Smooth Process- Walmart

[Bethn]

I'm seeing alot of negative feedback here, had a very positive experience with setting up my account. 

I wanted to get the account set up right away, so I looked at the 'find a retailer' map. Walmart. Headed in there and asked for a sim card.. he just asked if it was to activate now or simply purchase the card. Just the card. It was $10 plus tax, and two minutes of my time.

He photocopied the card and reciept for some reason.. the only thing I found odd. 

Went home and set it up myself in 10 minutes, using a friends refferal code. Glad I was able to avoid the vultures and do it myself. Hope I've finally found a good service, cos I tend to be a loyal lifer. 

Edit: got my $10 credit, friend got their $20 credit today. Looks like all is good and in order. Looking forward to my $3 bill next month! 

[AE_Collector]

I did that and had fun with it but I'm sure it would scare the crap out of some doing that!

AE_Collector

[Kitkhlam]

Smoother process would be buying it on amazon. No efforts needed and can activate account once SIM card arrives in the mail. Everything is done conveniently under the roof of your home 🙂

[Bethn]

This makes good sense. Thanks.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I would agree with the idea that it's a protection against a return. One buys a SIM to replace a bad or expired SIM from elsewhere. Have success with the new SIM and take the other one back saying it doesn't work or something. They don't know if THAT'S the same SIM.

So they copy the SIM# and attach the receipt to it and keep it for their records. That buyer comes back saying it doesn't work bringing in a different SIM but a valid receipt. No dice. That's not the same SIM we sold you.

The last 4 digits? meh. Can't do much with that unless the store has access to all the details of the card rather than the processing terminal only knowing it. But I don't know how much of that part of the transaction is known to the store. They just want their money.

Now...if they only wrote down the last 4 digits of the SIM rather than a photocopy then maybe that would be a little more tolerable for the customer to not wonder if their SIM might get jacked. But I'm not entirely clear on how all that works either.

[RachelWard]

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@Bethn wrote:

Well, now I'm suspicious.. Might ask for an explanation from the manager next time I go in. Could be obtaining the sim # be used in some type of scam? To copy a reciept is also odd.. He now has the last 4 digits of my credit card.

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I did not mention the receipt as there is no doubt in my mind they could reprint it any ways. BUT I would asked why were you not informed or warned before hand of this condition of purchase??

[Bethn]

Well, now I'm suspicious.. Might ask for an explanation from the manager next time I go in. Could be obtaining the sim # be used in some type of scam? To copy a reciept is also odd.. He now has the last 4 digits of my credit card.

[RachelWard]

Hi. I bought mine a few days ago at London Drugs. A great young fellow sold to me at the cash desk in the phone dept. He asked if I already had an account, and from what I have learned here, to be sure you can do your own set up if you are inclined to do, so I replied yes. Since the cash register was in use we swiftly moved to one on the camera dept. Purchase was finished and I asked if they HAD of set up, do they get any money from Public Mobile. He replies, I don’t know and then asks a more senior fellow he replied “well we don’t personally” but London Drugs does get something from it but not much. I guess it makes sense that London Drugs would want to make a few bucks but I doubt if it would cover the payroll. But on the other hand often they are often over staffed in that area, but not always, so why not buy some customer appreciation and loyalty. Great job London Drugs. 

But why did Walmart photo copy the SIM. Was it their insurance in the event of a return?

I would not like that. Years ago I bought some British pounds at a kiosk in the airport. The only way they would sell, is if I let them photo copy my passport. That I still remember and it still irks me. Did they copy my passport number and pic and my address? Now I was out of town and now they had my address! I have never produced ID to buy a foreign currency.  And I will never give any one any type of ID or personal info. for any Joe Blow to copy. 

[darlicious]

@Bethn  Happy to hear you were able to purchase a SIM cards at Wal-Mart without activating. But it is odd that he photocopied the receipt and SIM card. An explanation from the manager might be in order....especially if it recorded the SIM number on the card. There really is no reason for them to have that information.

[AE_Collector]

Only thing I would have asked is "if you set it up for me will the SIM card be free"? Probably not but sometimes it is. You would still get the referral credits etc....

AE_Collector