AT&T Community Forums

iPhone 7 trade-in upgrade misery

This really has been a really painful promotion that I participated in when iPhone 7 was introduced. Like other cellphone service providers, AT&T also had the promotion to get a iPhone 7 for free (monthly credits) when you trade-in iPhone 6 or better. I traded in two phones (iphone6 and 6s) for two lines on my account following the instructions and was waiting for the credits to show up (2-3 billing cycles). When I did not get credit in my January 2017 billing, I started calling and that is when my plight started. Every time I call, I have to explain and prove that I followed the instructions, that I actually send the trade-in (provide ups tracking) and that I was eligible. Every time after half an hour when the Customer representative is convinced that everything is ok, they tell me that they are helpless and they will open a case. 2 cases have been opened since than and closed with saying that I am eligible and should start getting credit following month. Finally in February, I got some sensible CSR and he issued me credit for the past 5 months and assured that I should start seeing credits from March. Nothing has happened since then despite multiple followups.

My last call was yesterday and now surprisingly the CSR tried everything to sway me away. First argument, there was no such promotion and in February I got the credit for trade in and then when I p[roved him there was a promotion he looked further and tried to find fault with everything like I travelled to India without telling them and that could have voided the promotion and rhen finally said he could open another case or I should escalate through Customer relationship and connected me to them. After spending another 45 minutes with Customer relationship (they were actually Customer retention) and proving everything was in order, she told me sorry she cannot do anything even though everything looks ok. That is when I lost patience and asked her if she could not be of any help why was she asking me all the questions and wasted 45 minutes and she said she was following process.

Really at the end of my wits here and any guidance I can get on how to escalate this.

Thanks

Responses

Gary L

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago

@rajeevagrawala A few questions before making suggestions (suggestions are generally based on the answers you give):

(Yes/No/Date works for most answers)

1. What model iPhone did you trade in?

2. Your purchased your iPhone 7 specifically on what date? (or order date)

3. You turned off Find My iPhone?

4. The turned in iPhone was definitely 100% paid off?

5. You purchased the new iPhone on Next?

6. Have you been late for any of your payments since you purchased?

7. You turned the old iPhone in at the AT&T store or in the mail?

8. What date did you turn in (or mail) the old iPhone?

9. Your receipt for turning it in said $0.00 for the trade in?

10. You removed the 4-digit passcode from the iPhone?

11. What condition was the turned in iPhone?

I recommend hitting REPLY/QUOTE, then hit QUOTE and typing the SHORT answers next to the question in ALL CAPS or bold.

If the answers vary widely between the two phones, you can just quote this additional times.

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rajeevagrawala

Tutor

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7 Messages

7 years ago

@Gary L Thanks for your response and questionnaire. The responses are given below. Also, sorry for late response. I received a survey and based on that I got a call from resolution specialist couple days ago. I was hopeful that the issue will be resolved, but haven't heard back from them since then despite the promise that they will call me back in a couple days.

Also, I understand the purpose of this questionnaire and to confirm that everything is in order, there was a case opened with back office/trade in department which did confirm that everything was in order. In any case the answers are below.

@rajeevagrawala A few questions before making suggestions (suggestions are generally based on the answers you give):

(Yes/No/Date works for most answers)

1. What model iPhone did you trade in?

Iphone 6, Iphone 6s

2. Your purchased your iPhone 7 specifically on what date? (or order date)

September 10, 2016

3. You turned off Find My iPhone?

Yes

4. The turned in iPhone was definitely 100% paid off?

Yes

5. You purchased the new iPhone on Next?

Yes

6. Have you been late for any of your payments since you purchased?

Never (I am on autopay)

7. You turned the old iPhone in at the AT&T store or in the mail?

Mail

8. What date did you turn in (or mail) the old iPhone?

October 7th, 2016

9. Your receipt for turning it in said $0.00 for the trade in?

Yes

10. You removed the 4-digit passcode from the iPhone?

Yes

11. What condition was the turned in iPhone?

Excellent like new (no scratches fully working)

I recommend hitting REPLY/QUOTE, then hit QUOTE and typing the SHORT answers next to the question in ALL CAPS or bold.

Thanks for your help with this.

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Gary L

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago

@rajeevagrawala That all sounds pretty good.

Send a PM to @ATTMobilityCare and see if they can help you. Give them a week or two to see what they can find (then start bugging them weekly if you don't hear back).

I'd upload a copy of the $0.00 receipt and your tracking information to show it arrived (if it did) and if you have the receipt from dropping it off at the post office I'd include that too (hopefully you have that).

Basically, they're going to want to know most of the the questions I asked you so I'd paste in a lot of the details from there too.

Please let me know how it turns out so I know whether to suggest this again to somebody...

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rajeevagrawala

Tutor

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7 Messages

7 years ago

Thanks, I have sent a PM and let's hope that the case resolves.

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rajeevagrawala

Tutor

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7 Messages

7 years ago

@Gary L Thanks for your advice. Just wanted to upgrade the thread that contacting ATTMobilityCare worked out very well. Much better experience as against calling support line and they were able to resolve my case and I just got the chargeback rebate retroactively. Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

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formerlyknownas

ACE - Sage

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117K Messages

7 years ago

Thank goodness. And thanks for the update.

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Gary L

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

7 years ago

@rajeevagrawala wrote:

@Gary L Thanks for your advice. Just wanted to upgrade the thread that contacting ATTMobilityCare worked out very well. Much better experience as against calling support line and they were able to resolve my case and I just got the chargeback rebate retroactively. Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

Awesome, glad it worked out! Thanks for the update!

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