Evaporating Movistar Credit

[thomsono1912]

So I buy movistar credit, get 30 pesos free. Check the credit and its 59.48. My credit always seems to just disappear even though I have mobile data and 3G off, all the time. So it's weird that 52 centavos is already gone so I check it again 10 minutes later and it's 49.50. 2 days later and it's 44.54. I have not yet used the phone since topping it up....

Does anybody know where my credit is going?

The other day I brought 15 pesos credit, made a phone call an hour later for about 1 minute 30 seconds then it was all gone after that...

When I first brought the prepard simcard I got around 2 months worth of 3G completely free... I didn't even bother buying credit because data is enough for texts. Then one day it just stopped :S Also, people always call asking for Maxi and they want $100 pesos of 'bread'....

 

[Commodorius]

Similar thing keeps happening to me. I just have the most basic of cellphones too.

 

[stephensonle]

Check out the Movistar Forum, maybe you'll find an answer there:
http://comunidad.movistar.com.ar/t5/Productos-y-Servicios/Tr%C3%A1mites-y-consultas/td-p/201862

I use Movistar prepaid myself, have never been able to figure out this mystery. I do know that any "credit gifts" you receive expire depending on the amount you originally charged in order to receive that gift (usually within a month). I also suspect that the credit you buy has an expiration date, maybe 30-60 days. I seem to have better luck when I am recharging my phone every 2-4 weeks.

You may also be receiving text messages that can rob you of credit, just for receiving them. And, I'm not sure how you lost 15 pesos on a 90 second phone call, but that could easily happen if you were making an international call.

Good luck, let us know if you find an answer!

 

[germano]

So I buy movistar credit, get 30 pesos free. Check the credit and its 59.48. My credit always seems to just disappear even though I have mobile data and 3G off, all the time. So it's weird that 52 centavos is already gone so I check it again 10 minutes later and it's 49.50. 2 days later and it's 44.54. I have not yet used the phone since topping it up....

Does anybody know where my credit is going?

The other day I brought 15 pesos credit, made a phone call an hour later for about 1 minute 30 seconds then it was all gone after that...

When I first brought the prepard simcard I got around 2 months worth of 3G completely free... I didn't even bother buying credit because data is enough for texts. Then one day it just stopped :S Also, people always call asking for Maxi and they want $100 pesos of 'bread'....

I assume you have a pre-paid sim card? Then even if you used the internet it would just be 1 peso flat per day. Are you getting any strange SMS messages? Or have you ever played a downloaded game on your phone? There seem to be some games that automatically activate some kind of 'abono' with your cell phone account.

Do you have access to your account online via https://online.movistar.com.ar/ ? You can see the charges made to your account there.

 

[NickBA]

I think with Movistar, the message you receive to check your credit costs you about 50 centavos. Phone calls are expensive (I think around 2.50 per minute) but I can't explain how you lost so much so quickly.

 

[Rich One]

The bonus credit is gone in 15 days? receiving text has a cost???? Save buying packages of 3000 text messages for 5 days---!
At 2345 and enter text "sms"

 

[scotttswan]

I've been told receiving calls from street phones (the ones in maxi kiosks) also costs you money.

 

[germano]

The bonus credit is gone in 15 days? receiving text has a cost???? Save buying packages of 3000 text messages for 5 days---!
At 2345 and enter text "sms"

Those SMS messages that cost you money when receiving are "premium" services. Weather, jokes or some other crap and it works like a subscription. There are various ways how they trick you into them (sometimes clicking on an online banner on your mobile phone is enough). The telcos don't do much about it because they make a lot of money with those. A good example that more regulation and consumer protection is needed here in Argentina. Buying a package with 3000 messages does not help you with those special premium sms fees.

 

[isidro]

Do you have a particular service? or charge with card?

 

[ctru]

About the bread. Maybe it has something to do with this;


Un pan de cocaina = 1kg