Your Trade-in Program is a complete SCAM!

In my case I have requested my phone to be returned so that I may in fact sell it elsewhere or get a second opinion. AT&T has denied me this right so that I am forced to accept their decision. I am in the process of seeking legal counsel.

Since the trade-in page tells you that phones cannot be returned you don't have any legal leg to stand on. Trade-in phones are sent to a third-party recyclers.

Interesting. As it turns out I happened to trade in 2 devices. However, the second device was a pixel 2 and the online process did not have it listed as an acceptable phone for the trade in program. Instead, I had to return to the store where upon inspection an associate accepted the phone and I received the credit I needed to get the $700 rebate for one of my new lines. For my other line I had a pixel 3 to trade, which had been inspected prior by a sales associate and was expected to return a $150 value. I did not make the trade the day of the transaction as I was unprepared to release my device. I was not in the market for a new phone but while at Sam's an AT&T associate solicited me with an offer to upgrade with a $700 credit for approved device trade in. I still owed money on the phone to Verizon. Consequently I needed to retain my old phone for a few more days so that I could save important documents.

The sales associate suggested I simply ship the phone at a later time, but within thirty days. In a pragmatic effort, I took pictures of my pixel 3 prior to shipping to avoid error made from transcribing the IMEI number. In this process I serendipitously photographed the entire back of the phone. I also photographed the phone in the shipping package that AT&T provided me. Two weeks later they informed me that my phone was damaged. As shipping damages would not be their fault I requested to know who received my package and provide me with photos of the phone's damage as well as photos taken upon receipt for the sake of accountability. The trade in employees told me they have no way of knowing who received the phone and no evidence to provide of its damage.

So I am left to accept that an unknown person/ employee for this program received my package while a few days later another unknown person assessed my phone, found a purported crack that, assuming it actually has damage, occurred sometime between the time it left my house to the time of its assessment which includes a duration of time while in the hands of at least two AT&T employees. Furthermore they can produce no evidence and will not return the phone when I requested.

To recapitulate, I have to believe that my my phone with a USED value of $150 (this is for good condition, not excellent) according to multiple sites including AT&T, lost roughly 65% value due to damages that may have occurred in transit, receiving, processing or evaluation, as based on the assessment made by an unknown (not unnamed, I was informed they would have no way of knowing by At&t Tradein employee Michael employee #MJ1 on 2/18/2020 at 11:32 p.m.) person who purportedly found a crack in my phone for which they can produce no evidence nor any specific record of the employees entrusted to care for and fairly and accurately evaluate my device. And, the new value just happens to be right under the required value needed to receive the promotion that was solicited to me. Interestingly as I still owe $200 to Verizon for the Pixel 3 that AT&T won't return. I suppose I should tell Verizon to seek the balance from AT&T as I would be glad to pay for it, but due to either illegal or unethical business practices, AT&T will not return the phone to me despite I am no longer a candidate for the promotion.

Something in this scenario seems illegal. Note I have made written requests to AT&T asking them to return the device. They said no.

So by switching to AT&T I lost a working phone that I still owe $200 for and received a phone that I now must pay full price for around $1000, which I would never have purchased at that price, with a grand total of $1200 cost to switch to AT&T.

Lesson learned: switch to AT&T= $1200 upfront cost; and prepare to engage in a business relationship with a company whose mission goes beyond self interest but treats you the consumer like an adversary using coercive and deceptive business practices and complex legal language to manipulate the law and exploit the consumer beyond the usual, customary and expected norms of business practices.