Common Calling Card Scams

The most common phone card scam reported is a card with an invalid PIN. For this reason, it is important to purchase your calling card from a reputable company. Make sure they have a valid customer service number in case you have a problem and need to reach someone.

Other common complaints involving phone cards center on excess fees. This is why I always recommend doing a calling card comparison before making a purchase. Don't just blindly purchase the phone card with the lowest per minute rate! There could be other fees associated with the card that could actually make it more expensive than cards with higher per minute rates. Always check out all the fees associated with a phone card before buying!

Other Things To Watch Out For

Card issuers that go out of business: In this case, your card becomes useless and there is no way for you to get a refund. Make sure you purchase your card from a reputable company.

Large minute round increments: While rounding calls up to the next whole minute is common, be aware of cards that round up minutes in large blocks. For example, if your card rounds in 5 minute blocks, then even if you make a one minute phone call, your card will be depleted by 5 minutes. In general, I don't purchase cards that round in increments greater than one minute.