"I have uses PhoneShark as my long distance service for over a decade. It has been a reliable, convenient and ultra inexpensive way to handle my long distance calling. There is a local number to call that recognizes my phone and takes the long distance number without using a pin. With their local number in my phone directory it is as easy to use as the phone company long distance/overseas service. There is a 800 number to use when out of town but requires mu pin be put in. A couple times a year I go on their website and add $10 to my account. That covers everything and I have relatives overseas. A minus is that their web site can be difficult and somewhat confusing to use, but there are worst ones from large companies. Overall I'm very satisfied. I decided to write this review when I happened to see the very negative reviews when adding to my account today. Certainly the very negative reviews do not reflect my experience."

"I can't say phoneshark is not legit, but there's some pretty big red flags. For one, their rating with the Better Business Bureau of Northeast Florida is an "F", the lowest BBB gives. (BBB also lists them as having approx "2" employees...) There are complaints about them elsewhere on the web. They gave me a good scare when I used them for the 1st time yesterday- figured all was well because it was PayPal (NOT SO- payment goes thru instantly, only way to get it back is to file a dispute...) Paid for my "Instant Access" Virgin Mobile top-up card, only to get some ridiculous message on the screen that they needed time to "verify my new account"- this is nonsense, I am already verified by Paypal. When you call their phone, there is NO customer svc access. You have to hunt diligently around their website to be told that you were given complete instructions onscreen, and via email to "verify" your account. Not true. And, I rcvd no email whatsoever (of course I chckd spam, etc- I am extremely computer conversant). After more hunting around the site I called and was able to get "tech support" and was polite, but very firm with him that I required my instant phone card, as advertised, as purchased, and there was no need to verify anything, that was the purpose of both the buyer's and seller's contract with Paypal. He was polite and told me that in this instance he would go ahead and "verify" me if I would wait for a moment, and then that my top-up card would be emailed to me immediately, which it was, and it was real.
That said, I think this is VERY borderline- I surmise that the hope of the company is that you will not be able to pursue the issue and find a way to call them, and that you will just give it up as a bad thing, and they keep the money. I also seem to recall seeing problems with The Kirby Group (parent company) in the past, but can't quite recall what the issue was then. I think you are really taking a chance using them, but I did get what I paid for. Wouldn't risk it again tho."

"Transaction went very smoothly, but the call quality using the card was dreadful. Not recommended."

"I call Singapore from the U.S. to speak with my business partner at least once a day. I recently bought phone card at Phoneshark.com and I was disappointed with signal quality, dropped calls, and rates. Customer service was unaccessible."

"prepaid calling card, purchased on line - very effective. The only drawback was that it took 48 hours to activate, contrarily to the claims of "instant access". But having used them for a month, the service is good."