Beware of Samsung's Trade-up Program

talismansa on 03/02/2023 - 11:14

Back in Sep 2021, I made a trade up from my S8 to S21+.
I had to send in photos of the conditions of my S8 before they could give me a trade in value.
The phone had some cracks on the front, and they appraised the trade in value at $20.
These are the photos of the phone I sent in: https://imgur.com/a/V1fknmk

So I never recieved any information on how to return the S8, and during the last 15 months, I used the S8 a few times and I cut up an old screen protector to stick over the corner of the crack to prevent any further damage.

So last month I recieved an email from Samsung to return the S8, which I did. The phone is in the exact same condition as back in Sep 2021, except it had a piece of screen protector stuck on the corner.

Then I get this email:

Unfortunately, after inspecting your original device, our team has found that its physical condition is not consistent with what you declared to us when you completed your Trade-Up.

As a result of our assessment, we are adjusting the credit you received for your device. We will be charging your nominated credit card a Mis-grading Device Fee of $75. This amount is the difference between the trade-in credit you received, and the current market value of the device based on its condition. For more information about this fee, please refer to the Samsung Trade-Up Terms and Conditions.

If you are unhappy with this outcome and would like to discuss it with one of our friendly staff, please contact us by clicking on the “contact us” link below.

These are the photos of the phone they recieved. https://imgur.com/a/DYw9OcO
Can you tell any difference in condition?

So obviously I tried to contact them, but the link they provided does not provide any option to contact their "friendly staff". There's a chat box, but it's just a bot and there's no option to talk to anyone.

Regardless, even if they're correct that the condition is consistent, the trade in value was only $20, so how did they even come up with a difference of $75?

I hope everyone keeps a record of their trade in.

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Comments

  • trustnoone on 03/02/2023 - 11:17

    Brother had a similar issue and had to find the Samsung CEO email and message them instead. Then some employee finally had a proper look into it.

  • CyberMurning on 03/02/2023 - 11:17

    they are the lord of the scammer! same here out of the blue after 11 months i got email saying please return ….

  • Stopback on 03/02/2023 - 11:36

    I said i had a cracked screen and it didn't allow me to trade in last time

  • pegaxs on 03/02/2023 - 11:37

    Send them an email back stating that you are only obliged to hold their items for 90 days, after that, storage fees have accumulated on storage of the device at $1 per day. Send them an invoice for the outstanding amount of storage fees.

  • Drakesy on 03/02/2023 - 11:41
    +3

    Hmm
    When i did it they had a bonus trade in of $400 on top of whatever phone you had.

    Had a cracked s9+ which was valued at something like $50, bought an S22+, never sent the phone in, they charged me a $75 admin fee and i never heard from them again.

    Still was $325 ahead.

  • djsweet on 03/02/2023 - 11:58
    +2

    So hang on, instead of giving you money for your phone, they are going to charge you $55 for taking it off your hands. Or is there more to this?

    • talismansa on 03/02/2023 - 12:05
      +1

      That is literally what they're doing.
      And what's even funnier is that when I recieved their "reminder" to send back the phone, they threatened to charge me $60 if I don't return it.
      So I could have kept the phone and been $15 better off.

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 03/02/2023 - 13:37
      -1

      There's more to this - see my post below.

  • djsweet on 03/02/2023 - 12:08

    I wonder if you can use a Revolut single-use card with these jokers. At least then they would have to send a debt collector after you for any arbitrary charges they decide to bill you for.

    • follow on 03/02/2023 - 12:14

      yes 🤫
      they can't do that if they don't have you "real" details…..

      • DOGGYWOWWOW on 03/02/2023 - 15:56

        From my experience, they put a pending "hold" on your card for the value of the trade but it goes away in a week or so. I suppose you could delete the card after the hold disappears.

        • lgacb08 on 04/02/2023 - 23:20

          that's long gone, since last year or so they actually put an actual charge on the card and you only get a refund after they got the phone.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 03/02/2023 - 13:36
    +3

    Your post is completely misleading.

    The Trade Up Program gives you a $200-400 "trade in" bonus + your trade in (in your case $20)

    You received a $220-$420 benefit\discount to buy your S21+ and Samsung want to deduct $75 from that.

    • talismansa on 04/02/2023 - 07:50

      So are you saying that without the "bonus" i would have had to pay them $180 to take my S8?
      The "bonus" was the promotional figure given regardless of the condition of the S8. If I traded in the phone outside of the promotional period, it would still have been $20.

      But all of this is moot since the returned phone is in the same condition as when they assessed the phone.
      So there is nothing more to this other than them trying to rip me off.

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 04/02/2023 - 08:14

        So even now, nearly 24 hours later after posting, you still haven't read the T&Cs?

        Guess I shouldn't be shocked.

        • talismansa on 04/02/2023 - 13:31

          I know you're trying to win an argument on the internet, but you could at least address the main issue of this scam, which is THE PHONE THEY RECEIVED IS IN FACT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I DECLARED.

          So before we even go to the T&C's, why don't you try and explain that to me?

          • ensanguined on 04/02/2023 - 15:20

            @talismansa: So I never recieved any information on how to return the S8…

            LOL!

          • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 05/02/2023 - 10:42

            @talismansa: Your own words "except it had a piece of screen protector stuck on the corner."

            And you didn't return it for 15 months.

            Just lol.

            Caps lock use just proves you know you're lost here.

  • currentfad on 03/02/2023 - 14:07
    +3

    Jesus christ at least wipe the Dorito grease off your phone…

    • Kiro on 03/02/2023 - 14:11
      +2

      that looks like a zinger box meal to me.

    • Motek Benzona on 04/02/2023 - 08:23
      +3

      looks like the phone needs disenfecting. "I cant wait to finish my wicked wings before i take this photo, it has to be NOW"

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