VERIZON LOST MY TRADE-IN AND IS CHARGING ME FOR IT

[twozerotwo]

I purchased a new iPhone back in Nov 2023 and returned my trade-in (for credit) using the UPS label Verizon provided. UPS tracking shows the the trade-in as delivered on Nov 21, 2023. It's over two months later (Jan 28, 2024) and Verizion has charged my account for the $333 trade-in value and are claiming the phone hasn't arrived at the warehouse yet.

I've spoken to several agents over the past few weeks and was assured each time that the problem was resolved and the charge will be removed. Nothing has changed. Each time the problem gets punted with no action and I've had to reach out over and over. They've suggested that I reach out to UPS and file I claim. Even though that should be their responsibility (because I used the label they provided), I've filed a claim. I've heard nothing.

Update:  gilbert (a rep) reaches out to me for info to resolve my issue. i provide it and after a couple correspondence w/ gilbert, a rep named ivone reaches out to me, asking for the same info. i tell her i'd like to talk to gilbert rather than start the process over and she tells me that i may have to interact w/ more than one rep and suggests i try the chat or call if i want to interact w/ one rep. my original post explains that i've tried those channels (several times) already, so clearly my op isn't being read. i then start the process over w/ ivone and am sent a link to authenticate my account so she can view it. the link doesn't work, which i tell them. next, a rep named joe replies telling me to try the chat.

after several weeks of dealing w/ verizon customer service, zero progress made, a lot of time wasted and frustration, and a bill w/ a $300 charge on it that i don't owe.

UPDATE 2: I reached an agent last week who assured my the problem was taken care of and the $333.28 will be auto-adjusted on my next bill. I received my new bill today and to no surprise I'm still being being billed the $333.28, so NOTHING HAS BEEN RESOLVED. What a customer service nightmare.

UPDATE 3: Verizon is now threatening to suspend service if I don't pay the $333.28 even though I was explicitly told "... I have checked the details and see that you are getting charged for the remaining device payments of $333.28 in your bill . Need not to worry at all, the charges will be auto adjusted in your next bill. I will also make the detailed notes on your account for your future reference regarding the same."

[vzw_customer_support]

We're sorry to hear that you haven't found a solution to your trade-in dilema. It's our goal to make sure you get the help you need, and we're going to make sure this is taken care of once and for all. We're sending you a Private Message so we can better help you get this resolved.

~Jesse

[twozerotwo · Accepted solution]

FINALLY! after several weeks and agents (and false assurance) that the problem has been fixed, i got a rep who could actually help me.  there wasn't any asking the same questions over and over. they succinctly got the the root of the problem and removed the charges. thanks to jesse for getting this taken care of for me!

[JohnsonKay]

ITTS ticket after ITTS ticket and get told they see where the package was returned 😭😭😭😭😭 I just don’t understand why am I being held accountable for something UPS is responsible for. I held up my end of it 

[bcrovs]

Jesse - can you please message me? I am having the EXACT same problem outlined above (UPS has proof of delivery of my device return but Verizon charging me $500 and cannot get agent to help)

[ShehawkenPrincess]

I have found it useful to keep the bottom tag of return label that includes the specific tracking  number or take a picture. This has been useful for troubleshooting a returned device in past. Good Luck with a credit, I had months of “one time charges” all 2023 with no exchange to devices or unreturned warranty replacements.  Opened multiple tickets and NEVER heard back regarding any follow up.  Also, was told it’s a glitch that the bill reads that way it is only a carried over charge from previous month not fully paid.  Also no way you would get same agent on chat or calling that makes no sense unless they’re referring to the chat AI bot which is good for nothing other than feeding into upset when situation is not understood by a machine! 

[twozerotwo]

thanks for the advice. next time i'm going to document the entire procedure. 

[DaiLopez]

Oh my God! I thought this was only happening to me! I returned my phone about 3 days after you returned yours and the exact same thing happened to me and now I’m stuck paying for a new phone at full price as well.  I’ve spoken to several representatives and they keep telling me that the pkg was received but there was no phone inside and that I should file a claim with UPS. I can’t file a claim with ups because they only give you a limited amount of time to file and that has already expired because Verizon didn’t notify me that the phone wasn’t received. Instead I found out because I was being charged the full price 3 months later!! How are all these packages being delivered but there are no phones? Shouldn’t the employees receiving these pkgs be investigated? This is too much of a coincidence.  I did find out however that I can file a complaint with the Attorney General and I will be doing that right now.  This is ridiculous and I’ve been a customer for over 15 years! I am beyond angry 😡 

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello DaiLopez, thank you for reaching out about the frustration you have experienced with the trade-ins. We can look closer to ensure you receive all the eligible promotional offers and research the status of the retuned devices. Please reply to the private message that will follow so we can get into account details in private.

-Deb

[Hyattb28]

I have had. A similar issue but not as a trade but as a returned device that was taken to the store near me and returned when I co ya fed Verizon they told me the device was sold and I’m still being charged over $1200 dollars for a device I never activated and returned the same day I got it!

[Userimm2]

Omg if only i knew i would not have done it !!! Same issue with me . This cannot be a coincidence!??? 

I dont think they care ..so maybe filing a FCC conplaint and change carrier is for the best !! 

I think im done with verizon !!!!

[vzw_customer_support]

We are sorry to read that you had this issue userimm2, we'll be glad to help out. When did you return your device? Did you receive a confirmation that it was returned?

~Freddy

[Ckuhnskw]

So, this is my second attempt at replying to this post as the first attempt, once I tapped “reply” it immediately directed me to login to my account.  So, all that time spent typing and explaining a very similar situation happening on my end disappeared (will copy and paste in notes this time). Trying to post a reply is about the same frustration level and time it takes trying to get Verizon to resolve an issue via chat. 

Anyway, I too am having this issue and I am beyond frustrated at this point. Christmas 2023 all my daughter wanted was a phone because hers was on its last leg. Verizon had the perfect promo so I jumped on it. I received her phone quickly, sent back her old device. My first bill was fine. $270. Next one I was suddenly hit with a bill that was over $400. Bill after that 330 (not exact. Guessing but I’m afraid to leave this response and confirm since I’ve already lost my first reply & spent way too much time chatting with an agent with zero help this evening). 

So, the bill continued to get climb. Then I see that I’m being charged a promo charge back. Why you may ask? Well, I reached out via chat to find out why. This wasn’t this evening. This was one bill ago. This agent was amazing. Actually cared for Verizon customers and explained that it was showing that I never returned the device. 100% INACCURATE! So, I explained everything to her. She dug deeper with the info I provided. Well, lo and behold she could see by the signature ID (I think that’s what it’s called) that the phone was indeed returned and was at the warehouse. So, here this phone is sitting at the warehouse while I am having to pay a ridiculous amount each month… So, she assured me that I would receive credits on the next bill. Next bill came, it was $256 and I was a pretty happy Verizon customer once again. So happy that I foolishly thought I would stick around, after all I’ve been with Verizon since I can remember so really didn’t want to have to go elsewhere. So what do I do? Get myself a Verizon credit card, which brings me to today. I got the card in the mail, comes in cool little black box. I go on the app to see if I can activate it from there (there’s instructions but I hadn’t opened the box yet). Thankfully I did sign onto my account because it was then that I saw my phone bill is way high.. it went from $256 to $365. Any credits I had received were taken back. It looks like the credits came on my internet which is usually $45 a month. Well, I was charged $80 this time around. Oh! And the phone that I’m paying way more then anticipated AFTER it was confirmed being in the warehouse, well I’m still not receiving the promo credits for it , which I am supposed to get for 36 months. Correct me if I’m wrong but my calculations do not equal 36 months from December 2023 to April 2024. I was assured this would be resolved. It hasn’t been. Instead I’m having to pay once again for Verizon’s mistake. So, I reached out via chat again, to one of the worst agents I have ever dealt with in my years with Verizon. No help whatsoever. Per the usual script I got:

Agent: “I request you to wait for next bill as I have escalated the Issue and it will surely updated credits by next bill” 

Me: “so, will I get $80 back then? Because I can assure you Verizon owes me much more then $80”

Agent: “Yes please. You'll get credits for the extra charges by next bill”

Me: “I get to wait for the next bill but like I said, it makes zero sense as to why I was given some sort of credit to only have it taken back. It’s ridiculous and not cool to customers at all”

Agent: “I understand.”

Me: “K. Well, hopefully they won’t be taken away the bill after that. Have a good night ”

Agent: “You can rest assured me.”

(trust me it was a lot more messages then that but that’s just the end) and what does “you can rest assured me” even mean? No “can I help you with anything else”  nothing. That was it. So, now I wait as Verizon charges me for whatever they say I owe for. Will my next bill after this stupid high one give me credit? We shall see. And If so will that credit then be taken away on the next bill? Will they say I owe over $400 next time? Im never late, always pay on time. Been with them for what’s feeling as too long at this point. I am beyond frustrated.  I’m a single parent and with this inflation and high cost of living this is the last thing I felt like dealing with. I didn’t plan a budget that involved my phone bill being over $100 more so with that money I instead  went ahead and signed my kids up for soccer and got my daughter a hair cut. Surly a multi-billion dollar company like Verizon needs that money much more than their customers do. I live pay check to pay check as it is. I shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not Verizon decides to throw another charge at me that is not due to anything I purchased or agreed to pay. Right now it’s Verizon’s error I am having to pay for and financially suffer for which in turn effects my kids which is not the way any customers should be treated. Why do I have to worry about whether or not my phone bill will be way higher in a month or two? It’s insane. As a matter of fact, while researching this issue tonight it’s clear that many Verizon customers are having the same issue when it comes to being charged for phones that were returned or promo charge backs when the customer had met their end of the agreement. We mess up we get our service canceled and

possibly a hit on our credit. Verizon messes up, we get to deal with agents who do not help at all or ones that do help for Verizon to just turn around and charge for something else or info all that the agent helped with.  I hope for the OP that Verizon doesn’t undo what the agent did to help you. That’s what happened to me. Verizon, I would really like this issue resolved. This is not how customers should be treated. Instead it’s becoming very clear that customers come last and that’s not cool at all. If it wasn’t for us you would be nothing. I want my money back and my promo back. Phone has been confirmed to have been returned. Will it happen ? Who knows. Anyone know of any further steps kindly respond because I can’t afford to continue to pay for their screw up every single month for the time remaining on this phone. It wasn’t supposed to be this much. I did what I was supposed to and planned accordingly. Last but not least, to all Verizon customers: make sure to ALWAYS use chat when having to deal with any kind of issue. Yes, it’s timely and can be frustrating but you will have everything documented and will thank yourself later.

[JohnsonKay]

I’m literally having the same nightmare since May 22- turned it Device to UPS received the email from Verizon stating the package was in route to their warehouse and here I am still fighting for my life 😭😭😭😭😭. I keep getting told the same thing …. And what makes it worse is I left AT&T for their terrible service to be met with more terrible service  😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello JohnsoKay. We're sorry to learn you're having issues with your account. We will be sending you a private message to further assist.

~Ivone

[BeauL]

I too am having issues regarding a missing trade in. 
my wife and I traded in our phones- mine was an early trade up while hers was already paid for. Her phone mysteriously disappeared while mine shows as being in the system. 
Both phones were put in the same box with the same label but only my phone shows as being received. 
before even sending my phones in I stopped at our local store to confirm that it was ok for me to send both at the same time in the same box regardless of trade up/trade in status. 
not only did the associate say that it was ok, he had me unbox everything, rebox it all and repackage it as well as the application of the label I was provided. All while videoing me performing this task. 
Tracking shows the box had been delivered and who signed for it. 
NOW I’m being told I have to wait until the 10th of November to call back to go back through the process of talking to anyone/everyone and hopefully see a credit on my account. 
I have yet to contact UPS about filing a claim but from what I’ve read here, it may be my only option. 
I have proof of delivery and a video but apparently that’s still not enough…

[Montanacmc]

I think this is planned from the beginning to charge for phones when they are suppose to be free. Most people who have bill on autopay don’t even realize they are being  charged until months later. This is the second time they have done this to me. My phone was in perfect condition. One agent says it was damages and another says they haven’t received it at warehouse.

[smoyerphd]

I have this exact same issue with a recent trade-in / upgrade.  The quick synopsis:

On September 27, 2024, I initiated a trade-in online via the Verizon website. My Verizon account shows the expected trade-in credit of $999.99.

On September 28, 2024, my daughter took the trade-in phone to a Cellular Sales store in Fayetteville, AR.  We have the receipt from Cellular Sales and my Verizon account acknowledges this stating “On [Sep 28], your trade was completed at a Verizon Authorized Retailer”.

On September 30, 2024, Cellular Sales shipped the trade-in phone via FedEx to a Verizon facility located in Fort Worth, TX. Verizon received the phone on October 2, 2024, which was signed for.  The Cellular Sales store provided me  the FedEx tracking number so that I could confirm this.

Verizon is now telling me that they lost my trade-in phone and so will not give me the $999.99 credit.

I have spoken with Verizon Wireless representatives twice regarding this issue, as well as the folks at Cellular Sales.  Most recently, on November 19, 2024, I spent 1 hour and 11 minutes on a call with a Verizon representative who acknowledged their records show receipt of the trade-in, but because she could not locate it in their system (after extensive searching), she could not provide the credit due.

This morning, November 20, 2024, I filed a complaint with the BBB.  I am hoping the BBB can assist in getting the credit due.

[vzw_customer_support]

I never want our customers to have problems with returns or trade-ins, and when it happens, I want to make sure these issues are taken care of ASAP. I'm sending you a Private Message so we can make sure this is resolved quickly. 

~Jesse

[smoyerphd]

I want to thank Jesse for helping with this issue.  As of now it is resolved.

I also received a follow-up call from the Verizon Executive Office to discuss the issue, gather all the facts, and make sure I was satisfied with the resolution.  I felt this was a productive conversation and that Verizon would actually use the feedback to help improve their support processes.

[vzw_customer_support]

We're so happy to read that Jesse helped resolve your billing concerns, smoyerphd. Thank you for using the Verizon Community Forums and being the best part of the family! 

~Izzy