Is it possible to buy a cell phone and airtime minutes with cash only?
I’m sure none of us are terrorists here, but wouldn’t the budding young terrorist or other neer-do-well be advised to purchase cell equipment with cash, if possible?
Or, I guess, a more common criminal would just steal a cell phone.
Sure, most of the service providers have pay-as-you-go options. Just buy the phone at retail and prepaid minutes cards at any convenience store.
Sure, you’re paying more than traditional plans, but what’s a few cents per call when you have 72 virgins waiting for you?
I had seen the pre-paid minute cards, just didn’t recall if the phones were available for cash only too. I thought they might let you buy a cell phone with cash, but would have to show id or something.
You can buy a Tracfone at any drugstore or Walmart/Kmart with no questions asked.
It’s not just terrorists who want to buy these phones without a credit card. There is quite a large legitimate market in teenagers who have no credit history but who want a cell phone. They are actually, I believe, what the original market for prepaid cell phones was to begin with.
Them, and people with shitty credit who don’t want to pay a $1,000 deposit.
Virgin does this both in the States and in the UK as I have a number in both places. As a matter of fact, even though I have a UK number I can not buy minutes there except with cash. I was on a long trip last year and got one for that reason. I wanted to be able to put more money on it when ever I wanted, but because I didn’t have a UK address they would not let me use my credit card.
My credit is fine and to keep it that way, I use a Tracfone. If something comes up and I can’t afford more minutes, I just don’t buy them. No worries about a contract.
Prepaid phones also make sense for people who don’t use them a lot. You pay more per minute, but less per month.
I bought one for my mom to keep in her car. She’s used it once or twice in the six months that she had it. Phone plus minutes cost about fifty buckc. A traditional cell phone would cost almost that much per month.