Nothing is as it seems at T-Mobile: thousands of Americans are holding their heads in disbelief.

Once again, T-Mobile is back at the center of controversy. The well-known operator has recently launched a new promotion that, in theory, aims to reward its most loyal customers. The offer consists of giving an additional line at no cost.

However, as has happened in the past, not everyone is happy. Behind this apparent generosity, there are very specific conditions that have caused confusion and many complaints.

The proposal sounds good. T-Mobile offers free lines to some of its long-term users.

But the problem starts when not all loyal customers qualify for this offer. In fact, many users who have been with the company for years were surprised to discover they were not eligible.

To access this new promotion, one had to meet a series of requirements. It seemed sufficient to have an active account for more than five years and not have canceled any voice line in the last 90 days.

In addition to not having more than one free line already active and bringing your own device, without financing. Also, not using special discounts like Insider, employment discounts, or local promotions.

T-Mobile clarifies that there is fine print

But that's not all, the fine print is more complicated than it seems. Some promotional, savings, individual, or special rate plans (like Essentials Saver) are automatically excluded. Additionally, by accepting this free line, certain benefits included in other plans may be lost.

What has upset many users the most is the lack of clarity. Some claim to have received confirmations from customer service representatives that they qualified for the free line. But when the bill arrived, they found unexpected charges.

This situation has ignited social media and T-Mobile user forums, where there are already plenty of testimonies from disappointed people. Many hoped this offer would be a way to compensate for the recent price increase the company applied. However, instead of resolving grievances, it has created new ones.

T-Mobile has communicated that credits for the free line may take up to two billing cycles to reflect. Therefore, initial charges may appear that will later be corrected. Even so, this explanation has not calmed tempers.

The general recommendation is to read the terms and conditions very carefully, keep any written communication. Also, do not assume that an offer is valid just because it has been mentioned in a general message.