Extra phone lines added with no warning for 1 penny add-on devices

Your instincts were right.   I hate to point fingers, but She didn't read before she signed.  The receipt would have been a yard or two long, and would have included each line item, with phone number next to it.   

This is why I am the only one who can make purchases on my account.  People get to wrapped up in the shiny new gadget and don't look at the paperwork.    

The return period is only 14 days.  

Just a sample below for 2 phone purchases, each lists the phone number.   

(For future purchases:   My sons are not allowed to make purchases on my account.  They have to buy their phones at full price and swap the SIM cards.  This means they choose not to buy higher priced carrier phones.  One has a Nexus 6p, the other has a Moto pure edition.  Tell the girls to start saving because there will be no more "upgrades" on your dime)

I apologize for the delay, we're still trying to track down the receipt, which has been filed away and buried.

I appreciate the response, but it doesn't address any of my concerns:

1) The AT&T rep should have verbally told me these "one penny" devices were adding new lines, instead of leaving me to notice it in a "yard or two long" receipt or in the fine print of a contract. There may be an accessibility issue here as well.

2) If I didn't happen to notice it in the receipt or contract, the only other way I'd find out is in my next bill, long after the wholly inadequate 14 day limit.

3) The fact they are charging me monthly fees for devices that have never been activated or taken out of the box borders on criminal.

4) I should have had to "opt-in" to have lines added to my contract.

I was hoping for solutions rather than a confirmation that I got it wrong. In my opinion, these practices are deceptive and predatory. Thankfully, every one of my social media contacts is now informed and warned. AT&T will not get another opportunity to take advantage of us.

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@MiracleMax wrote:

I apologize for the delay, we're still trying to track down the receipt, which has been filed away and buried.

 

I appreciate the response, but it doesn't address any of my concerns:

1) The AT&T rep should have verbally told me these "one penny" devices were adding new lines, instead of leaving me to notice it in a "yard or two long" receipt or in the fine print of a contract. There may be an accessibility issue here as well.

2) If I didn't happen to notice it in the receipt or contract, the only other way I'd find out is in my next bill, long after the wholly inadequate 14 day limit.

3) The fact they are charging me monthly fees for devices that have never been activated or taken out of the box borders on criminal.

4) I should have had to "opt-in" to have lines added to my contract.

 

I was hoping for solutions rather than a confirmation that I got it wrong. In my opinion, these practices are deceptive and predatory. Thankfully, every one of my social media contacts is now informed and warned. AT&T will not get another opportunity to take advantage of us.

 

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All carriers have these complaints.  Sales people on all carriers have sales quotas and can get greedy.  Until carriers stop hanging quotas over the employees, this bull will continue.   

Unfortunately that doesn't help you.   

BTW you can have the receipt reprinted at the store of purchase, all they need is your account number and date.  

Receipts are long, but detailed.  Each device is assigned a line number for phone or data access.  Each line number of course means a monthly line fee and one time activation charges.  

Option:  you can always sell the sealed box devices as New on swappa or eBay.  Then use the cash to cancel the lines and pay off the ETF, which would be $150, less $4 each complete month.  

@MiracleMax The other thing to keep in mind, you do not get devices for free or highly discounted from a cellular phone company unless you commit to service.

If nothing else, that reciept should look like you are commiting to paying full price. Since the discount probably shows up monthly and it didn't ring up as a penny, right? 

The tablets and watch should start getting credits for the payments. But the plan will cost you per line. Did they each get two devices? Carp!

@lizdance40,

You mentioned cancelling the lines. How can that be done? When we went back to the store to try to get 3 of the lines cancelled, they said the deadline had passed and we were stuck for the duration of the 2 year contract.

Thanks!

@MiracleMax, @lizdance40 More or less detailed it, you have to pay down the ETF (early termination fees), in order to cancel the lines.

@Gary L did a great job of detailing the "if it seems too good to be true (free), then it probably is", it's the automatic warning that should go off anytime a subscription-based service is saying "free stuff", as unfortunate as it is, it's a sales thing.

I have to admit, I dislike these "free" device offers too, they pop up on my account, etc, but if I'm even remotely considering them, I very carefully review the fine-print, looking for such things as "monthly" and "charge", and maybe "termination".  I find that searching for a few keywords after reading is helpful, but obviously not so much in the store.  I don't know when I last bought a cell in the store though, it's been quite a few years, even our last 2-3 car purchases were fully negotiated before I ever set foot in the dealers' door, to sign final paperwork (which I'd already reviewed online) ;-]

Take @lizdance40's suggestion, sell the device as she mentions, and pay off the ETF, and call it good, and a "learning experience", even though it's an unfortunate one.

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@MiracleMax wrote:

@lizdance40,

 

You mentioned cancelling the lines. How can that be done? When we went back to the store to try to get 3 of the lines cancelled, they said the deadline had passed and we were stuck for the duration of the 2 year contract.

 

Thanks!

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@MiracleMax.  The deadline has passed for return at no charge.  You can cancel lines, but will be charged an ETF on each line/device.  If you call Att and cancel a line, they should tell you there is an ETF.