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Tutor

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6 Messages

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2018 3:31 AM

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ATT "FREE" Phone Scam

Hello, I've been an ATT customer for over 10 years and recently I've had a terrible experience with this "free" phone promo.

I did a horrible mistake of accepting this phone from ATT as a "gift" and representative assured me it will be completely free. I received a new phone and activated it thinking everything will be ok.

After a couple of weeks, I get a separate surprise bill for $108. Apparently, a representative created a separate account with that line in it and also created an additional line which was UNAUTHORIZED.

That line should have been added to my main account but a representative created a new account with a fake line in it in order to charge me extra $$$ and trap me into paying additional $50/month.

I spent a WHOLE WEEK contacting customer support almost every day, all I get is a rude representative that either hangs up on me, curses me out or redirects me into an endless loop.

Today I finally contacted a fraud department after waiting 2 hours on hold, she told me she can't help me over the phone and said I need to go to the store to get it resolved. Representative also said that if I don't like the way a company operates I should probably go to a different carrier. I've never been treated so poorly by any company and I have yet to talk to a person that will not insult or hang up on me. 

Anyway, I went to the ATT store and manager told me he will not help me and I said I would need to contact ATT over the phone.

After arguing for about an hour, he canceled that fraudulent line and said he can combine two accounts but I will lose "free" phone promo if I do that. I left the store with tons of stress and my issues unresolved.

It's no wonder millions of customers are leaving ATT every year and their stock is going straight to the ground. 

ATT has zero customer support, it's like they instruct their agents to get rid of customers on purpose. It's really sad.

I could also be wrong about all this perception of the company, but that's just my individual experience.

Is there any help I can get? Who should I contact? Does anybody have experience dealing with this or similar situation?

Does going through arbitration help? or I should I just pay them all the money they scammed me out off and move to a different carrier?

 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago

File a BBB complaint.   

The free phone with a new line most likely had a TV requirement.  Nothing about this was done correctly.  I don’t know what that person was thinking.  

 

Tutor

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6 Messages

5 years ago

As far as I know, ATT ignores and disregards BBB. Not sure if that line had any special requirements and if it did they didn't bother mentioning it.

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

5 years ago

No, ATT does not ignore the BBB. A BBB or FCC complaint will result in someone from the Office of the President contacting you.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago

@roman.gates

Att replies within the required 30 days, usually much less.  

Free phone offers are usually;

‘. . . add a new line to an existing account, Buy 2 phones, 1 is “free” up to the maximum allowed credit.  Credits are applied monthly.  If you cancel or pay off the phone monthly credits stop.  Most of the BOGO (Buy one get one) have required ATT TV or internet services. ‘

     As I wrote, nothing that was done was close to correct.  

Please let us know if it gets fixed.

 

Tutor

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6 Messages

5 years ago

They gave me this offer when I called to add a new line for Samsung gear. They told me I qualify for this "free" phone and I foolishly accepted it. I even asked operator "are you sure it's gonna be 100% free?" and "no scam? wouldn't need to sign any contract?". Of course, an agent said everything will be fine.   

I tried to calling today and they still gave me a reacharound. I managed to move line into my main account BUT still no answer on why that representative created a fake account and added another fake line to it. As far I know, I will not be getting a refund for all those extra made up charges and I'm also losing this "free" phone promo. Agent transferred me to "loyalty" department saying they would help, after waiting on hold for 20 minutes call magically got disconnected. 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago

If you filed the BBB complaint, just wait for ATT to call you.  Regular reps you reach can’t do anything. 

It is likely you ere never eligible for a free phone.  For sure, not this way.

 

Tutor

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6 Messages

5 years ago

I guess if I don't get this resolved by tomorrow I will have to contact BBB. I feel very skeptical about this, after looking around this forum I see so many people scammed on this deal. It looks like their management was behind this. It's very typical of a company that is going down, they just trying to grab as much cash as possible before going bankrupt. Their CEO needs to be physically removed out of office and replaced by someone who is interested in actually improving the company.

Tutor

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6 Messages

5 years ago

I would like to give an update. Nothing got resolved, I was told by representative that I will get full refund which never happened. That's how unethical this company is. I'll be switching carrier asap. BEWARE!   

Contributor

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1 Message

5 years ago

Same thing happened to me.  Free phone was promised by rep.  When I got the bill, $30 a month for equipment plus all of the line charges.  Called to complain. since it was after 14 days, the loyalty dept said they could not do anything.  Asked the manager to call me.  They never did.  Total SCAM. don't fall for it.  My next step it to report to my states attorney general and let the lawyers fight it out. ATT will pay far more than what a phone would cost. I still am out though until I switch back to Verizon.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago


@rpivers wrote:

Same thing happened to me.  Free phone was promised by rep.  When I got the bill, $30 a month for equipment plus all of the line charges.  Called to complain. since it was after 14 days, the loyalty dept said they could not do anything.  Asked the manager to call me.  They never did.  Total SCAM. don't fall for it.  My next step it to report to my states attorney general and let the lawyers fight it out. ATT will pay far more than what a phone would cost. I still am out though until I switch back to Verizon.


If you met all other requirements, the credits on the phone start in 3 months.  Had you read the deal on the sales page that is on there.

You cannot get more out of At&t.  You cannot use a wireless carrier, you signed away that right.  You are limited to arbitration or small claims.  Read the terms of service 

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