Have you been cheated by Samsung warranty service? Escalation procedure?

[Kindred192]

Just for some perspective, I have been in the electronics business for nearly a decade. Working with microelectronics is something I do on a daily basis.

So, imagine my disappointment when I sent a phone to Samsung for warranty service, only to have them return it with reported water damage! This is remarkable, considering the phone has never come into contact with liquid water.

Since my warranty was voided, I took apart my phone and found...no signs of water intrusion! You can find details in a document I sent off to Samsung for review: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/73830636/noteii.htm

What concerns me is that when I contacted them for assistance, all I received was an apology and request that I contact their voice support, which is notorious for being unhelpful and having no escalation procedure.

Is there a way of escalating my claim through Samsung? I would love to have this matter resolved, but I am concerned with their warranty policy.

I'm willing to bet that there are many others like me who have had phones returned with "water damage" but have actually fallen victim to Samsung trying to save a few bucks because they know that people don't have the technical expertise to dispute their claims.

If you have a story similar to mine, I'd like to hear from you. I have a feeling that this happens fairly often, and we would benefit as consumers if we can gather this information into a common knowledge base and raise the issue to Samsung directly.

 

[srkmagnus]

Welcome to the forums!

Well, sorry to hear about this situation. What device are you trying to have Samsung repair? Also, did you try and take the device back to the carrier (assuming you got it through a carrier) for repair or replacement?

With regards to the water damage, Samsung may be referring to the moisture strips that are usually located on the battery and somewhere inside the device casing. Although the device may not have come into contact with water, it may have been subjected to moisture (being kept in a pocket, kept in the bathroom while you take a shower, etc.) and the strips are indicating contact with water. Hopefully you can get this issue resolved quickly.

 

[Kindred192]

Thank you Srkmagnus I wish I had come under better terms!

I purchased the phone out-of-cycle through Amazon, so I don't believe I can go to the carrier for this (lesson learned!) I took the phone to the lab once I got it back and took it apart. The water detection strips (I counted four in all) showed zero water exposure. I don't think Samsung technicians expect people to check their work.

Unfortunately, Samsung's reply to my complaint about this was simply "we can't handle this through our email department, please try our call center at 1-800-...." Trying to reach someone over there who will help has been like beating my head against a brick wall. If anyone around here has any experience dealing with Samsung, I'd be glad to have their input.

I'd love to get some public eyes on this story. Given Samsung's ironclad defense against unhappy customers, I have a feeling this is a common practice. The possibility that so many people are being cheated by false water damage claims makes me feel sick to my stomach.