AT&T Community Forums

Att selling refurbished iPhone to unknowing consumers

I bought 2 iPhones at an ATT booth at Sams Club. I now find out they were refurbished iPhones that I paid for. What gives ATT the right to sell used goods to consumers?? And does Sams club know that's what you're doing??

Responses

Fl_retire

ACE - Professor

•

3K Messages

5 years ago

@fueltron AT&T does sell refurbished phones. Have you told the individuals that have “new” phones that they can file a complaint with proof (receipt) that the ”new” phone was a refurbished one.

https://www.att.com/buy/phones/browse/Used

0

formerlyknownas

ACE - Sage

•

117.6K Messages

5 years ago

@fueltron wrote:

I am a phone technician at an independent repair shop and I have seen this a number of times with AT&T phones. Another one today. Customers come in after breaking their "New" phone. When I open it up, all of them have aftermarket displays, poor application of the IP67 gasket, and internal screws that are weirdly color-coded with sharpie. It would be one thing if these were replacements through insurance, but when I bring it up the customers are shocked because they purchased the phone as new from the AT&T store. This seems like a completely unacceptable practice. It's actually gotten to the point that when I see the sharpie marked screws I know before even saying anything that the customer will be surprised to find out they were sold a refurb. It seems specific to iPhones, as I've not seen this on any other brand.

And where are these phones coming from?

It seems to me a bit unlikely that AT&T company stores are selling counterfeit merchandise, of any brand. What seems more likely is either: 1. It wasn’t an At&t store; or 2. that these people had their phone repaired before and lied about it just to make sure that they don’t lose their warranty coverage.

If a store says authorized retailer on the face of it it is not an AT&T company store.

0