IPhone Trade In Scam

[Dan_F]

I just want to post a warning here for anyone thinking about trading in their older iPhones or any phones for a "gift card". 

DON"T SEND YOUR PHONE TO VERIZON.

Here's why...

I recently upgraded my iPhone4s to an IPhone5s and hoped to receive what Verizon told me would be a $200 gift card for my old phone.  I answered all the questions in the condition questionaire truthfully and was sent confirmation by email that I would be receiving the "$200" gift card once Verizon received my old IPhone 4s.

I sent the IPhone4s to Verizon last week in the envelope and packaging provided to me.  I folllowed all the steps clearing the IPhone and disabling the IPhone Finder function.

Yesterday I received an email saying that my gift card was only going to be $76 instead of the $200 promised.  There was no number to call on the email so I ended up calling Verizon's main line and talked to a woman named Wanda who also had a very hard time finding the correct number to call about the gift card.  I spent about 45 minutes on the phone and finally was transferred to the Verizon Gift Card department where I was told by a not so helpful representative that the reason why the gift card was $76 instead of $200 was due to a problem with the charging port.  There is no problem with the charging port.  I have owned the phone for the past 2 years and charged the phone without issue up until the day I sent the phone to Verizon.  In fact the phone probably had a full charge when they received it.

I asked what Verizon will do to correct this problem and the representative told me it would take 7-10 days for them to research it.  I was counting on the promised $200 to help pay the Verizon bill due in a few days.  10 days to research an issue like this is excessive.  It took them 2 or 3 days to appraise the value of the phone at $76.

I have been a Verizon customer for the past 12 years.  I currently have all my services with Verizon including phone, FIOS internet, and FIOS TV.  I spend over $250 a month for Verizon services.  Is Verizon willing to lose a paying long standing customer over a $124 error that they are refusing to correct?  At this point it seems like it and I want this post to be a warning to anyone who is thinking about trading in their older phones.

[Desert_Denizen]

It does power on and off and I was assured by an independent tech that it is a minor issue, most likely involving battery contacts.  I could do anything with the phone as long as it was plugged in.  The only reason I didn't have the repair done was I upgraded to the 5C.  Thanks for your support.

[rcschnoor]

Desert.Denizen wrote:

It does power on and off and I was assured by an independent tech that it is a minor issue, most likely involving battery contacts.  I could do anything with the phone as long as it was plugged in.

Yes, all this information was in you original post. It just does not sound like a minor problem. A problem with battery contacts will undoubtedly lead to greater problems with battery contacts. "Minor corrosion", as described in your previous post, does not stop. Something doesn't simply corrode a "little" and then stop. It continues until the contacts fail completely, which leads me to the conclusion it is not a minor problem.

It is not a matter of "support". It is a matter of calling it how I see it, nothing more.

[vzw_customer_support]

We don't want to see you go Desert.Denizen. I'm sorry to learn your phone value was not as you expected. The trade-in program does require that the phone but should be in good condition. This means it should power on as a normal phone should and corrosion is a form of device damage which makes it ineligible for full trade in value as a working/good condition phone.

AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport 

[Nicole76]

What about the rest of us that sent in working unlocked phones that are now getting ripped off by this trade in scam? I had two more lines on my plan that I had intended on upgrading and renewing contracts for. Considering Sprint now. This is a horrible business model to advertise one thing and then turn around, not honor it &  completly ignore the customer.

[Desert_Denizen]

I disclosed all condition issues when filling out the form. Your model is what gave the valuation after condition issues were disclosed. As I stated, I could have gotten more on EBay or for that matter I probably would have paid out of pocket and had it repaired. I would have continued as a sAtisfied customer. The issue is I disclosed ALL matters concerning the phone and was given a quote of $100. Receiving a rebate of 18% of that amount is ludicrous! The case and screen are worth more than that!

Sent from my iPhone

[fabi_madrigal7]

Never in the 5 question that they ask you do they say it has to power in normal condition, what is that suppose to mean, all of the sudden there coming up with this terms and conditions never before stated in writing. It says powers on...yes or no. You should honor what you have in writing. We are recycling our devices for a reason. Your customer service sucks!

[thanhle]

Something strange just happened. Just a minute ago, I decided to log on to my iCloud and look at All Devices in Find My iPhone. Now, my old iPhone 4S is there again, as well as the new iPhone 6. I definitely deleted the old iPhone 4S off of Find My iPhone Devices before I mailed it in. Anyways, I decided to remote delete all data AGAIN, and "removed the device" from Find My iPhone AGAIN. Hopefully, this will make my case stronger, in trying to get my full appraised estimate of $200.

[LilaF]

I am having the same issue as everyone else! I have the original email stating my iPhone 4S was valued at $200 and then just this past Friday got my gift card for $36. I've tried to call about 20 times now and just keep getting the same, "We are experiencing higher than normal call volumes, please try your call at another time" I've also sent an email stating my frustration and got some stupid auto reply. Looks like some people have gotten through to talk to someone...How??? I don't even have an explanation as to why they only gave me $36. My phone was in perfect condition, I went through all the steps to clear and reset and turned off find my iPhone and took about 20 pictures showing full detail of the phone and that it was working!

This is such a scam and I feel like Verizon has taken advantage of so many people. I really hope a class action law suit is filed against them for their misleading business practices.

If anyone can help me get in touch with an actual person it would be greatly appreciated!

[mz1022]

After visiting 2 consecutive Verizon stores in 1 day- I was assured I'd get a better trade in value by sending my phone in via the recycling kit that was provided over doing it in person. If I did it in person I was guaranteed only $76. I will never recycle with this program ever again! I mailed my old iphone 4s in well over 4 weeks ago. I checked the status daily to see the progress and to make sure it even got there. Everyday I checked, it would say "item not received." I've been anxious and praying it didn't get lost or stolen in the mail until I got the email with a gift card alert today. It's absolutely ridiculous that Verizon offers $200 for trade in value on a phone that was kept in an otterbox since day one, only to issue me $76 due to a broken sim card tray! If there were any issues with my phone after it got sent through the mail- blame it on the poor packaging you send for trade in. A box would be more protective than a flimsy envelope! God only knows how the USPS is handling it through their machines etc. I don't know how to access the SIM card tray, nor do I want to know. Clearly this trade in program is becoming a severe issue with not just myself: Class action needs to be taken soon!!!!

[slmillerindia]

I am ready to scream at someone at Verizon.... I traded up from an IPhone 4 for an IPhone 6 and was told that I would receive $200 gift certificate. When I went online to print up a return mailing label, my phone was valued at $100 - even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.. nothing! I have tried numerous times to call the help desk and can't get past a recording. I have emailed four times for help, with never a reply.

Honestly... .it makes me never want to do business with Verizon again - or trust any of their promotional....

Anyone have any suggestions?

[fracturing]

Great.  I'm still in the "waiting for them to confirm that they've received my phone a month after I sent it" boat.  I can't wait to deal with the "offering me $36 instead of $200" issue next.

I really regret switching from Sprint.  I lost my unlimited data and of course even though I signed up for Verizon to send me notifications when I approach my limit, they never came and I went over.  Make sure to watch out for that one too, guys. 

[dunner]

I wish I had seen this thread before sending in my phone. Just received an email with a $36 gift card (not the $200 appraised) with no explanation! And to make matters worse, calling the Trade In Hotline (877 247 3846) gives a busy signal.

Beware of this deal!

[LRBrown]

same thing here, sent a perfectly good phone, a sprint iphone 5

waited a month and they have no tracking numbers or anything on the package so you never know if the thing gets lost or what happens after you mail it out.

got a 36 dollar gift card today with no explanation whatsoever

support line is busy and hangs up immediately, business line is working great but they won't help me

what the hell is going on at verizon, this is a for sure scam do not trade them your phone

[loganberry]

Add me to the laundry list of people scammed by Verizon.  Appraised for $200 and I got $36 because "the LCD was broken".  So It took calling at 10:30pm to finally get through to someone on their miserable customer service line.  She said all she could do was escalate the matter which means absolutely nothing.

I asked her if she was getting a lot of calls about it and she said "actually yes we're getting quite a few".  It's just laughable that Verizon has done nothing about this to this point.  They have no interest in helping their customers at all.

[jdm12345]

I am wondering if you have to complain on this community board to get some response from Verizon about bogus trade in  gift cards ($36). My calls get automatically dropped when transferred from customer service, but if you select upgrade and type in your code you get someone immediately who will try to transfer you to trade in and then you get dropped again. It's like they are asking for us to complain on the internet so lawyers can find these details and use them to prosecute in a few months (or maybe it's already in court).

In addition to having a verizon store representative prepare my phone for trade in with me watching (so I wouldn't do it wrong), they also informed me that I was overpaying on my bill and gave me the same data plan for less money (of course they said because you are a loyal customer we'll give you a discount on your plan)...SO how many times will verizon steal money and act like it is okay?

They are hoping that most of you will not read the e-mail and just click the apply to bill hyperlink.

[slmillerindia]

So here's my tale of woe...

I've been Twittering back and forth with someone from Verizon and the upshot is that the paperwork for the trade in of my IPhone 4S had to be completed by Oct. 15, 2014 if I was going to receive the $200 I was promised at the time I bought the IPhone 6. I told the guy that the new phone was on back order and I didn't even receive it until Oct. 17th, so how could I have completed the paper work by the 15th? The guy just responded that I missed the deadline. At the time I bought the IPhone 6, Verizon told me that the trade in information would be sent with the new phone... which didn't arrive until after the deadline.

How can we take this to the next level? Verizon's malfeasance? Incredible how unresponsive they have been - no one answers the help line, no one responds to emails.

[jsdonley]

I just received my email---$36 gift card! LOL! The iphone 5 I returned was an insurance replacement, and only TWO WEEKS OLD.  NOTHING WRONG WITH IT! The ONLY reason I continued with Verizon was to get the $200 gift card.  I was going to Spring or AT&T Anyway...should have waited. 

I returned my old iphone 5 to Verizon a month before my contract was up because the battery didn't charge.  I got the "free" insurance replacement.  I was then notified my old phone was not accepted, and was charged $300!!!! No way to appeal or get the phone sent back.  I HATE this company, and the SECOND my contract is up, I will NEVER return to Verizon.  Thieves. 

[tjmich]

Wish I would have seen this post earlier.  The one and only reason I traded up to an IPhone 6 was because the salesperson in the Verizon Wireless store told me I would be receiving a $200 gift card for my IPhone 4. I was told be the salesperson on both Sept 25 and Oct 9 that I needed to wait for Verizon Wireless to send me an envelope to trade in the IPhone 4. After not receiving an envelope by October 24, I called the store, customer service, online, etc. only to be told that I needed to complete on online form by October 15 to get the envelope sent to me and that the promotion is now expired.  After spending numerous hours trying to rectify the problem, I continue to get the runaround.  They have promised to call me back with their supervisor to fix the issue and never call back. Etc. Etc.  I am also a longtime Verizon customer. Always paid my bills on time. Now they want to screw me out of $200 and risk losing me as a customer? Shocking to me that they are that shortsighted.  I am not stopping my fight on this.  Good luck to all!

[blps53]

tjmich-

I am as frustrated as you and all the rest on this board. I feel taken advantage of and is that what we get for being loyal customers? I'm very disgusted by the poor response I got by calling the trade in customer service number. The rep I spoke with was very unhelpful and just kept repeating herself saying the exact thing I read online and there is nothing she can do to help since I agreed to the terms. However, I sent my phone in Sept 24th and it took until Nov 4 to have the phone assessed. Per that agreement, I was led to believe that within 2 wks of them receiving the phone a gift card would be issued. I still haven't seen any money, but they want to give me only $30 some odd dollars of an appraised $200 trade in?! When I had submitted my trade in, it was valued as $200 for an iphone 5 in good working condition, but oddly enough when they checked it out it wouldn't power on (go figure after being handled in a not so tamper resistant envelope and sitting in a warehouse for weeks!). I asked to speak with a supervisor or someone who would listen to my complaint and she said they were all busy. I'm sure they were with many other unhappy clients.

I am an honest woman and sent my phone to a company I choose to support and don't feel they are sticking with their end of their contract. They are looking for any excuse to get out of paying all these customers the money expected from their appraisals. Why would I want to continue to support a business who doesn't care about the people that make it?

I would appreciate Verizon to step up and do the right thing.

Thanks for listening and if anyone has advice on how to straighten this out, I'd appreciate it!

[Mstantz]

Guess what?!!! I just had the same thing happen!!  Followed every step exactly and sent an iPhone 5 back on 9/30 valued at $200. Great condition! The website never had any record of it so when I called they said it was in processing and I would get my gift card in 14-27 days.  Got it yesterday for $36!!!!!!   When I called they said there is no reason listed why and it had to be escalated and I would hear back via email in 7-10 days after they pull the phone and re-evaluate.  I ask if I can get it shipped back and he tells me "no they arrive there in bulk and they cannot ship a specific phone back".  I then asked how they would pull my specific phone if they arrive in bulk and that is why it cannot be shipped back....he said they will search through phones to find mine to reevaluate it....  Why does this not seem right?  He said they only respond via e-mail.   I am very frustrated and had many happy years with Verizon but have lately been very disappointed with their customer service. 

[Nicole76]

I received an email this morning stating

"...as a courtesy we have elected to waive the deduction in this instance and issue you a supplemental credit in the amount of $200". Still insisting that I left the "Find My iPhone" enabled. Supposedly will take 2 days for the credit to be available. Anyone else get the same email?