Prepaid calling cards proclaim the right place, but you may not get what you paid for, according to a recent study by the Hispanic Institute based in Washington, DC
The study enrolled 45 calling cards. Each card has been tested for each call to Mexico and Guatemala.
One third of the 45 cards tested delivered the full text of the call for time promised.
Seven of the 45 cards (15.6 percent) tested did not work at all.
Eight of the calling cards have tested the completion rate of 50 percent or less. Three maps provided less than 20 percent of the minutes promised.
The Institute has expressed concerns in a press release that the defective cards are targeted to recent immigrants who use them to make international calls at home.
Hispanic local merchants said they had cards with mixed results.
Marisol Guzman, an employee at Tacos Mexico, said that his friend had problems with some calling cards.
Guzman, who immigrated to the United States 10 years ago, said she prefers to use his cell phone to call friends and family at home to about 35 cents a minute.
Ann Rojas, owner of Tacos Mexico, said the cards sometimes promise 150 minutes, but will only give 80.
If a person does not answer the call, which may also appeal to the cost of money.
Other cards will function as promised when they first use, but the consumer may have problems with the card after the first use, Rojas said.
Carla Ramos, co-owner of Garibaldi Latino market, "said she tries to steer customers to cards that are recommended by other customers.
She said that some cards do better by calling particular countries or states of the United States.
"Some of the cards to try to defraud people, but not all businesses," she said.
Ramos said some of their clients had problems with the cards do not work as promised on the future uses.
In general, however, she said she had few complaints about these cards in the store carried.
Cards tested
The cards were tested in the study by the Institute:
Florida ($ 5) - Telmex Compañero, STI Florida, Touch-Tel Hondureña, Touch-Tel Guatemalan Touch-Tel Salvadoreña, Telephone Coffee Time Dollar, Dollar Phone Rey, MPTAFlorida Idol, TSPM nine, the pilots PCI, PCI and Prima TST If Pues
New York (2 $) - Bingo Diamond, Diamond Arenque, SDI I Love NY, Lycatel Success, Lycatel Call Me, STI World, RTG Martini Cocktail RTG and IDT Play Ball.
Washington, DC (2 $) - IDT Boss
Toll Free ($ 5) - GEO Florida
None of the stores Newton process maps which were registered under the name brands of cards which have been tested in the study of the Institute.
Lt. T. Walton of the Newton Police Department said he was not aware of any problems in the community of Newton with defective cards. However, he said that if the victims of these cards were in the country illegally, it was likely crimes could go unreported.
"They are major targets of crime," he said.
If consumers discover card fraud, you can report the crime to their local law enforcement of consumer protection or the division of the Kansas Attorney General's Office.
Walton suggested victims clinging to the map they had the problem of receipt and where they purchased.
However, Walton said, because the cards can come from a variety of faraway places, the continuation of the fraud calling card could be difficult.
Preventive measures could be consumer best bet.
The Kansas Attorney General's Office offered several consumer tips on how not to fall prey to corporate calling card.
The low price per minute advertising is often calculated according to one involving the total minutes of the card placed from another a payphone. The study by the Institute tested the cards by placing a call for the use of the balance of the card.
However, the calls, poor sound quality and post-dial delay of up to 50 seconds hallmarks of the majority of cards tested. Fifteen cards allowed the caller to use the full time of balance.
Tips for avoiding scams
The office of Attorney General also suggested to monitor the following:
• Charges for each call placed.
• Check how billing minutes are calculated. (Minutes used may be rounded to the next full minute.)
• The connection fee for international calls. These rates may vary depending on where you call. If you can not find the rate on the appeal of the package or an ATM, call the customer service number on the card.
• monthly service fees.
• Payphone surcharges.
• Check expiration dates. (Most prepaid cards expire one year after the first use)
• The companies you are not familiar with. Ask if the retailer stand behind the card if the phone service unsatisfactory.
• Customer access. If the number of customer service is not without costs or displayed, it can be difficult to communicate with the company if you have a problem with the card. A busy signal on the customer service line may be a tip off to a rip-off.
• Make sure the card comes in a sealed envelope or has a sticker covering the PIN. Otherwise anybody who copies the PIN can use the phone as long as you have already paid.
The study enrolled 45 calling cards. Each card has been tested for each call to Mexico and Guatemala.
One third of the 45 cards tested delivered the full text of the call for time promised.
Seven of the 45 cards (15.6 percent) tested did not work at all.
Eight of the calling cards have tested the completion rate of 50 percent or less. Three maps provided less than 20 percent of the minutes promised.
The Institute has expressed concerns in a press release that the defective cards are targeted to recent immigrants who use them to make international calls at home.
Hispanic local merchants said they had cards with mixed results.
Marisol Guzman, an employee at Tacos Mexico, said that his friend had problems with some calling cards.
Guzman, who immigrated to the United States 10 years ago, said she prefers to use his cell phone to call friends and family at home to about 35 cents a minute.
Ann Rojas, owner of Tacos Mexico, said the cards sometimes promise 150 minutes, but will only give 80.
If a person does not answer the call, which may also appeal to the cost of money.
Other cards will function as promised when they first use, but the consumer may have problems with the card after the first use, Rojas said.
Carla Ramos, co-owner of Garibaldi Latino market, "said she tries to steer customers to cards that are recommended by other customers.
She said that some cards do better by calling particular countries or states of the United States.
"Some of the cards to try to defraud people, but not all businesses," she said.
Ramos said some of their clients had problems with the cards do not work as promised on the future uses.
In general, however, she said she had few complaints about these cards in the store carried.
Cards tested
The cards were tested in the study by the Institute:
Florida ($ 5) - Telmex Compañero, STI Florida, Touch-Tel Hondureña, Touch-Tel Guatemalan Touch-Tel Salvadoreña, Telephone Coffee Time Dollar, Dollar Phone Rey, MPTAFlorida Idol, TSPM nine, the pilots PCI, PCI and Prima TST If Pues
New York (2 $) - Bingo Diamond, Diamond Arenque, SDI I Love NY, Lycatel Success, Lycatel Call Me, STI World, RTG Martini Cocktail RTG and IDT Play Ball.
Washington, DC (2 $) - IDT Boss
Toll Free ($ 5) - GEO Florida
None of the stores Newton process maps which were registered under the name brands of cards which have been tested in the study of the Institute.
Lt. T. Walton of the Newton Police Department said he was not aware of any problems in the community of Newton with defective cards. However, he said that if the victims of these cards were in the country illegally, it was likely crimes could go unreported.
"They are major targets of crime," he said.
If consumers discover card fraud, you can report the crime to their local law enforcement of consumer protection or the division of the Kansas Attorney General's Office.
Walton suggested victims clinging to the map they had the problem of receipt and where they purchased.
However, Walton said, because the cards can come from a variety of faraway places, the continuation of the fraud calling card could be difficult.
Preventive measures could be consumer best bet.
The Kansas Attorney General's Office offered several consumer tips on how not to fall prey to corporate calling card.
The low price per minute advertising is often calculated according to one involving the total minutes of the card placed from another a payphone. The study by the Institute tested the cards by placing a call for the use of the balance of the card.
However, the calls, poor sound quality and post-dial delay of up to 50 seconds hallmarks of the majority of cards tested. Fifteen cards allowed the caller to use the full time of balance.
Tips for avoiding scams
The office of Attorney General also suggested to monitor the following:
• Charges for each call placed.
• Check how billing minutes are calculated. (Minutes used may be rounded to the next full minute.)
• The connection fee for international calls. These rates may vary depending on where you call. If you can not find the rate on the appeal of the package or an ATM, call the customer service number on the card.
• monthly service fees.
• Payphone surcharges.
• Check expiration dates. (Most prepaid cards expire one year after the first use)
• The companies you are not familiar with. Ask if the retailer stand behind the card if the phone service unsatisfactory.
• Customer access. If the number of customer service is not without costs or displayed, it can be difficult to communicate with the company if you have a problem with the card. A busy signal on the customer service line may be a tip off to a rip-off.
• Make sure the card comes in a sealed envelope or has a sticker covering the PIN. Otherwise anybody who copies the PIN can use the phone as long as you have already paid.
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