Guidelines to Avoid Fraud When Buying a Prepaid Calling Card


by Eliza Maledevic - Date: 2007-02-15 - Word Count: 643 Share This!

Indeed, prepaid calling cards can be seen and bought at many stores, retail sites, by mail and by the Internet.

But, it is advisable that before purchasing a prepaid calling card, there are heaps of important things to be asked by the salesperson. One should ask about the in-sale call rate, the state-to-state, the international rates, if there is connection fees, a maintenance fees, the expiry date of the calling card, and the likes. This should be done especially to those first time prepaid calling card user and to those who are new to the brand type that they are going to purchase.

Most of the time, the necessary information can be found in the wrapper of the prepaid calling cards. But if in case there are no information written to the wrapper of the card, better to contact its customer service and ask all the important questions one should know. But if the customer representative can not answer all the information about the prepaid calling card, better to look for other prepaid calling card company that can give the valuable information about the prepaid calling card.

For someone to test a prepaid calling card that one is not familiar with is by buying a small value prepaid calling card and found out how it works. Take this note; never ever accept a prepaid calling card in which the scratch-off wrapper on the PIN or the Personal Identification Number has been removed. And do not accept a prepaid calling card if is doesn't provide terms and condition. One more thing, before purchasing a prepaid calling card, it is better to make sure that it has the necessary language, since most of the prepaid calling card tender taped instructions in languages apart from English.

Mainly, prepaid calling cards are disposable, which can be thrown away after its use.

But there is another type, which is relatively popular nowadays; this is frequently sold through the Internet or by mail. This is rechargeable by calling the company.

There are also some prepaid calling cards that are advertised through the newspaper and magazines. One can order the card by phone and can be paid through a credit or debit card. Or it can be ordered by mail and can be paid with check or money order. There are lots of prepaid calling cards that are being sold through the Internet. And the mode of payments is by debit or credit cards. All the prepaid calling cards which are ordered by mail, phone or Internet are subject to shipping and it has about $10 per order of handling charges.

Several companies sell virtual prepaid calling cards though the Internet to customers who have their e-mail addresses. As soon as the order has been processed the customer will received an e-mail which includes the toll-free access number and the PIN that the customer will use in order to make the calls. These virtual cards to not need a shipping and handling charges but it is subject to a processing fee.

There are some prepaid calling card companies who gives useless cards after they have taken the money of the customers. Other companies just tend to fail to let the customers know about the fees, surcharges and any other costs to their customers. Actually, there have been some reports about this kind of unlawful sales practices by prepaid calling card companies.

For the customers to have been caught by fraud in using prepaid calling card, it is better to talk to the company. Since, the International Prepaid Communications Association (IPCA), an industry association, works a toll-free hotline for the customers who happen to have some problems or questions about prepaid calling cards. But if in case, the company didn't answer your call, then it is wiser to contact the local district attorney's consumer fraud unit, to let them know about your problem and for them to make some action.


Related Tags: business, cheap, phone cards, prepaid calling cards, tip, prepaid, call cards, phone service, provider

Article Author Eliza Maledevic from http://www.Jump2top.com, a SEO Company.Know more on Prepaid Calling Cards at http://www.flatrateonline.net/products/international-calling-cards.aspx

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