What to do When You Don't Get Your Bonus Minutes from a Tracfone Promo Code
Have you ever entered a Tracfone Promo Code, while adding airtime, only to not get any bonus minutes added to your balance?
It can be frustrating to not get the extra bonus minutes, as they do make a big difference for many people.
Recently, this error of not giving out bonus minutes seems to be occurring a lot on the Tracfone website. If this is something that has happened to you, or you like getting your bonus airtime, then this guide will help show you what to do to get your extra Tracfone minutes.
How To Get Your Promo Code Bonus Minutes Added
Not long ago this situation happened to me. I added a $5 text only card for 1000 texts and used a promo code for our Tracfone Promo Code List for an extra 1000 bonus texts.
In the checkout screen the promo code was applied, and I purchased the airtime.
But when I checked my balance, only the 1000 texts from the $5 airtime card had been added. There was no sign of the additional 1000 bonus texts.
Now, be aware that there is a delay sometimes on the Tracfone account page for showing airtime you have just purchased, but there are other ways to also check your airtime, and sometimes they show the updated airtime balance faster. Take a look at our Guide to Checking Your Airtime Balance to learn some different option for keeping track of your minutes.
I double checked my airtime balance and still no bonus minutes. If this happens to you, here is what to do.
On the Tracfone Contact Page there are three option for contacting Tracfone - online chat, over the phone, or by mail. The best option in my experience is to start an online chat. Click the red box 'online chat' to get started. If you don't see the red chat box, try waiting a minute to see if it loads, or refresh the page. The hours that chat is available are from 8AM - 11:45PM (EST) 7 days a week.
Explain your issue as succinctly as possible, that you made a transaction and did not receive the bonus airtime. Have the promo code ready. and also your transaction ID, just in case they may want to check it.
In my situation, after about 10 minutes, the customer service agent was able to verify my purchase, and add the bonus airtime manually.
Be sure to be clear about the problem, and have some patience as they work out the issue. I was a little surprised they were able to fix the problem so quickly, and I hope this is a sign of improving customer service from Tracfone.
Let us know how it goes for you! Leave a comment below with your thoughts, experiences or questions. Also head over to our Facebook page to join our growing community and to send us a message directly for technical questions or problems.
If you are new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide!
Take a look at some of our recent posts, including a Guide for Making your Airtime Last Longer and Everything you Need to Know about Data Cards.
And don't miss out on the our monthly Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales!
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Beware! This also applies to dollars off promo codes. Even though the checkout screen and transaction confirmation page showed the promo code had been successfully applied, my credit card was charged the larger amount. In my case the chat agent was unable to issue a refund to my credit card. Instead I was given a phone number and reference ID number. To my surprise the phone was answered promptly and the agent was able to correct the problem but only after I provided him with the promo code I had used.
ReplyDeleteOn September 22, 2020 I renewed my Tracfone service for an additional year using the 22448 code ($50 off) to reduce the cost from the usual $125 to $75. I printed off the receipt as a PDF so that I had proof of the transaction which totaled $84.10. On October 2, 2020 I got my credit card bill and it was for $141.84. They had not applied the discount when they charged my card. I tried using the chat function but the person on the other end could not fix the problem and had to refer me to the internal credit card division. Eventually, I ended up with the $50 being refunded to my CC (within 7 days). They did not refund the difference between the 141.84 and the 85.10 ($56.74) but I can live with that. After much frustration it is straightened out (I hope). They sent a confirmation to my email address stating that the refund had been credited to my charge account and after a few days it did, indeed, show up in my credit card account. Please be aware of this problem if you use the dollars-off codes. I know of one other person who had exactly the same thing happen, so I am not an isolated case
ReplyDeleteI have had great luck using promo codes for add-ons such as text or additional data. I have used TracFone for years and have a BYOP, A Pixel 3a XL.
ReplyDeleteHowever, within the last 3 months the promo codes I use show as "applied" when using TracFone's website for adding text or data. However, they never do get applied.
I have also tried two different browsers, but same problem.
I just had that very problem and used your suggestion to resolve it via Chat. That worked fairly quickly, withing 10 minutes and much better then a phone call as that can take a while to get an available representative.
I just wonder why it is such a problem lately.
Thank you for your help and rounding up all the promo codes,
Bruce
I have had similar problems with having to contact tracfone to get promo minutes & data, but today was the worst. I received my credit card bill with a charge from tracfone that I never agreed to. I had purchased a one year card for $125 and used a promo code to get the $50 off. The total on the web bill came to $80 something with tax and fees. I agreed and charged it to my card. Today I received the bill for $137 even though I never was shown that amount when I signed off on my web charge. It took well over an hour talking to 3 different supervisors to get the problem resolved even though they told me they were aware of the promo code glitch and are working on it
ReplyDeleteJust as the other guy mentioned, it says "applied" but never is. I've missed out on a lot of bonus codes until I started using chat. Each time now I have to use chat room to get the bonus applied. Tracfone has no incentive to fix the problem, as they make much more money on all the people that are cheated out of their bonus. Need a good class action attorney out there.
ReplyDeleteI can’t get any promo codes for free extra minutes. I’ve tried three times with the 200 minute card, but could not get them even after calling tech support. I’m almost out of minutes again after using the 200 minute card and I going to quit tracphone service all to gether. I’m almost out of minutes again and have been a customer for along time.
ReplyDeleteI have been screwed out of my bonus minutes 3 times in a row now. I have an old triple minute phone and I have entered the promo codes for years with no issues. It is only lately that they are not adding the additonal promo minutes even though on the check out screen where I am buying the time on the Tracfone site it says the promo was applied. Once they added it back, the next two times they did not. The rep kept saying I had the triple minutes, my bonus was added. Um, no it wasn't. I think this is the new policy of Tracfone, to screw as many people out of the bonus minutes as possible. There is no other explanation on why this was never a problem for years and years or renewing time on this phone, only to suddenly have it become a problem now.
ReplyDeleteThe 3 Promo Codes listed on this website for my 60 minute add-on card purchased July 6 (22703, 67861, 12745 for July 2021) to add an additional 60 minutes are listed as expired by Tracfone and Tracfone staff say they cannot add 60 minutes to my double minutes 60 x 2 = 120 to give me 180 minutes additional time.
ReplyDeleteWhen I tried to use promo codes for a 60 minute card, they declined it for having been used once before(for another card). I believe they're trying to dispose of the promo code system. I also used their call-center, it took forever and they said nothing could be done. So I waisted a third of the minutes I just purchased for nothing. I wonder if the operator got a pay bonus for putting me on hold and wasting my minutes. I'm looking into finding another service.
ReplyDeletetried 2 tracfone codes 43811 and 83982 codes did not work on 2/20/22.
ReplyDeleteI did the online chat as suggested but customer service agent said codes were no good and would not agree to help with the extra promotion . Very disappointing. They claimed codes are personal and only good once for each customer. I told him I never received the promotion but he still would not help.