Samsung stole my phone

[r0ttie1]

Samsung stole my phone

My wife had a problem with a Samsung Galaxy 8 she bought from a reseller, display that it was a leased phone when it was not. Samsung issued a RMA saying the phone was still under their warranty. When they recieved the phone, they said they would not repair it. They refuse to return the phone or issue a refund on it. My wife has had multiple conversations with Samsung including supervisors. They keep changing their story, including hanging up on her. In effect, they have stolen my wifes phone.

This has to be the worst customer service we have ever encountered. I would warn anyone having warranty service with Samsung, to expect the worst.

 

[Mooncatt]

Wait, so you were sold a display model?

I didn't think manufacturers allowed that and required them to be sent back. I may be mistaken, but I'd question whether or not that was a legit sale from the reseller in the first place. If it was indeed a fraudulent sale, then that phone would technically belong to Samsung (though they should've explained that to you, so I dunno), and your claim would be with whoever sold you the phone.

 

[Golfdriver97]

This is the first I have heard of this. I don't see any reason why they would keep it. I can understand not repairing it for whatever reason, but I would have thought that they would ship the device back to you.

 

[r0ttie1]

That was my first thought as well. I listened to my wife crying to them that she was about to run out of the re-sellers warranty to no effect. She has been told so many things by so many people, we trust none of them. They have four different case numbers on this for some reason and we still can not get this resolved. Ran out the re-sellers warranty and is still under Samsungs warranty and still they do nothing. Sounds like theft to me.

 

[r0ttie1]

Display model?

 

[Mooncatt]

Display model?

Your initial post made it sound like you bought a display model.

My wife had a problem with a Samsung Galaxy 8 she bought from a reseller, display that it was a leased phone when it was not.

If this is not the case, could you please clarify exactly what it was you bought?

 

[r0ttie1]

Mod keeps editing my post. It was bought from Gizmo Trader. Google them.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Mod keeps editing my post. It was bought from Gizmo Trader. Google them.

Did you buy the display model or are you saying your wife bought a phone and you later found out that it was leased, meaning that the reseller is selling stolen property? Or something else?

 

[Mooncatt]

Mod keeps editing my post. It was bought from Gizmo Trader. Google them.

I did try searching for them. Reviews were few and far between, but there was enough negative ones out there (including at least one where a phone was later reported stolen and the customer could no longer use it) to make me question the legitimacy of the company. The used smartphone market is almost like the wild west because of these sorts of stories. It's also why I stay away from it.

Have you asked Samsung point blank if the phone had been reported list/stolen? If so, you won't get the phone back, but you'll be able to report that back to the seller and try to get a refund. If that doesn't work, then I'd consider calling the police to file a theft/fraud charge on the company.

But this is still under the assumption that this was not a legitimate sale in the first place and that is what needs to be sorted out.

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

Have you asked Samsung point blank if the phone had been reported list/stolen? If so, you won't get the phone back, but you'll be able to report that back to the seller and try to get a refund. If that doesn't work, then I'd consider calling the police to file a theft/fraud charge on the company.

But this is still under the assumption that this was not a legitimate sale in the first place and that is what needs to be sorted out.

Agree fully with this.

 

[Golfdriver97]

make me question the legitimacy of the company

Not sure if @Mooncatt saw the BBB, but there are only 2 reviews, one being a similar situation.

This is what I found: https://www.bbb.org/central-florida...in-orlando-fl-90006983/reviews-and-complaints

 

[Mooncatt]

Not sure if @Mooncatt saw the BBB, but there are only 2 reviews, one being a similar situation.

This is what I found: https://www.bbb.org/central-florida...in-orlando-fl-90006983/reviews-and-complaints

That's the one I was referring to, yes.

 

[r0ttie1]

The phone was activated by Sprint. If it was stolen, they would not have activated it.

 

[Mooncatt]

The phone was activated by Sprint. If it was stolen, they would not have activated it.

Unless it was reported after the fact as in that one review. Or if it was a display model, Samsung could've picked up on that when you sent it I without there ever being a stolen report made.

 

[r0ttie1]

Samsung had the phone serial number when they issued the RMA. Why do you have such a problem with the possibility that Samsung may be in the wrong?

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

They very well could be wrong and nobody is debating that point. What the people trying to do is understand the reasoning that they might be making their decisions with. Seems like most of the answers that you want should be coming directly from Samsung?

 

[Mooncatt]

Samsung had the phone serial number when they issued the RMA.

Which may have been flagged on their end and they issued the RMA to get the phone back without making a potential thief (not you specifically, but as a general recovery practice) suspicious.

Why do you have such a problem with the possibility that Samsung may be in the wrong?

I don't. But you also still haven't clarified exactly what you bought. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but you initially made it sound like you bought a display model, which I believe are supposed be sent back to the manufacturers when the stores are done with them. The reputation of the company you bought it from, and the fact it was used to begin with, also muddles the situation. We are just a forum of user enthusiasts. We don't have all the answers, but we can't even begin to give answers without good information to go on.

Yes, companies do make mistakes, but I think it's beyond the pail to say they maliciously stole your phone. So what I (and most likely the others here) am trying to do is figure out the most rational reason for them to keep the phone, so that we may be able to point you in the right direction to get it back or whatever.

 

[r0ttie1]

I have tried to find a rational reason myself. Early on, they could have stuck it back in a box and shipped it back, but chose not to. They ran out the clock on my re-sellers warranty. Every service person my wife spoke to just ducked and bobbed and stories changed. They opened four case numbers but never sent or called my wife with any resolution. Never was there any claim that the phone was stolen. Look to their forums and read all the complaints about their customer service. Bottom line is they have had the phone for a month, which is longer than my wife had it.

 

[chanchan05]

I have tried to find a rational reason myself. Early on, they could have stuck it back in a box and shipped it back, but chose not to. They ran out the clock on my re-sellers warranty. Every service person my wife spoke to just ducked and bobbed and stories changed. They opened four case numbers but never sent or called my wife with any resolution. Never was there any claim that the phone was stolen. Look to their forums and read all the complaints about their customer service. Bottom line is they have had the phone for a month, which is longer than my wife had it.

The problem being usually the customer service people on the phone are just call center agents and actually have no other thing they can do other than open a case. Have you tried an escalation?

 

[r0ttie1]

Escalation to next level and then to third level results in being put on hold forever in the hopes you will hang up. Failing that, they just hang up on her.