Need help understanding your bill?
AtWrlesFAN's profile

Teacher

 • 

27 Messages

Sunday, December 31st, 2017 12:22 AM

Scam Alert - Apple Watch 3 Credit Check, $150 Deposit Demand

So I bought an Apple Watch from Apple. 

 

Went to to activate it. Was ready for the 25 “activation charge” and the 10/month.  Both seem a little high, but hey, what are you going to do?

 

But of course, that wasn’t enough for AT&T, now they are demanding to run a credit check? For a Watch that I paid for?

And then they come back with... you’ll need a $150 deposit?!?

 

Wait... For a watch? That I bought? That I'm going to pay you $10/month for "service". Attached to my current number. And... the kicker, I have a very good credit rating. 

 

Oh and get this, and I’m a customer with multiple devices on multiple plans that yes, sends AT&T Wireless a very good chunk of change each month. 

 

I think some bean counter must have though that a customer having to activate a watch on a plan they already have, attached to a phone they already have, means they are pretty much stuck unless they want to move their phone over so came up with the "hey, why just do $25 dollars to activate when we do a "credit check" and then make them put down $150 deposit"  Which we can then pocket for a year, invest, make some interest and then send them a paper check next year that they will probably forget about or lose and not even deposit. Ha, we win!

 

And also I have space in my other plans to add a device, but of course, they make you buy a separate "Unlimited Wearable Plan" for some reason.

 

Time me to send a letter to Congress. This is just a plain old scam. 

 

Contacting Apple tomorrow as well. Just to let them know how AT&T Wireless are bilking their Apple Watch customers.

  

$150 deposit. For a 10/month plan. For a watch, I own. A deposit? What on Earth for? So wrong. 

 

Oh and the first Apple Watch Series 3 I activated in Sept didn’t have this deposit requirement. So this must be a new racket they are running. 

 

I’ll be starting to move my devices over to Verizon based on this experience. 

 

For all others here. Watch out... when you activate your watch... because AT&T is going to watch your deposit money going into their account... and have a good ol' laugh. 

 

 

Tutor

 • 

6 Messages

6 years ago

Delete everything I thought this sight was an AT&T help line to resolve problems. I have done the best I can on my end to remove them.

ACE - Expert

 • 

16.5K Messages

6 years ago

@heymadiva wrote:
The salesman told me that was the only way to get an unlimited plan. The price is well over what was discussed. I was there with him three hours trying to make sure I did not go over the budget I set at the beginning of our interview. I explained exactly how I used the internet and the type of devices I used.

Unlimited Plus is $165 for three lines (plus taxes/fees) . That's NO devices, just the lines. Devices are a separate cost. 

 

Never was I told there would be a charge for my laptop, Kindle, or iPad to use the hotspot that was only supposed to be a $20/month period.

There should be no extra charge over the $20 a month (other than taxes/fees) for a hotspot line on unlimited Plus. (and the device cost if you didn't pay full price).

 

I don't know how much data you use on a hotspot, but you can share 10GB free on the built in hotspot on a phone and cancel the hotspot line. (Actually you can share more than 10GB, they haven't been slowing it down like the plan says it will).

 

I wanted unlimited plan to keep from having additional charges for overages.

That's a HUGE benefit.

 

 

ACE - Sage

 • 

116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@heymadiva 

None of this is unique to ATT.

Every device you want cellular service on would have a line charge, just like your previous carrier. 

Each line would have a one time activation fee.  You would pay a restock fee on any opened returned device. ($45)    If you bought new devices and have past the 14 day return period, you would get billed for them (and ETF or installments).  

 

Tutor

 • 

4 Messages

6 years ago

My story is kinda the same. I didn't care to pay the $150 at first bc I do have a lot of lines and I was financing the watch. Except I got ticked off when I realized the $150 I was paying wasn't going towards the price of the watch. That's just jacked up. You trust me to finance a $429.00 watch with no down payment but I have to pay a $150 deposit to get access to the watch line that cost $10 a month....? That's where you draw the line in the sand when it comes to trusting me? Over a $10 a month line that I'm not even under contract for..? And my monthly payment wouldn't go down AND I have to pay a deposit.. 

No no no no...

 

I just don't get it. I would have been completely on board had they wanted a down payment for the watch and it lowered my monthly payment for the watch from 20.50 to 12.00 or so, bc like I said I have a few newer devices financed. ( two iP X's, three 8 Plus's, one iP 8, one 7Plus and one 6S Plus, none of which requires a single deposit for line or down payment.) But they wanted $150 "line access deposit" for a watch... 

ACE - Expert

 • 

16.5K Messages

6 years ago


@Dcperin1 wrote:

I just don't get it. I would have been completely on board had they wanted a down payment for the watch and it lowered my monthly payment for the watch from 20.50 to 12.00 or so, bc like I said I have a few newer devices financed. ( two iP X's, three 8 Plus's, one iP 8, one 7Plus and one 6S Plus, none of which requires a single deposit for line or down payment.) But they wanted $150 "line access deposit" for a watch... 


As you have eight lines already, perhaps you would have been asked it for any 9th line? (or any 7th financed device?)

 

 

Tutor

 • 

4 Messages

6 years ago

Maybe I would have. But It's kinda crazy to me that they trust me to pay $429.00 for the watch but not the $10 line access. To me it would make more sense if they ask for a deposit on the line AND a down payment. 

 

Idk. Is what it is. I left without the watch bc I don't want it that bad. I'm about to pay off 2 of the lines and close them. We'll see what happens then. Or if I'm smart I'll pay off the phone and keep the line and turn it into a smart watch line so they can't charge me a deposit for a line I already have. I would assume that would work right? Turn a line that doesn't have an installment into a watch line?

Teacher

 • 

27 Messages

6 years ago

Since it happened to me I’ve moved my iPads to Verizon, and closed down a bunch of old devices I didn’t really need.

Next time I upgrade the phone I’ll move to it Verizon.

Told them not to take the $150 as it wasn’t fair.

I’m not sure which MBA thought it was a good idea to nickel and dime customers with multiple devices and high monthly bills.

Anyway, I feel better now. Giving AT&T a lot less money per month.

I recommend to everyone: Get a device on Verizon so at least you can be flexible if AT&T decides to take $150 to add a stupid watch.

It’s easy to make it cost them more than that in the long run.

May not stop them but at least it will make you feel better.

Tutor

 • 

4 Messages

6 years ago

Yeah that's what I'm gonna do. They can't ask me for a deposit on a line I already have. 

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

5 years ago

Scammers mostly use the online method to cheat others for whatever purpose. Raising voice against such cheaters is must to educate others too.

 

Web Activism is an organization that allows people to raise voice against bad guys.

New Member

 • 

1 Message

3 years ago

AT&T ran a credit check on me to add an iWatch that I already owned to already existing account. For some reason they are dying to run credit checks on people and must be getting paid for it. I was not happy about this and the rep said I did not have a choice. AT&T is a scam - nothing is ever straightforward, and they are always screwing their customers. I assume all wireless companies are in the same boat. I expected the 'activation fee' but not a credit check.  

Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.