Trade In Program

[hadidi2]

On Sunday, September 17, 2023, I visited the Verizon Wireless Store at 1237 N Milwaukee Ave in Chicago, IL to inquire about changing my mobile family plan and upgrading my cellular device. The store associate helped me change all lines on my family plan from a legacy data plan to the Unlimited Welcome plan. He recommended I contact the Verizon loyalty department to inquire about bespoke promotions on a new device since our mobile plan had been active for 25 years.

I called the Loyalty department on September 17th at 3:32 CST. The agent, Castenada, helped me order a new device (128 Gb Purple iPhone 14 Pro) and assessed my current mobile device (64 Gb White iPhone 11) at $800. She explained that price of the new device would be debited from my account over a 36 month term. So I would pay approximately $24.99 monthly for the new device (totaling $899.99 after 36 months). My old device, once traded in, would be credited to my account over the same 36 month term ($22.22 monthly totally $800 after 36 months). This is what the business committed to provide me, pending receiving my traded-in device. When I asked for an estimated bill including the proposed trade in credit, the agent told me that she was unable to generate one until my trade in device was received, but assured me of the total costs and encouraged me to contact customer service back if I had issues with the trade in credit. On September 17th, during this call, I initiated the trade-in process and paid $38.59 by credit card via phone to cover the new device activation fee and taxes.

I received the new device and the envelope to mail my old, trade-in device on September 20th. I mailed my old device on September 26th and the device was received on September 28th. However, the assessed value listed was $135 - $665 less than what the business committed to providing me. I called Customer service the same day to resolve the problem. The agent I spoke to was named Mirage and she worked with another promotion representative named Riley.

Mirage and Riley were unable to resolve my issue and correct the trade in credit to anything close to what had been communicated on 9/17. The only option customer service could provide was to increase my trade in value to a total value of $220 credited over 36 months ($6.11 monthly). This was still $580 less than what Castenada committed to. When I asked to return my new device and reclaim my trade in device due to the erroneous information received on September 17th, they informed me that traded-in devices could not be returned and I would additionally have to pay a $50 restocking fee to return my new device. The customer rep, Mirage, was unable to resolve my issue.

I have now spent over 12 hours on the phone with Verizon to no avail. They essentially STOLE my perfectly working iPhone 11, tricked me into purchasing a new, more expensive device, and committed me to a 3 year contract term. Upon searching Google and these community forums, I found countless examples of similar problems - whether it be Verizon undermining the original estimate provided (and then refusing to return the device) or never applying the trade in bill credit even 3, 4, or 5 months later. This company is engaging in fraudulent business practices - it is intentionally misinforming customers in order to obtain their paid off devices and sell them at a markup, whilst also retaining customers in drawn out 36-month mobile contracts under unclear terms. I have contacted the BBB and my local news organization. This is totally ridiculous.

[vzw_customer_support]

Hadidi2 We're sorry to read about your situation with your trade in and we're here to take a look. We will be sending you a private note. ~Peter