Little Phone Cards

You can avoid many of these problems — and buy considerable peaceof mind — by planning. Although many people buy pre-paid phone cardson-the-spot, you can avoid disappointment by doing some advance work:

• Ask any retailer if they will stand behind the card if it doesn’t deliver the number of minutes advertised.
• Check the card’s package or in-store advertising for domestic and international rates. If you can’t find the rate, consider buying a different card.
• Look for disclosures about surcharges, “maintenance” fees, and fees for making calls from a pay phone, to a cell phone, or using a toll-free access number.
• Compare rates. Very low rates, particularly for international calls, may be a warning sign that the card won’t deliver the number of advertised minutes.
• Look for expiration dates.
• Look for a toll-free customer service number. If the customer service number isn’t toll-free or displayed, it may be difficult to contact the company if you have a problem with the card.
• Make sure you can understand the instructions on the card.
• Make sure the card comes in a sealed envelope or that the PIN is not visible. Otherwise, anyone can copy the PIN and use the phone time you’re paying for.