Apple Care Replacement from Hell?

They have to put a hold on your account for the money in case you don't return the phone. Probably what you are seeing.

zachnelson said:

So the lock button on my iPhone 5 is not operating correctly and I live over an hours drive to an Apple Store, so I figured I'd see if i can get an Apple Care over the phone replacement. "Sure!" the lady said, and prepared all the paperwork and submitted the repair for me. She informed me she'd have to take form of payment details incase I didn't return one of the phones. However she made it clear that I wouldn't be billed unless they didn't receive it.

30 seconds later my checking account has been authorized for $700 and just put me in the hole. Now we're trying to get this cancelled but it's the weekend so that authorization won't clear til Monday or later. So irritating.

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Right.

What if you only had $2.32 in your account and didn't return the phone???

They "authorize" it to make sure it's THERE. It doesn't come out of your account, it just places those funds asie to make sure you have enough to cover them.

But Verizon doesn't replace broken iPhones?

The issue you're having with your account happens with gas stations, hotels, etc. This is exactly while I don't ever use a card associated with my checking account. Ever.

This is standard practice. They will usually tell you not to use a debit card because the funds come out. I've used the debit card option before and they usually they put the funds back in though. Give it a few hours and see what happens.

zachnelson said:

I understand the concept.

First and formost I was told there would be no hold, which irritates me. Secondly, it's a checking account so that hold actually takes funds out from being usable. Third, I wanted to replace through Apple because I wasn't interested in dealing with Verizon's crap, however I'll deal with that because even Verizon doesn't put holds on people's accounts, especially without informing them.

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Then call back, have them pull the call, and get some people fired.

what they PROBABLY said was "there will be no charge". Which there wasn't. Just an authorization. If they told you specifically there will be NO HOLD, then call back and pull the call.

This is nothing new and everyone does it. in a few days the charge will vanish and your money will be back. there is not much other way to check to see if the card will work for that charge.Anytime you order something and it does not ship right away that will happen.

zachnelson said:

Verizon's replaced my broken iPhones before?



My issue is not with the practice, my issue is that I wasn't informed of this when I specifically asked about it. All of you guys will immediately jump on the Apple fan bandwagon it seems. I've just been screwed by poor customer service.

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Just out of curiosity, why did you think they needed the card then? If they weren't going to authorize it, there was no point in getting it, as there was no way of telling it could cover the charge if you kept the phone...

If you want to receive a replacement before you send yours out then they have to put a hold wether you like it or understand it.
If you used a credit card you wouldnt even notice but since you gave them your checking account then those funds are locked till you return your old defective phone.
That's how it works for everyone.
You could have avoided all that if you either went to an apple store or if you contacted apple and had them send you a box and you send yours in first.
Then within a few days you would get the replacement iphone with fedex overnight.
Your choice, you either wait a few days with no phone or you tie up some money for the convinience of not being without a phone.
Im not sure what company you went with but next time contact apple for warranty help not your wireless carrier if that's who you went with.

zachnelson said:

I asked Apple Care if they will put a hold on my card, the lady said no. Now there is a hold.

When you get a replacement via Verizon they don't put a hold on it.

My problem is not with the hold. My problem is that I was mis-informed. I don't have a credit card with a high enough limit for a $700 hold anyway.

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I see.
Probably the particular rep you spoke with was misinformed.
They always do that but I never notice it when I use a credit card. They put the hold and release it when the phone is received so generally nothing is charged on the credit card or shows up on the monthly statement.
But with a checking account its a different story.
Sucks but now you know for next time how it works.
Even if the rep told you they wont, they will. That's how it is for everyone and its not something the rep can waive or change.
Its company policy.
Im not sure how verizon does it but my guess is since you have an account with them if you dont send in your defective phone they can add the charges to your monthly bill.
Apple doesnt have that. If you send them a TV remote controll instead in the box and they dont have a hold on those funds then they will have to spend more money to chase you through court.
Just trying to help you understand it. Companies dont like to lose money.
And yes it is an invonvinience and I understand your frustration. Now you're risking on bouncing checks on that particular checking account since those funds are not available etc...
Sucks

zachnelson said:

I asked Apple Care if they will put a hold on my card, the lady said no. Now there is a hold.

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Your OP says you asked if you'd be billed. This is where it gets confusing, because you haven't been billed.

When you get a replacement via Verizon they don't put a hold on it.

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Are you talking about Asurion, the company that handles Verizon's phone insurance ('protection') claims?

zachnelson said:

I do understand it but it's extremely frustrating.

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And yes its a pain having to deal with that and I understand your frustration. Now you're risking on bouncing checks on that particular checking account if you had outstanding checks since those funds are not available now, paying overdraft fees etc...
Sucks man

This is why its always a good idea to have a spare credit card for things like this.

zachnelson said:

And I'm not sure, when the 4S came out I had a faulty front facing camera. Went into Verizon, they sent me out a brand new one, I sent them back the broken one and all was good.

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The difference is that Verizon can always bill your wireless plan if you had never returned the phone, hence why you never had to give them any financial information. Apple does not bill you monthly, so they need some sort of collateral to make sure they get their phone.

zachnelson said:

So the lock button on my iPhone 5 is not operating correctly and I live over an hours drive to an Apple Store, so I figured I'd see if i can get an Apple Care over the phone replacement. "Sure!" the lady said, and prepared all the paperwork and submitted the repair for me. She informed me she'd have to take form of payment details incase I didn't return one of the phones. However she made it clear that I wouldn't be billed unless they didn't receive it.

30 seconds later my checking account has been authorized for $700 and just put me in the hole. Now we're trying to get this cancelled but it's the weekend so that authorization won't clear til Monday or later. So irritating.

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OF COURSE there's a hold.

What'd you expect? "Yeah we'll just take your word for it. Send it back whenever."

Lol. Seriously dude. They have every right to hold your money because you might go withdraw that $20, never return the phone, and not have enough funds to pay for it.

They have no clue whether or not you will send it back.

that's why people need to manage their finances better and use credit cards. every single store puts holds on your credit card, there's just no other way to make sure you actually have the money.

zachnelson said:

None of my credit cards have high enough limits for a $700 hold, I'm only 18 lol.

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And thus you've answered your own question.

You should have just driven to the Apple Store. You would have had your new phone right away and wouldn't have had to deal with this.

Apple can't take everyone's word and not put a hold on their account because they would end up screwed many times over and be out two phones. This is just the way the world works.

Myiphone7 said:

OF COURSE there's a hold.

What'd you expect? "Yeah we'll just take your word for it. Send it back whenever."

Lol. Seriously dude. They have every right to hold your money because you might go withdraw that $20, never return the phone, and not have enough funds to pay for it.

They have no clue whether or not you will send it back.

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To be fair, they could just put the charge through without an authorisation, it would be the banks problem then, they'd have to get it off the customer. Apple do this sometimes as well when they are replacing your product with an actual new boxed model (Manager replacement basically), they will ask for your card number but they only put 1 dollar hold on it (Even on British cards with Apple UK lol) but would only put the actual charge through if I didn't return the old one. In theory the bank could do a Transaction over Phone/Online no authorisation chargeback but I've never heard or seen of this happening ever.

Your from the US, so it doesn't happen there but a lot of Chip and PIN transactions (EMV cards) and all contactless transactions (Chip and PIN contactless cards, not magstripe only contactless cards) do the transaction offline, i.e the machine takes the card number and batches all of the transactions at night, The company won't know about the charge until it is posted through and the merchant has had no prior authorisation. Today has been a good example, On my UK Amex I've made four transactions today, only one of them is actually showing as pending, 2 of them were contactless and one was in a department store.