actually longer). She put me on hold, then told me they would refund about 1/4 of the money they took out yesterday. Its a great company until you try to go to a different carrier.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/27/2025

  
  Dear Ms. ********************** understand your frustration with the recent porting experience. We apologize for the misinformation you received regarding needing a physical SIM card.
  
  The iPhone 15 is indeed compatible with our eSIM technology, and a physical SIM card is not necessary for number transfers. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused.
  
  We've confirmed that your phone number was successfully released to your new carrier on 01/22/25, and we've initiated a refund for any associated charges.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns,please don't hesitate to contact our *************************** at **************. We're here to assist you.
  
  Kind regards,
  PureTalk

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/21/2025

  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&#**;m having issues with my television service. I can&#**;t figure out what to do with it. Every time I reach out to Pure Talk, they tell me I should reach out to Sparklight. The Sparklight tells me I should reach out to someone else. I reached out to ****** and they told me they don&#**;t deal with television. I can&#**;t get any help from anyone. I was under the impression that I signed up with Pure Talk. I receive bills from Pure Talk, Sparklight and Fidium.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/27/2025

  Dear *** *******,
   
  Unfortunately, as PureTalk is a cellular provider, we specialize in mobile phone services. We're not affiliated with ********** and don't offer a television service. To resolve your television issue, we recommend contacting ********** directly. They'll be able to assist you with troubleshooting and resolving any problems you may be experiencing.
   
   Kind regards,
  
  PureTalk
  
  Cc: Better Business Bureau (via BBB Portal)