AT&T

I have been an AT&T customer for more than 10 years and recently I got a new phone from this store. In all the years that I have been an AT&T customer, I have only replaced 2 phones and each time due to the phone getting old with a failing battery. Lately, I got a phone from this AT&T store where I requested a new phone. I went in with the expectation of signing another contract with a new phone for 2 years. Instead a sales personnel sold me a phone without contract by stating it was the better deal. The choices were:



1) $199 for the phone with 2 year contract.

2) $27 for 12 months with no contract.



Initially I wanted the $199 deal but ultimately the sales rep convinced me that spending a bit more without the contract has its benefits. What he failed to mentioned was that for the $199 deal, I get to keep the phone. The other deal requires me to return the phone to AT&T after 12 months or I have the option to pay $27 for another 8 months to own the phone (essentially paying full price for the phone). When I saw the initial bill, $550+ was charged to AT&T. I mentioned this to the sales rep and he assured me that I'll still be paying $27 a month as mentioned and this was charged to AT&T not me.



When the first AT&T bill came, I was shocked to noticed that I had to pay $27 for 20 months. This was inconsistent to what I was sold. I went back to the store and this time talked to another sales rep. They wouldn't change me to a 2 year contract because the 14-days grace period for returns are over and I have signed an agreement with them.



I am currently mad as I was blatantly duped by this sales rep with misleading information. I will find all avenues of complaints that I can find as I will not rest until I get this thing fixed. My final option that I dread is to drop AT&T as my carrier all together but in the mean time, I will halt payment and try to resolve this with the AT&T parent company.



I believe due to the bad nature of how commissions are made in these stores, some of these sales reps are dishonest and I believe some customers will not complain because of a signed agreement. I find that AT&T (the parent company) is also to blame as they always try to hide the full cost of these things from their customer and always have hidden costs behind all their services.



By one mad customer.