OT: Verizon scam alert?

[fmradio516]

Just a warning to all out there; some of you may have experienced this already.

There is a Verizon Wireless promo to get a $400 credit when you buy a new iPhone, change to the new Unlimited plan, and trade in your old phone. Im always skeptical of things like this, so i got on Verizon chat with a sales rep. I have an iPhone 8 256GB and I asked how much I would actually get for it. She asked if there were any scratches or cracks in it; i said there wasnt. She said then once I receive the new phone and mail back my old phone, ill definitely get the $400 credit.

I complete the transaction with her and then a little while later, i was browsing the verizon site and found the page you go to when youre ready to trade in your old phone. I put in all the details of my phone and then they asked, is it in good working condition, or damaged? I chose good. The webpage tells me ill get up to $170 in credit! Much different than what the salesperson told me, which was definitely $400

I start googling and apparently they've been doing this trade in scam for years. From what i read, some people got as little as $9 back when they were promised $400. And apparently after you freak out and ask to cancel everything and get your phone back, they say its not possible or they've misplaced it.

Anyone have any experience with this? Ive been on chat with them for hours trying to cancel my order. They say its been cancelled, but my online profile still shows the new unlimited plan. They say they cant change me back to my old unlimited plan because its not offered anymore.

Some reading on this: (if it asks you to login, just open in an incognito window)

https://community.verizonwireless.co...E/td-p/1145058

https://community.verizonwireless.co...m/td-p/1147461

[R3awak3n]

hmmmm.... salesmen lied to you, $400 for an iphone 8? that would never fly, even my iphone X was only appraised at $200.

$400 trade in is an iphone 11 so I am not sure why salesmen told you that.


I can only speak from experience and always got the money I was told by the webside when I sent the phone to verizon. Actually last time they said I was going to get $100 because phone didn't turn on, somehow I got $360 which was awesome.

This time I sent the trade to apple instead of verizon, got $250 instead of $200.

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

hmmmm.... salesmen lied to you, $400 for an iphone 8? that would never fly, even my iphone X was only appraised at $200.

$400 trade in is an iphone 11 so I am not sure why salesmen told you that.


I can only speak from experience and always got the money I was told by the webside when I sent the phone to verizon. Actually last time they said I was going to get $100 because phone didn't turn on, somehow I got $360 which was awesome.

This time I sent the trade to apple instead of verizon, got $250 instead of $200.

Sweet deal! Yeah the deal was so good that right after I put in my order, i started inquiring about trading in my wifes X and they said she would also get $400.... that was a big red flag.

Did Apple give you the appraisal in person?

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by fmradio516

Sweet deal! Yeah the deal was so good that right after I put in my order, i started inquiring about trading in my wifes X and they said she would also get $400.... that was a big red flag.

Did Apple give you the appraisal in person?

was not in person, I did it through the website. My X looked brand new so I know I was going to get the full money. Was pretty easy and painless and I think within a week of sending it got approved at full price. And it works through verizon as in the $250 came out of the new iphone I got on apple but I pay installments through verizon and not apple.

[Likes2ridefar]

IMO the moral of the story, and something similar happened to me in the past, is buy the phone outright and use a service, other than the big names, that piggy backs on whichever towers you think will serve you best. You’ll save a ton in the long run and not deal with crap like you did.

[BobbyJones]

Bottom line is that ALL big corporate customer service sucks, at least at one time or another or in one way or another.

A great example is the "should I keep this NOS Cannondale thread" where there was a dispute about geometry between the CSR and published specs.

Lately, if it has something to do with money, I'll use the chat function and save the chat.

I hope you never get to the point where you'll have to use it, but it helps in an argument.

[oldpotatoe]

Ive been on chat with them for hours trying to cancel my order.

Go into a local Verizon store front and talk to them.

https://www.verizon.com/stores/conne...w-haven/#/city

And for anybody wanting to try to do what the OP started..hard to beat face-to-face(6 feet or more)...

[R3awak3n]

Yeah face to face is great but in a pandemic, I am good and rather deal through the internet.

[fmradio516]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Go into a local Verizon store front and talk to them.

https://www.verizon.com/stores/conne...w-haven/#/city

And for anybody wanting to try to do what the OP started..hard to beat face-to-face(6 feet or more)...

Agreed. normally I would go in person, but the wife just finished chemo/radiation, so her immune system is depleted.

[ultraman6970]

U are better trying to sell the phone at CL than sending it. The other option which i do not know if posible si to go to a verizon store and deal with the trade in person???

[AngryScientist]

verizon sucks. really, all the big carriers of cell/cable/internet do.

i left verizon about a year ago to a much smaller carrier and i'm saving so much money/month is laughable.

initially i was concerned with coverage, but i have a verzon phone for work and often carry the two at the same time, and so far, the coverage looks to be pretty much the same.

in the OPs instance, should have kept the customer service person on the phone while you navigated that web page, then you could have at least questioned them when the screen was not agreeing with what you were told.

[djg21]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

U are better trying to sell the phone at CL than sending it. The other option which i do not know if posible si to go to a verizon store and deal with the trade in person???

If your old phone is in very good condition, you do better selling on eBay or privately and purchasing a new phone directly from Apple. Then you can just pick up a new Sim Card at Verizon, and pay a small fee to switch the line over to the new phone.

[RoosterCogset]

So the $400 credit was not ONLY for the phone, it was also partially available if you also switched to the Unlimited plan (for how long?)?

I don't suppose there's a breakout of what portion of the $400 is phone, vs. discount against Unlimited plan?

I got tired of dealing with Verizon.. I find it much more pleasant to do my phone upgrades at the Apple store

[djg21]

Originally Posted by RoosterCogset

So the $400 credit was not ONLY for the phone, it was also partially available if you also switched to the Unlimited plan (for how long?)?

I don't suppose there's a breakout of what portion of the $400 is phone, vs. discount against Unlimited plan?

I got tired of dealing with Verizon.. I find it much more pleasant to do my phone upgrades at the Apple store

I went through this when I wanted to purchase an iPhone 12 Pro. The rep at the Verizon Store told me that I had to upgrade my plan to use the iPhone 12 and access the 5G network. She suggested I purchase an iPhone 11 if I didn’t want to upgrade my plan. Given my current unlimited plan, upgrading to a 5G unlimited service plan would have resulted in more than a $50/month upcharge, so that quickly would have offset the $250 trade-in I was offered by Verizon for my iPhone X.

Instead, I sold the phone to Keith A, ordered my new iPhone 12 Pro directly from Apple (open an Apple Charge Card if you are so inclined and you get 0% financing and cash back in Apple Pay). I plugged the old SIM card from my iPhone X into the new phone and got a message to upgrade to a 5G-compatible SIM card. I went to the Verizon Store and was given a 5G-compatible SIM card for no charge (but paid a relatively small fee to switch lines). I didn’t upgrade my plan, as we have no 5G networks in my area. Despite what Verizon told me, I have been able to use 5G networks the few times I have been areas that have them.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by djg21

I went through this when I wanted to purchase an iPhone 12 Pro. The rep at the Verizon Store told me that I had to upgrade my plan to use the iPhone 12 and access the 5G network.

My son had a similar experience. He bought a new phone from Apple, which came with a SIM card already installed. We activated that SIM on vzw.com, he authenticated on the Verizon network and saw 5G. No change in plan necessary...

If I remember correctly, we were not able to activate the old SIM card with his new phone, so we tried the one installed in the phone.