Another 2 (!!) Phones "lost" by UPS during Trade-in process; promotion chargebacks :( HELP!!

[citrusd85]

I upgraded 3 phones at the same time with a promotion to get iphone 14 x 3 if I trade-in my iphone SE x 3. Saving us $800 for each.  I was sent the trade-in kits. I packaged two of the phones one day, dropped them off at the UPS store, got my receipts.   I packaged the 3rd phone about a week later and sent it the same way.

One of the two in the first set made it in a few days, got evaluated and the promotion was credited. The other SE of that set and the 3rd iphoneSE went missing (making it two in total that were lost). When I did detailed tracking on my UPS, it said "package damaged," "contents missing," "packaging discarded."      Over several weeks, I spent hours with Verizon CS on voice and chat trying to explain what happened and then trying to discuss a remedy. Each time I would be asked to go through a very long process to provide all the info about my phones (which they definitely already have on file) and the tracking numbers (which they also have) and they would confirm that they could log into UPS and see that the items have been delayed and/or lost in transit.). One rep said they would "initiate an investigation for me and put an annotation in my file. The promotion chargeback wouldn't start until a grace period ended."   I got a notice that the trade-in period ended (not the grace period) and that I would start getting a promotion chargeback. ($1600 down the toilet for me...).   Another rep said there was no note on my account and that Verizon could not initiation an investigation in this case, since i was the shipper and it was UPS's fault. But when I tried to file a claim with UPS it said that I was not the shipper and "that the shipper would be notified of the lost item." Verizon was apparently the shipper because I used their packaging and at the same time not the shipper because I sent the phones to them.  This is bounced back and forth for some time, each time with the reps saying something like "rest assured, you will not be charged while this is still under review"  or "rest assured, I will make sure we escalate this to the next level" or "rest assured, I will make sure I get this handled for you."     "Rest assured" doesn't mean what they think it means.

So now I'm starting to see the chargebacks on my bill and I'm not any closer to a resolution. Even if we do resolve this soon, I don't expect I'll get any of those chargebacks credited back to me.  And I know it won't get resolved without me hounding them. This is my next attempt at getting on their radar. I see these same posts all throughout this community. My theory is that UPS drivers just take the phones, then say the package was damaged and empty. Then the packaging gets discarded. The trade-ins have all had FindMy disabled by the consumer prior to trade-in (just like Verizon demands) so the phones are ready to factory reset and sell back into the black market. The drivers (or other UPS workers) can easily spot the trade-in kits and pocket the phones no problem after making one tear or cut in the envelope and then reporting the package was empty when they found it. 

But also, Verizon customer service is simply poor. I don't think they care because it's not their money lost (or gained). It takes forever to get through, takes forever for them to respond to you during the chatting process (dragging it out to hours when it could have been a few minutes if you had their undivided attention).   I'm only here because my wife got it into her head that because the neighbors who have lived in this neighborhood longer than us have verizon, then that must be the best service for our neighborhood. 

Any ideas? Any tricks that have worked for you? 

Any verizon community moderators that will read this, ask me to DM them, and then help me get this shuttled through to the big dogs?  I'd love to keep that $1600 that was promised in savings on this promotion...

[dejanl]

I have the same issue. I tried working with customer support but after almost 3 months no results. I filed complain with my State Attorney's office to see if they can assist. 

[citrusd85]

I had noticed so many other posts like this, and in several of them, a VZW customer service rep replied requesting a direct message from the original poster. So I found one of those replies and sent a direct message to the acct "vzw_customer_support"  (Customer Service Rep, Member Since: ‎12-18-2011). 

They responded directly to me (check your inbox in your community account) and we set up a customer service chat in real time. Then they connected me to a rep who could actually look up my info and verify everything. Finally, they approved the credits I was needing. I got two one time credits that covered the original promotion and I've seen it come though on my account. Success!!  Hopefully it works for you as well.