So my first iPhone 6 that I returned months ago was recently sent back to me

[TH55]

I initially bought a 6 a few months ago from the Apple Online Store through the AT&T NEXT plan and I went to return it on the 15th day thinking it was the 14th day (I thought it was 14 days from the date of receipt) and the Apple Store wouldn't accept it. I then called AT&T who said they were perfectly happy to return it for me and to send it back to them.

Apparently this employee was misinformed and I was supposed to send it back to Apple. However, upon calling Apple they said the device had been paid for by AT&T and was in my/AT&T's hands now. I called AT&T again and they said the return had been processed and I was only being charged for one phone. Did I just get a free phone or will it eventually come to their attention?

 

[mattopotamus]

I initially bought a 6 a few months ago from the Apple Online Store through the AT&T NEXT plan and I went to return it on the 15th day thinking it was the 14th day (I thought it was 14 days from the date of receipt) and the Apple Store wouldn't accept it. I then called AT&T who said they were perfectly happy to return it for me and to send it back to them.

Apparently this employee was misinformed and I was supposed to send it back to Apple. However, upon calling Apple they said the device had been paid for by AT&T and was in my/AT&T's hands now. I called AT&T again and they said the return had been processed and I was only being charged for one phone. Did I just get a free phone or will it eventually come to their attention?

It is 14 days from the date on the receipt. If you bought the phone on 1/14 it would have to be returned on or before 1/28.

 

[617aircav]

Only time will tell. Nobody here can tell you if you will be charged or not. Why not cal ATT and confirm.

 

[yaboyac29]

back with the 3GS i had something similar happen with rogers in canada.

i got a replacement iPhone 3GS from rogers, sent the old one back. 3 months later they sent me back the original stating "this is not a rogers phone" -- no mention of sending back the replacement they sent.

i sold it to my cousins gf at the time for some nice cash.

funny how it was the same phone i did an upgrade with just months before that.

 

[TH55]

It is 14 days from the date on the receipt. If you bought the phone on 1/14 it would have to be returned on or before 1/28.

No the day of receipt is day 1, so it's 13 days from that day. I know, completely misleading, I was pissed. It must happen all the time bc most people wait til the last possible day to return things to have as much time to make their decision as possible.

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Only time will tell. Nobody here can tell you if you will be charged or not. Why not cal ATT and confirm.

Just got off the phone w AT&T. Apparently the current phone I have and have been using (I ended up buying another iPhone 6 weeks later after realizing the 4S was too small and slow now) I am not being charged for. The IMEI number, AT&T's unique identifier, for this phone is not the same as the one of the phone I am paying for. The phone I am being charged for is the original one that was sent back to me. I am not paying for the new phone, I wonder if this was just a mistake in paperwork and they mixed the two up somehow? I feel like I should've kept my mouth shut and enjoyed getting lucky, or do you think I wouldve eventually gotten charged for the newer one? The only thing I feel like really needed to be confirmed was that my AppleCare was under my current phones IMEI/serial #.

 

[T5BRICK]

No the day of receipt is day 1, so it's 13 days from that day. I know, completely misleading, I was pissed. It must happen all the time bc most people wait til the last possible day to return things to have as much time to make their decision as possible.

I just checked the receipt from the iPhone I purchased on 1/7 and it says the return date is 1/21. That's 14 days, not counting the first day.

 

[mattopotamus]

I just checked the receipt from the iPhone I purchased on 1/7 and it says the return date is 1/21. That's 14 days, not counting the first day.

This actually made me look at my receipt. Mine was purchased on 12/22 from apple. My return date says January 5, 2015, but 1 day earlier if purchased with a carrier plan.

So it is 14 days, but 13 if bought with a plan.

 

[lordofthereef]

The answer to your question is: Maybe you got a "free" phone, due to error, maybe you didn't. Really isn't a way for anyone here to tell you if the error will be caught; that's going to depend on whether the device itself gets tracked and the account linked to audited. I would say there is a decent chance of you ending up with a free phone. I won't say what the right thing to do here is though; I think you know.

Considering AT&T was misinformed once, I still wouldn't be terribly surprised if they were misinformed a second time (and thus will actually bill you for the full MSRP of the device).

 

[TH55]

The answer to your question is: Maybe you got a "free" phone, due to error, maybe you didn't. Really isn't a way for anyone here to tell you if the error will be caught; that's going to depend on whether the device itself gets tracked and the account linked to audited. I would say there is a decent chance of you ending up with a free phone. I won't say what the right thing to do here is though; I think you know.

Considering AT&T was misinformed once, I still wouldn't be terribly surprised if they were misinformed a second time (and thus will actually bill you for the full MSRP of the device).

Yeah. Being a pretty moral person, conscience took over and I called back to further investigate - it turns out there is no record of it. It is on file that I have now tried several times to return the phone but the management couldn't seem to figure it out and said happy new year! Looks like I got a free phone!! I still feel slightly guilty but I'm a pretty loyal customer, every now and then you get lucky . How much are they going for, what could I get for it on eBay?

 

[lordofthereef]

How much are they going for, what could I get for it on eBay?

That seems like a pretty easy thing for you to check out yourself.

 

[vmaniqui]

doing the right thing is always the best decision you can make....

update: i guess you did try your best to rectify the error and with a clean conscience. you did the right thing and it's up to ATT then. happy new year.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

Yeah. Being a pretty moral person, conscience took over and I called back to further investigate - it turns out there is no record of it. It is on file that I have now tried several times to return the phone but the management couldn't seem to figure it out and said happy new year! Looks like I got a free phone!! I still feel slightly guilty but I'm a pretty loyal customer, every now and then you get lucky . How much are they going for, what could I get for it on eBay?

Hopefully it doesn't get blacklisted after you sell it.

 

[TH55]

Hopefully it doesn't get blacklisted after you sell it.

Yeah, like they wouldn't be able to activate it?

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doing the right thing is always the best decision you can make....

update: i guess you did try your best to rectify the error and with a clean conscience. you did the right thing and it's up to ATT then. happy new year.

Thank you! #

 

[lordofthereef]

Yeah, like they wouldn't be able to activate it?

The carrier can list the phone as blacklisted meaning it will not work on any U.S. Networks. I'm unsure if activation can or would ever be a problem since the phone is technically unlocked.

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Yeah, like they wouldn't be able to activate it?

The carrier can list the phone as blacklisted meaning it will not work on any U.S. Networks. I'm unsure if activation can or would ever be a problem since the phone is technically unlocked. I wouldn't be as worried about this as you just flat out being billed for the phone but that's based in no evidence other than my gut lol.

 

[TH55]

The carrier can list the phone as blacklisted meaning it will not work on any U.S. Networks. I'm unsure if activation can or would ever be a problem since the phone is technically unlocked.

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The carrier can list the phone as blacklisted meaning it will not work on any U.S. Networks. I'm unsure if activation can or would ever be a problem since the phone is technically unlocked. I wouldn't be as worried about this as you just flat out being billed for the phone but that's based in no evidence other than my gut lol.

Yeah, worst case scenario. Is the old original phone still pre-loaded with or attached to my number in any way? Like when whoever I sell it to goes to activate it will it de-activate my number?

 

[lordofthereef]

Yeah, worst case scenario. Is the old original phone still pre-loaded with or attached to my number in any way? Like when whoever I sell it to goes to activate it will it de-activate my number?

That I couldn't tell you for sure. I would assume not because a system like that would be rather stupid way for their system to work lol.

 

[TH55]

That I couldn't tell you for sure. I would assume not because a system like that would be rather stupid way for their system to work lol.

Yeah lol

 

[got556]

I think you have went above and beyond to be helpful to Apple and AT&T.

Use the phone you were sent back to not worry about black list issues. Sell the phone you were currently using.

 

[TH55]

I think you have went above and beyond to be helpful to Apple and AT&T.

Use the phone you were sent back to not worry about black list issues. Sell the phone you were currently using.

Meaning the phone I am using could be blacklisted if they discover it is unaccounted for?

 

[lordofthereef]

Meaning the phone I am using could be blacklisted if they discover it is unaccounted for?

I think the point is that AT&T can blackslist either phone if they discover it is unaccounted for. Whether they will or not is the question. This is such a unique situation that I hardly expect anyone would be able to give you a definitive answer lest they be fairly high up the food chain with AT&T.