The cards offer practicality for many consumers, and are popular with travelers, students, and individuals that do not have regular long-distance service because the card can be used from any telephone with the convenience of paying in advance. However, a review of various vending displays and the pre-paid phone card packaging materials reveals that consumers may not receive the telephone service at or near the advertised rates. Colorado consumers should be aware of all the costs when choosing which prepaid phone card is the best deal. While some prepaid phone cards may grab your attention by advertising calls for just a few cents per minute, others simply advertise the instant availability of long distance. If the rates are not obviously displayed, be sure to read the packaging or promotional displays for an idea of the actual rates.
Some phone cards have customer service toll-free numbers for consumer inquiries.
Phone card advertisements may include a disclosure of additional charges on the back of the card, the external packaging, and on the display. These charges often include access fees, weekly service fees, additional charges for calling from a pay phone and for calls made intrastate, or an activation fee when you first use the card. Avoid buying prepaid phone cards that make no disclosures. After you have read the fine print, do the math to figure the actual phone rates you may be charged. The actual costs are often significantly higher than the advertised rate.