Government Crack Down On Phone Cards Goes North of The Border

While we here in the US have been undergoing a legal and governmental crack down on the phone card industry over the last couple of years, Canada has until recently enjoyed a care free business as usual environment. Well that all changed this month when one of Canada's largest prepaid phone card companies Phonetime Inc. was fined $300,000 by the Canadian Competition Bureau, a government agency in charge of business oversight, for misleading consumers. Phonetime will also need to offer 78% refund to any customer who returns a Bravo or Bravo Atlantic card to the company (a $10 card would yield a $7.80 return amount). However, most agree that it is highly unlikely that many will be able to return old cards as most phone cards as disposed of after being used.

Also required of Phonetime by the bureau will be a corrective statement to be placed in a national newspaper clarifying their cards fees and notifying the general public about the 78% return settlement on all old Bravo cards.

The settlement is final and Phonetime has been quoted as being very cooperative in this matter.