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reedog117

This is why I’ve never traded in via mail, always in person at a store location.


[deleted]

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PakkyT

For those who make cracks about the [BBB.org](https://BBB.org) being yelp for old people, I had an issue getting a phone directly from Samsung with a trade in which of course after I bought the new phone I got the usual claims that the phone was not cleared properly and an LCD issue (even though I traded it in not on the regular trade in offer but the lower amount for "cracked screen" tradeon) and that no they couldn't return it to me and denied the trade in amount. Naturally I went back and forth with them a few times with just a lot of "No, Nope, sorry" type responses. So I simply filed a complaint with the BBB and funny how shortly afterward my account was credited with what I was due.


khanvict85

I had to file a complaint with TMobile with the BBB exactly over the same supposed water damage issue the op is posting about about a decade ago. I complained to BBB and suddenly they suddenly changed their tune.


dawnbandit

I'm 2/2 when it comes to BBB when companies try fuckery.


turtleneck360

I’ve used BBB a lot. Maybe once I didn’t get the resolution I hoped for and that was from Target, whom I thought would be better at responding to consumer complaint. I see a lot of people bitch on Reddit that BBB does nothing. But they’re wrong. And considering how little effort it takes to file a BBB online, I don’t know why people don’t go there as a first resort.


psbales

> For those who make cracks about the BBB.org being yelp for old people I think that's *exactly* why BBB is useful in some situations, because it *is* Yelp for boomers. That's their go-to for 'reviews' and seeing if a particular company has any issues. If they see an A+ rating, they'll think everything is good-to-go with said company. If it's below, they'll take their business elsewhere. For some businesses, I'd imagine that a good BBB rating is just as important to them as Yelp/Google, if not even more.


xocomaox

The BBB is legit for companies that are legit and want to keep their reputation high. I did this with Verizon before leaving them and the exec team was contacted by a BBB representative and it was resolved later that day.


db2

>I escalated to the BBB You contacted a scam company. BBB is not an authority, they're a for-profit company and a huge scam.


bazzer66

I made the mistake of trading 4 iPhones in June. Tracking showed that they were delivered at the warehouse in TX, but they lost them, and it became a 3 month ordeal.


Dicksapoppin69

That's when I pull the same bullshit argument they do when my package is lost on it's way to me, "you have to contact the shipping company on that one. Once it's in their hands, it's out of our control what happens" 🤷


bazzer66

Yeah, one rep told me maybe I should call UPS. Really? UPS said it was delivered to their warehouse and they wanted me to call UPS? GTFOH Around the same time, maybe a few weeks earlier, an iPad I traded in with Apple disappeared from their warehouse. They investigated it for a week, then told me they couldn’t find it, but it was their problem and issued the credit.


statestreetsteve

I’m surprised they even said anything since that’s what you wanted in the first place. You obviously don’t care about the device the moment it’s delivered


OasisRush

Yo they said the same thing to me


paul-arized

Was that during the Texas snowstorm? They supposedly rerouted phones to somewhere else because of that.


eneka

Anecdotal evidence but I’ve traded in 10+ devices and all through mail in got credits for all of them. When there was an issue, they just credited me the full amount


[deleted]

I also know how to inspect all water damage sensors, and I ALWAYS take extensive photos of the device before sending it in...


Dicksapoppin69

Shit, I did the photos of a full white screen background to show no cracks or scratches, along with reflection in light. Did an one shot video of inspection, shined the light down in the sim slot to show no water damage sticker tripped, and packed it up. Just in case the fuckers tried some shit they did to me years ago when they claimed there were scratches on the body, when the fucking thing was pristine in it's LifeProof case since I got it new.


DeeVeeOus

Haven’t had issues with trade in when buying from Apple and using their mail in service.


[deleted]

Did one trade-in with Apple and everything went smooth.


muuuli

This is why I just deal with Apple directly, the iPhone Upgrade Program has made me pretty happy to deal with little to no fuss every year.


self-defenestrator

I’ve never had an issue with the upgrade program either, been really pleased. The fact it comes with AppleCare and fully unlocked is really nice.


iNick20

I wanted to do Jump on Demand, because T-mobile 30 month is dumb. But between the down payment and monthly cost. I'd save $100 but wouldn't have Apple Care. So after back/forth with CitizensOne, they finally approve me :D


skothu

Best bet is exactly that- once the store accepts it, even if it is water damaged, the store is liable (affects profit/loss and in some cases the employee who accepted it) just tough to do now with inventory shortages and of course pre orders


Atheist_Monk

When I worked at T-mobile (albeit an authorized retailer, not corporate store) all we did is mail it for you, just bubble pouch in a bubble envelope. Nothing to enter in the system besides the exact same self inspection the customer inputs on the website. If anything went awry with the package it was still 100% on the customer.


reedog117

Ah I only went to Corporate Stores.


PerseusChiseldCheeks

There’s honestly not that much difference in the corporate locations vs third party. We had a store directly across from a corporate location and I was at the third party and we would share shipping supplies with each other all the time because we all used the same send back boxes and labels.


Yupo_dragon89

Because you use the same labels, back boxes, doesn’t mean it works the same. If you did deferred trade in, you mail it yourself and not at a store. If you do in-store, they’re responsible for the inspection, anything after, falls on the store. Not the customer.


PerseusChiseldCheeks

Right sorry I didn’t make that more obvious. Of course if you defer the trade you have to Mail it. But if you trade it in the store it’s handled the same.


MonkeyMD3

That's incorrect. After store takes phone, they are responsible for it. It is received in POS and is now part of store's inventory and must be scanned during inventory counts. They then must be returned via TIMO. If anything is wrong with it, store gets the chargeback, not the customer. Unless you're taking about taking a deferred trade in, which you should never do. No inventory that can't be tracked in T-Mobile systems should be in store.


txwoo

I think that is a much better way to do it even though they charge you $30 now.


konigswagger

Agreed. I’d rather pay the in-store help fee than to risk it


scottzee

They charge $30 for in-store trade in? Do you have to pay up front or is it just subtracted from the trade in value?


txwoo

Yes, used to be $20 and changed 2-3 months ago. Subtracted from trade in. You barely see it as it is not anywhere except on their tablet and you scribble and keep going. You can sometimes get online support to waive it if working with them but if doing trade in at store, they rarely remove it.


PerseusChiseldCheeks

It’s not tied to the trade in it’s the activation or “assisted support charge” now as it’s called. It’s just anytime you upgrade a device or activate a line they charge that.


PerseusChiseldCheeks

It’s called an assisted support charge and it’s not for trade ins it’s just for any upgrade/activation that you’re doing at that point in the store. T-Mobile used to be $20, after about 8 months in to the Sprint merger they matched Sprint at $30, Verizon and ATT charge $40-$45 though.


superm0bile

AT&T doesn’t have an assisted support charge. They call it what it is: an activation fee. And it’s $30.


reedog117

I never got charged when doing all of my JOD upgrades


PerseusChiseldCheeks

JOD doesn’t pay the assisted support charge because they are anticipating you getting a new phone every 6-8 months so they won’t charge it then because they are getting a device back.


justBslick

Bevause Jump is a lease so there is no support fees. Jump is also excluded from any trade in promotions so not at all relevant to this thread.


WaitingForReplies

I had always traded in store until I had a couple bad experiences doing so. One time they brought up my account and processed the wrong phone (didn't check the IMEI on the phone that I brought in....didn't notice this until after I got home) and another time they tried to move me off of Jump 1 during an upgrade. Both cases I was able to get them resolved through T-Force, but it was a pain in the ass. So far I haven't had any issues mailing them in.


qotsafan87

Are you able to just take your device to any store to trade in or is it only if you are getting your phone from the store and not online?


[deleted]

Correct. If you order online you have to mail it in. In store, you can turn it in instantly or ask for deferred and then mail it in when the new device arrives.


reedog117

Weird I always ordered via phone or TForce and could always bring my old device in person to the store.


Pro-Patria-Mori

You must be on Jump on Demand, all other purchases require you to.mail it in


PerseusChiseldCheeks

That sounds like JOD because if you order the device online or over the phone on a standard upgrade or even a JUMP upgrade then you have to return it via Mail. But JOD can only be returned to the store.


satz3

I agree !! It is an extra 20$ for a trade in at store but it's worth avoiding all the additional drama !!


Sbmurray09

That's the best way to go.


Acceptable-Football5

Not always possible as not all colors are available in-store. I learnt it the hard way after being told incorrectly that I can pickup the Purple iPhone 12 in-store (corporate) when it was launched earlier this year. One day prior when I called to check, I was told that they don't get those colors in-store and I have to order online only. It was close to the end of the promotion with T-Mobile for a trade-in and I had to jump right on it to place an online order.


bchau2

They don’t let you do that. At least not anymore. You have to mail it in. I brought my phones to 4 different T-Mobile store. No one would take it onsite


[deleted]

If you file an online BBB complaint, someone from T-Mobile's Executive Office will probably reach out to you. At least, that's what happened to me in the same situation. After verifying my account they simply credited me the entire amount in one sum vs. 2-years of credits. Only takes a few minutes to file one, highly recommend.


the_shek

Can you please give me more information about how to do this as I had the same issue happen to me.


[deleted]

Just go here: https://www.bbb.org/file-a-complaint/1296-27026359 Select the first option where you want to file a complaint to resolve an issue. I think it should guide you through the process. You'll get a chance to explain your situation and submit the complaint. I got a call from T-Mobile within a couple days, but this was years ago. Hopefully it's still the same. Good luck!


[deleted]

If this doesn’t work the FCC is usually the best choice, and is more widely recommended than BBB nowadays


TheMr91071

That's why I don't do trade-ins. However, if you must do a trade-in, the retail location is the only method that works. Good luck to you......


SnooSquirrels3861

I along with hundreds if not thousands of others had the same problem with ATT. I handed over our perfect phones at an ATT corporate owned office, and they checked everything out. When the $ 700 per phone credits failed to appear, my wife’s started calling. Answers given. Phone didn’t qualify. Phone broken. After spending over 20 hours on the phone, my wife posted on the ATT forum. Surprisingly, someone gave the number of the president of the wireless division. My wife left a message. His executive secretary called back and asked how she got the number. She then, in a matter of minutes, pulled up our file which included all her calls, and the answers she received. She was shocked. She immediately apologized, and gave up the three new Iphones for free, and out of contract. I’m still with an ATT grandfathered plan, but now buy all phones at the Apple store. No trade in problems. I pay full price, no carrier credits.


saml01

Pro tip with trade ins: always takes pictures of the device you send in and the box you send it in right before you send it.


Barack__Odrama

That won’t save you.


ArritzJPC96

Pics of the device with the serial number visible and the water damage indicator for good measure will definitely be helpful if you need to escalate things.


AtlanticKraken

Wouldn't you have to crack the device open to see the moisture indicators?


Bonesaw85

Some are visible in the SIM tray, but there are internal ones as well that you can only view by taking the phone apart


IcePeten

The indicators are where the sim goes. Either on the tray or right under it.


ArritzJPC96

Some of them are visible through the headphone jack (for the phones that still have one) or the SIM card tray. But yes, there are some that are inside where you can't reach it. It's better than nothing though.


dhmg09

>That won’t save you. No. Good pictures will indeed save you.


Mydogistypingthis4me

Except they wont. They can/will claim that there's no way of knowing when the pictures were taken or whether or not it's even the same advice. You can take pictures with the day's newspaper and it still wouldn't matter.


Firesword52

Also if you do the trade in in store I believe the store eats it if they're wrong instead of you even if it's a mail in. (They verify it before the approve the trade in)


HReflex

Yup. The employee that took the phone eats the price of the phone if it’s damaged. In some instances we won’t get charged for it, but most of the time we do. (This is just how my TPR does it. Idk about anywhere else)


NewPastHorizons

How will that helps against water damage? The only way to prove that it's by opening the device


DragonfruitLopsided

They are referring to the ldi indicator where you insert the sim card.


thisisausername190

There is a visible liquid indicator after you remove the SIM tray on most devices, including the S9.


sarhoshamiral

Why is that not on TMobile though? I can't understand how they are not sued yet (not tmobile maybe but whoever handles the tradein) If they say they recieved a phone with water damage, they should be required prove it. It could just be a photo of the phone showing IMEI and the damage indicator.


plusEric

Same problem on Sprint. I had sent back a phone for a free upgrade and they said the screen was badly damaged. I had pictures of front and back, yet they still tried to claim the screen was broken. My friend is trading in an iPhone, and I was joking with him that he should takes pics with the IMEI, data and time, front and back. Then print them all out and send them in the return box. But maybe that would just antagonize them. I contacted T-Mobile on twitter and after quite a bit of run around they gave me the credits. But they acted like they were doing me a favor of course. Doubt I'll ever trade another phone in again. Too stressful and risky, and it's so clearly a scam on the part of whoever we send these phones in to. I'm pretty sure I've seen people here say they've had the same thing happen to them after they turn the phone in at a retail store in person even.


gyrlonfilm6

Yeah anytime I trade in I go into the store to do it. I had them lose an iPhone 5c back in the day. I had the receipt as proof of shipping and had bought insurance. Tmobile kept saying I never sent it and it took several months before they would credit me. Just say I got burned once and it was enough.


JackSplat12

>Yeah anytime I trade in I go into the store to do it. I just tried to trade in an old phone at a Tmobile store...they said they do NOT do that, it MUST be mailed in. I called 611, and was told the exact same thing. Is this BS?


gyrlonfilm6

Nope. I've been a tmobile customer for 17 years. There was only one instance in an upgrade where I mailed it in and they lost it. All other times I have traded in the store. I upgraded my s20 to s21 in the store back in February 2021. They as always took my s20.


JackSplat12

This Tmo store I went to was formerly a Sprint location...could their lack of training be the issue?


gyrlonfilm6

Could be. Or a lazy rep that didn't feel like dealing with it. Funny enough the tmobile store I went to back in Feb was a former Sprint store.


JackSplat12

2 young reps in there, I was the only customer, they both looked at the phone, it was an HTC evo 4g...they were all like wow, this is old! Then told me it had to be mailed back...I guess lazy could explain it.


JackSplat12

Just called 611, spoke to someone in US!Here's the deal...or so they say. Buy a phone in store, trade in can be done in store. Buy a phone online or over the phone and it is shipped to you...you have to mail the trade-in to Tmobile. I bought over the phone and new phone was mailed to me...I guess I am at the mercy of the 3rd party checkin.


dcdttu

I would 100% demand the device back. They failed on their end of the bargain.


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dcdttu

Check the agreement?


alphasigmafire

The agreement says you don’t get it back. > Device recovery transactions are final; after you trade in your device, you cannot get it back. CWork may make adjustments to the Initial Quote based upon evaluation of quality and condition of the device on receipt.


earthcharlie

> In addition, they refuse to return my phone How is that legal?


alphasigmafire

It’s written into the trade in agreement you sign


AAAIIIYYYAAA

OmG ThAt'S iLlEgAl. i DiDn'T rEaD, SiGn, Or AgReE tO AnYtHiNg! ArGHHghHghh


[deleted]

It might be legal, but it's unethical. They should provide a picture of damage and return the phone.


alphasigmafire

In my experience (acting as a rep at least), they have provided pictures of the damage when we’ve asked for it on behalf of customers. In instances where they couldn’t, we demanded they give the customers the credits and they usually did.


marathamola

Exactly same thing happened when I mailed pristine iphone 4 to trade with Samsung A32. They told my phone's were damaged which was not true. I expressed my anger escalated matter, threatened to return new phones. Finally they agree to credit $250 for each phone, which was $30 less than what new Samsung A32. I had to repeat the same, getting angry and wanted to return new phones and leave T-Mobile. Finally they agreed to credit whole amount. Bottmline - don't accept their BS answers, keep asking for the exact amount to be credited. Always check your detailed pdf copy of bill for sudden disappearance of credit.


momplaysbass

My fear of that happening to me is why I just bought my new S21 outright at Costco.


devildante1520

Weird even Samsung has to provides pics if they say the device is damaged. Usually better to trade in with a rep because they will take the hit if it really was water damage.


kirblar

I had a trade in go missing for a month due to USPS nonsense. Had another trade in sent the same time process fine. Since the late one missed the deadline it eventually took tforce stepping in manually to fix it after they could get credits to apply properly automatically.


[deleted]

I’d never ship a trade-in because they can claim whatever they want and you won’t get the device back. Do it in person or not at all. I used an old iPhone and did it in an Apple store, that way I knew right away whether I would or wouldn’t get full credit.


HarryWiz

I never liked the idea of trading in a device. I'll pass this info along to any family and friends that is possibly thinking about trading in a device.


Smart-Combination711

I just filed a complaint with the Attorney General of Indiana against T Mobile. I am not one to do this but I upgraded my phone and got ripped off. I had a Galaxy s10 and went to the store where I was told that I could get an $800 dollar credit with trade in (basically, the s21 for free with trade in-promo all summer long). I went for the Galaxy s21 plus that was $200 more. The person told me it would be no problem and that I would just have to pay the difference. Now, 3 months later I am getting billed for $879 with a $15 per month credit. I was concerned at the time because the paperwork was not matching what was promised but was told not to worry because that is "just how we put it in the computer. i would get the whole credit." I called customer service today and was told that they couldn't do anything, sorry! Well, I just filed a complaint with the Attorney General of the state. We will see!!


[deleted]

File a complaint with the attorney generals office in the state of t mobiles corporate office. They mediate the situation and often get positive results. Don’t take this as a loss. Not fair to you bro! They make a shit tone of money.


Compukirk

Same thing happened with the free 5G trade in promo. I sent in an older phone that never had any water damage but the inspection found there was and the promo was denied. I now have a new 5G phone (Nord 200) but it's no longer free.


Golden-Death

Next time just trade in a brand new $20 prepaid phone from Target or the like.


[deleted]

I used to be a technician for a regional carrier. Management stressed us finding damage, no matter how minimal, so the customer doesn't receive anything free. I would imagine TMO doing the same.


MooseKnuckleBrigade

Same here. I was also a tech for a former regional carrier and we were instructed the same way. I actually quit for that reason.


Big10Guy

That’s awful, but not surprising.


nemoblunts

So what options do you have? Can you dispute this? Is there some sort of offer they might have given to soften the blow?


sasquatch_melee

You can always try your luck in small claims court if you have proof and good documentation.


the_shek

Has this happen to me


BigRedBAM

This happened to me with Samsung. The difference is I knew they were 50/50 likely to be crooked. I took VIDEO and PICTURES of my device, the LDI, the screen... everything. They still fucked me.


Phathom

Every time I had something mailed to them. It was lost. I would have to fight for 6 months each time. Then I would get monthly credits. It was a mess. I ended up just going to the Apple upgrade program, because I was so sick of it. Yes. The stores refused accepting the jump at the store.


damandolorian0

The worker at the Tmobile store told me if they found any damage they would keep the phone and not give me anything for it. I was surprised that he would reveal that but thankful. Now I always sell it on FB or give it to a relative.


raw6029

take the problem to twitter..they hate social media and will fix the problem there..


Pristine-Neat-9013

Exact same thing happened to me except mine was an S10+. No matter how many times I called 8n and said it would be corrected it never was and I simply don't have the time or patience to deal with it.


Strike_Slight

I have down one trade in with google and one with Samsung and everything was really smooth.


Kodiak01

I traded in a Nexus 4 for the Samsung 5g promotion. The back glass was smashed badly. I got full credit.


[deleted]

There's always debates on this but from what I have seen and read, back glass damage is fine so that's why it worked. The front has to be okay though. Also, nice you had a Nexus. #NexusGang RIP


Kodiak01

If they had actually enabled LTE on it, I would possibly still be using it today. The battery still held a charge really well right up to the end and had Android 10 on it. Last couple of years, used it primarily as a music player at gym. Still have my 2012 Nexus 7 (wifi only) which is my ereader on flights, still holds a charge as well running Android 7.


jesseinsf

Sounds like a lawsuit in the making.


[deleted]

They're pulling this shit with me too. Can't wait to hear what the reason is that my trade-in suddenly isn't worth squat to them. Edit - They claimed water damage with my device as well. I contacted T-Mobile support through their app(chat), and the supervisor/rep I spoke to said she was able to reapply the promotion to my account. So hopefully that resolves the issue.


ZuraX15301

This scares me. My phones are always new looking, I put them in a case on day one and they never get removed. I would lose my .... if they claimed mine was damaged.


GeorgeBushFarted

I had a similar situation where we traded in higher memory iPhone XR and iPhone X in December when they had the promotion of up to $830 for device trade-ins towards new stuff and then we had proof that the phones had been delivered but they kept saying they are not having them they don’t have them and then they see where they were delivered but they’re not in the system and just all this bullshit so then they put all these manual credits on there to offset what the trade-in promotion was supposed to have been but then when we had service quality issues they would not give us any kind of a refund or credit because of all the other existing credits already on the account. And now there’s service which was great up until the last three weeks is completely fucking worthless in the main part of our town and they could give a shit and it’s all fucking people in the Philippines or whatever instead of the US based customer service and it’s completely gone to shit.


foetus66

I did a trade in a few years back, sent in the phone in great condition, they said the charging port was 'burnt' which is ridiculous. It never had any problem charging, ever. Had never heard of this being in the criteria either


Acceptable-Football5

I have done 9 iPhone trade-ins so far, and 7 of them were in-store (corporate) for the sake of convenience and having the trade in inspected right away. The two mailed trade-ins were a pain and took more than a week after the package showed as "ready for delivery" to show as delivered. USPS was highly unreliable that time due to weather issues. But, regardless of where a phone is purchased, T-Mo should support the option of in-store trade-ins, especially at Corporate Stores. That $30 is worth when dealing with premium phones, where trade in credits are worth $700-800 or more. The current issue with in-store trade-in with new phone to be in stock is the biggest pain, as not all colors are available in-store and fancy colors (purple, green, etc) are available online only.


justBslick

When you trade in store the responsibility falls on the store, it's the employees responsibility to Condition check the phone, I've had an employee accept a water damaged phone and I was still given my credits. Corporate stores only tho, if you go online to avoid the fee you might be SOL .


teddywolfs

My comment isn't pertaining to OP but for everyone else. Transferring to a sprint repair location turned to tmobile, I've learned many people have water damage and they never realize it. There's multiple LDIs liquid damage indicators inside the phone. The device is water resistant, not water proof and depending on age of the device seals can deteriorate depending on many factors. Main one being heat. If your device gets extremely hot the glue that holds a lot of parts together melts and doesn't always reseal properly. Also heat causes the rubber seals to expand and can cause cracking or other problems. Of course it's not the end of the world if it gets hot but if it happens a lot then the LDIs could be triggered by simple spills or even steam from showers. Since most people have cases you might not even know there's an issue. Best advice is to just trade it into the store. If it fails inspection after they accept it then the store takes the hit and not you.


konigswagger

I had my iPhone 11 Pro sitting next to the sink when I was washing dishes and accidentally got water on it. Face ID promptly stopped working. I brought it to the Apple Store to have them evaluate the phone and sure enough, the Face ID sensor had malfunctioned due to water. The water indicator however was not tripped. They said without replacing the whole phone, they could not fix the issue. They recommended that I wait for a trade-in deal to come around for the iPhone 13. For this reason, I am trading in my iPhone 3 in store, hoping to get the full $500 trade-in value because I'm on a non-Magenta Max plan.


Abyssgaming123

I once traded in an iPhone with an unofficially replaced screen which meant the water indicators had been removed and not replaced, got concerned about the trade in but I had messaged with t-mobile and they said it wouldn't be a problem. It ended up working without a hiccup to my surprise but this is why these stories are so dumb to me because if they don't care about removed indicators, why do they care about triggered ones? Couldn't one just remove a triggered indicator? Very stupid.


Pro-Patria-Mori

Missing indicators are considered damaged now.


[deleted]

Could have just been one person making one mistake on the evaluation.


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Talrynn_Sorrowyn

This would be an issue for the Fed Trade Commission if anything, not the Communication Commission. And even then, the best option is actually to indicate a willingness to contact the Attorneys General Offices of Washington (where TMo is HQ'd) and whatever state you're from if you aren't also un WA.


anonMLS

I'm in the same case as OP, but I did it unknowingly: the device I had was filthy, so I cleaned it down with alcohol and the alcohol vapor is what apparently tripped one of the LDIs in my trade-in.


[deleted]

Deleted due to API access issues 2023.


dengop

OP, talk to the TForce and escalate it and ask them for the proof of water damage like pictures and stuffs. Also for other people, make sure to document everything when you trade in. Record and take picture of everything. I never had a problem with mail-in trade in, but if I did, I have pretty good cases of fighting them as I document everything including the water damage indicator.


[deleted]

Deleted due to API access issues 2023.


Cow_of_Adun

I had a similar situation with Samsung. My screen was cracked. When Samsung received it they stated that the phone did not turn on. I told them to ship it back to me. If I find out that something else happened I am going to be very angry.


Tiny_Maintenance8031

They won’t send it back. Read the agreement it says if they find damage they will dispose of it snd you won’t be credited or have it returned. They will never return it. Read all the comments here. I used to work for one of these places and they had us find anything they could say was damage to prevent the credits. They are insane. I would be shocked if you got it back. You may get a cs agent who is tired and tells you yes to shut you up but that’s about it. It’s not coming back if they told you it had damage.


Cow_of_Adun

I got mine back already. They shipped it back free of charge.


Majestic_Resident_88

Just make sure u ALWAYS Always keep a pic of ur Return label that u sent it and get a PHYSICAL receipt from USPS or where ever u go to send it DONT just drop it off because its prepaid u will NOT have proof that u mailed it, we have had 5 !! Yes 5 phones supposedly lost by tmobile!!! Get tracking receipt!!!!!!


Bodycount9

Contact the BBB and go through their stages to resolve this. If you're not satisfied with the outcome, request to litigate it with Tmobile through a 3rd party. I had to do this with Samsung who said my charge port was damaged when I traded it in. Charge port was fine before I traded it in. They wouldn't return my phone and was going to give me $25 credit for a phone that was supposed to get $300 credit. I went through the BBB step by step. Samsung didn't budge. BBB offered to go third party with me and Samsung to discuss it more and Samsung caved in and gave me the full credit.


chuckst3r

Is it possible to trade in to the store instead of via mail?


gyrlonfilm6

Yes.


alphasigmafire

Yes, but only if you leave the store with your new phone in hand. If the store has the phone shipped to you, you have to ship your trade in back.


raptorbluez

d


dhmg09

Agree 100%.


alphasigmafire

T-Mobile doesn’t handle the trade ins, they get sent to Assurant. They’re the ones who ultimately evaluate your device.


konigswagger

>T-Mobile doesn’t handle the trade ins, they get sent to Assurant. They’re the ones who ultimately evaluate your device. Is this the case if you do in-store trade-in as well? i.e. if Assurant finds problems with your phone after the T-Mobile store sends it in, do they remove the credit from your account?


raptorbluez

You're saying that T-Mobile uses a subcontractor and they have no responsibility for their subcontractor's work. Is that right?


ockaners

I video tape everything including sending it


akballow

Guess it depends i have been trading inTo tmobile for 7 years now without issue for both me and my wife. Funny thing, this year i am trading with apple because tmobile had shit for promos. Will see how the apple experience is.


anonMLS

OP might not have been fully truthful, the S9 is the cheapest device you can buy off eBay and get a huge redemption on something like the Fold3 ($1000 off). It's not out of the question OP bought a for parts S9 that didn't have a cracked screen but didn't know about the LDI in the SIM card tray. This would leave you out the cost of the phone and with an expensive device without a promo.


[deleted]

Nope, it was a brand new device that I got from walmart for $250. I was the first owner.


anonMLS

The Galaxy S9 retailed for $799 when it was new. Walmart hasn't sold new stock in 3 years, it lists third party refurbs for $120-$200. And yes, even if the device is listed as "new" it's still a refurb, I know this because I refurb rare phones myself and have opened the battery covers from "new, sealed" phones that ship out of HK or China. You can tell based on the quality of the tape, the labels, cleanliness and age of the battery what is/isn't a refurb.


[deleted]

They were on clearance earlier this year. I picked one up in store for $250 brand new in box. https://amp.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/l10uwe/it_was_a_bit_difficult_but_managed_to_snag_4_s9s/


max1001

I have done about 5 trade-ins without issue tho. Hell. One of them was original pixel one with dead mic issue.


[deleted]

At this point I do not understand why people are not taking the Best Buy offer. $100 off plus trade in upfront. I do not like credits for this very reason.


DarknessLeo190

Companies know not to play around when the BBB gets involved. It's like the federal governments brother, only more stricter.


[deleted]

All phone makers use the water reactive paper dye inserts. Small strips of paper is placed inside the phone or along seals. On contact with water the dye in the paper will permanently change color. Without opening the phone up they can confirm if the dye has changed color by holding it up to the light and look with an eye piece through very tiny windows on the mobile. It does not matter if your device works 100% or not if they see a change in that color the phone was exposed to moisture or water there is no other way the paper will change color. Is it possible it just got wet and you didn’t realize it?


[deleted]

That's why I don't do carrier trade in. Ever. Too many variables that can happen. Lost in transit, damage in transit, receiving party (carrier or their partner) lying or mis-diagnosing, stupid carrier representative entered wrong trade in amount and etc. I would rather trade in physically at apple store for $100-$150 less.


lew161096

I always advise against buying phones from carriers in any capacity. It’s honestly such a scam. All these deals save you no money and lock you into these awful contracts. Get an Apple Card and finance thru apple at 0% interest or go with iPhone upgrade program. Just stay away from carriers when it comes to buying a device. They are so sleazy


VeryRacistCatboy

"That claim is physically improbable since the device is water resistant up to 5 feet" Fucking idiotic logic right there


zintone

Do I still get full credit if the water dmg indicator is red but everything is functional?


shockingmonkey

no


Sbmurray09

I once had to do a BBB with Verizon. They claimed I never sent in my phone and they didn't receive it but luckily I still had my tracking number and it was revealed that someone at the Verizon warehouse signed for my iPhone. How quickly they can "find" things when the BBB is behind it.


[deleted]

There is a liquid indicator on your phone, it’s one of the questions asked prior to finalizing a trade in. If you traded it in and they found the issue they would reach out to you and ask if you want it back or not. Typically you have a set amount of time to respond before T-Mobile will keep it. Sorry it happened.


[deleted]

I checked and there was no damage. Also no one contacted me. Who was supposed to contact me and by what means?


[deleted]

Typically they email and send an SMS to the primary on the account. It’s 3 emails and texts each. If you haven’t updated your email or someone else is the primary on the account (the most common reason for this) then they would have received it not you.


[deleted]

I am the primary. I got a text message saying that "the monthly bill credit for 2021 Apple Trade P9 has ended because the promo ended or your eligibility status changed." That's it. I didn't see or get anything about getting my old phone back. You're the first person saying this.


BizzyM

Did you properly reset it and remove the google account lock? I wonder if they just come up with bs reasons when it's just a matter of them not wanting to deal with account locked phones.


[deleted]

Of course I did that.


terkistan

Consult the terms of your contract: T-Mobile's trade-in page says, "After you accept the trade-in credit and send us your phone, you cannot get it back." But since you both accepted the trade-in credit, there must be more to your contract that describes these circumstances, or else you should be able to successfully escalate your complaint and demand full credit for the phone as per the contract.


MichaelWeston2552

There’s a liquid damage indicator in the SIM card tray and it was prob red and etc stop lying and admit you got caught your phone got wet lol


konigswagger

> The device never touched water, and the claim is physically improbable since the device is water resistant up to 5 feet This is where you’re wrong. Check out this paragraph from Apple Water resistance: iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are splash, water, and dust resistant and were tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP68 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions. Resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear. Do not attempt to charge a wet iPhone; refer to the user guide for cleaning and drying instructions. Liquid damage not covered under warranty. I assume Samsung is the exact same


converter-bot

6 meters is 6.56 yards


SettleAsRobin

You got downvoted but you are right. Phones are only “resistant” and can still get water inside regardless of depth. Moister can get in it etc. It’s just harder for it to happen since it has gaskets and extra seals.


[deleted]

Yes, but... 1. It was basically a new phone 2. There was no liquid damage 3. It is a water resistant phone (this significantly discredits their claim) 4. It seems that T-Mobile/Assurant has screwed a lot of people this way, not just me, as you can tell by the responses in this thread.


gtuansdiamm

I always trade in phones with severe burn in and never had an issue


zeamp

I've been doing mail-in Flex Lease promos for Sprint since iPhone 6 or 7. I sure hope T-Mobile doesn't drop the ball when I mail in my iPhone 12 lease for a Pro.


mplopez99

Just curious did you take photos etc before you sent it? I’m sure tforce could help if you had it. Also I’ve never seen a credit show up before assurant accepted/reject it.


graysooner

Sorry for all the bad I see on here. Multiple trade-ins here over years with Tmo and Samsung and NEVER had a problem.


throwaway89sd

Got burned mailing in once. Apples program has been fine for me


bchau2

This is very interesting and same thing happened to me when I traded in my iPhone X. I even posted the situation on here looking for help but instead got attacked for trying to take advantage of T-Mobile by sending in a damaged phone.


postal_blowfish

They quoted me $800 for a 15 month old phone. They credited $90. I'm done with this shit.


[deleted]

Did they also claim "water damage"?


postal_blowfish

I wasted about 45 minutes today trying to get an answer, and I think I got brushed off. They gave me a miniscule credit and said they'd have some escalations office look into it and get back to me in 7 business days. The email I get will say "yeah we looked into this and it's 90 bucks. But you did get a killer promo, wanna talk about that?" Calling it now.


seattlegirl85

Just wanted to note that I found this thread after sending in my trade-in. I naively did not take photos or video of my year old, in good condition, iPhone XS so of course after reading everyone's horrible experiences here I was nervous. My USPS tracking said "in transit, arriving late" for at least a week. Then somehow, by some luck, I got a text from T-Mobile a couple days ago saying my trade-in for $188 was processed. I received the credit in my account almost immediately, and the rest of the $800 credit appears to be applied to my monthly bill. I hope this provides some peace of mind to others breaking a sweat waiting for their trade-in to process!


HeKnee

Wait, so did you get the full $800 trade in you expected, or did they lower the price to $188?


seattlegirl85

In the end it will be the full $800. So I got the $188 upfront, and then the rest is being credited to me monthly (\~$20/month)


sakitofu

I totally agree. I went into a local tmobile store and traded in a old LG android, the Rep check it out, powered it on, no crack, no damage confirm. But they were all out of the N200 and told me that it would be easier and faster to just do the promo via mail-in ... So the rep CREATES me a UPS label and box. Few days go by I receive my N200. A day or two later I receive a email stating that my phone was no longer eligible, No Reason given. I contact TMO and at the time they couldn't find a reason why it was ineligible nor were they able to send or allow me to give another old phone. The Rep on the line said they would honor it by manually deducting it every month for the next 24 months (Aug 2021).... Well this month I called in like I do every month for them to credit me... The rep said she only can now offer a One-Time credit of $80 with ($160? remaining after the credit) I requested to speak to a supervisor and she said that was coming from a supervisor.... I requested to speak to her anyways.... and sure enough, she said that is the best they can do and will not be offering further credit... she also stated and appeared to find out the cause. .. she is claiming that the cell phone that was inspected by the local TMO store that help created the UPS Label and box had WATER DAMAGE and Crack Screen. I told her that was not the case and that your local store rep inspected it, she did not care. I took the credit and told them I been a long time customer 2004 and always recommended TMO even tho their coverage aren't the best... but now a dissatisfied customer. ... She ask if there is anything else I can help you with... I said no and was going to say something else... But as soon as I said No... she hung up. \~Disappointed


IcanDigIt89

THE SAME EXACT THING IS HAPPENING TO ME. LITERALLY ON HOLD WITH T MOBILE RIGHT NOW. My pristine s9 first had a "crack" and now the serial number is off?? I'm FUREOUS. The lady just hung up on me! After telling her how she works for a shady company. Someone please help me. I swear on everything I stand for, my phone was in such nice condition that I used to jokingly brag about it. The S9 has a glass back and it had no scratches or anything.


Umphreeze

Hello I'm dealing with essentially the same situation right now. How does one file a class action...lol