Voucher/Top up payment problem

[PoorPeepMobile]

So I'm speaking on behalf of my mom who's almost near incompetent when it comes to smart phones and service providers. She has a mental condition and it's hard to communicate with her when she doesn't listen to me about not getting or buying new phones/phone plans because I want to help her not get screwed over. TBH, I've never heard of Public Mobile until last year 2021 because she switched everything; phone, the number and service provider without warning. I've discovered recently months later that she using voucher/top up payments to keep her account running until two days ago where I decided to help her pay it with a voucher but now this time for the first time ever...apparently her service/account isn't activated despite topping up her account and despite that there's $36 left over. Quite disappointing and frustrating to discover that Customer service doesn't exist here and I kind makes sense to know why I haven't heard of this company before because it's a Telus Subsidiary. I want to know how I can resolve this issue and if there's any solutions but if not, luckily my mom bought a second phone with another service provider and might have to ditch this one.

[PoorPeepMobile]

Yes..if she wasn't aware of that this happened before Public Mobile went online.

[darlicious]

@PoorPeepMobile 

Since July 13th 2022 public mobile is online only. I take it the phone was sold outright and non-returnable.

[PoorPeepMobile]

Once again..the provider is one of those "third party" vendors at a shanty strip mall that deals with phone unlockings, selling phone cases, batteries etc. I've also been concerned with her getting ripped off and ever worse hacked/scammed but so far those have been avoided...for now. These vendors might or don't care to follow the rules. Why can't Telus just allow PM services to be sold on their stores only and let the customers do the rest online?

[darlicious]

@PoorPeepMobile 

Did your mom buy a phone and pay in full and activate a new account? Or did she "sign" a contract for a device subsidy and plan for the next 24 months? If it's the latter the WCC mandates that a customer can return the phone with the original box and contents and cancel the contract within 15 days as long as there has been reasonable usage (50%) and the phone is in "original" condition at no cost or penalty to the customer. For those who self identify as disabled have 30 days to return the the phone or device and cancel without cost or penalty.

Which provider did this occur at? There are also accessibility guidelines that should be followed by the provider that may have been ignored. You may also want to explore putting a fraud alert on your mom's equifax and transunion credit report that would require a phone call from the business providing credit to the authorized person to approve the credit. Your phone number could be used for the contact phone number to avoid these kind of surprises.

[hairbag1]

PM has no call-in customer support...everything is done on-line.

In your case...if Mom can't navigate the Community Forum, perhaps she's better off with something like a regular Telus account that has call-in support. PM is designed as a DYI type of service...any questions are usually dealt with here in The Community Forum; made up with PM users who can maybe help address problems.

[dust2dust]

It's not for talking to people. It gets into the same menu system as 611.

[PoorPeepMobile]

okay thanks. I'll do that as well. Didn't know of Public having a 800 series phone number. 

[dust2dust]

Using the phone with the Public sim in it, what recording do you get dialing 611? Or from your phone dial 1-855-4pu-blic and enter her 10 digit number.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @PoorPeepMobile but she had servi e before and just now suspended,  right?

can you or can she log into My Account??

[PoorPeepMobile]

So the thing is when she switched providers including buying a new phone (which she got ripped off of) she got this deal from one of those sketchy "third party" vendors you'll find at the mall (ripping people off of phone unlocking, debugging, and battery replacements). They did give her a pin but it didn't work. Actually she didn't or not she she did set up an account because she didn't know or wasn't informed what she's paying for nor getting into.

[Yummy]

Usually paying with voucher is simple: buy one, log in, add funds.

Sometimes PM site is not responding properly and then you have to use different browser or incognito mode.

Best way to pay (for the time being) is to have credit card registered with PM and activate autopay.

In that case PM will take funds from your PM account first then will charge CC if needed. It does Not stop you to add funds with voucher or using CC.

All support regarding account issues is done through personal main at Community. Other issues are most of the time by customers like you - at Community.

To Contact CSA-agent; there are 2 methods:

https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/contact-an-agent

If ticketing does not work very first time, contact agent directly.

- Send a private message to the CSA - agent by clicking Here

[hairbag1]

When is her renewal date ? Is the phone still able to call ? Perhaps today is renewal date,  maybe ?

If so...as long as there's $$ in Available Funds, the renewal process will happen overnight and all will be well tomorrow am.

Of course, if phone isn't working right now...something else could be wrong so let us know.

[hTideGnow]

Hi @PoorPeepMobile can you login to her My Account? you see $36 as Available fund? Click Reactivate my plan and see how much is amount due