IPhone users BEWARE!! Don't let what happen to me happen to you!

Question

I updated my iPhone! Simply right? Wrong! When I updated my phone my hotspot stopped working, so I called customer support which they transferred me to tech support. I told the Rep "there is nothing wrong with my phone, works great! accept when I did the update my hotspot won't work." So the Rep who was very helpful and nice walked me through several steps to get it working. Nothing seem to work! He also told me there were some problems with the updates, I said ok. After we could not get the phone to connect with the hotspot the Rep tells me that he will send me a new phone out and just to return mine. He also ask me was my phone damaged. Wow! I said and no my phone is not damaged it works just like the first day I got it! I was so impressed by Verizon's customer Service I mean I told everyone! I didn't even ask or suggest a new phone I just wanted my hotspot fixed!! Instead I get a new phone...so I thought! Anyways, I get the phone send mine back and maybe about 2 weeks later I receive an email stating  that my original phone was corroded and I was being charged $300 for the refurbished phone that I now have in my possession and to view the picture of my original phone at the bottom of the email. WHAT?!?! And what picture?! Verizon sent me two emails that were exactly the same and neither one showed a picture There was nothing wrong with my old phone! Except the hotspot!!!!. I'm **bleep** now! I call customer service and speak to several people a rep, manager, supervisor and I even go in to a Verizon store. I even ask for my old phone back! Their respond was " my old phone was now at a warehouse and I couldn't get it back! And you can't take the back off to know whether the phone was water damaged or not (then if you can't do any of these things then why ask the question!) and I accepted the refurbished phone (which I thought was a NEW phone). I DID EXACTLY WHAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE GUY TOLD ME TO DO! So now, I must pay $300 dollars for the refurbished phone or send it back! So the money I paid for my original phone is out the window and if I keep the refurbished phone which isn't even new. I'm stuck with a $300 tab! And if I send it back I'm out of a phone! For that amount of money I could buy a new iPhone! I've been a Verizon Wireless customer for 12 years and I'm so disappointed. I do plan on sending this complaint to Verizon HQ or to the media. This is just wrong!

Answer 1

mathskilz wrote:
Thanks when I purchased my iPhone I paid $299 not $600-$700! I would never pay that! Seriously all I wanted was my hotspot back.
As already mentioned...the full retail price qouted would not be the amount you paid when you were eligible for upgrade (or a new customer). The full retail proce would be the amount charged to those that are not eligible for updgrade but want a new device. This would also apply to those that lost their device or damaged it and did not have insurance coverage....and wanted/needed to replace  their device. In your situation, it is also the warning given when a replacement device is sent. If you don't return the defective device within a certain timeframe you are subject to being charged full retail for the replacement device. If the defective device is returned and it is determined that it has damage that would void the manufacturer warranty then you are also subject to being charged full retail. In that scenario, the reason is to keep individuals that knowingly or unknowingly damage their device from unfairly getting a replacement device (new or refurbished) without being made responsible for paying the full retail amount any other customer would have to pay under the same circumstances. It's why carriers push for customers to purchase insurance coverage (that and the extra money of course) because most people wouldn't want to pay full retail to replace their device if something unfortunate happened to it before they were eligible for a new upgrade. You may have been given some sort of deal (assuming there really is some damage to your original device and you did or didn't know it existed...although it may not feel like a deal to you right now. Just saying that IF there is damage to your device and you were only charged $300 instead of full retail then you were actually given a $449 break (full retail for the 32 GB iPhone 4 is $749. I assume that is what you have since you stated you paid $299 for yours new...same thing I would have paid for mine if I had not had a NE2 credit when I got mine). Like I mentioned before, if you really question the info you were given and your email stated there is a picture of the damage but it is not in the email then request that they send it to you again in a viewable format. But like I also mentioned...it's easy to have water damage to a device (especially one with openings on the bottom or top that can be exposed to liquid in various manners) and not know it has occurred. Unfortunately, the iPhone doesn't have visual water indicators like some phones do so you wouldn't know just from looking at the outside of the device or where ever any visible water damage indicator may be, but the iPhone can be opened by certified technicians so if they opened the device and saw corrosion as mentioned then that would lead to a determination that your device was damaged. You have every right to question things...but if the end it is correct...you will have to take the financial hit and perhaps consider insurance coverage in the future. If you do send the device back that you currently have you will either have to pay monthly for service you aren't able to use (if you can't get a phone to put on the line) or you will have to pay an ETF fee....either way you will be paying money in some way.