RedPocket Mobile
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Awful customer service, misleading and shady business practice
Online customer service was horrible. Spent several hours getting nowhere with two different chat sessions. Had to keep repeating the same info over and over. It seemed like a different person was coming in each time to help me because they kept asking questions I had already answered. I chose the eSIM method because that's what their website said to do for a 2022 phone, which mine is, but that did not work for my phone. They really should revise that and ensure that your phone is eSIM compatible before you start that process because you are going to lose use of your phone if it is not. My phone would not work anymore until I got a physical SIM card. I did not know this. I would have never agreed to have my phone locked until they mailed me a SIM card. They should warn you about this before you click and send in your phone number and the other ID number that you give them from your phone. They should tell you that as soon as you do that your previous service will not work. If their service does not get up and running for you, you have no phone, which is what happened to me. When I asked if I could just back out of the deal, since it was not working as advertised for me, I was told that they could 'port out' my phone but I would lose the money I had paid them. I had not even had 'their service' for an hour at that time and had not been able to use it. Shady business practice. I was told I could check for a SIM card at Walmart, Walgreens, Dollar General, etc. I checked all three of those places and they do not even carry RedPocket SIM cards. I went back to US Cellular, which is what I had, and they told me I could not get service from them again with the same number until RedPocket ported out my phone. So RedPocket had my phone hostage. I got back home and back onto chat and it was l like pulling teeth to get RedPocket to port out my phone, with them asking the same questions repeatedly. I tried asking the tech if I could port out, lose my money but at least have US Cellular back that evening since I had only switched that morning and had not cancelled with US Cellular and never could get a straight answer on that. Finally I was told that I would have to be in the system for 24 hours before they could port out my phone. I can understand that unexpected difficulties can happen. But my phone got locked up without warning by following their directions. Then I am told that they will keep my money if I cancel and my phone will stay locked up by them for at least 24 hours. If I stay with them I have to find one of their SIM cards, which does not exist around me, or wait for them to mail me one, unable to use my phone the whole time. Simply unacceptable and the customer service online was incredibly bad. I am baffled at all the 5 star reviews. I was skeptical about doing this online but went with because of the good reviews. My phone was one that was out of the ordinary I guess because it is a 2022 model with a physical SIM card, but RedPocket should verify that your phone is eSIM compatible before having you take the route I did by just assuming that it is. And if you get locked up by following their directions they should immediately offer you a refund in a very apologetic manner. It's just completely unacceptable to make someone's phone unusable without fully warning that person, who does not know any better, what they are about to get into. Some of the worst customer service I have ever had in my 58 years. Hours of it too, going around in circles online. Absolutely would not remotely consider using this company after my experience today. Just maddening. With all those raving 5 star reviews, I guess they all had ordinary situations to deal with (as opposed to a physical SIM phone that RedPocket thinks should be eSIM) or got their cream of the crop service rep's and I got their two worst, with a sanity straining reluctance to be forthcoming and straightforward. Profoundly awful. There, done now, I'll quit.