Warning: Walmart Freedompop can stop your free services without warning you

Telecom
1

I got a few lines with Walmart FreedomPop free service plan. All of a sudden, all my lines were disabled without informing from Freedompop that they were doing so. And they blocked me from login into my account. I chatted with them via chat line and they said my lines were disabled. She tried to escalate it but couldn't get my lines working again and sent me the prepared statement, " We have received an update from our Fraud Department and they have deemed the account associated with email (the email I was using to enroll all my lines) as Fraudulent according to our Terms and Conditions. You may reference our full terms and conditions on our website and may reference Section - III. INTENDED USAGE & RESTRICTIONS ON USE

III. INTENDED USAGE & RESTRICTIONS ON USE
E. FreedomPop service plans are for individual use only and not for resale.
F. We reserve the right to cancel or deactivate service, and/or reduce data throughput, without notice, in order to protect the Carrier’s network from harm due to any cause including, without limitation, the excessive and/or improper use of FreedomPop service.
Unfortunately, I regret to inform you we're unable to reinstate your account since it has been deemed as Fraudulent.

I asked how can I ported out my lines. I'm quite upset. I transferred out my free cell services from FreeUp which was VERY reliable to this ripoff company and now I may be losing all my numbers. Note I'm using all my lines for personal and not reselling like they accused me of!

Be warned about Freedompop free account! Should have listened to many other users having bad experience about this company.I wish I'd never purchased the lousy $10 Freedompop from Walmart. All I can do now is warn others so they don't suffer the same fate as I'm.

1 Like
2

You can make an FCC complaint.

1 Like
3

Yes, MobileGuru, I think I'll file a complaint with FCC. Fortunately, I've copied the whole live chat with Freedompop representative to my email so I can have the record to send to FCC! What they did is obscene. At first, I just thought about warning others, but you've given me an idea to take it further so they won't do that to others. Thanks.

4

So far so good for my 1 line. I would be pretty upset if FP deactivates my account as I do use that number occasionally and definitely not commercial use.

1 Like
5

It's really ridiculous that FP is disabling some accounts / lines, especially with no warning. I thought at first it had something to do with payment method, but I just checked, and one of my FP T-Mobile (Walmart) lines has a prepaid CC that had a $0.05 balance and expired 2/23, my other FP T-Mobile (Walmart) line has a prepaid CC with a $0.12 balance that expired 10/23, and I have a FP AT&T (Target) line with a real CC attached. All are under 1 email address, and the account and all lines are still working. If they get disabled or if the account is deleted, I'll be filing with the FCC and BBB.

1 Like
6

I have two lines, but they're each tied to different email addresses. One of them is officially a RedPocket account. Both are still working.

7

Out of curiosity, did they specifically say you'd been flagged as likely reselling, or did they just say fraudulent according to the terms and conditions, which it appears could include the (deliberately, I'm sure) poorly defined "excessive and/or improper use?"

And if they did specifically accuse you of reselling, by any chance do you regularly use a VPN such that you might have seemed to be using the lines or accessing the account from widely distant locations?

Just trying to speculate about what other folks might want to try to watch out for. Although since the wording basically amounts to "we can cut you off anytime just because," I doubt it matters. I assume most service providers' T&C say pretty much the same thing, of course.

8

@scriptninja I don't use VPN on those phones, just little bit of data anyway, I use home Wi-Fi mostly. I'm not a heavy phone user. One phone I activated for a family member living in a different state. The rest were used by family members where I live. Anyway, I shouldn't have done business with the devils like Freedompop. Even though it was sold to Redpocket, it's still controlled by the remaining clowns at Freedompop. I won't touch the Target Freedompop even if they were to give it to me free let alone pay $5. Not worth the trouble of selling my soul to the devil for measly free phone services. I'd rather deal with reputable companies than those clowns at Freedompop. I restore my soul by warning others and in the process of filing complaints with the FTC & BBB. And if there is a class-action suit, I'll gladly join it to get these clowns out of business Below is a summary of the live chat I have with their rep. I've deleted some personal information such as the rep first name and my name and any personal information.

Freedompop rep
(MY name) upon further checking, it's showing on our system your online account is currently disabled. May I please know how many phone numbers is currently attached to your online account?||

Me
a few. I can't log into my account too.

Freedompop rep.

(My name), after carefully reviewing your account I was able determine it is under management review. Allow me to escalate the issue with your account for further review and assitance. Please kindly bear with me and stay connected. As soon as I have an update I'll inform you immediately.

(Freedompop rep)

II. INTENDED USAGE & RESTRICTIONS ON USE
E. FreedomPop service plans are for individual use only and not for resale.
F. We reserve the right to cancel or deactivate service, and/or reduce data throughput, without notice, in order to protect the Carrier’s network from harm due to any cause including, without limitation, the excessive and/or improper use of FreedomPop service.
Unfortunately, I regret to inform you we're unable to reinstate your account since it has been deemed as Fraudulent/

Me
i bought the sim at walmart.
how can i port out my numbers?

Freedompop rep:
Allow me to submit your request for further review with our upper management.
We'll proceed to follow-up via email as soon as we have an update. For the meantime, do you have other concerns I can look into?

Me:

it was for personal use, i didn't resale the sim.

Freedompop rep:
I understand. I'll be including this on my escalation report as well.
While we're still waiting for an update, do you have other concerns I can look into?

Me:
|no, that's it. Bear in mind, I bought these sims directly from Walmart for my personal uses.

Freedompop rep:

This has been noted. I've already included this on my report and as soon we have an update we'll inform you immediately.
Thanks for reaching out to FreedomPop. Stay safe!

P.S. the rep said the company will contact me for porting out the numbers on the forced closed account but few days have passed, and haven't heard anything from those clowns!

9

this same thing just happened to me two or three days ago. same excuse. Please keep us updated

1 Like
10

I was able to get a nice CSR and fix my issue. They told me "We want to ensure we get your service up and running. To do so you will need to create separate accounts for each mobile number that is subscribed to a Free Plan. Great news, you can keep the same number and same SIM. " In short, one account, one free plan.

1 Like
11

Good, am glad for you! Did you have to do a second chat with the CSR to get your lines working again? What's the CSR first name? Maybe I'll try to get that rep to get my numbers working again so I can port out my numbers. So far, those clowns haven't emailed me about anything as they'd said they would. 2 numbers I want to port out as they're easy to remember & I had them for a long time already. Thanks!

12

that's good. Looks like I'll be OK since I already have my lines set up that way.

13

As do I except for one account that has 2 lines on it. I wonder if they will shut that one down.

14

I have two FP T-Mobile 300/1000/100 (Walmart) free plans AND one FP AT&T 100/100/100 (Target) free plan in one FP account, and everything is good, so far. Fingers crossed...

15

They never emailed me! I had to chat again and mentioned that I was promised an email. The second CSR put me on hold and talked to upper level CSR, and told me that. I kept her online to help process some of the new accounts. There were issues during that process and a CSR was needed. I finished two with her and decided to go on by myself. But came across issues, contacted a third CSR, who told me that under review thing.. I copy pasted the resolution from CSR #2, and CSR #3 then switched into helping me set up new accounts.

1 Like
16

Ok, I will try to chat again & get my porting out information. If not, no big deal. I've moved on to a different cell carrier. Thanks for your reply. Glad yours has been solved.

17

Some good info. here and at the reddit links for those attempting to revive their line(s).

3 Likes
18

Freedompop was giving me B.S.reasons for disabling accounts. I checked their free 100-minute free plan at Target. Look like they're starting to find reasons to close those accounts too.

One reviewer name React writes, "They're deleting accounts. Had two of these attached to the same account and now I can't log in. Seems they updated terms to state only 1 free line per account just recently and didn't grandfather anyone in that made accounts before they implemented this new change. Target should totally ditch this company."

Another reviewer name Willy writes, "They started deleting accounts now making the sim unusable because they don’t like how people have multiple sims linked to one account. FreedomPop seems to be a shady company looking at its past history."

You can read more reviews on Target website or click on this link. Freedompop Sim Kit: 100% Free Wireless Service : Target
Spreading the words on this scam company is the best way to stop these clowns. Don't be fooled, even though it had been sold to Redpocket as I remember, this company STILL a scam run by clowns & devils.

P.S. Freedompop has just begun to sell the 100 free minutes at Walmart too. FreedomPop Starter SIM Kit: 100% FREE Wireless Service - Walmart.com.

I've left a review warning others at Walmart site. Hopefully, that review will get approved and show up on the Walmart site to warn others.

20

I experienced latest FP shenanigans some others have reported on HF on a line I manage. In this case a WM GMST 1000/300/100 line.

Re-added same payment (Privacy CC) info and all appears ok, for now. Service date / renewal reset to the date info was added back, not back to the date it failed to renew. The person using the line didn't realize it was off for 3 or 4 days.

Something I noticed that wasn't mentioned by anyone in that HF thread is that the invoice details for the "payment" changed. Although never charged to the card, previous invoices reflected a $1.20 state E911 tax/surcharge. The most recent (manual) "payment" invoice does not reflect any such fee. I'll be curious to see what the next, hopefully automatic renewal, "payment" invoice reflects. Either way, so far, always $0 charge to the form of payment but I'm wondering if FP is fiddling with their systems/accounting for these lines or it was just incidental to manual payment and/or FP attempt to prune back disused and "glovebox" accounts.

1 Like