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Shady T-Mobile store rep when buying iPhone?

dontwalkhand

dontwalkhand

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jul 5, 2007
6,579
3,252
Phoenix, AZ
The guy at T-Mobile when getting my dad his iPhone 5 added insurance to the plan stating that it is required for all smartphone purchases. And that all we have to do is call customer service after we leave and take the insurance off.

Something tells me this guy just wanted more commission.
 
dontwalkhand said:
The guy at T-Mobile when getting my dad his iPhone 5 added insurance to the plan stating that it is required for all smartphone purchases. And that all we have to do is call customer service after we leave and take the insurance off.

Something tells me this guy just wanted more commission.
Click to expand...

Probably trying to meet quota.
 
dontwalkhand said:
The guy at T-Mobile when getting my dad his iPhone 5 added insurance to the plan stating that it is required for all smartphone purchases. And that all we have to do is call customer service after we leave and take the insurance off.

Something tells me this guy just wanted more commission.
Click to expand...

The same thing happened to be when I signed up on the 12th. I told the guy helping that I didn't want the insurance and that I will possibly buy AppleCare+ for my iPhone. The manager came up and said the same thing how buying insurance will be required and theirs is better than AC+. I told them no I didn't want to add it and I didn't feel like be upsold on crap I did not want. I wanted to pay for my iPhone, leave AT&T (spotty service) and be on my merry way. They even tried to sell me on the accessory "deal" they were having for the iPhone.

After hearing that, the manager of the store said he'd give me a "free" month of the insurance ($11.99) or whatever - total BS. I created a T-Mobile account online just for convenience purposes to pay my bill, whatever. Lo and behold the "free" insurance was on my bill.

I just removed it from my account online and it came off my bill. No need to call up customer service.

Anyway, you just have to be vigilant on what's going on and don't suckered into their schemes. It could happen at any carrier, or in fact anywhere.
 
Last edited:
My brother and I both got the i5 last Monday. I noticed when I got home the rep added insurance on both the lines. Not sure why either we didn't ask.
 
Yikes! I'd be pissed.

The T-Mobile reps around here are great. I asked the rep to take the handset insurance off once I bought my iPhone because I was going to get Applecare+ and she did it while agreeing that Apple is better than Asurion. Though she did remind me that Applecare+ doesn't cover lost/stolen devices, which I guess some people wouldn't know.
 
Just a thought, but maybe each store has discretion as to what they sell with the phones. I know this is a common practice with new console launches (or was). The bundle a bunch of stuff like extra controllers and games (no I am not talking about a bundle from the factory, but rather a bundle created by the store) and requiring that you buy all of this to get your hand on the console. I have no idea if this is the case, but since someone mentioned that a person at management level said that this was the store's policy, I would find this to be a stronger possibility.
 
It's not required at any of the Tmobile corporate stores.

They were trying to force it on you on order to increase their commission or meet some quota. It's easily removed by just going online and taking it off though.
 
dontwalkhand said:
The guy at T-Mobile when getting my dad his iPhone 5 added insurance to the plan stating that it is required for all smartphone purchases. And that all we have to do is call customer service after we leave and take the insurance off.

Something tells me this guy just wanted more commission.
Click to expand...

Insurance is NOT required when purchasing any device from T-Mobile. You can luckily cancel it at an time. With Apple you have a one year warrant or the option to purchase Apple Care from them which is a much better route to take than T-Mobiles insurance scam, I mean coverage.
 
CEmajr said:
It's not required at any of the Tmobile corporate stores.

They were trying to force it on you on order to increase their commission or meet some quota. It's easily removed by just going online and taking it off though.
Click to expand...

T-Mobile has 60 day charge backs. Even if the customer wants insurance when leaving the store but removes it on day 59, the rep will make no commission on the feature.

We do have reports for the insurance and it's usually good when we stay in the green but we never add it without telling the customer. If the customer is indecisive at first, we tell them we're adding it and they can always come back to have it removed or call in to customer care. Most of our customers do get the insurance because the closest Apple Store is ~55 minutes away (not in Manhattan right now) so they're SOL regardless what happens if they don't have the insurance package.

I do agree that AppleCare+ is better if you're good with not losing the phone but in this area most people don't want to drive an hour just to replace their handset. All in all, it was shady they added it on and said it'll 'fall off'. We give the pamphlet to each customer as well as a card with the deductible information and such.
 
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