AT&T Trade-in SCAM

You won’t get your old phone back it’s been recycled. A qualifying unlimited data plan is required for the trade in deal. It’s not a scam you just didn’t understand how it works. 

Not a scam. Requirements are not a scam.

Nobody 'gives away' something that costs several hundred dollars without there being some quid pro quo. In this case a more expensive service plan for 36 months. This is clearly stated on the website.  It also specifically states that the unlimited value plan does not qualify. 

   Every AT&T promotion for the past  6 years has clearly stated that an unlimited data plan was required to get the promotion. 

You can go look at the website right now and see that every single promotion requires unlimited data plans.

You can go look at other websites, like Verizon and T-Mobile, their promotions also require an unlimited data plan.

AT&T prepaid has free phones if you sign up for new prepaid service port your phone number in and sign up for unlimited data plan. 

I went into the AT&T store with my daughter to get her a new phone for her birthday.  We were told by the salesperson that we could get a $700.00 trade in credit towards her new phone.  We also ended up buying new accessories as well.   2 months later I noticed that no adjustments were done the bill so I chatted online with them and the service rep then told me they would be monthly credit installments and she adjusted the bill to show the credit for that month.  That was the only credit I have received so far.  I went back into the AT&T store to get an unlimited data plan and asked them to check on her credit for the trade in.  That was the first time they ever mentioned to me that we had to be on an unlimited plan and they would see if they could get the credit reinstated.  Two months later I'm still waiting to hear from them as the credit is still not applied.  If this is not rectified by the first of the year I will be switching to another carrier after 25 years with AT&T.  I was there in person to purchase the phone and do the trade in.  They looked up my account and never disclosed that I had to have an unlimited plan.    I don't like to be scammed!

It’s unlikely to be rectified by the first of the year, or ever.  Being in an unlimited plan was always part of the promotion since they started it years ago.  It’s probably in the terms and conditions you agreed to.  If you feel you were scammed, recommend you file a BBB complaint.

If you do decide to leave for another carrier and need to unlock the phones, just know that AT&T won’t unlock the phone unless it’s paid off, so if you bought on an installment plan, you’ll need to pay it completely off.  Also recommend getting the phone unlocked before you cancel your account, not after.

We don't want you to miss out on your trade-in credits @lindalouowens.

Let's meet in a private message, so we can work on making sure your trade-in credits are properly applied. Please check your Direct Message Inbox (it’s the chat icon next to the bell icon in the upper right corner of the Forums).

Tony, AT&T Community Specialist

@lindalouowens

All of the advertisements for the phone promotions from all service providers require an unlimited data plan very clearly in the advertisements. You had 30 days to trade in your old phone, and to switch to a required unlimited data plan.

Some people have commented that their old plan is so cheap that it would cost more to switch to unlimited then it would be to pay for the phone. If that is the case, just pay for the new phone and enjoy the savings.

These phone promotions are not done out of some sort of altruism on the part of the service providers they are done to make more money by pushing you on to a more expensive plan, and tie you to the carrier for a length of time so that they make a profit off selling you service - which is their product.

I went into store to upgrade my wife’s iPhone X pro max. I had no intention of doing any sort of promotional trade-in, just a regular upgrade like I’ve always done. The ATT representative saw that I had an iPhone 11 and mentioned I could trade in our phones, pay off my iPhone 11 remaining installments, and get 2 $800 trade in credits toward new iPhone 14s after I pay taxes and fees on the new phones. I asked several times if there was a catch, changing my plan or anything. I was reassured that I did not have to do anything more than trade in the phones. Now ATT is telling me that I’m not eligible because of my data plan. I was scammed into this deal by fraudulent misrepresentation by ATT! I am NOT happy!

@Zakc

Read my previous reply, right above yours...

You will get a book value trade in for your old phones only, which is applied as a one-time credit

@Zakc So what plan do you have that you are now being told doesn’t qualify? Have you at least priced out the current plans? It might be worthwhile to switch to a current plan. I bet it was an authorized retail store that misinformed you.