Apple Stores Selling iPhones for $199/$299 No Matter What!

[Eric Lewis]

okay, so what would stop me from going to the apple store (or an att store for that matter), buying it for $199 with a visa gift card for the proper amount.

then, apple couldnt 'get you' for not activating within 30 days. the credit card would be denied. what if you went to the att store, signed up, refused to give your SS#, used the gift card, and put ur address as a random po box?

at that point, you could then UNLOCK it to still end up using on at&t. haha

to leave the apple store..you have to sign a contract!!!

 

[rowensiv]

yeah, but apples saying that they cant access at&t's systems. if it ends up being 199/299 for sure at apple stores, it would work to use the prepaid gift card. you WOULDNT activate the phone in the apple store, but instead some other way (itunes?).

there are a lot of unknowns now, but if it stays the same, itd work.

 

[thor79]

Well now my BS detector is in overdrive too...sounds too good to be true.

...but I'm willing to wait and see. Can't get mine until the 12th at the earliest anyway so I'll just sit back and see.

Who knows...perhaps people going into AT&T stores could bring this up if true to get the $199/$299 price there. Worth a try if this is true....my nearest Apple store is like an hour away.

 

[fedup flyer]

okay, so what would stop me from going to the apple store (or an att store for that matter), buying it for $199 with a visa gift card for the proper amount.

then, apple couldnt 'get you' for not activating within 30 days. the credit card would be denied. what if you went to the att store, signed up, refused to give your SS#, used the gift card, and put ur address as a random po box?

at that point, you could then UNLOCK it to still end up using on at&t. haha

I think your a little confused. They require you to use a CREDIT card to put at least a portion of the hardware on it. By purchasing the phone you are entering into an agreement to activate within 30 days of purchase or pay the full price for the phone.
Somehow I think the store employees know the difference between a gift card and a credit card (or debit card). Mainly because one has your name on it, whereas a gift card does not. Not to mention that gift cards have a slightly different encoding algorithm.

 

[marksman]

okay, so what would stop me from going to the apple store (or an att store for that matter), buying it for $199 with a visa gift card for the proper amount.

then, apple couldnt 'get you' for not activating within 30 days. the credit card would be denied. what if you went to the att store, signed up, refused to give your SS#, used the gift card, and put ur address as a random po box?

at that point, you could then UNLOCK it to still end up using on at&t. haha

They know if it is a gift card.

 

[n8236]

For all the years I've owned a phone which was subsidized, you must give out some sort of info. I don't feel there is a way around that. The Apple store will NOT let anyone purchase the iPhone w/o any paperwork.

If I had a theory, it would be the serial # on the iPhone be used to activate along with your SS#. Then you can either finish the activation in store or @ home. Basically you need two links. One that links the iPhone to one of your personal info.

Say u go home, punch in your iPhone serial and SS#, tada! iTunes/AT&T will search their database for j00 info and tell you whether you're eligible or not. Then charge you accordingly.

 

[rowensiv]

If I had a theory, it would be the serial # on the iPhone be used to activate along with your SS#. Then you can either finish the activation in store or @ home. Basically you need two links. One that links the iPhone to one of your personal info.

You break that agreement!

Somehow I think the store employees know the difference between a gift card and a credit card (or debit card). Mainly because one has your name on it, whereas a gift card does not. Not to mention that gift cards have a slightly different encoding algorithm.

yeah, i get that! the gift card co. that i use actually puts the persons (my) name on it like a regular credit card. they offer designs that dont say anything about a gift card. it works just like a creditcard except with a preset limit.

If I had a theory, it would be the serial # on the iPhone be used to activate along with your SS#. Then you can either finish the activation in store or @ home. Basically you need two links. One that links the iPhone to one of your personal info.

By law, you aren't required to give them your social.