Help a Cranky Old Gal Out (Tracfone site issues)

[VexedOldHag]

Hey guys. Ready to scream. Here's what's up:

I have an Alcatel MyFlip on Tracfone, was an "upgrade" a few years ago from my triple minutes LG (cheapie smartphone) that was 3g. Every year I go on the Tracfone site and add the 365 day option that shows up when you go to check out (but is not visible anywhere else on the site), and I get a year's worth of service for $49.

I also have a ZTE Z557DL that was sent to me from Safelink in 2018.

I don't use either of these phones; I use Google voice on a pc for calls and texts. But I like having them as a security blanket kinda thing.

Sooo...I go to the Tracfone site on a pc to my account I've had since like 2017, and behold...it is waayyyy changed since I visited it last year. Gltchy as heck. Won't let me "edit" personal info...keeps throwing errors...wth?

If I try to add a refill...I get an error message: blank white box with these exact words: "Alert! Undefined".

So...I try the app instead, on an Android device (Galaxy S4 I use just as an internet access device and for Google voice).

THE APP allows me to add the refill to my "cart" whereas the site did not!

However...unlike days of yore...the "add 365 days" $49 option no longer shows up at checkout!

I found an "add 365 days" card on ebay for $54.99 But who knows if it'll work?

I also see one may get hella points (8000?) if one signs up for "rewards" via a "referred by a friend" link. Me not knowing this until afterwards when I started looking for solutions to my new struggles with the site and found folks discussing it, had already signed up for "rewards" (got 200 *le sigh*) so now cannot avail myself of that nifty option.

I DO have another Alcatel MyFlip still in the box, I could activate to get the rewards and make another account I guess? The 8000 points would buy a year's plan I am thinking?
I also unlocked the first MyFlip so can take it to Tello if that makes more sense, cost wise.

I dunno what to do. I hate when things that were working fine, change. ergh.

Thanks in advance for any input/ideas/suggestions.

[millept]

I haven't interacted much with the new Tracfone website, but I've seen many posts on here about how glitchy it is.

Since you mention Tello, I will recommend it as very good for low cost - low use accounts, assuming you have good T-Mobile reception. If you don't need data, the talk and text plans start at $5/month + tax. All plans include unlimited texts.

Sign up with a referral code and you'll get $10 Tello Dollars that can be used to pay for your monthly service. I can give you one by PM. It will give me $10 Tello Dollars also.

[VexedOldHag]

I was thinking of exactly that, the $5.00 Tello plan, IF no one can help me figure out if I can still get the $49/year Tracfone thing I've been using. I figure that's my next best option. How much are the fees added to the base $5.00/mo, though? Do the taxes/fees end up bringing the monthly cost closer to $10?

Oh yes the site is RIDICULOUS. I tried it on a Linux pc with Brave browser, and on a Chromebook with Chrome, and on another Linux pc with Firefox. It was unusable. Example: I can log in fine, right...but if I then try to "edit personal information", and then must re-enter password...it states "password is too many characters". WTH? I am LOGGED IN. This is baffling and sooo annoying. Yet the APP works. ugh.


OH and do you guys know if these ebay "digital service extension" things are legit?

[Lisme]

Make sure the seller on eBay is actually the Tracfone Store. There are other sellers on there who come up with all kinds of wacky offerings. I wouldn't touch them for anything.

I jumped ship to Tello. Tracfone simply does not inspire confidence anymore. Yes, there are taxes on Tello, but also on Tracfone. I have a Tello $10 plan and I think it amounts to $10.70 something like that if I remember correctly. It depends on where you live. If you use Tello rewards to pay for service, there seems to be no tax.

[tomseys]

IIRC I believe the new site (which is terrible) has a 12 character limit with passwords.

Maybe you can try changing the password for the account on the MY Account app to a 12 character or less password. And then login to the site with it to change settings on the site, and see if site works better in general.

I usually use Chrome to login since at least on my end it seems to work a little better than Firefox (esp) and Edge. You can try clearing browser data (except for passwords) and tracfone cookies via settings if site is still unusable.

You need a TF branded device to get offered the $49.99 365 day add-on in the cart. Cannot be bought with points. See here about that.

Sometimes you can find a field to enter a referral code in the rewards part of the site under "My Dashboard" towards the bottom.

[sillyette]

Hey guys. Ready to scream. ... I hate when things that were working fine, change. ergh.

My feelings exactly! Don't even get me started on how much I hate Tracfone's new website, and all the problems it's been causing! (I got a chuckle out of your screen-name, and also the thread title, BTW).

I also see one may get hella points (8000?) if one signs up for "rewards" via a "referred by a friend" link. Me not knowing this until afterwards when I started looking for solutions to my new struggles with the site and found folks discussing it, had already signed up for "rewards" (got 200 *le sigh*) so now cannot avail myself of that nifty option.

If it's been less than 14 days since you signed up for rewards, you should, technically, still be able to input a referral code (pick me! PM me! ) like tomseys has mentioned in his post.

I DO have another Alcatel MyFlip still in the box, I could activate to get the rewards and make another account I guess?

If you activate the second phone as a new line in your existing account, you should get 7,000 points.

If you activate the second phone by making a new account, you won't get 8000 points because the rewards program is tiered, and this would be your first referral. So you'll get 5000 points - but in each account, so 10,000 total (although technically, Tracfone doesn't want you to do self-referrals).

The big problem is that referrals aren't reported to be working too well these days, and add-a-line points too have often needed calling Corporate (unless you use Chat for adding the line).
So things have been getting worse in Tracfone-land.

[Tracfancier]

The duct tape holding the Tracfone system together has burst under the expanding load Verizon has put on the system.
The mighty Verizon bought a pig in a poke. Salvageable... yes, but at what cost?

[VexedOldHag]

ErmiGawd you guys are fabulous, with your replies. Thank you!

1. The ebay seller was most certainly NOT "Tracfone". He is a guy in Honduras. He has close to 1000 positive reviews but... nah. I emailed him and asked "how exactly do you load this 'digital' airtime?" and his grammatically disastrous English reply was vague...but included me "providing my phone number" to HIM. LMAOOOO yeah, right. I don't even see how that would work...? Hell to the no. For curiosity, anyone know how he is doing this??

2. If the fees on Tello are that small then wow...that sounds like an excellent alternative!

3. Re: rewards, yep, only a couple of days BUT trust me I looked over the page with scrutiny and the button mentioned in these forums (I've been reading, in my struggles) is NOT there, neither in "dashboard" (on the rewards page) nor at the "bottom of the page".

However I do have an UPDATE!
By disabling Ublock Origin (I haven't used a site that required I do this in...AGES. Didn't even think of it at first), on Chrome, I was able to BUY THE YEAR'S SERVICE! $49. BUT, you know how you used to be able to add "minutes" to the cart, then add the $49 365 days, then REMOVE the minutes and just buy the 365 days? Not anymore; if you remove the minutes the days are removed. So I got the 60 minutes/90 days for $19 (tripled to 180 for this phone) and the 365.

As to the PASSWORD idiocy...yep 12 characters is the limit and mine is longer BUT why the log in accepts a longer password BUT the internal screen does NOT is bizarre! The internal field is supposed to require the log in password, for Heaven's sake...ugh I loathe things that make no sense...

SO I'm set up after all, until FEB 2024 now (as I did this well in advance of the year mark -November- this time, because I had heard of the changes and wanted to get my usual "deal" now in case it stopped being offered).

I hope my wee thread helps someone who is fighting with the site: disable adblockers! An OBVIOUS solution (and I am a geek, so I should've known straightaway) but one I haven't had to employ in YEARS for a site to work so I didn't even consider it.


OH another effery on the new site vs the former: ok so for years I always paid with my credit card, did not SAVE it to the site. Just entered it at checkout. Well...new site saves it automatically, NO OPTION not to at checkout. OK I'll jusr delete it afterwards...

NOPE! Cannot! If you try, you get a box that pops up (and will not allow X-ng it away; if you simply close the page the payment stays SAVED, no changes remain) "You must enter a payment method". WHAT?

I go to the APP...and I CAN DELETE IT, no problem. What the heck?!
Furthermore. The site tabs do NOT show one's address nor require one. The APP? It does indeed. Under profile, you CANNOT leave the address field blank. So I entered 101 Buttholes Lane.

[hpham]

1. The ebay seller was most certainly NOT "Tracfone". He is a guy in Honduras. He has close to 1000 positive reviews but... nah. I emailed him and asked "how exactly do you load this 'digital' airtime?" and his grammatically disastrous English reply was vague...but included me "providing my phone number" to HIM. LMAOOOO yeah, right. I don't even see how that would work...? Hell to the no. For curiosity, anyone know how he is doing this??

There are several ways for the seller to do that:
1. With your phone number that you provided to him, he'll buy the airtime from TF to add to your phone. Some sellers use legitimate credit cards, and get cashback on their cards or some other perks. Shady sellers will use stolen credit cards to buy your airtime. When the credit card companies discover the frauds and reverse the charges, TF will invalidate the purchase and your phone loses the airtime that was added. You'll end up fighting with Ebay to get a refund while having no phone service.
2. With the reward program, one person can redeem reward points for airtime cards to add to another phone. The seller could be using his reward points to add airtime to your phone.

[tomseys]

However I do have an UPDATE!
By disabling Ublock Origin (I haven't used a site that required I do this in...AGES. Didn't even think of it at first), on Chrome, I was able to BUY THE YEAR'S SERVICE! $49. BUT, you know how you used to be able to add "minutes" to the cart, then add the $49 365 days, then REMOVE the minutes and just buy the 365 days? Not anymore; if you remove the minutes the days are removed. So I got the 60 minutes/90 days for $19 (tripled to 180 for this phone) and the 365.

Instead of minutes if you add the $10 global calling card to cart you can then add the $49.99 add-on from bottom and deselect the calling card and just have the $49 add on in the cart.

















I usually disable uBlock Origin but still sometimes have problems with the site (esp with FF).

But doing that (or disabling whatever content blocker), setting tracking protection to standard, clearing cache and cookies, fixing any password issues can sometimes help with site issues. Seems there are also times when nothing really helps and its difficult to even login.

The app can be very helpful/useful since it seems to work a little better (especially with changing account info) and can do things like send plans bought with points to friends (iOS version of app) and doesn't usually get all the errors.

[LCSJL]

There are several ways for the seller to do that:
1. With your phone number that you provided to him, he'll buy the airtime from TF to add to your phone. Some sellers use legitimate credit cards, and get cashback on their cards or some other perks. Shady sellers will use stolen credit cards to buy your airtime. When the credit card companies discover the frauds and reverse the charges, TF will invalidate the purchase and your phone loses the airtime that was added. You'll end up fighting with Ebay to get a refund while having no phone service.
2. With the reward program, one person can redeem reward points for airtime cards to add to another phone. The seller could be using his reward points to add airtime to your phone.

I have extended service time twice in the last few weeks from a seller on ebay. He stated that he is a Tracfone dealer.
The sellers listing has the "ebay money back guarantee". No issues so far.

[taxmantoo]

I have extended service time twice in the last few weeks from a seller on ebay. He stated that he is a Tracfone dealer.
The sellers listing has the "ebay money back guarantee". No issues so far.

1. Did you provide the dealer with your phone number and they add the service time for you?

2. Did you only get the service days you purchased, or did you also get minutes/texts/etc?

A dealer might have options the rest of us don't have, like adding a $49.99 service extension.
A non-dealer might have to put four 90 day cards on your phone instead.

[gmannix]

Tomsey said:I usually use Chrome to login since at least on my end it seems to work a little better than Firefox (esp) and Edge. You can try clearing browser data (except for passwords) and tracfone cookies via settings if site is still unusable.

I took your advice earlier re: Clearing browser, but I did not know about passwords and inadvertently lost about 80 saved passwords...
Oh well, I am retired so it isn't like I dont have time tofix it. Can you bu chance explain how I clear the browser without losing my passwords?

[tomseys]

In Chrome, deselect passwords. In Firefox, active logins.




In Chrome settings, go to Autofill and check passwords. They may still be there unless you didn't deselect that.


If passwords are all gone, and you use another browser, you can import them into Chrome.

If you have Firefox for example, you can get the passwords on that into Chrome. In Chrome, go to Bookmarks/import bookmarks and settings.





You can at least manually check them.

In Firefox passwords are here:



T

[VexedOldHag]

Instead of minutes if you add the $10 global calling card to cart you can then add the $49.99 add-on from bottom and deselect the calling card and just have the $49 add on in the cart.

















I usually disable uBlock Origin but still sometimes have problems with the site (esp with FF).

But doing that (or disabling whatever content blocker), setting tracking protection to standard, clearing cache and cookies, fixing any password issues can sometimes help with site issues. Seems there are also times when nothing really helps and its difficult to even login.

The app can be very helpful/useful since it seems to work a little better (especially with changing account info) and can do things like send plans bought with points to friends (iOS version of app) and doesn't usually get all the errors.

ERGH I wish I'd seen this aforehand. I have like 2000 minutes and didn't need to add any. I used to always add/remove the minutes (got that tip from a Tracfone promo codes site ages ago...can't find that site anymore, it used to have promo codes!) and was bummed when I couldn't do so this time...but here you provide the workaround! Day late dollar short.

Yeah like I say I am a huge geek and own 6 pcs and use Linux and am hardly tech illiterate but I haven't had to disable adblockers for site functionality in YEARS. That one must do so to use this PITA site tells you something right there. Doh! I felt like a moron.

I cannot fathom this Honduran fella is a dealer, he barely could compose a sentence that was cogent and did NOT answer my q in a direct manner...was evasive. I said literally "how do you add the digital airtime with just my number"? and he replied "all is done digitally!". Erm...ohhhhkay....

I thought the only way to add airtime was either on the phone itself via 611611, OR on the Tracfone site. How can one add airtime with just a phone number?