Why buy four cell phone minutes?

[boomhower]

So I was at the local shipping center FedExing something I sold in the classies. This is a classy place that also sells prepaid phones. While they were doing there thing people were coming in and buying 3,4, and 5 cell minutes. This is the place I usually go to and every time I see the same thing. I just don't get it, what the hell are you going to do with 4 minutes. Even beyond that, you are seriously going to drive to a store and pay $1 a minute for it? I just don't get it.

No this isn't the ghettto. Town of ~12,000 people and its the only one here.

Cliffs
Why do people buy stupid low amounts of prepaid cell phone minutes for $1 a piece?

 

[James Bond]

Hookers and blow.

 

[Andrew1990]

People are Morons. The will buy anything that has a nice packaging to it. This concept applies to most things humans buy.

 

[dbk]

drug deals

 

[Red Squirrel]

Emergencies I guess. Then again, 4 minutes is barely enough to explain a murder scene or other emergency. "just send the cops, I only have 30 seconds left on my plan!"

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: dbk
drug deals

burners.

 

[Rubycon]

It only takes two to three seconds of a ringer on the other end to trigger the electric fuse on a bomb.

 

[RoloMather]

Lol drug deals. . .

 

[TallBill]

OP, didn't you watch The Wire? Sheesh

 

[boomhower]

Originally posted by: TallBill
OP, didn't you watch The Wire? Sheesh

Actually no, never seen. What self respecting drug dealer can't at least afford to buy a prepaid card at a gas station?

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: boomhower

Originally posted by: TallBill
OP, didn't you watch The Wire? Sheesh

Actually no, never seen. What self respecting drug dealer can't at least afford to buy a prepaid card at a gas station?

that's not the point. for one thing, cards mostly work on land lines, right? can't use those....

the cheapness of the 4 minute phones allows them to be disposable and replaceable, thus creating a system where these transactions are very difficult to trace.

Cops can only gain access to one number or so after all the legal rigamarole that they have to go through. These burners allow the dealers to shuffle through several lines per day.

 

[MoPHo]

To break up with your SO. This way, they can't keep talking to you. Your plan forces the end and they can't call back.

 

[nocash]

Prepaid minutes expire if not used in 2 months unless you buy more minutes. I'm betting they are just buying a few to extend the old minutes they have. I would do the same since I use about 60 minutes a month, if that. So net10 and tracfone makes sense for some people.

 

[Chronoshock]

Testing a stolen credit card?

 

[ultimatebob]

Walmart sells a $10 Motorola Tracfone with 10 minutes of prepaid service... and it's a pretty slick little cellphone! It has a color screen, SMS, and even games!

For that price, I can leave the phone in my car as an emergency backup, and use the USB charger it came with for my Blackberry at work.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Walmart sells a $10 Motorola Tracfone with 10 minutes of prepaid service... and it's a pretty slick little cellphone! It has a color screen, SMS, and even games!

For that price, I can leave the phone in my car as an emergency backup, and use the USB charger it came with for my Blackberry at work.

Except when you need it you find out that those 10 minutes expired a month after you activated the phone.

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Walmart sells a $10 Motorola Tracfone with 10 minutes of prepaid service... and it's a pretty slick little cellphone! It has a color screen, SMS, and even games!

For that price, I can leave the phone in my car as an emergency backup, and use the USB charger it came with for my Blackberry at work.

Except when you need it you find out that those 10 minutes expired a month after you activated the phone.

It looks like they're good for 60 days after activation. Maybe I should keep an extra Tracfone card with me after that.

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Walmart sells a $10 Motorola Tracfone with 10 minutes of prepaid service... and it's a pretty slick little cellphone! It has a color screen, SMS, and even games!

For that price, I can leave the phone in my car as an emergency backup, and use the USB charger it came with for my Blackberry at work.

Except when you need it you find out that those 10 minutes expired a month after you activated the phone.

It looks like they're good for 60 days after activation. Maybe I should keep an extra Tracfone card with me after that.

Are you going to buy 4 minutes?

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Epic Fail

Originally posted by: ultimatebob

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Walmart sells a $10 Motorola Tracfone with 10 minutes of prepaid service... and it's a pretty slick little cellphone! It has a color screen, SMS, and even games!

For that price, I can leave the phone in my car as an emergency backup, and use the USB charger it came with for my Blackberry at work.

Except when you need it you find out that those 10 minutes expired a month after you activated the phone.

It looks like they're good for 60 days after activation. Maybe I should keep an extra Tracfone card with me after that.

Are you going to buy 4 minutes?

Maybe 10 would work... wadda you guys think?