Cricket ripoff Denver Colorado

First of all, I'm sorry for the inconvenience and misunderstanding about billing and fees.

Your *best* option is to call 1-800-CRICKET or dial 611 SEND from your Cricket phone. Customer Service can explain to you your billing. Remember that your current month-to-date charges are not available online for you to see. All you can see is what you were billed on your billing cycle date (the day *after* your bill is due).

As for the $5.00 fee for payments, it's *only* for in-store payments and payments with a Customer Service representative. You *do* have other options which are FREE, or cost less.

The FREE options are: 1) Online payment at www.mycricket.com, and 2) phone payment thru the Customer Service automated system (we call it the IVR). Options available on the IVR are on Cricket's website (https://www.mycricket.com/AutoVMInstructions_popup.aspx). The easiest way to a CSR is thru billing: option 2, then option 4, then choose the cash payment option).

The next payment option is thru an Authorized Payment Location (APL). Be aware that they do charge $3.00 to take your payment, which is deducted from the amount that you give them (if you give them $20.00, $17.00 will credit to your Cricket account).

The last payment option is the in-store payment (Retail Cricket Store, that is) or payment thru a CSR (thru the 800# or 611).

All these payment options are explained in the Retail Cricket Stores (commonly referred to as a "Full Service Cricket Store" or FSCS) on a brochure. Be *aware* that ALL wireless carriers have a schedule of fees posted in their stores.

I have Verizon (because I roam too much for Cricket's service) and their fees are MUCH like Cricket's. They charge to make an in-store payment and thru their CSRs. They also charge the SAME amount to switch phones and for their phone insurance (make *SURE* that you *ALWAYS* take the insurance no matter what...it'll save you in the long-run in case anything happens to the phone).

As for your bill being $26.00 one month and $59.00 the next, the ONLY options you have are to call Customer Service, or to go to a Full Service Cricket Store. They are the only ones who can see your current month-to-date charges since they are not available online.

The most common misunderstanding with the billing usually happens when you purchase anything at a FSCS. It may mess up some of the billing, especially if you only rely on the Cricket website to make payments most of the time.

There is also *NO* Cricket plan available right now that is under $29.99 + taxes/fees per month. If your bill is LESS than the cost of your plan, or MORE than 1.5 x your montly rate, then something is wrong and you need to call Customer Service or go to a FSCS so they can explain it for you. If you've been paying your bill at a FSCS, that $5.00 fee will be *unbilled* according to how the billing system works, even though you pay it upfront. Therefore, the next month may show up $5.00 cheaper, but in reality it's not. If you pay what is heard/shown, your bill will go up $5.00 the next month to make up for the underpayment.

What it sounds like is that you might have either 1) changed your plan, which is a $15 fee + the prorated amount for service on the new plan thru the end of your current billing cycle, or 2) changed phones, which is also a $15 fee, or also 3) you might have gotten a promotional rate plan, meaning that the rate you start with may have only been for the first 2 or 3 months, then it would go back up to the "normal" rate.

It would be more helpful to give more information so I can help you further. I would need to know these things: 1) your monthly service rate plan, 2) the way you pay your bill, 3) any purchases/payments made at any FSCS, 4) if you have phone insurance (usually $3.95/month), and 5) the last 3 bill amounts and the payments you made.

Don't think that Cricket is a bunch of crooks. If you need your password reset online, go through Tech Support, or go thru the Billing options for a CSR and they can transfer you. You can also do a password reset online at https://www.mycricket.com/login/alternatelogin.aspx
Be aware that your temporary password will be sent to the email that is on your Cricket account.