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"Free" phone?

I took advantage of the "free" samsung phone deal awhile back. At the time I owned my phone but wanted a new one. "For free" was advertised. In looking at my bill there is a balance due on that free phone of over 700.00. Please fix this. Complete false advertising or terrible billing personel.

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SynthpopAddict

Here's how the "free phone" deals work based upon what I've read elsewhere. All the major carriers use one of these processes.

1) You have to pay for the phone upfront, but then the carrier will pay you back for the phone in monthly installments for 24 to 36 months until the credits add up to the cost of the phone.

2) The phone is given to you when you sign onto a deal, but then you have to stay with the carrier for 24-36 months depending on the deal while you are getting a monthly bill credit which eventually adds up to the cost of the phone. If you leave early, then you are responsible for the entire remaining balance of the phone minus whatever credits you'd already received.

Verizon used to run the free phone deals using method 2, but they must've changed things recently.

Ever since traditional contracts went away, this must be the new means of locking customers into a contract which isn't called a contract, but you get the idea. If you leave before the 36 months are up, then you don't get any more credits.

Verizon_Support

Hello, Unosista. Help is here as we can check on the status of the device purchase in question. Do you know if the purchase required a trade-in or a plan change?

-Natasha

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