Trade In and Get Rewarded!
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New Member

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3 Messages

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 11:54 PM

Trade in promotion NOT honored. ATT claims I sent in wrong phone model but will not confirm what I agreed to send. Message says "TBD"

I recently got engaged and wanted to add my now fiancée's phone line to my ATT plan. She was previously part of a family plan on T-Mobile. I timed this on 6/4/2020 to take advantage of the trade in and port over phone promotion to get a $700 credit (in the form of monthly credits) to my account, once I:

 

1) Ported over a line from another carrier to my plan - from T-Mobile to ATT

2) Purchased an eligible smartphone - 256 GB iPhone 11 Pro
3) Traded in an eligible smart phone - a pink 32 GB iPhone 7

 

I completed all the steps as advised and even had an online agent walk me through the purchase/trade in process via ATT support chat. I sent in her phone after it was factory restored using the trade in shipping materials provided. The phone was confirmed received by ATT on 6/25 or so. I understand that the promotional credits could take 2-3 billing cycles to complete. I checked up on the status of my credits today after I had not seen them applied to my account. 

 

I spoke/chatted with a number of different agents who all said that based on the information provided ie, my trade in confirmation number that I did not send in the correct phone model for trade in. Confused, I asked to confirm what model I had agreed to send in but they were unable to tell me. 

 

The exact status update from the trade in website reads:

 

Apple iPhone 7 32GB

Value adjusted:

Wrong phone model - you entered Model TBD - Other but phone was actually iPhone 7 32GB

I am confused as to how:

1) ATT does not know which phone model I agreed to send in. Nor could they confirm the model for trade in I had selected when purchasing the iPhone 11 Pro to have this credit applied towards.  All they could tell me was that "Model TBD" was selected. I must have chosen an eligible model for trade in, otherwise I would not have received confirmation on the order page that I would be receiving the $700 credit once details were confirmed. ATT claims this information would be in the email with my trade in confirmation number but I have been unable to find anything related to what model is applicable here in said email.

2) Even in the event that I did choose the wrong phone model to send in on the original order page, the 32 GB iPhone 7 is an eligible model for the $700 credit to be applicable to my account. I should be receiving this credit either way, assuming the phone was in sufficient condition. The phone had no issues when I shipped it and met the criteria .

Instead of helping me resolve/investigate the issue or request more information, I was only provided a $60 ATT promotional card which is obviously less than the $700 credit I was expecting. Even then, the fine print of the promotion says I would be eligible for the $700 credit so long as the phone minimum trade in value was $60 which it appears it was. 

ATT / Other Forum Users - has anyone else had this problem and found a resolution for it? I do not want to accept this credit for $60 when the whole point of me purchasing the phone on the promotion was to get $700 instead. 

My current ideas for remedy are: report this to the Better Business Bureau and/or file a small claims suit in NY vs ATT.

New Member

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4 Messages

3 years ago

Their trade in reps are not the brightest I noticed.

New Member

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2 Messages

3 years ago

Has this been resolved for anyone yet?

New Member

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1 Message

3 years ago

My husband and I are facing  almost the exact same problem. We traded in our Samsung Note 8 phones for the new Samsung Note 20 Ultras.  We received a " Value Adjusted" message which stated on one,  "Screen is not working - Screen has Major Burn-in/Bruising, wrong phone model- you entered Galaxy Note 8 64GB but phone was actually Galaxy Note 8.0 64GB - Other, Received more than 48 days after trade in date."

We received almost the same message on the other except that one was valued at $60 so we received the $1000 trade in value.

It is important to Note, we had the exact same phone. The screens on both of our phones were working. In fact we each called them several times from the very phones we traded in, as we compared plans before switching.  We also provided them the serial number from the phones when we talked at length with their rep before trading it in.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with our phones. We only traded them in because we wanted something shiny and new. Sadly, when we talked to Verizon before deciding which Company to choose, the Rep warned us, be careful who you choose. We should have listened.

I failed to mention that the claim that we sent in the phone 48 days late, was easily disproven becase we sent it back 3 days after receving the box from them in which to send it. We even provided them the tracking information that showed it was delivered to their facility a full month before they claimed receipt.

Then the story became, well it isn't the date of receipt which made your trade in worth only $30 it is the condition of the phone.

Buyer beware! AT&T has deceptive practices and I like others will be pursuing this thru the BBB and possibly small claims court.

If you are thinking of switching to them because of a good deal, think again!

(edited)

New Member

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2 Messages

3 years ago

I had exactly the same thing happen.&n(Edited per community guidelines)p; I was promised $1000 trade in for my Samsung Galaxy note phone, but then ended up getting $33 because it was the "wrong phone" and the screen didn't turn on.&n(Edited per community guidelines)p; That is total (Edited per community guidelines). The phone was in perfect condition.&n(Edited per community guidelines)p;

(edited)

New Member

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3 Messages

3 years ago

I will join you on this claim , as I was scammed also with this offer.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

3 years ago

All of you not getting results, file a Better Business Bureau claim online. The complaint will be sent to AT&T upper management who will call you directly. Call will come from the AT&T Office of the President and they have the brains and the power to fix your promotion. First line reps have neither.

Good luck

New Member

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2 Messages

3 years ago

I am having the same exact issue I turned in my Galaxy s8 plus for an s20 note ultra and they said I turned in the wrong phone TBD, I am furious and will be contacting the BBB.  Instead of the $700 credit towards the note 20 ultra I got a credit card for 70 bucks. Really AT&t? I want my phone back this is a scam!! You can have your note 20 ultra back and I will be going elsewhere, a 25-year customer here this is a (Edited per community guidelines) way to treat your customers! 

(edited)

New Member

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1 Message

3 years ago

Have you guys had any success on getting your trade ins adjusted? I can't get anyone to issue me the $1000 I qualified for for my Note20.

Huge scam. 

New Member

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1 Message

3 years ago

Wow. Looks like I'm not the only one encountering this issue. 

New Member

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5 Messages

3 years ago

Don't do it!  It's a scam.  They get you to purchase an expensive phone "with trade in".  They send you the wimpiest bubble mailer hardly bigger or thicker than the phone, then they will deny you when they receive the phone broken. 

This happened to me. 

My Galaxy S8 was perfect, all working and no broken glass.  Then after the return period is over, you get a letter with a gift card for 1/10 the value of your phone and are stuck paying an additional $35 a month.  I've tried to contact them multiple times over the past 2 weeks and haven't even got a reply back.

DON'T DO IT!

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