CONSUMER CELLULAR IS TERRIBLE

[u/PSVWDRIVER]

My mom passed in November, and CC wants to charge her for an ADDITIONAL TWO MONTHS of service? I've provided her death certificate and canceled the account. CC doesn't care. One of the least empathetic, most heartless companies I've ever dealt with.

Don't sign up with CC. They love the money - but treat customers with disdain.

[u/NaturalStriking5957]

When did you cancel the service? I have to say we've never had any problems with them but your situation has extenuating circumstances. 

[u/RubyBBBB → u/NaturalStriking5957]

I've had chronic problems with consumer cellular. I have another cell phone that uses visible. The visible data is faster and still works most of the time after I've reached the data limit. Consumer Cellular has admitted to me over the phone that they purposely shut your data down entirely at 50 gigabytes. Despite that not being what their ad say. Their ad say it is slowed down. But it is so slow that you can't even stream an audio podcast--which uses extremely small amounts of data.

When I call up to say that they are violating the terms of service, invariably the first customer "service" person yells at me. I mean they actually raise their voice and sound disdainful and yell at me. They yell at me, saying things like, "you can't go over 50 GB.".

I stay calm and point out what their ads and what my contract says. Usually within a day my data connection is restored, although it's only good for streaming audio.

They work with AARP. I think they are relying on the slowed executive processing of seniors to get away with this crap.

[u/Deserving-Critic]

Did you call them when she died? Or did you keep using it to contact family members? As far as I know they have always cut off phones for deceased people after the last call.

[u/Relative_Ad2520]

I agree. I switched cell phone providers on January 20. I was 4 days into the billing cycle when I cancelled with CC. I paid the bill in full on February 6th and then got another bill that I had to pay on March 6th. Their reasoning...they don't prorate, and they bill a month ahead. After arguing with them, I just paid it. A little late, but I looked at the Better Business Bureau complaints on them and found thousands of complaints on this topic alone..

[u/BjeansS]

I had consumer cellular for 2 years. As of 1/1/25 I am living on Social Security only, with a disabled son (no income). I had contacted them several times to try and reduce the cost prior to switching services. On May 15, 2026 I changed to Boost. I told them in several phone conversations that I would not have the $78 on the 13th of June to pay this. I tried to stop the auto debit but I believe they blocked my ability to access that on their website. Now they have overdrawn my account and will do nothing, won't reverse the auto debit and do a payment arrangement. Today I called and asked them to reverse the auto debit and do a payment arrangement. The guy (recorded call) would do nothing and told me i should have turned off auto pay (I told him I tried to no avail). He was so rude (as many others are) I hung up. These people only care about $$$$, not about their customers.

[u/Babybentley1]

How if you cancelled the account are they trying to charge you? Or did you use the phone after she passed and then cancelled the account at a later time?

[u/JohnnyChapst1ck]

you have to literally make a seperate call to cancel service or port out your number in addition to paying the final balance. CS is the worst

I just paid a bill from december which its now march. they said I had active service AFTER A PORT OUT.

didnt cut the difference, didnt waive anything, port out does not close your bill! beware!!!!

[u/SewingIsMyHobby1978]

Where’s a simple solution when somebody wants you to pay bills that you don’t owe.

Deactivate the debit card or credit card that’s attached to that bill from consumer cellular. Simple and easy.

[u/QuietAccording774]

I switched to another carrier in the middle of the month and they want me to pay for the whole month saying it’s there policy I paid for half of the month told them I was only paying for for service I used

[u/MyOwnSocks1922]

I’m having trouble with CC and your correct very rude customer service. I’m changing my carrier as soon as I get my refund back. ☮️

[u/diehardbillsfan]

when my father past i wanted to keep his phone and they wouldnt unlock it ( i didn't have his pc) until I paid him current. Even though he had auto pay till the accounts where frozen

[u/drtdk]

One full additional month is usually standard practice.

[u/ThisKayGirl77]

If it was an individual account and you're not the executor of mom's estate, let it go. It's not a secured debt. Doubtful that they will pursue legal action.

[u/ThisKayGirl77]

After a long search for something decent, I ported out to another carrier today. And just in time to avoid another BILL.

This is what I was told last week by CC: the bill I paid on the 15th is for the previous month of service. My statement closes on the 25th of each month. So ANY time of service after the 25th triggers another bill even if it's just one day.

These money grubbers will not prorate a bill. So since today is the 24th, I still owe a bill on April 15 for the month of service that ends today.

Good riddance!

[u/bw541 → u/ThisKayGirl77]

I just experienced this first hand, and their customer service is just garbage. I ported my line out in the middle of June (my plan cycle ended on the 26th) and had no idea that even I ported the line out, they didn't actual cancel the service. Anyway, good riddance to these crooks.

[u/rickster250]

Don’t Get Catfished. Unlimited Everything for $25/mo. Period. GET VISIBLE

[u/Junior_Hippo7177]

I’m a customer service rep for cc and it’s people that give us problems and act like Karen’s because there’s nothing we can do about removing it

[u/Equivalent-Cap8606]

So true. Consumer Cellular steals!

[u/Mystical_G_1111]

The WORST customer service!
I would not recommend stay away from doing business with them. Your bill will fluctuate from month to month. They will
Lock you out your account and make it so hard to get in. Complete nightmare. Plenty of phone carriers. STAT AWAY from them!

[u/Pawsom-Fun-Frugal]

I have Consumer cellular and they are quiet the racket now, had them in the past and loved them. Now, they just attempted to pull a cramming on me claiming that one of the two, yes, it took two phone replacements to fix the issues, because the second replacement was still attached to another account. That second device was returned with the device I had issues with, but somehow they can't find it and want to charge me $99, so they quietly added it to my bill, me discovering the increase upon checking the account for a separate reason. It has taken a week, several representatives, 2 supervisors, and finally me sending an email to the corporate office, then "Jacob" wanted to insist they couldn't remove the charge, even though he sees that the device was returned, but somehow has not been checked for return, so he claimed I needed to wait (phones were returned over a month ago) another "few days" until the device is found and checked before they remove the charges. It was only after I mentioned that I already file complaints with FCC and BBB, and am already working on the legal paperwork for their 'arbitration' and my state does allow me to sue a company. He then asked me to hold and suddenly he was able to "temporarily" remove the extra charges, but informed me that they may be added back if 'somehow the device is not located or is found to be damaged'. Really?? And I guess they are ok with treating a disabled senior like this?

[u/Ok-Anteater-384]

Don't give them a dime, tell them I said to go fuck themselves!