Sent Trade-In Phone to the wrong warehouse

I was credited for both of my phones approximately 3 weeks after opening a claim with the trade in department. I am satisfied with the end result. Call the trade in department

888-445-6005. They are very familiar with this issue and they will create a claim with the phones imei #.

I am filing a complaint with BBB also

going through the same issue now. went in store ordered a phone and was told to send my trade in back in the box my new phone came in.  they tell you you have to wait 2-3 billing cycles to see the credit. so 3 billing cycles later in decided to call bc there was no credit and now they are saying they can't find the phone and I'm not going to get a credit. I've been with att for 20 years, and this is the first time I had this problem mainly bc I trade my phones in the day of but since I ordered it this time was different. it is definitely theft of they dnt return the phone back to you.  they have tracking numbers for all of their labels, they can go back and find your phone they just don't and hope that you forget about it and keep paying.  but I will not, I will switch my service and not think twice about it

@hateithere it looks like you got bad information from the store representative.

Trade-Ins are shipped to a different department at a different address using different packaging.

You will need to stay at it with CS and perhaps go back to the store and have the representative that assisted you with your purchase and provided incorrect information help you rectify the issue.

You may be in for some serious time investment, be ready.

I bought a new phone via the trade in program in September and was never provided the packaging to send my phone in to recieve the $700 trade in credit, when I contacted them in October they provided me with the wrong label. I called every month trying to find out about my credit and on the 3rd month of not getting the credit, I refused to give up. In January my issue was "escalated" and they gave me a case #. I was told (in an email) I would have an answer in 30 days, it's been 30 days and when I call they have no idea what I'm talking about, they don't have any records of me calling, the case # doesn't pull up anything and I'm being "escalated" again. I have filed a case with the BBB as of today. 

UPDATE: I got my credit within 24 hours of filing my claim with the BBB. 

Quite sad it has to come to this just to get a credit. 

As someone who deals with identifying/correcting inefficient processes, AT&T’s trade-in program could be a case study. 

FrustratedMember07

You're assuming that what is happening is not intentionally designed. I think it is more nefarious than simple poor process, I think this is working exactly as it is supposed to.

Why do "escalations" at the Trade-In Department lead nowhere with no follow-up to the customer? Hyla designed their system so that "Tier 2 Escalations" do not exist.

Hyla pays less to AT&T for phones that are lower in value and AT&T provides lower bill credit amounts to customers as a result. Both parties have a financial incentive to act in the manner they are.

Deceptive and conspiratorial.

It’s definitely plausible. The information overload during the trade in process, a return label IN the box the new phone was sent in (knowing it was a trade-in), extremely long wait times to talk to a real person...

You've got me convinced! I certainly will never do another trade-in with AT&T, but they have definitely been outstanding with me as a military customer. I guess all I wish for is consistency!

I have been trying to resolve this same problem since November.  Have 2 lines, one for myself and the other for my wife.  The promotion on an iPhone 11 ProMax for our iPhone 8 plus was $800 if purchased online by 5 November.  I selected the Midnight Green, and she selected the Rose Gold.  I received the Midnight Green 11 Pro Max in four days.  Sent the 8Plus back in the box sent with the 11 Pro Max.  A week later, the status on her phone changed to no longer available.  Rose Gold is available for 12 ProMax, but we could no longer get the $800, it is now $700.  Ordered the 12 Pro Max received it a week later, only this time received instructions to mail trade-in in a separate package to be received for the trade-in.   Sent her iPhone 8Plus in the Trade-in box, with trade-in label.   A few weeks later, after checking on the trade-in status for both phones -- have the trade-in confirmation numbers and IMEI for both--only her trade-in was received.  After months of phone calls and checking on the "Trade-in Status", we finally get an email, 28 January 2021, notifying us that we will be receiving the trade-in credits for both phones, referencing our trade-in confirmation numbers.  What a surprise that was.  "We could expect a text message on our trade-in credits within the next 30 days." As of this date, no text update has been received, a $300 credit, not the agreed to $700 credit, was applied to our account for her phone, and still no status on the $800 credit for my phone.  Not sure if there will be a fair end to this unending story.  Not sure either if case number 639367 still exists.  Will continue to call and send emails.  

Facing same issue. I have my tracking number, my IMEI number! Everything is documented and they are playing stupid. I want my phone back or my credit and no one knows anything at all. One customer support person told me he gets roughly 30 phone calls a day regarding the same issue. It's a scam.

@obewon2000

@alexbravo

Your situations are quite common. I believe you will find the information you need to resolve your issues in these forums.

Any time spent emailing, chatting, or on the phone with Customer Service or the Trade-In Department is a waste and will only frustrate you.

File an FCC complaint (https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us)

and you will be contacted very shortly by someone from the Office of the President (a glorified title for Tier 3 Customer Service).

AT&T's system is broken, and they know it. You can bang your head against the wall by trying to go through the system that does not work or you can get the promotion you were promised by filing an FCC complaint. There are certain key words that may help as you file your complaint (one rhymes with "Perceptive Frayed Cactus").

Go to my profile and check the posts I have made or commented on. You will see that there is only one way to get AT&T's attention, and it requires you to "tattle" to an outside agency in order for AT&T to listen to you.

Good luck!

Thanks for the referral. 

paul

I'm in the same boat as everyone else. This sounds like a CAL waiting to happen. If I get edited again fine but we all know what I’m trying to say. Too many people have been scammed by ATT at this point. We need to band together and fight this! They are crooks!!!!

I’ve had pretty much the same issues. Sent three phones back end of November beginning of December.  Credit was supposed to be $1300 for all of them. Sent them all in different packages on different days. Have quote #s for all three and the USPS tracking for two of them. Still can’t get an update on any of the phones. When I call I’m put on hold forever until I’m disconnected or give up. When I try chats they all abruptly end. Workers at store don’t have answers and tell me to wait a bit longer or give me a number or email to try. When I’ve got a response from emails I’m just told again to wait a bit longer.