6 Messages
Deceptive Sales Tactics
On March 22, I had a scheduled appointment to upgrade my home internet service. While the technician was working, an AT&T Home Expert came. He asked if I would be interested in mobile service with AT&T. I informed him I had 3 lines with another carrier and what I was paying for the service. He informed me of the offer which was no trade in required, 3 IPhone 14’s with no installments, Insurance $50 bundle, $200 gift cards for each line ported, a 20% monthly discount for having other AT&T services, and $0 activation fees along with $10 off per line for 10 months if I signed up for AARP. I asked him if I could trade in one of the IPhones Pro’s I had to get a Pro. He informed me there would be a $1000.00 credit for the trade in with a $199.99 balance to be paid in monthly installments. He informed me the bill would be $193 before the AARP credits. I agreed to the service. He had to go to the home office to get the phones and would bring them back. While he was gone I called him to ask how much more it would be if I added 3 more lines, for a total of 6 lines ported, 1-IPhone 15 Pro and 5-Iphone 14’s. He informed me it would be $264 per month without the AARP discount, all the same offers would extend to the additional 3 lines, to which I agreed. He arrived about 90 minutes later with the phones, collected the trade in, took payment for the tax, activated the new phones, and left.
I texted him the next day, for a re-cap of all the information we had gone over, because I still had not received the quote by email prior to him completing the sale (my kids were home and life was Life-in). I did not receive a text back, however I was able to speak with him by phone. He informed me he had been working and he would send me the email when he had a break ( still waiting as of today). I called AT&T Customer Service to inquire about the MyATT app. Once I was able to get into the app, to my surprise I saw a $504.17 bill. I informed the agent of what I had been told and she told me “I’m sorry but that’s not true”. I then reached back out to the Home Expert with my concerns to which he informed me that the department he worked for is different, but once they receive the credits in the system the bill would reflect. He assured me I was getting everything he told me. I went to a local AT&T Corporate store to see if someone would be able to give me clear information. The agent then referred me to the loyalty department. Speaking to the loyalty department I was informed that I would receive all I was told, but can take up to 1-2 billing cycles. I would receive the $200 reward cards after 4/22 for a total of $1200 for the 6 lines ported. I called the rewards department on 4/22 and was informed that the $200 would be applied in credits and all the phones had installments. This is so Deceptive and I wonder how many more people have been duped with this scam.
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.6K Messages
15 days ago
It's not deceptive and it's how most of these deals work. They want to make sure you're going to pay your bill before they start forking over $1,200, plus bill credits on phones.
Yep. Mostly accurate
The discount in internet is not 20%, it is $20 off your internet so if you're on the $85 internet plan it only cost $65 instead.
The AARP discount gets your activation fees waived or credited once your membership is verified. It also gets you premium plan for the same cost as the extra plan.
Credits for your new phones start in 2 to 3 bill cycles. So if you bought the end of March, credits should start toward the end of June. The difference between the installments and the credits for your new iPhone 15 pro will show up as a net difference on the bill of $5 and change every month once the credits begin.
The $200 for switching is also valid, I believe they send you a email with a claim code to get $200 for each line for switching
Despite you saying, deceptive, it's the way it works, and it is the way it is described and published online.
Sample which is available on AT&T sales page for anyone to read.
(edited)
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my thoughts
Former Employee
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22.4K Messages
15 days ago
No installments, means you enter into a 3 year, 36 month 0% finance deal with a monthly credit equaling the monthly charge… at $800 is $22.22 monthly charge and offsetting $22.22 credit for $0 installments.
If you choose to cancel service on the line before 36 months completed you forfeit the remaining credits and balance of phone payments come due for payment… example if cancel after 18 months would owe $400 balance on the phone.
Thus a free phone (sale) in exchange for a 36 month service agreement, cancel anytime and owe the remaining balance.
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Twats
6 Messages
15 days ago
I understand the cancellation part and the 36 months(no problem) However that is not what I am getting! I am being charged for the phones. The installments are now being covered by the $200 gift cards I was due to receive. So I did not get the phone free depending on the continuation of the 36 mon contract. I wanted to cancel the service, but was continued to be told by different agents the same thing until I called on 4/22. It’s a true scam!
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Twats
6 Messages
15 days ago
@Formerlyknowas
You did understand most of what was typed. However, the part about the $200=$1200 gift cards, I was informed I would not be receiving! The $200 would be credited to my bill or I would be responsible for the installments on the phones that were supposed to be FREE. I truly understand if the gift cards had to have a 90 day waiting period. I’m not getting what I was promised! Also, the 20% discount is supposed to be on the mobile service, not my internet. I was told since I had another AT&T service it qualified me for a 20% discount on mobile service. I will never tell anyone to get service with AT&T! I can wait until the 36mo are up!
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my thoughts
Former Employee
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22.4K Messages
15 days ago
You are charged for payments until the credits start in about 90 days, the first credit will cover the first months while waiting. Thus in the example if $22.22 per month for (3) months, you pay $66.66 then end up receiving the $66.66 credit on the future bill bringing net total to zero.
Of course the more phones have, the more you’re out of pocket initially, but the bigger the credit will be when applied.
You would have had 14 days to cancel…
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Lockdowncraziness
Former Employee
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2.6K Messages
15 days ago
You activated in March. Credits do not apply for 3 months.
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Twats
6 Messages
15 days ago
The credits have been applied, the bill is still not what I was told.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.6K Messages
15 days ago
You keep posting conflicting information which makes this a very frustrating conversation...
What difference does it make whether the $1,200 is credited against your monthly bill, or sent to you in the form of gift cards? It's still $1,200.
Thank you state You're getting credits against your phone installments for the iPhone 14s which would make them free, those bill credits continue over 36 months. They are not lump sum. They were never promised lump sum, they are never lump sum, not on any service provider. That's how all these deals work.
That's how they've been working for 10 years. If it wasn't explained to you it's probably because it has been 10 years and these deals are still working the exact same way on all service providers and whoever signed you up figured you should have known after 10 years that that's how these deals work.
The only significant error, is your lack of understanding, and possibly being told that the $20 discount on Your internet service was a 20% discount on wireless. The published offers change often, but that is not the current published offer, which has been the publish offer since July 15th of 2023.
https://www.att.com/offers/wireless-fiber/
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Twats
6 Messages
15 days ago
@formerlyknownas
Your reply….. What difference does it make whether the $1,200 is credited against your monthly bill, or sent to you in the form of gift cards? It's still $1,200.….
This is what I said
The $200 would be credited to my bill or I would be responsible for the installments on the phones that were supposed to be FREE!
I would gladly take $1200 credited to the bill, BUT that’s not the case. The phones have installments, nothing FREE has an installment. The credits Have Applied for this Month. I have gone thru the bill and clearly see the credits reflected. Not saying anything different or dropping new information. You are just telling me what you think or what is written (which maybe what is offered) But different from what I was told! That is why the Home Expert never sent me the email, he knew he lied! In business it’s called Deceptive Trade Practice. I know I am not the only one!
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.5K Messages
15 days ago
Trade-in credits do not show up on the monthly bills for 2-3 months, there is no way they "have been applied" by May 3rd from a March 22 order, so the bill cannot yet be "what [you were] told." It will not settle down until June or July. At that point you should get a bunch of "extra" monthly credits for each phone for Mar, April and May, and from then on your monthly installment charges for each phone will be offset by a monthly credit for that month (and the "extra" credits will offset those that you've had to pay for the bills before then).
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