iphone 13 pro trade in nightmare!

[ozgurozdemir]

We were happily using AT&T for 4 years until we saw the Verizon ads saying that if we switch to Verizon and bring our old iphone to get a new iphone 13 pro, we could get a $800 trade-in credit. Even though our phones were working perfectly and were in excellent condition, we loved the idea of having a new iphone 13 pro and the trade-in credit that Verizon offered.

The whole switching process was a nightmare, we spent at least 12 hours on the phone with Verizon customer service to fix things. We had ordered two iphone 13 pros and two Verizon unlimited plan lines along with them. However, one of the phones came with an opened box, the seal was broken so we had to return it. The whole return/replace process took weeks as so many different representatives gave us wrong information on the phone and could not fix the order for a while. Finally, they fixed it and sent us a new phone with an unopened box, but this time we are going through a nightmare with the trade-in credit of the other phone! The phone that we sent them was an iphone XR which had appeared eligible for a $800 credit. My phone was in excellent condition; no scratches, no damage or replaced parts, so I was expecting the full $800. Yet, a $139 trade-in credit was applied to my order today (Nov. 23, 2021) and I am in complete shock and frustration right now. I never assumed I would have any issues with the trade-in as I thought Verizon was a high quality service company and a big name out there. But this was a naive thought and a very expensive mistake on my end! I would never ever trust Verizon again and I would never recommend it to anyone. 

I paid so many fees to Verizon already, I spent more than 10 hours on the phone with Verizon and I feel that I am a victim of a fraud. I am furious right now and I regret that we switched 😞 If this is not resolved, I will tell everyone that this is a complete fraud and take this onto arbitration.  

[JGautier72]

I am dealing with the same situation.   After almost 20 years with ATT, I decided to switch to Verizon to take advantage of a promotion that included a $500 Gift Card for porting my phone number from another carrier plus $800 credit for trading my IPhone XR for the IPhone 13 Pro.   
A week after I ordered the Iphone 13 (Oct 8, 2021), I received an email from Verizon to notify that there was a problem with the order.   I immediately called Verizon customer service.  After waiting on hold for over 1 hour, I decided to go to the local store,  The store manager was told by the Verizon support team to cancel the original order and start a new order.  I received the phone 3 weeks later, sent my IPhone XR  to Verizon and today I noticed $138 credit instead instead of $800.   On top of that, Verizon claims that i don’t qualify for the $500 rebate because I upgraded the phone.  The promotion only required that the line, not the device, was active for at least one year.  I’ve also spent countless hours dealing with this absurd nightmare.

[AmberABCg1]

Same issue here...I've been on hold/customer service call for hours, only to be told that they will have to call me back.  Guess who never calls back?

I have been a Verizon customer with 2-5 lines since 1995 (GTE Mobilnet).  TWO iPhone13 ProMax were purchased and I traded in a max memory iPhoneX and an iPhone8 Plus.  I should have received an $800 credit each.  I will receive a total of $300 (over 30 months)!!

The worst part is, I was told that one phone was ineligible for return because it was past 30 days since the date I ordered my iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Cute, Verizon.  My iPhone 13 Pro Max was on BACKORDER until TWO WEEKS after the 'closed' date for the exchange.  

I am switching my eligible lines to another service immediately, and will pay off my iPhones as soon as I can to get away from Verizon.  This is a HUGE disappointment, but there are plenty of other cellular services that use the Verizon network and I'm tired of fighting to get what I ordered.  There was NOTHING in the fine print about this.

[bentwistle1]

I traded in three phones thinking I would get a $800 credit per phone and almost 6 months later still have not received my credits.   Verizon now says they didn't have such a promotion.

[miangelo3]

I hear what you say...you are correct.  I've been waiting since October.  And if you signed a device payment agreement, as I did, you are locked into their terms and conditions.  Unless you read the fine print before signing.  Unfortunately, you are in for a wild ride to get what you thought was a promotion.  If you haven't done so yet, you will have to return to the original store outlet and have the sales clerk submit a VSL form.  This form tells the account manager in a higher office to honor a promotion deal that went wrong.  He gets to decide whether or not you get your rebate.  You are wasting your time at store level.  And you are locked into a 2 year contract that can't be altered or brought to a small claims court.   Verizon covered their dirty tracks very carefully.  I have decided to stop fighting and pay the contract for 2 years.  Trust me...when my time is up...I'm leaving this great and wondrous Land of Oz.  There are hundreds of customers like us who feel the same.  Good luck.

[miangelo3]

It looks like I fell into the same trap as so many other people.  I truly regret ever buying a phone and switching carriers from/to Verizon.  I promised myself as soon as my nightmare ends with this filthy company, I will leave it forever.  In the meantime, I will make my voice heard in high/low places so that other innocent people don't fall into the quick-mire. Simply stated...don't do business with Verizon.

[bobbmd]

yes same problem we had 2 iPhones an iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 we were told had 800$ per phone we sent the old phones back

we were sent the new phones within 2 days with only one protective case and glass cover

it took hours to get this corrected and waited 2 weeks to get the added case/glass and were charged almost 100$ for an OtterBox that was had on Amazon for 40$

at the local Verizon store in New Hartford NY I was told just bring it in and you will get the 40% discount off our bill so I made a second 40 mile round trip and was told"oh you didn't buy the phones at our store--so we can't help you"

well we didn't go into the store because of covid surge in Utica/New Hartford NY area we bought them over the phone

on top of that we still haven't received our $800 credit per phone and are paying full price for NEW iPhones 13 ProMax

the phone/online people for Verizon are  millennials or BOCE grads OR BOTH same goes for the TWITS in their store in New Hartford NY

I WANT my bill credited for both protective cases and glass covers at that 40% discount and 1600$ for old iPhones NOW

AND don't tell me to capitalize iPhone or correct my spelling or tell me i am using 'BAD WORDS' --I am a former USMC and speak as i please

bobbmd

[Pdvu]

I have the same issue. I have been a Verizon customer for years. I Traded in my (good working, no crack) phone for a new phone on Dec 2021 with Verizon’s promise for $800 credit. The sale rep at the Verizon store on Belcher Road, Largo, FL explained that I only had to pay an additional amount, about $18 a month for my phone. My husband and daughter traded their phones too and expected to pay about $15 a month. Now my Feb bill is $150+ more because of 3 new phones. Verizon is a big company and should keep their promise. Why do the customers have to pay more due to Verizon extremely slow processing it? I will switch to a different carrier. Should we start a class action lawsuit against Verizon across the US?

[miangelo3]

Yes, I agree with you.  In New Hampshire, I've already contacted the Consumer Protection Agency in Concord.  But I have homework to do first.  I have to retrieve the original consumer contract I signed back in October.  I also have to get a copy of the VSL form that the sales force fills out when a promotion goes wrong.  So ask your salesman if he ever submitted that form.  Once I get this paperwork in my hands, then I can start proceedings with my state agency.  Apparently, I'm learning that dozens of innocent customers are having this same issue.  And yet, Verizon continues to promote themselves as a Forbes Fortune entity.  My gut feeling is that they are wolves wearing sheep clothing.  Good luck to you.

[2022banana]

Hello! I’m new here but I have had the same problems w the trade in for my iPhone XR for $800 and get new iPhone . I saved all the chat conversations, took pictures of my perfect XR when I packed it but only was offered $136.00 on a virtual credit card (I don’t even understand what that is). My story is the same as all of you. I too thought they were a proper business and I have been a customer for over 15 years. Does any one have an answer to resolve and make Verizon deliver what they promised? Thanks for any advice?

[miangelo3]

I'm sorry I have to tell you this, but you joined Verizon under false pretensions.  You should have stayed with your other company, especially since you were satisfied for 15 years.  Now your nightmare begins.  I can guide you on your horror ride, but I don't know the details of your device payment plan. Here's what I know: you have no choice but to revisit your Verizon sales outlet.  Were they a corporate store or independent franchise?  In your case, let's hope they were a corporate retail store.  Otherwise, you're in for a big ride.  You must contact a sales agent on the floor (preferably the original agent), and state your case.  Ask for a copy of the agreement and watch the excuses flow incessantly.   Ask them to submit a VSL form to modify the agreement.  Ask for the account manager, who is the only one who can change the original agreement.  All of this will take months to rectify...not days or weeks.  Verizon has cleverly made it impossible for you to take legal action.  It's in your agreement you signed.  They call it arbitration; but it's really called deception.  They remind me of a circus clown who hides a marble under 3 cups, and you have to pick the right one.  Good luck on your trip.

[Sheila11201]

Same problem here. To make the story short: Traded XR & 8 Plus, promised me $800 each as advertised Dec 24, 2021. Gave me $176 for BOTH!!! Said bill would increase by $18 each line, I was paying $35 per line now I’m paying $90 per line!!!. 

[miangelo3]

I sympathize with your ordeal.  It's also interesting to note that your message in this forum was edited.  Your comment concerning a class action suit was removed.  Geez!  I wonder who did that?  Anyway, your nightmare will only last as long as your contract.  Because none of us read the fine print before we signed that wonderful promotion, we all suffer the payment penalty of business transgression: read before you sign.  Verizon already faced a class action suit in California and they lost.  So, they got wiser in their fine print.  My advice: suffer the length of your device agreement; and then quickly run away to a competitor in the month your agreement expires.   

[ybalagu]

We had very similar issue. We were a happy ATT customer.. Problem started when picked on version trade-in Iphone 13 offer. To To top off, we signed up our service at Costco Kios (big mistake), they were no help. Thought, verizon corporate store could help,  stopped by three time (17501 Preserve Walk Ln, Tampa) third time the manger said it was not his problem. He told me that i need to take it up customer service or with store that sold the phone!!! (worst customer service). Then calls to Verizon customer care started, i had called 8 to 10 times, each for 60 to 120 minutes. Every time, they claim to fix the issue and nothing worked out. They said after i send my old phone, it will automatically update. (took a chance), no change (on top lost my XR's). The last customer care representative gave me a new theory, they said $800 trade-in was an invitation type offer and we were not eligible ..  I told them we have paper work to show it was a trade-in offer.. Gosh it was horrible 4+ month experience... 

[miangelo3]

Yes, it is true--you have to go to the original store outlet to settle your arbitration.  Notice I said, arbitration.  I failed to do what so many other customers failed to do...read the fine print of your contract BEFORE you sign it.  In the contract we signed, we can't take Verizon to court.  They covered their dirty tracks on that.  But they talk about arbitration on their own terms.  Which means in English...you have to give up your firstborn...or cut a pound of flesh off your body.  Verizon is a scrupulous company that banks its fortune on people who don't read their contracts.  And they are the farthest thing from customer service after you sign the contract.  Good luck with your ordeal.  You are going to need antacid tablets until this is over. 

[Edesaun655]

I have had a similar problem. We have been customers of Verizon Wireless for 25 years. I still can't believe its been that long. Long story, short, we saw the ad for the free iphone 13 with trade in credit of $800 for each of our phones. Our phones were working perfectly, so there was no need, but i thought it might be nice to have a new phone and my daughters loved the ID. I purchased the phones online and explained the entire situation to the rep on the phone who confirmed we would qualify for the $800 credit per phone. My wife and daughters had trouble switching their data over and went into the local corporate store for help. While in the store, the rep gave my wife 4 boxes with return instructions for our current phones for the $800 rebate. This included shipping labels. So I waited a couple months before is started calling Verizon about our $800 credit x 4 phones = $3,200. I was told several times I just needed to wait a few billing cycles but not to worry. After all I do have my receipt with tracking numbers for the 4 phones I returned. During one call ( I made 5-6 over a couple month period) a women told me she could see on the account its being processed and not to worry. So, i called today and the women i spoke with said, for the first time ever i had been told, my account would not qualify for that rebate. I didn't even let her continue, the minute i heard not qualify, i immediately asked to speak with a supervisor. She puts me on hold for the "escalation team" and I was so angry when she transferred me back in the queue instead of really trying to help. I hope a manager listens to that call. All along the reps were talking about a submission ID number and i knew nothing about that. They kept insisting one was sent, but we never received. I finally found out today the submission ID email was never sent. OMG this is killing me..The rep said the problem is the shipping labels were provided by the store and not via email. I am really angry. This has taken so much of my time... The rep i was talking with via chat ending up dropping off. Now i need to figure out  how to fix since the corporate store gave us shipping labels that i guess were not supposed to be used. Call Verizon is a night mare.. I cannot believe they would treat a 25 year customer with this kind of customer service. 

Frustrated in Connecticut

[vzw_customer_support]

Since you did have everything done in the store, Going back to the store to get everything corrected would be the route to go. We can also check your account for further information, to  correct the issue as well. *Rhonda

[miangelo3]

Rhonda...no more lies.  Be honest with your reply and tell the people who are suffering to deal with their adversity.  Your company does not honor the marketing ads.  I think it has everything to do with the account manager in the main office.  The only way to fix this horror show is for a grand exodus of your customers fleeing to the competition.   

[ANNIEM310815]

oh my God....I was reading your entry and I could have written it myself....same thing happened/happening to me in Los Angeles,  Our customer service rep at the store was 8 months 3 1/2 weeks pregnant so I'm sure she wont' be back to the store for months....I turned in 5 phones ($4000 credit expected)...and am still getting charged and not getting credit....people say it's fixed then it's not....ugh this is so MADDENING

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello, ANNIEM310815! We understand the situation of your trade in. To further assist you, I will be sending you a PM, so we can check this together and find out the best resolution.

>Alex

[miangelo3]

I haven't been to this forum for several months, but I must tell you that nothing has changed since I originally wrote my contempt.  It will almost be a year since I walked into my local Verizon store and made the mistake of buying a new phone and switching phone companies.  As soon as my 2-year contract is expired, I will run back to AT&T.  I never received the agreed rebate due to me on my old phone.  Simply put...I was conned. Salesmanship did not match the marketing ads.  As I review the many complaints in this forum, it looks like I wasn't the only one that got took the cleaners.  I'm sorry to hear your despair, but you might want to shake your head, grab a drink, and wait for your contract to expire.