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Q: Can I buy a Safelink (or other) cell phone on Craiglist?
A: First of all, why would you even want to when you can get one for free directly from Safelink, Assurance or ReachOut?
Now, if you don’t qualify and are trying to get a hold of a free phone, shame on you. Safelink is supposed to be available only to income-eligible customers.
David C. Bergmann, assistant Ohio consumers’ counsel and chair of the NASUCA Telecommunications Committee commented on a recent spate of Craiglist ads: “The unauthorized sale of TracFone’s Safelink equipment and minutes through Craigslist means services may be transferred to ineligible consumers that should raise red flags for federal and state regulators. Craigslist and the buying public should just say ‘no’ to any offer permitting the unlawful transfer of Lifeline benefits to ineligible consumers.”
You can probably get away with it, but come on, if you don’t qualify for the program, you can afford to buy your own.
We’d be interested in your experience? Please enter a comment below if you have additional information.
Troy D says
“You can probably get away with it, but come on, if you don’t qualify for the program, you can afford to buy your own.”?
Is that code for “it’s okay to get them for free and make a little money selling it on Craigslist?
Why would you even write that?
J.D. Smith says
I have had one of the “Government Cell Phones”for over a year now & am very thankful & satisfied with it. There is one problem I do have with it though. My phone has either been lost or stolden. Can I get it replaced or do I have to re-apply to get another one??
Free Government Cell Phones says
https://www.freegovernmentcellphones.net/faq/i-lost-my-phone-how-do-i-get-a-replacement
rebecca barber says
Tried to get a safe link phone last month,I was told to wait a month because I tried to get a free phone some where else and I couldn’t get one, well I waited and now I’m red flagged, why is this
Sue says
oh yea right we are going to leave it up to people to be honest……………… we did ok back in the day with no phone, if we couldnt afford it we couldnt afford it, so you get a couple of jobs and work your way up to it, at the rate of free everthing for pretty much anyone that can scan their way into it, my ass better be taken care of when my money runs out from taking care of everyone else that wants a free ride!! I KNOW there are exceptions to every rule and I am all for trying to help people get back on their feet, but there is a phone place downstairs with a guy on the corner for 4 days now yelling out FREE PHONES and they get $15 for every phone they sign up???? He is greedy and we have every thing under the sun climbing out from under rocks to get something they are gonna sell for drugs and booze!!! I SEE IT every day!!!
Rose G. says
I haven’t been able to find the tagmobile website for 3 days now. Every search comes up with results, but every link I click on is unavailable. can you help? Has the site been moved? Thanks.
P.S.
I have also tried calling the 1-866 number with same results.
CHUCK R. BOWERS says
CAN I BUY A PHONE (SAY LIKE A BLACKBERRY) OR MAYBE (USE AN OLD PHONE I ALREADY HAVE) AND JUST USE THE FREE OR DISCOUNTED SERVICE RATE CHARGED EACH MONTH?
I JUST DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR THE MONTHLY COST. AND WOULD ONLY USE THE PHONE RARILY EACH MONTH.
Free Government Cell Phones says
No, you cannot use your own phone with the service. You can only use what they give you.
Jim says
Actually, you can, IF the phone is used in the same service. For Safelink, for example, they go through Tracfone. Any Tracfone can be used, but you need to contact Safelink for a new SIM card and call them again to transfer the service from the old phone to the new one. I updated my phone from the featureless piece of crap they gave me to a decent Samsung phone with a camera, Internet access, Bluetooth, etc. Had to get a new SIM card and had to call up to transfer it to the new phone/sim card.