Ridiculous... just ridiculous

[gray2018]

So recently, I purchased a device from Samsung and traded in another device. Welp, I received an email yesterday stating I was going to be charged 400 dollars since Samsung received nothing but an empty box. Evidently someone, I am assuming at Fed Ex due to a shipment exception along the way, opened the box, stole the phone and resealed the empty box. It clearly shows that the "label was unreadable/damaged and replaced."

Thankfully, Samsung fixed the situation and cancelled the amount that was going to be charged to me with no further action needed. I shouldn't really be surprised I guess, but I am a bit shocked that someone would actually do this. Then again, people go to great lengths to steal items/money all the time, so why I guess should something this easy come as a shock to me I don't know lol

Sometimes, this being one of this situations, I just have to think to myself, "really? seriously?" People are unbelievable sometimes. Evidently it's a common problem however which is why they quickly rectified the problem for me. I purchased a device for my wife last fall and traded in an older device with zero issues, but now I would hesitate about doing so again after this.

 

[Morty2264]

I'm so sorry this happened to you! You are right -- this is becoming a more common fiasco. There have been multiple user accounts here at AC about trade ins and newly-purchased phones being stolen. People are despicable.

All this is making me nervous to buy a phone online. I bought my Google Pixel 5 online with no issues, 10 months ago. But it still makes me uneasy. So glad everything worked out for you!

 

[gray2018]

It's alright. At least it was set right. I had also called FedEx who were "making an investigation," of the situation. I don't know if I should even bother following up or not. I am guessing neither me nor Samsung will ever see the phone. I've never had any issues buying/trading in a phone from my carrier, T-Mobile, but Samsung now to me seems to be kind of iffy. The main reason I like purchasing devices from Samsung is generally you have the option to buy factory unlocked, which I prefer. T-Mobile also uses UPS/USPS for mailing services, so I don't know if this has something to do with it or not.

I might possibly in the future use Swappa instead if I can. Obviously the downside is you can't trade-in a device there. I am halfway tempted to see if I can purchase a mint 512gb Note 9 or LG V60 and just return my Note 10+ back to Samsung. That wouldn't make much sense though honestly, so I probably won't. I just like toying with the idea cause I'm crazy. Lol

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Yeah I bought my phone online but these issues haven't really happened in the UK.

 

[gray2018]

Yeah I bought my phone online but these issues haven't really happened in the UK.

It seems to be a more apparent issue when sending back a device rather than getting a device evidently.

 

[B. Diddy]

So frustrating.:-\ See this thread here as well: https://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s22-s22-plus-s22-ultra/1040735-trade-stolen.html. It seems that theft of both phones that are being delivered and phones that are being sent back in are on the rise.

 

[gray2018]

Wow. Crazy. I also have another device to send back... and I'm quite nervous to now. I am half-way tempted to take it to USPS and see if they can accept the package.

 

[Morty2264]

It's alright. At least it was set right. I had also called FedEx who were "making an investigation," of the situation. I don't know if I should even bother following up or not. I am guessing neither me nor Samsung will ever see the phone. I've never had any issues buying/trading in a phone from my carrier, T-Mobile, but Samsung now to me seems to be kind of iffy. The main reason I like purchasing devices from Samsung is generally you have the option to buy factory unlocked, which I prefer. T-Mobile also uses UPS/USPS for mailing services, so I don't know if this has something to do with it or not.

I might possibly in the future use Swappa instead if I can. Obviously the downside is you can't trade-in a device there. I am halfway tempted to see if I can purchase a mint 512gb Note 9 or LG V60 and just return my Note 10+ back to Samsung. That wouldn't make much sense though honestly, so I probably won't. I just like toying with the idea cause I'm crazy. Lol

Yes, there are lots of benefits buying straight from the manufacturer -- especially if you want your model to be unlocked, which I also prefer. It's a shame that this is happening so often now.

 

[gray2018]

Yep. Another advantage being that Samsung still carries phones that are considered old models generally and carriers no longer stock and haven't probably for years. I don't really have much interest in buying super newer phones personally. I like buying previous generation devices, because they are usually much cheaper.

 

[gray2018]

So I had another device ordered recently that I also returned. This time around though, I actually paid 20 dollars to have the package avoid this facility altogether that I had suspected came into place of stealing the phone. It was express shipped and put into a Fed Ex envelope. No issues this time as far as I can tell, and no shipment exceptions.

 

[anon(50597)]

This kind of thing happens occasionally. Theft has been around as long as humans have, nothing new. It won’t stop me from shipping phones or anything else. For every one that is stolen there are probably hundreds of thousands that have no issue.

 

[anon(40376)]

This kind of thing happens occasionally. Theft has been around as long as humans have, nothing new. It won’t stop me from shipping phones or anything else. For every one that is stolen there are probably hundreds of thousands that have no issue.

A voice of reason and no unproven accusations. Theft happens all the time and as it could be a Fedex employee, it could as well be a Samsung employee.

 

[hallux]

It's stories like this that had me record the packaging of my dad's phone (including recording the screen being on) before shipping it back to Verizon. He had upgraded just before going in the hospital and hadn't had a chance to return it as he wasn't expecting a month-long stay. I could prove that a phone was put in the package, and that the package was the one that they were supposed to get.

One thing I think that drives this is that the security features preventing use of stolen devices (FRP, Find My iPhone, Samsung Cloud, etc.) are required to be turned off prior to shipping. Thieves, knowing this, can then target devices going back and have a device that can easily be set up by an unsuspecting 'customer'...

 

[rvbfan]

Or sold for parts

 

[J Dubbs]

It's because of the increase in theft of valuable items being shipped, that I bought my last phone in person from Best Buy. I got the same sales price for it unlocked that I could have gotten anywhere else. I've definitely been buying more things in person since the pandemic changed the fabric of society lol.

 

[Morty2264]

It's because of the increase in theft of valuable items being shipped, that I bought my last phone in person from Best Buy. I got the same sales price for it unlocked that I could have gotten anywhere else. I've definitely been buying more things in person since the pandemic changed the fabric of society lol.

I agree. I am nervous to order even non-expensive, non-tech items from places like Amazon. I don't know what I'll do if I do decide to get the Pixel 7. I'd like to buy it from Google and hopefully transfer my Preferred Care from my 5 to the 7/7 Pro, but there's that risk of theft...

Anyway, good on you for buying your phone in person!

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I bought a Pixel 6 for my Saphy from Amazon last week. It arrived safely.

 

[Ben xfg]

I agree. I am nervous to order even non-expensive, non-tech items from places like Amazon. I don't know what I'll do if I do decide to get the Pixel 7. I'd like to buy it from Google and hopefully transfer my Preferred Care from my 5 to the 7/7 Pro, but there's that risk of theft...

Anyway, good on you for buying your phone in person!

Amazon is pretty safe IMO, I've had several orders that got 'lost' along the way and was issued a full refund every time.

 

[Annie_M]

After reading this thread, all of my future purchases/trade-ins will be done in person!

 

[gray2018]

Well, I usually buy my devices factory unlocked. Well, generally places don't sell them factory unlocked other than Best Buy, and I don't buy phones from Best Buy.

It was just one bad experience. But I will make sure to be more careful in the future. Any device I have bought recently was not from Samsung but either Swappa or Amazon. Amazon is easy with their refunds.

I had a scenario recently where I returned a phone to amazon via UPS from their renewed service... And then I decided the next day uhh I want it back lol Well, I requested a return to sender, which I thought was me. But instead they sent it to an Amazon warehouse in Kentucky. Not entirely sure why they did that. I was kinda like what do I do? Because I owed money for the device, the third party seller didn't get it back and I didn't have it lol Amazon easily cleared it all up and refunded me my money.