How do you add money to your prepaid cellphone account?

Nards Barley wrote:

I did it using my debit card with Banco Pichincha.  It was great since I didn't have to talk to anyone.

I still buy my minutes the old-fashioned way, going into any of the zillions of shops in Quito that are authorized to add time to cellphone accounts.  It usually just takes a half a minute.

If minimizing the need to talk to the minutes-seller is a priority, the purchase can be done by handing him or her a paper with your cell-phone number and Claro or Movistar written on it .. and saying these five words...

Añade cinco minutos, por favor.  Add five minutes, please.

The first word is pronounced ahn-YAH-day.

cccmedia

cccmedia wrote:

I still buy my minutes the old-fashioned way, going into any of the zillions of shops in Quito that are authorized to add time to cellphone accounts.  It usually just takes a half a minute.

cccmedia

Aaah, I see. You still haven't acquired an Ecuadorian bank account...............

Nards Barley wrote:

cccmedia wrote:

I still buy my minutes the old-fashioned way, going into any of the zillions of shops in Quito that are authorized to add time to cellphone accounts.  It usually just takes a half a minute.

cccmedia

Aaah, I see. You still haven't acquired an Ecuadorian bank account.

Assumes facts not in evidence.

I have an account with Banco --------, dating back to February 2014, right after I obtained my residency visa and Ecuadorian cédula.

cccmedia in Quito

cccmedia wrote:

Nards Barley wrote:

cccmedia wrote:

I still buy my minutes the old-fashioned way, going into any of the zillions of shops in Quito that are authorized to add time to cellphone accounts.  It usually just takes a half a minute.

cccmedia

Aaah, I see. You still haven't acquired an Ecuadorian bank account.

Assumes facts not in evidence.

I have an account with Banco --------, dating back to February 2014, right after I obtained my residency visa and Ecuadorian cédula.

cccmedia in Quito

Well, I think it was a fair assumption to make considering you didn't comment on my most excellent of threads.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=631076

P.S.

Unless your real name is ccmedia and you always dress like Elvis, I don't think you have to worry too much about being kidnapped and held for ransom.

Nards Barley wrote:

I think it was a fair assumption to make considering you didn't comment on my most excellent of threads.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=631076

Obviously, the Unofficial Blog of the Greater Cuenca Expat Community's fact checkers are on a Christmas break .. since I clearly was the first member to make a comment (Report No. 2) on your excellent thread.

Since the phrase "my most excellent of threads" has a double meaning, I will mention that you looked marvelous in the one photo I have seen -- 'Nards Barley and Policia Surveying the Scene at the Ecuadorian Oceanfront.'

All best wishes of the holiday season to you and the Greater Cuenca Expat Community.

cccmedia

Nards Barley wrote:

Unless your real name is cccmedia and you always dress like Elvis, I don't think you have to worry too much about being kidnapped and held for ransom.

After being run off the road by Colombian night riders 12 nights ago, I am taking nothing for granted:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=634337

cccmedia from Zona Cafetera, Colombia

cccmedia wrote:

Nards Barley wrote:

I think it was a fair assumption to make considering you didn't comment on my most excellent of threads.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=631076

Obviously, the Unofficial Blog of the Greater Cuenca Expat Community's fact checkers are on a Christmas break .. since I clearly was the first member to make a comment (Report No. 2) on your excellent thread.

Since the phrase "my most excellent of threads" has a double meaning, I will mention that you looked marvelous in the one photo I have seen -- 'Nards Barley and Policia Surveying the Scene at the Ecuadorian Oceanfront.'

All best wishes of the holiday season to you and the Greater Cuenca Expat Community.

cccmedia

I stand corrected.  I guess the home office failed to provide me an adequate notification of your reply.

P.S.

I think it is wise that the big money expats in Quito take extra precautions to not disclose where they bank. 

Ding should work https://www.ding.com/

CCC is indeed smart for not mentioning his bank. There are devious people who do nothing but seek out this type of information. Posting a bank name, and email address alone is risky. One of these tactics to exploit people is known as “Phishing.”

Recently I've received a professionally disguised email from “Netflix”, in which it basically requested that I update my account details to resume my subscription. A couple of issues with that, number 1 I don't have a local Netflix, and secondly my service was not suspended. I scrutinized the email because of these facts, and despite the email having a legitimate Netflix email address at the bottom of the email, I am fairly certain the link they wanted me to click on would have either attempted access my private info or either installed a keylogger.

If people want to be extra safe in Ecuador with purchases, you can simply get a pre-paid credit card where you put as much money as you like, and can order what you like from websites you are hesitant to order from for security reasons.