iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
bluemoonbaking

Has anyone else out there been broadsided by purchasing what they THOUGHT was a NEW iPhone from Verizon, only to have their warranty voided later on at Apple because apparently there are THIRD PARTY PARTS discovered INSIDE THE PHONE when Apple inspected it for a warranty claim? Verizon/Birdcage store in Citrus Heights CA actually said, "Apple is lying." Yes, the young man at the Birdcage/Citrus Heights store ACTUALLY said that to me tonight when I called at 3:40 p.m.

Here's the situation: my 14-year-old daughter's iPhone 5S was purchased brand-new (supposedly) on May 16, 2014 directly from the Citrus Heights/Birdcage Verizon corporate store. Shortly after, it started acting glitchy (inconsistent response to touch on lower part of the screen, freezing, etc.). It was workable, and we just hadn't had much time to bring it in until now. The problem actually got worse over time, BTW--but I work full time and my daughter was working around it until I had time to devote to this. Yesterday, Nov. 28, we made an appt and went to our Verizon corporate store from where we purchased the phone. Because my daughter, in the meantime, had sustained a small crack on the housing down in the lower part of the phone (not the screen) near the "home" button, Verizon declined the warranty...but added that Apple would probably honor the warranty because they can determine if the problem was unrelated to the small crack. I was confident that the problem was unrelated to this superficial crack, so today I brought it into the Roseville CA Apple store. In fact, Apple agreed that the problem was under warranty, after a diagnostic--it was hardware related and covered, no problem. Well, it was no problem UNTIL they popped off the phone casing, revealing the motherboard, etc, and determined that there were THIRD-PARTY, NON-APPLE PARTS in our BRAND NEW iPhone!!! Here's the rub: WE DIDN'T PUT EM THERE!!!!! Apple believes the parts are consistent with a REFURBISHED PHONE...what????

Hours on the phone with both Apple and Verizon have so far accomplished nothing but a blame game (Verizon says it's Apple's problem, and Apple insists it's Verizon's issue for selling me what appears to be a refurbished phone).

Here's the WORST PART: Verizon continues to maintain that the small, superficial crack voids the warranty, DESPITE the PRIMARY ISSUE, which is that they clearly sold me a REFURBISHED IPHONE AS NEW for FULL RETAIL!!! I'm not resting until this phone is replaced. I'm DISGUSTED that Verizon will not honor their product...and it IS their product, despite being branded as "Apple." I purchased it from them in good faith. Not a single other soul has opened or replaced parts in my iPhone. And what they fail to consider is why anyone in their right mind would allow a WARRANTIED, EXPENSIVE IPHONE to be tampered with by anyone when it is FREE TO HAVE APPLE DO REPAIRS UNDER THAT WARRANTY?? Completely illogical. NO ONE has opened that phone for any reason, except that Apple tech TODAY in the Apple Store!!

I'm just so tired of Verizon and their customer service...it's so frustrating. Everyone blaming everyone else...no one standing by their sales. WHAT is my recourse??

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
bluemoonbaking

CONCLUSION: Guess who stood by their product??? APPLE!!! Not Verizon, Apple. Apple is giving me a new phone, trusting that this phone was obviously sold to me new with NON-APPLE PARTS. They don't know how, but they trust that it happened. And here is my VOW, after doing some research on the very real plausibility that inventory CAN and MAY BE tampered with (very stealthily, by the way) by criminal third parties after LEAVING Apple: I WILL NEVER PURCHASE AN APPLE PRODUCT FROM A NON-APPLE RETAILER LIKE VERIZON OR AT&T, ETC, AGAIN...I WILL ONLY SHOP AT APPLE! And I would highly recommend that anyone who does purchase "new" from a retailer: have that retailer open your product, inspect the internal parts, and photograph the housing, etc to prove that those are real Apple parts. HUGE THANKS TO IAN, SENIOR SUPPORT AT APPLE! Top notch customer service.

Zero thanks to Verizon. Ridiculous.

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
tbo27
Master - Level 2

Good yeah always go through apple they provide the warranty anyways. You pay Vzw for calls texts and data

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
Fakestock
Enthusiast - Level 2

I wondered how many Verizon customer experience this fraud. I recently bought teo iphone 6 ( one is a 6 plus) from Verizon Wireless store. The 6 had a problem from the onstart with overheating and get very hot  after a few minutes of usage. At first i thought it was softwate related so i restored the phone as a new iphone. Almost two weeks went by and my wife don'tbuse her phone that often. A few days ago the phone overheated after 10 minutes of usage and had to shutdown. A thermonmeter appeat on the screen. This time she told me the phone is abnormal. I scheduled annappointment with Apple fir a diagnosyic. The phone is less than 30 days old and still in warranty. I also bought AppleCare. They openbip the phone to check for water damage but non found. Then the come and and said the phone contain non genuience parts and unauthorized modification. Service was denied. I was floored. They wrote up a description report and told me to talk it to Verizon store. I spent a hour their and talking to the staff and manager. The managrr gave me his business card and told Apple to call jim to confirm the phone was purchased new on 6/24/15.

I went jhome and spent two hours thenphone with Applecarr support. They call The local Apple store manager at Evergreen Walk in Southwjndsor,CT. I got the Apple manager to call vrrizon store manager. Apple said the phone was refurbished and probably tapered with. They trust me i did not do it asbi have bought dozeno of Apple devices( 10 iPhone, Macboooks, iMac). Eventually Verizon store manager agreed to send me a replacement device. He said it is good as new. I hope this is not another lemon phone. The Apple store manager said i could bring the phone in for them to check this out for genuine parts and can help me transfer Applecare over to the new phone. I just hope the replacement iphone 6 does not have non-Apple parts.

I believe Verizon inventory has been tapered with or they faiked to update the SKU. Verizon blamed Apple misdiagnosed the problem. Lesson learned here is never buy a phone anywhere except Apple Store. I can't believe this sort of thing can happen in America. Apple is no longer on the customer side. I spent 6 hours running around with Apple and Verizon. This is not yet over until i grt my hands on the replacment phone expected 7/20/15.

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Fakestock-


We want to apologize for any trouble you may have experienced.  Having a reliable phone is of the utmost importance.  For many of us cell phones are the only means of communication.  The replacement phones sent do go through a 100 point inspection.  That phone will be as good as new.  Thank you so much for your time and patience. 


EmmaM_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the "Correct Answer" button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
mama23dogs
Legend

Something is rotten when a $800 phone, less than 30 days old is proved to be refurbished and not by the manufacturer, voiding the manufactures' warranty, and then replaced with another refurbished device.

I think having it checked by Apple is essential.  Verizon shouldn't be touching Apple phones.

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
Fakestock
Enthusiast - Level 2

The replacement phone according to Apple warranty using the IMEI number check expires in October 2015. I just hope the phone is as good as new and still carry a factory warranty and not some refurbbished with non-Apple parts. I hope to transfer my existing *new* phone warranty to the replacement phone. My current overheated phone warranty with Applecare expires on June 24, 2017.

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Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
kaebfly
Champion - Level 3

Do you have AppleCare or are you referring to the manufacturer warranty that comes on the device (which would only be valid for a year. It would not expire in 2017)? If you got this replacement from Apple then your warranty would be valid for the full time. Also, if they replaced it and you have AppleCare your plan would be good on the new device also. To set your mind at ease contact Apple to get the exact dates for expiration.

Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
mama23dogs
Legend

Please have Apple check the phone and switch your Apple care + coverage to the new/replacement phone. 

I Hope this is the end of it, but for some odd reason Verizon and Apple don't play nice.  They will bounce warranty phones back and forth, yet Apple will void a warranty if Verizon touches their phones.  Talk about a mixed message.

Re: iphone, sold as new, but contains refurbished parts??
kaebfly
Champion - Level 3

Verizon isn't an authorized repairer for Apple. Just an authorized retailer. If they "repaired" a device with non-Apple parts and then sold it to someone then I completely understand why Apple won't cover those devices. It's honestly why I always suggest going through Apple when it comes to issues with your device that are clearly associated with the device functioning and not service related issues.

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