Information and Alerts
Alert Details
This business has 3 alerts.
Pattern of Complaints
BBB files indicate a pattern of consumer complaints filed against this business. Consumers primarily report concerns around advertising, service, refund, billing and customer service issues. Regarding advertising issues, consumers allege that after purchasing an unlimited call plan, they do not receive unlimited minutes and are informed that they will need to use a separate service to obtain minutes, and ultimately, pay more than the advertised price. Consumers also allege that phone lines provided by the business are either disconnected or work for a limited amount of time/calls. Additionally, consumers allege that they are informed by customer service representatives that refunds cannot be issued and allege that when they are offered partial refunds, refunds are never received. Further, consumers allege that the 7-day refund and partial refund policies are not listed in the business’ terms and conditions. Similarly, consumers allege that they are continuously charged unauthorized payments, even after confirmed cancellation. Finally, consumers allege that the business is unresponsive to phone calls and emails.
On May 28, 2019, BBB submitted a written request to the company encouraging them to address the pattern of complaints. As of June 24,2020, BBB has had no response.
Alert
For more information about this business and the findings of BBB's investigation into its practices, click here.
Ad Review
On March 5, 2019, BBB requested InmateCall to substantiate or modify the following claim(s) found on the company’s website, in accordance with the BBB Code of Advertising:
InmateCall advertises phone plans that include unlimited minutes. A pattern of complaints indicate that consumers are not getting unlimited minutes, but rather paying more out of pocket than what is advertised. Section 19.1 (Bait Advertising and Selling) in the BBB Code of Advertising states that "no advertisement should be published unless it is a bona fide offer to sell the advertised product or service". Similarly, section 19.3 explains:
19.3 An advertiser must not use nor permit the use of the following bait scheme practices:
19.3.1 Refusing to show or demonstrate the advertised product or service;
19.3.2 Disparaging, for example, the advertised product or service, its warranty, availability, services and parts and credit terms;
19.3.3 Selling the advertised product or service and thereafter “un-selling” the customer to make a switch to another product or service;
19.3.4 Refusing to take orders for the advertised product or service or to deliver it within a reasonable time;
19.3.5 Demonstrating or showing a defective sample of the advertised product; or
19.3.6 Having a sales compensation plan designed to penalize sales people who sell the advertised product or service.
In addition, a pattern of complaints addresses InmateCall’s refund policy. Either consumers did not receive refund for services within the advertised seven-day grace period or by the time a consumer placed their first call and then received the bill, the grace period lapsed. Basic Principles of the BBB Code of Advertising, 1.2, explains that advertisements which are untrue, misleading, deceptive, fraudulent, falsely disparaging of competitors, or insincere offers to sell, shall not be used. Furthermore, the terms and conditions regarding the refund is not clearly or conspicuously available in the advertising. Section 20.1 (Warranties & Guarantees) in the BBB Code of Advertising states, "when using the term 'warranty' or 'guarantee' in product advertising, the advertiser must clearly and conspicuously include a statement that the complete details of the warranty can be seen prior to sale at the advertiser's location, viewed on the advertiser’s website or, in the case of mail or telephone order sales, made available free on written request”.
InmateCall also makes objective-superlative claims on their website (“Voted Best in America”; “Voted #1”). Section 28 (Objective Superlative Claims) of the BBB Code of Advertising states, “Superlative statements in advertisements about the tangible qualities and performance values of a product or service are objective claims for which the advertiser must possess substantiation as they can be based upon accepted standards or tests. As statements of fact, such claims, like ‘#1 in new car sales in the city,’ can be proved or disproved.”
As of April 18, 2019, InmateCall had not responded or modified the advertising at the request of the BBB.
BBB encourages businesses in any industry to employ to BBB’s Code of Advertising as a standard, and consumers to do some research, such as checking with BBB, before doing any business.
Service Area
- CO
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