This company is a TERRIBLE SCAMMING RIP OFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They advertise that they will activate a SPRINT phone. That is a lie. I already had a SPRINT phone and they gave me some kind of B.S. reason for not being able to use it. So I purchased a "new" phone from them, but when the phone arrived it turned out to be a refurbished phone which did not come with a manual so I could know how to properly utilize the phone. When I initially set up service, I specifically discussed their "Visual Voicemail". I have had "Visual Voicemail" with another provider and it was exactly that, a written out text of the audio voicemail that is read not listened to. Freedom Pop charges extra for this service so I told the rep that as long as I still get regular voicemail that I can listen to I was not interested in paying extra ($2.49) for a service that I saw as unnecessary. The rep confirmed with me that I would still get regular voicemail as part of the service I was paying for (the $10.99 plan, unlimited calls & texts plus 500 MB of data/mo.). That also turned out to be a lie. From the time I received the phone till two months later (now), the phone NEVER worked properly and since Freedom Pop keeps west coast hours they are closed till 11 a.m. U.S. east coast time (where I live). By that time I am out in the world doing what I need to do for the day and I generally am not returning home till late, so I had an almost insurmountable task in trying to get a hold of them. That was also due to the fact that they do not provide normal customer service, they charge you $6.00 to talk to someone if you are already a customer. They want you to do everything by email, which is absolutely ridiculous. How can you possibly solve a problem in real time by email ? You can't ! This is a fact that was omitted by the rep that originally sold me the service. After many, many emails and phone calls where I had to make special arrangements with my schedule to be able to call from a land line AND have WiFi available (their requirement) and doing all kinds of troubleshooting culminating with doing a "hard factory reset" (which erases EVERYTHING off the phone including required apps) then having to download all the required apps; the phone still does not work properly. The instructions said that the "hard factory reset" was the last possible troubleshooting ***, obviously implying that the next *** would be to replace the phone. And by the way after all the other troubleshooting steps the phone would sort of work for a little while (maybe just an hour or two sometimes) and in the interim I would try to repeat the steps hoping that would solve the problem, but always only for a little while. It took some time before I could address this phone issue again after the "hard factory reset". After about an hour with the customer service/tech support supervisor *** he finally agreed that the phone did in fact need to be replaced. He then informed me that I would have to pay to ship the phone that never worked back. I couldn't believe it. The stones on these people!!! I told him that was ridiculous and that they were going to have to send me a pre-paid box or something. He told me he would put a request in, but it would take at least 24 hours to get a response. This is not the end of it though. I also noticed that in those 2 months I was charged $15 no less than 7 times to add data to my account. The data that I was not that interested in to begin with, as I told the original rep that sold me the service. He told me it was just part of the plan, so I thought ok I could use it for navigation, which I did occasionally. At no time did the original rep mention this possible charge nor obviously did I approve or authorize any such charges. as it turns out what the supervisor *** I last spoke with said is that the phone itself (to make phone calls or to text) will not work without data on the phone. Again something that the original rep never mentioned. Part of what the phone (the messaging app which everything runs through) was doing when it was "trying" to work was constantly trying to connect to the Freedom Pop servers utilizing the data on the account; thus running out the data that came with the plan and making the phone useless until Freedom Pop charged me $15 and then added additional data. But since the phone itself was defective that didn't really help it just ended up costing me an additional $105 that I never authorized to be charged to my card. This was only supposed to cost $10.99/month for the service. I told *** I wanted him to remove the unauthorized charges and informed him that it was a crime to have charged my card to begin with without my approval. His response was that due to "company policy" he was unable to. I told him I wanted to talk to his boss and he said his "boss does not talk to customers". I suggested that he should put me on hold to talk to his boss and to tell him I was considering making a criminal complaint as well as filing a complaint with the FCC & the FTC. He came back on the line to tell me he couldn't talk to his boss so he emailed him but we would get a response in 1 hour. This is at least 3 hours later and still no response. I suppose I will have to waste more time again tomorrow trying to get this straightened out. If they do not solve this to my satisfaction I have every intention of filing complaints with the proper authorities as well as looking into filing a lawsuit. I live in Delaware. The state in which a majority of corporations in this country (U.S.) incorporate due to the favorable tax laws for them. I am not confident in Freedom Pop doing the right thing. If anyone is interested in a joint or class action lawsuit, please email me at: "***.***.***atgmail.com"
Edit
see above
Desired Outcome
I want my phone replaced without my having to pay for the shipping. I want the unauthorized charges on my card refunded.
FreedomPop Response
We're sorry to hear about the customer's unpleasant experience and appreciate the opportunity to present our side of the dispute.
We are unsure what Sprint device the customer attempted to activate on the FreedomPop service. However, we cannot active devices that are not unlocked. Usually, devices are locked when you purchase devices on a contract, directly from a major carrier (like Sprint). After 2 years your contract is over, but the device is still locked to the carrier. For more information on what devices can be unlocked please visit https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3308/kw/BYOD to learn about what devices can be brought over to FreedomPop.
The customer purchased a Huawei Union Y538, and this device is clearly marked as a Certified Pre-Owned device. While each device does not have a manual that is specific to the device, FreedomPop includes a quick start guide that details the information necessary to get started with the device as well as tips and tricks. We also include our support website to assist with any issues that may arise.
While FreedomPop requires a VIP service add-on to speak with a customer service representative via phone; customers can submit a ticket or look for other helpful topics in our support center - https://support.freedompop.com/.
We understand that the customer found the return process to be frustrating. However, exchange process guidelines are located in our Terms of Service (https://www.freedompop.com/service_plan_terms.htm) which are agreed to prior to sign-up. We typically do not provide pre-paid shipping labels to customers exchanging the device per our policy; however, as a courtesy to the customer we will email the customer at ***@gmail.com a pre-paid shipping label with instructions on returning the device.
The customer was charged $15.00 on seven separate occasions during their last billing cycle for auto top-ups as he utilized all of his data. FreedomPop provides the ability for all users to disable/enable automatic top-ups. Enabling allows the user to continue using their device when they run out of data by adding credit to the account, an additional Top-Up will not be incurred until the credit runs out. If the user disables the automatic top-up feature, then the account is suspended upon reaching the plan's data threshold. This is disclosed in our Terms prior to checkout. Instructions on how to disable top-ups are found here in our support website - https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2676/kw/automatic%20top.
Using the device for navigation will certainly increase data usage and cause the user to deplete their available data. On 9/12/17, we provided a refund back to the customer for three of these data top-ups. As a courtesy to the customer, we have provided a refund for the four additional top-ups. The customer should monitor their data usage and turn off automatic top-ups if the customer does not want to go over their data allotment.
We apologize for any difficulties experienced in the process of resolving this complaint.
The company ripped me off without any warning of any kind.
I signed up for their free plan to test if my old U.S. Cellular phone was even compatible. I found out it wasn't. Next thing I know I'm getting charged $27.98 for service that I can't even use. Nobody from their company will return my emails and it's impossible to get in touch with a human. Thanks to rhem. I ended up with an overdrawn account and had to borrow money to cover it.
Desired Outcome
I want a full refund and if possible, payment for my $28 NSF charge.
FreedomPop Response
Our records indicate the customer purchased a LTE SIM card from FreedomPop on 8/4/17. The SIM card came with a free trial of the 2GB LTE Unlimited Plan ($24.99 after the first month) and the Premier add-on service ($7.99 after the first month). The trials become paid subscriptions if not downgraded prior to renewal. This is disclosed prior to checkout and reiterated in a follow-up email which includes their order confirmation, subscription details and instructions on how to manage their subscriptions. Therefore, the customer was charged $27.99 accordingly.
However, as a courtesy to the customer, we have refunded the charge of $27.98, and the account is cancelled.
Customer Response
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Due to them taking the money, I ended up with a $28 NSF Charge. This was their fault and I want that paid back to me. They need to be way more transparent with their site.
FreedomPop Response
Customers have the ability to choose our free plan, our trial plan, or an annual plan. Trial subscription charges are clearly marked on the page the customer chooses the plan and on the checkout page prior to the customer placing any orders. The customer chose the trial plan when purchasing their SIM. The trials become paid subscriptions if not downgraded prior to renewal. This is disclosed prior to checkout and reiterated in a follow-up email which includes their order confirmation, subscription details and instructions on how to manage their subscriptions.
The customer did not downgrade their plan prior to the subscription renewal. Although the charges are valid, FreedomPop previously provided a refund to the customer for the charges. We cannot make any additional refunds to the customer beyond what was already provided.
Customer Response
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
The service is good. But I feel the website is a little confusing when trying to downgrade.
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** thank you for your feedback as we are always looking to make the experience as easy as possible. We hope you continue to enjoy FreedomPop and we thank you for your review.
Really satisfied with this service, excellent value for money and good service, too.
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** thank you for your review. We're elated to know you are really satisfied with FreedomPop. We hope this continues to be the case and you continue to save. Thank you for choosing FreedomPop.
It has worked very well for calling people. If we use for browsing then the speed is low. It is fine to use in USA and in Europe. It should be extented to other countries
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** we're happy to know our services have worked very well as we appreciate your feedback. We are always looking to expand our services so please stay tuned. We thank you for your review.
EXTREMELY rocky start (with FREEDOM POP since its inception) but all of the 'issues' seem to have been addressed/solved ð???ð???
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** we're glad to know you've stuck with FreedomPop after the initial hiccup. We hope you are able to enjoy FreedomPop to it's full potential. Thank you for your review.
Works for no monthly charge. Would be tuff to complain. will replace *** as home phone
FreedomPop Response
Hello ***, we're happy to know you're enjoying FreedomPop and able to save at the same time. We hope this continues to be the case and we thank you for your review.
This company offered a free month of service which can be downgraded to a free plan. There was an additional service that also had to be deactivated
The option to terminate the additional service was buried under many menus in third website. The design is intentionally built to be deceptive
Desired Outcome
Full refund of all charges.
FreedomPop Response
FreedomPop's plans and add-on services are both conveniently located under the "My Account" tab when a user logs into their FreedomPop account. The Plans, Services and International add-ons are separated into separate so that our users can see which subscriptions they are subscribed to in any one of the sections.
As a courtesy, our FreedomPop representative granted a refund of all charges to the customer after sign-up ($28.97 in total) on 9/12/17.
Customer Response
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
While I am pleased with the refund, the site should be redesigned. Which services the customer is subscribed to is not readily accessible. The customer has to click on every service to see if he/she is signed up for it.
Billing screen also makes it opaque as to what service I was paying for.
Unlimited Calling and Unlimited Text-Not truly Unlimited. It has limitations that are not clearly shown to the consumer upfront.
On 4.9.17 approx. 4:22 p.m. MST my cell phone service was interrupted during a call and said that I had ran out of minutes and needed to add money. It was my first month of service with this company so I wasn't sure what this meant. I had purchased the Unlimited Calling and Unlimited Texts with 2GB plan for $24.99. I had to go the rest of weekend with no Cellular service but I had texting capabilities and the usage of the data. There is no way to reach the company over the weekend, so I had to wait til 9.11.17 to reach someone at customer service.
On 9.11.17 approx 7:15a.m. I was connected to representative *** R. tried to explain to me that the "Unlimited Plan" that I have has a limitations of 2500 calling minutes and/or 12 hours per call and 5000 minutes of texts per the Terms Of Service-Fair Usage Policy. Only in the Terms Of Service is this outlined for the consumer to see. Online when you view your account its says Unlimited Calls and Unlimited Text but does should the usage of Data (which most know that means usage is being counted.)
Desired Outcome
To change the wording to suit the true service value i.e. 2500 Minutes per month and 5000 Text per month.
FreedomPop Response
Per our Fair Usage Policy (https://www.freedompop.com/fair_usage_policy.htm), the monthly plans are subject to a usage limit of 2,500 minutes and 5,000 text messages per month. This policy is part of the terms which are agreed to prior the customer signing up for service. The customer can also contact us, and we will review the account to ensure there is no evidence of abuse. If there is no evidence of abuse, we will provide additional minutes for the remainder of the billing cycle.
The customer was previously refunded $30 on 9/11/17 and $24.99 on 9/13/17. Besides the sign-up fee and $0.54 for the VIP service charge, the customer has received refunds for all other charges on the account.
Freedom Pop has been charging me in the amount of $27.98 twice every month for a total of $55.96 every month since May 2016, even though the service had been cancelled since last year. I have been trying to call their Customer Service number XXX-XXX-XXXX, but the outgoing message states to log online, and the phone hangs up. There appears nothing available online on their website for me to resolve the issue.
Product_Or_Service: Phone service
Order_Number: Not available
Account_Number: Not available
Desired Outcome
Other (requires explanation)
Cancel the account, remove my name permanently from their records and refund all the charges they have been making in the amount of $559.60 they have been making since last year!!!!!
FreedomPop Response
Our records indicate the customer ordered a Kyocera Hydro on 9/3/16. The order included a 1-month free trial of our Premium 1GB Plan ($19.99 after the first month) and a 1-month free trial of our FreedomPop Premium Plus add-on service ($7.99 after the first month). These trials become paid subscriptions if not downgraded prior to renewal. This is disclosed prior to checkout and reiterated in a follow-up email which includes their order confirmation, subscription details, and instructions on how to manage their subscriptions.
Since the customer did not downgrade their subscriptions, the account was charged $27.98 once every month for the monthly plan. We do not show any records of the account being charged twice. If the customer has another email address that a different account may be under, please provide that email so that we may investigate.
We also cannot locate any records of the customer attempting to close their account prior to 5/29/17. We promptly closed the customer's account at this time and no further charges were incurred on this account.
While FreedomPop requires a VIP service add-on to speak with a customer service representative via phone; customers can submit a ticket or look for other helpful topics in our support center - https://support.freedompop.com/.
Per our terms of service (https://www.freedompop.com/service_plan_terms.htm), a customer has 30 days to notify FreedomPop of any disputes with charges for a refund. Even though the customer is well beyond 30 days, FreedomPop has provided a refund of $111.92 for four months of service between 2/10/17-5/10/17.
Customer Response
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Freedom Pop's action to close the account, make no further charges to the account and refund $111.92 is acceptable at this time. Thanks for the timely action!
I received the SIM card in July for $0.99 and I losted and because I never activate the service I thought it shouldn't be any problem and you know what they were charging my credit card $33.00 every month since I got the *** SIM card at this point they have stolen more than $100 dollars from me this is ridiculous I will fight for my money since I never got any service from them.
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** we're sorry to learn of your SIM being lost before being able to use it. However, every SIM is already activated upon shipping to ensure the starting process is as hassle-free as possible. Therefore, the accounts are activated once the SIM ships. This information can also be found on the SIM packaging itself. Please reach us at *** contact or at forums.freedompop.com so an admin may assist you.
What's not to like? I had an old iPhone and an older relative who we felt needed a cell phone for emergencies. The SIM card arrived promptly and was easily activated. The connection is clear and consistent. When we upgraded from a 3G SIM to a 4G SIM a customer service rep emailed us to make sure the transition went well. We have been signed up with the free plan for several years now and are truly grateful for the service
FreedomPop Response
Hello ***, we are grateful for your review, thank you. We are elated to know you are able to enjoy FreedomPop as we hope this continues to be the case moving forward. Thank you for choosing FreedomPop.
They were very helpful with setup of my phones when I first started using FreedomPop, since then they ave also been very responsive. I have some problems with reception sometimes but overall it has been very good both domestically and intenationally.
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** we're happy to know you were able to receive assistance when you first started using your device. We hope you continue to enjoy FreedomPop. Thank you for your review.
Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Checked my Chase credit card ending 0256 account on-line for current balance.
Noticed $2.49 charged. Further review showed charge started in May 2017, minus one month that was not charged.
Checked separately, my email (***@gmail.com) and the same email for the account at FreedomPop.com. No notice or confirmation that any service, or charges had been requested or established requiring a billing for $2.49.
Rightly concerned that someone is making fraudulent charges to my credit card, an email was sent regarding this concern, along with the statement that I would be contacting my bank credit card to dispute the charges, on Wednesday, September 6, 2017.
Immediately after sending the above email to FreedomPop, I notified my bank credit card company, of the concern, and disputed the charge(s).
Afterwards, I received three emails from FreedomPop this morning. The first, to confirm the credit(s) back to my account. The second, stating that I wanted to close the account (which was not true, and was not requested), but the account was closed. The third (and subsequent emails), stating that company policy was for any disputes to be addressed-resolved by FreedomPop first. If not, services would no longer be available to me, either to reinstate the account or to open a new account with FreedomPop.
At one point, a representative stated I could have my account, phone number restored, if I contact the bank to inform FreedomPop that the dispute was cancelled, FreedomPop would reinstate the account, and notify me by the account email.
Separately, two representatives at FreedomPop stated I could reopen the account, if I go with the annual plan at $79.99 and if the plan does not meet my needs after a couple of months, I could let FreedomPop know to change my plan back to the original free plan, Basic 200.
Following through on either of the above two,resulted in no assistance.
Summary, it is common sense and through security awareness, if anyone suspects fraudulent use of one's credit card, the bank must be notified immediately to stop the suspected unauthorized charges. That is what the banks wants everyone to do First. The bank dispute was in good faith and the results were responsive and responsible.
Under the circumstances, my account-phone number-service should be reinstated. If the account continues to be closed, I should be allowed to retrieve and tranfer my phone numberm XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Desired Outcome
Restore my account, service and phone number. As a result of no fault of my own, and for following accepted recommended procedure, when suspected fraudulent credit card charge(s) are being made.
If the ethical, responsive and responsible action I took is not recognized, at least transfer my phone number (XXX-XXX-XXXX) to another service provider of my choice.
FreedomPop Response
Our records indicate that the customer entered into a free trial of the visual voicemail on 5/20/17. This free trial becomes a paid subscription on their next billing cycle. This is disclosed prior to the customer enter the free trial. Therefore, the customer was charged $2.49 for this service on 5/30/17.
FreedomPop's policy states that if a customer has concerns with billing, shipping or tech related issues to please contact our customer support team for assistance before contacting your financial institution to receive proper assistance and to avoid account cancellation. For more information you can refer to FreedomPop's Service Plan, Equipment and Payment Terms under "Credit Card Chargebacks": https://www.freedompop.com/service_plan_terms.htm
As a courtesy, we have reactivated the customers line of service. The customer was previously refunded the 4 charges for $2.49. In the future, please refer to the terms of service prior to making a dispute with your bank.
Customer Response
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Preliminary acceptance pending verification of service.
Major frustrations due to:
a. Not getting text messages when I thought that was part of the Basic 200 plan (free 500 MB/month) which I don't use much, and receiving several prompts to try another service,Visual Voice Mail, to remedy it.
b. The impression that I was not getting Visual Voice Mail results.
c. Unknown and difficult to get to the page to cancel add-on services, i.e. visual voice mail, because I did not get results.
d. Calling the company numerous times, and diverted to recordings, or to someone in India, or to some other live person that would transfer me to someone else, that could not help me, or offered another service plan for a fee, then transfer to another department that would NOT provide any service.
e. Trying to get to "Contact" the company page directly, on-line, to enter your concerns and submit it. Instead, being transferred to a page that prompts you to enter your email and password, but doesn't accept it, even when it was changed on-line.
FreedomPop needs a simple user friendly on-line (and phone) process/format to communicate concerns on service issues.
The policy to "immediately" cancel ones critical "personal phone number" and service, without even a minimum 5-day notice, is unethical and unprofessional. Because in this situation, a customer in good faith and cause, "Suspects Fraudulent Charges", and clearly "Not Satisfied" with the service, is REQUIRED to CONTACT the BANK FIRST! All other companies allow this remedy.
I was contemplating on doing more business with FreedomPop, including promoting the company's initial purpose.
There must be a simpler user-friendly and efficient process to access, communicate, and provide satisfied services.
FreedomPop Response
Please ensure the messaging app is updated. Here is a link to instructions in the event you need assistance - https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3168/kw/update%20messaging%20app.
Please also ensure to sync account data - https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3194/kw/sync%20account%20data
Customer Response
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I'm not a computer technician.
Just started with them, but they look pretty good so far--better service for less cost than I had before.
FreedomPop Response
Hello ***, we're glad you're able to save by choosing FreedomPop. We hope you continue to enjoy our services along with saving more. Thank you for your review.
Though it started on shaky ground, my experience using the hot spot was/is going well. After getting the correct service with the billing I am very pleased. The hot spot works very well. I use the inexpensive rollover subscription so I can use the hot spot as an emergency connection. With hurricane Irma on the way, it will be tested.
FreedomPop Response
Hello *** thank you for your review. We're glad to know you are having a positive experience after the initial hiccup. We hope the experience continues throughout your time with FreedomPop. We wish you the best of luck with the upcoming hurricane, stay safe.
This company is a TERRIBLE SCAMMING RIP OFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They advertise that they will activate a SPRINT phone. That is a lie. I already had a SPRINT phone and they gave me some kind of B.S. reason for not being able to use it. So I purchased a "new" phone from them, but when the phone arrived it turned out to be a refurbished phone which did not come with a manual so I could know how to properly utilize the phone. When I initially set up service, I specifically discussed their "Visual Voicemail". I have had "Visual Voicemail" with another provider and it was exactly that, a written out text of the audio voicemail that is read not listened to. Freedom Pop charges extra for this service so I told the rep that as long as I still get regular voicemail that I can listen to I was not interested in paying extra ($2.49) for a service that I saw as unnecessary. The rep confirmed with me that I would still get regular voicemail as part of the service I was paying for (the $10.99 plan, unlimited calls & texts plus 500 MB of data/mo.). That also turned out to be a lie. From the time I received the phone till two months later (now), the phone NEVER worked properly and since Freedom Pop keeps west coast hours they are closed till 11 a.m. U.S. east coast time (where I live). By that time I am out in the world doing what I need to do for the day and I generally am not returning home till late, so I had an almost insurmountable task in trying to get a hold of them. That was also due to the fact that they do not provide normal customer service, they charge you $6.00 to talk to someone if you are already a customer. They want you to do everything by email, which is absolutely ridiculous. How can you possibly solve a problem in real time by email ? You can't ! This is a fact that was omitted by the rep that originally sold me the service. After many, many emails and phone calls where I had to make special arrangements with my schedule to be able to call from a land line AND have WiFi available (their requirement) and doing all kinds of troubleshooting culminating with doing a "hard factory reset" (which erases EVERYTHING off the phone including required apps) then having to download all the required apps; the phone still does not work properly. The instructions said that the "hard factory reset" was the last possible troubleshooting ***, obviously implying that the next *** would be to replace the phone. And by the way after all the other troubleshooting steps the phone would sort of work for a little while (maybe just an hour or two sometimes) and in the interim I would try to repeat the steps hoping that would solve the problem, but always only for a little while. It took some time before I could address this phone issue again after the "hard factory reset". After about an hour with the customer service/tech support supervisor *** he finally agreed that the phone did in fact need to be replaced. He then informed me that I would have to pay to ship the phone that never worked back. I couldn't believe it. The stones on these people!!! I told him that was ridiculous and that they were going to have to send me a pre-paid box or something. He told me he would put a request in, but it would take at least 24 hours to get a response. This is not the end of it though. I also noticed that in those 2 months I was charged $15 no less than 7 times to add data to my account. The data that I was not that interested in to begin with, as I told the original rep that sold me the service. He told me it was just part of the plan, so I thought ok I could use it for navigation, which I did occasionally. At no time did the original rep mention this possible charge nor obviously did I approve or authorize any such charges. as it turns out what the supervisor *** I last spoke with said is that the phone itself (to make phone calls or to text) will not work without data on the phone. Again something that the original rep never mentioned. Part of what the phone (the messaging app which everything runs through) was doing when it was "trying" to work was constantly trying to connect to the Freedom Pop servers utilizing the data on the account; thus running out the data that came with the plan and making the phone useless until Freedom Pop charged me $15 and then added additional data. But since the phone itself was defective that didn't really help it just ended up costing me an additional $105 that I never authorized to be charged to my card. This was only supposed to cost $10.99/month for the service. I told *** I wanted him to remove the unauthorized charges and informed him that it was a crime to have charged my card to begin with without my approval. His response was that due to "company policy" he was unable to. I told him I wanted to talk to his boss and he said his "boss does not talk to customers". I suggested that he should put me on hold to talk to his boss and to tell him I was considering making a criminal complaint as well as filing a complaint with the FCC & the FTC. He came back on the line to tell me he couldn't talk to his boss so he emailed him but we would get a response in 1 hour. This is at least 3 hours later and still no response. I suppose I will have to waste more time again tomorrow trying to get this straightened out. If they do not solve this to my satisfaction I have every intention of filing complaints with the proper authorities as well as looking into filing a lawsuit. I live in Delaware. The state in which a majority of corporations in this country (U.S.) incorporate due to the favorable tax laws for them. I am not confident in Freedom Pop doing the right thing. If anyone is interested in a joint or class action lawsuit, please email me at: "***.***.***atgmail.com"
Edit
see above
I want my phone replaced without my having to pay for the shipping. I want the unauthorized charges on my card refunded.
We're sorry to hear about the customer's unpleasant experience and appreciate the opportunity to present our side of the dispute.
We are unsure what Sprint device the customer attempted to activate on the FreedomPop service. However, we cannot active devices that are not unlocked. Usually, devices are locked when you purchase devices on a contract, directly from a major carrier (like Sprint). After 2 years your contract is over, but the device is still locked to the carrier. For more information on what devices can be unlocked please visit https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3308/kw/BYOD to learn about what devices can be brought over to FreedomPop.
The customer purchased a Huawei Union Y538, and this device is clearly marked as a Certified Pre-Owned device. While each device does not have a manual that is specific to the device, FreedomPop includes a quick start guide that details the information necessary to get started with the device as well as tips and tricks. We also include our support website to assist with any issues that may arise.
While FreedomPop requires a VIP service add-on to speak with a customer service representative via phone; customers can submit a ticket or look for other helpful topics in our support center - https://support.freedompop.com/.
We understand that the customer found the return process to be frustrating. However, exchange process guidelines are located in our Terms of Service (https://www.freedompop.com/service_plan_terms.htm) which are agreed to prior to sign-up. We typically do not provide pre-paid shipping labels to customers exchanging the device per our policy; however, as a courtesy to the customer we will email the customer at ***@gmail.com a pre-paid shipping label with instructions on returning the device.
The customer was charged $15.00 on seven separate occasions during their last billing cycle for auto top-ups as he utilized all of his data. FreedomPop provides the ability for all users to disable/enable automatic top-ups. Enabling allows the user to continue using their device when they run out of data by adding credit to the account, an additional Top-Up will not be incurred until the credit runs out. If the user disables the automatic top-up feature, then the account is suspended upon reaching the plan's data threshold. This is disclosed in our Terms prior to checkout. Instructions on how to disable top-ups are found here in our support website - https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2676/kw/automatic%20top.
Using the device for navigation will certainly increase data usage and cause the user to deplete their available data. On 9/12/17, we provided a refund back to the customer for three of these data top-ups. As a courtesy to the customer, we have provided a refund for the four additional top-ups. The customer should monitor their data usage and turn off automatic top-ups if the customer does not want to go over their data allotment.
We apologize for any difficulties experienced in the process of resolving this complaint.
The company ripped me off without any warning of any kind.
I signed up for their free plan to test if my old U.S. Cellular phone was even compatible. I found out it wasn't. Next thing I know I'm getting charged $27.98 for service that I can't even use. Nobody from their company will return my emails and it's impossible to get in touch with a human. Thanks to rhem. I ended up with an overdrawn account and had to borrow money to cover it.
I want a full refund and if possible, payment for my $28 NSF charge.
Our records indicate the customer purchased a LTE SIM card from FreedomPop on 8/4/17. The SIM card came with a free trial of the 2GB LTE Unlimited Plan ($24.99 after the first month) and the Premier add-on service ($7.99 after the first month). The trials become paid subscriptions if not downgraded prior to renewal. This is disclosed prior to checkout and reiterated in a follow-up email which includes their order confirmation, subscription details and instructions on how to manage their subscriptions. Therefore, the customer was charged $27.99 accordingly.
However, as a courtesy to the customer, we have refunded the charge of $27.98, and the account is cancelled.
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Due to them taking the money, I ended up with a $28 NSF Charge. This was their fault and I want that paid back to me. They need to be way more transparent with their site.
Customers have the ability to choose our free plan, our trial plan, or an annual plan. Trial subscription charges are clearly marked on the page the customer chooses the plan and on the checkout page prior to the customer placing any orders. The customer chose the trial plan when purchasing their SIM. The trials become paid subscriptions if not downgraded prior to renewal. This is disclosed prior to checkout and reiterated in a follow-up email which includes their order confirmation, subscription details and instructions on how to manage their subscriptions.
The customer did not downgrade their plan prior to the subscription renewal. Although the charges are valid, FreedomPop previously provided a refund to the customer for the charges. We cannot make any additional refunds to the customer beyond what was already provided.
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
The service is good. But I feel the website is a little confusing when trying to downgrade.
Hello *** thank you for your feedback as we are always looking to make the experience as easy as possible. We hope you continue to enjoy FreedomPop and we thank you for your review.
Really satisfied with this service, excellent value for money and good service, too.
Hello *** thank you for your review. We're elated to know you are really satisfied with FreedomPop. We hope this continues to be the case and you continue to save. Thank you for choosing FreedomPop.
It has worked very well for calling people. If we use for browsing then the speed is low. It is fine to use in USA and in Europe. It should be extented to other countries
Hello *** we're happy to know our services have worked very well as we appreciate your feedback. We are always looking to expand our services so please stay tuned. We thank you for your review.
Good service
Hello *** thank you for your review. We hope you continue to enjoy FreedomPop.
A good service, but customer must be very, very careful.
Hello ***, we appreciate your review as we are always looking to better our services in every aspect. We hope you continue to enjoy FreedomPop.
The Device worked as advertised but the only problem was the cost of a debit or credit card, instead of refill card and pins.
Hello ***, we appreciate your feedback as we are always looking to please our users. We hope you continue to enjoy your FreedomPop device.
EXTREMELY rocky start (with FREEDOM POP since its inception) but all of the 'issues' seem to have been addressed/solved ð???ð???
Hello *** we're glad to know you've stuck with FreedomPop after the initial hiccup. We hope you are able to enjoy FreedomPop to it's full potential. Thank you for your review.
Works for no monthly charge. Would be tuff to complain. will replace *** as home phone
Hello ***, we're happy to know you're enjoying FreedomPop and able to save at the same time. We hope this continues to be the case and we thank you for your review.
This company offered a free month of service which can be downgraded to a free plan. There was an additional service that also had to be deactivated
The option to terminate the additional service was buried under many menus in third website. The design is intentionally built to be deceptive
Full refund of all charges.
FreedomPop's plans and add-on services are both conveniently located under the "My Account" tab when a user logs into their FreedomPop account. The Plans, Services and International add-ons are separated into separate so that our users can see which subscriptions they are subscribed to in any one of the sections.
As a courtesy, our FreedomPop representative granted a refund of all charges to the customer after sign-up ($28.97 in total) on 9/12/17.
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
While I am pleased with the refund, the site should be redesigned. Which services the customer is subscribed to is not readily accessible. The customer has to click on every service to see if he/she is signed up for it.
Billing screen also makes it opaque as to what service I was paying for.
Unlimited Calling and Unlimited Text-Not truly Unlimited. It has limitations that are not clearly shown to the consumer upfront.
On 4.9.17 approx. 4:22 p.m. MST my cell phone service was interrupted during a call and said that I had ran out of minutes and needed to add money. It was my first month of service with this company so I wasn't sure what this meant. I had purchased the Unlimited Calling and Unlimited Texts with 2GB plan for $24.99. I had to go the rest of weekend with no Cellular service but I had texting capabilities and the usage of the data. There is no way to reach the company over the weekend, so I had to wait til 9.11.17 to reach someone at customer service.
On 9.11.17 approx 7:15a.m. I was connected to representative *** R. tried to explain to me that the "Unlimited Plan" that I have has a limitations of 2500 calling minutes and/or 12 hours per call and 5000 minutes of texts per the Terms Of Service-Fair Usage Policy. Only in the Terms Of Service is this outlined for the consumer to see. Online when you view your account its says Unlimited Calls and Unlimited Text but does should the usage of Data (which most know that means usage is being counted.)
To change the wording to suit the true service value i.e. 2500 Minutes per month and 5000 Text per month.
Per our Fair Usage Policy (https://www.freedompop.com/fair_usage_policy.htm), the monthly plans are subject to a usage limit of 2,500 minutes and 5,000 text messages per month. This policy is part of the terms which are agreed to prior the customer signing up for service. The customer can also contact us, and we will review the account to ensure there is no evidence of abuse. If there is no evidence of abuse, we will provide additional minutes for the remainder of the billing cycle.
The customer was previously refunded $30 on 9/11/17 and $24.99 on 9/13/17. Besides the sign-up fee and $0.54 for the VIP service charge, the customer has received refunds for all other charges on the account.
Freedom Pop has been charging me in the amount of $27.98 twice every month for a total of $55.96 every month since May 2016, even though the service had been cancelled since last year. I have been trying to call their Customer Service number XXX-XXX-XXXX, but the outgoing message states to log online, and the phone hangs up. There appears nothing available online on their website for me to resolve the issue.
Product_Or_Service: Phone service
Order_Number: Not available
Account_Number: Not available
Other (requires explanation) Cancel the account, remove my name permanently from their records and refund all the charges they have been making in the amount of $559.60 they have been making since last year!!!!!
Our records indicate the customer ordered a Kyocera Hydro on 9/3/16. The order included a 1-month free trial of our Premium 1GB Plan ($19.99 after the first month) and a 1-month free trial of our FreedomPop Premium Plus add-on service ($7.99 after the first month). These trials become paid subscriptions if not downgraded prior to renewal. This is disclosed prior to checkout and reiterated in a follow-up email which includes their order confirmation, subscription details, and instructions on how to manage their subscriptions.
Since the customer did not downgrade their subscriptions, the account was charged $27.98 once every month for the monthly plan. We do not show any records of the account being charged twice. If the customer has another email address that a different account may be under, please provide that email so that we may investigate.
We also cannot locate any records of the customer attempting to close their account prior to 5/29/17. We promptly closed the customer's account at this time and no further charges were incurred on this account.
While FreedomPop requires a VIP service add-on to speak with a customer service representative via phone; customers can submit a ticket or look for other helpful topics in our support center - https://support.freedompop.com/.
Per our terms of service (https://www.freedompop.com/service_plan_terms.htm), a customer has 30 days to notify FreedomPop of any disputes with charges for a refund. Even though the customer is well beyond 30 days, FreedomPop has provided a refund of $111.92 for four months of service between 2/10/17-5/10/17.
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Freedom Pop's action to close the account, make no further charges to the account and refund $111.92 is acceptable at this time. Thanks for the timely action!
I received the SIM card in July for $0.99 and I losted and because I never activate the service I thought it shouldn't be any problem and you know what they were charging my credit card $33.00 every month since I got the *** SIM card at this point they have stolen more than $100 dollars from me this is ridiculous I will fight for my money since I never got any service from them.
Hello *** we're sorry to learn of your SIM being lost before being able to use it. However, every SIM is already activated upon shipping to ensure the starting process is as hassle-free as possible. Therefore, the accounts are activated once the SIM ships. This information can also be found on the SIM packaging itself. Please reach us at *** contact or at forums.freedompop.com so an admin may assist you.
What's not to like? I had an old iPhone and an older relative who we felt needed a cell phone for emergencies. The SIM card arrived promptly and was easily activated. The connection is clear and consistent. When we upgraded from a 3G SIM to a 4G SIM a customer service rep emailed us to make sure the transition went well. We have been signed up with the free plan for several years now and are truly grateful for the service
Hello ***, we are grateful for your review, thank you. We are elated to know you are able to enjoy FreedomPop as we hope this continues to be the case moving forward. Thank you for choosing FreedomPop.
They were very helpful with setup of my phones when I first started using FreedomPop, since then they ave also been very responsive. I have some problems with reception sometimes but overall it has been very good both domestically and intenationally.
Hello *** we're happy to know you were able to receive assistance when you first started using your device. We hope you continue to enjoy FreedomPop. Thank you for your review.
Account with phone number closed.
Ref: ***@gmail.com
Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX
Checked my Chase credit card ending 0256 account on-line for current balance.
Noticed $2.49 charged. Further review showed charge started in May 2017, minus one month that was not charged.
Checked separately, my email (***@gmail.com) and the same email for the account at FreedomPop.com. No notice or confirmation that any service, or charges had been requested or established requiring a billing for $2.49.
Rightly concerned that someone is making fraudulent charges to my credit card, an email was sent regarding this concern, along with the statement that I would be contacting my bank credit card to dispute the charges, on Wednesday, September 6, 2017.
Immediately after sending the above email to FreedomPop, I notified my bank credit card company, of the concern, and disputed the charge(s).
Afterwards, I received three emails from FreedomPop this morning. The first, to confirm the credit(s) back to my account. The second, stating that I wanted to close the account (which was not true, and was not requested), but the account was closed. The third (and subsequent emails), stating that company policy was for any disputes to be addressed-resolved by FreedomPop first. If not, services would no longer be available to me, either to reinstate the account or to open a new account with FreedomPop.
At one point, a representative stated I could have my account, phone number restored, if I contact the bank to inform FreedomPop that the dispute was cancelled, FreedomPop would reinstate the account, and notify me by the account email.
Separately, two representatives at FreedomPop stated I could reopen the account, if I go with the annual plan at $79.99 and if the plan does not meet my needs after a couple of months, I could let FreedomPop know to change my plan back to the original free plan, Basic 200.
Following through on either of the above two,resulted in no assistance.
Summary, it is common sense and through security awareness, if anyone suspects fraudulent use of one's credit card, the bank must be notified immediately to stop the suspected unauthorized charges. That is what the banks wants everyone to do First. The bank dispute was in good faith and the results were responsive and responsible.
Under the circumstances, my account-phone number-service should be reinstated. If the account continues to be closed, I should be allowed to retrieve and tranfer my phone numberm XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Restore my account, service and phone number. As a result of no fault of my own, and for following accepted recommended procedure, when suspected fraudulent credit card charge(s) are being made. If the ethical, responsive and responsible action I took is not recognized, at least transfer my phone number (XXX-XXX-XXXX) to another service provider of my choice.
Our records indicate that the customer entered into a free trial of the visual voicemail on 5/20/17. This free trial becomes a paid subscription on their next billing cycle. This is disclosed prior to the customer enter the free trial. Therefore, the customer was charged $2.49 for this service on 5/30/17.
FreedomPop's policy states that if a customer has concerns with billing, shipping or tech related issues to please contact our customer support team for assistance before contacting your financial institution to receive proper assistance and to avoid account cancellation. For more information you can refer to FreedomPop's Service Plan, Equipment and Payment Terms under "Credit Card Chargebacks": https://www.freedompop.com/service_plan_terms.htm
As a courtesy, we have reactivated the customers line of service. The customer was previously refunded the 4 charges for $2.49. In the future, please refer to the terms of service prior to making a dispute with your bank.
(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
Preliminary acceptance pending verification of service.
Major frustrations due to:
a. Not getting text messages when I thought that was part of the Basic 200 plan (free 500 MB/month) which I don't use much, and receiving several prompts to try another service,Visual Voice Mail, to remedy it.
b. The impression that I was not getting Visual Voice Mail results.
c. Unknown and difficult to get to the page to cancel add-on services, i.e. visual voice mail, because I did not get results.
d. Calling the company numerous times, and diverted to recordings, or to someone in India, or to some other live person that would transfer me to someone else, that could not help me, or offered another service plan for a fee, then transfer to another department that would NOT provide any service.
e. Trying to get to "Contact" the company page directly, on-line, to enter your concerns and submit it. Instead, being transferred to a page that prompts you to enter your email and password, but doesn't accept it, even when it was changed on-line.
FreedomPop needs a simple user friendly on-line (and phone) process/format to communicate concerns on service issues.
The policy to "immediately" cancel ones critical "personal phone number" and service, without even a minimum 5-day notice, is unethical and unprofessional. Because in this situation, a customer in good faith and cause, "Suspects Fraudulent Charges", and clearly "Not Satisfied" with the service, is REQUIRED to CONTACT the BANK FIRST! All other companies allow this remedy.
I was contemplating on doing more business with FreedomPop, including promoting the company's initial purpose.
There must be a simpler user-friendly and efficient process to access, communicate, and provide satisfied services.
Please ensure the messaging app is updated. Here is a link to instructions in the event you need assistance - https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3168/kw/update%20messaging%20app.
Please also ensure to sync account data - https://support.freedompop.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3194/kw/sync%20account%20data
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I'm not a computer technician.
Just started with them, but they look pretty good so far--better service for less cost than I had before.
Hello ***, we're glad you're able to save by choosing FreedomPop. We hope you continue to enjoy our services along with saving more. Thank you for your review.
4 star-love my hot spot.
Hello ***, we hoe you continue to love your hot spot along with FreedomPop. Thank you for your review.
Though it started on shaky ground, my experience using the hot spot was/is going well. After getting the correct service with the billing I am very pleased. The hot spot works very well. I use the inexpensive rollover subscription so I can use the hot spot as an emergency connection. With hurricane Irma on the way, it will be tested.
Hello *** thank you for your review. We're glad to know you are having a positive experience after the initial hiccup. We hope the experience continues throughout your time with FreedomPop. We wish you the best of luck with the upcoming hurricane, stay safe.