What are my options?

[HeatM1ser2k4]

When the Samsung Galaxy s10 first came out, I signed up for Sprint. The special was that if you went with Sprint, you would get the s10 for free. They charged me full price for the phone every month for the first 5 or 6 months. It required me to call and spend at least 30 minutes on the phone with them, and usually more than an hour. One time it took 2.5 hours on the phone. I stopped paying them and went with Mint Mobile. BTW, Mint Mobile is really amazing for a prepaid company. Anyway, I still have the s10, and now I have collections letters. I'm not sure if the Sprint-Tmobile merger changed howw the phone was network locked to Sprint. What are my options to recoup some of my losses?

 

[tRidiot]

What are your losses?

It sounds like you signed a contract for service in return for a free phone. Although this isn't free, it's subsidized by your 2 years of service. Most of the time, in the fine print, if you cancel your service before the 2 (or lately 3) years of service, you will owe the cost of the phone, possibly prorated, as well as a termination fee. It sounds like they were adding the cost of the phone to your bill, but you fought with them and got it taken off each month. You never actually paid for the phone, did you? Like shell out $1000+ for the phone?

I don't know that you have much of an option. They're going after your credit. You got a phone that was over $1000 retail for free, they want something for that.


I'm trying to figure out what you are out that you are hoping to "recoup" from them?

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

I didnt mean to start any confrontation, but it sounds like you're just taking the opportunity to lecture me on things I already know. Things that are common sense. No, they never actually fixed the issue with my bill, and continued to bill me for the phone. Thats why I switched to Mint Mobile. The way I look at it, and correct me if I'm wrong, since they have sent me to collections then they are trying to colleect money from me, not the phone itself. Now I'm trying to figure out if the phone can be sold, or unlocked and sold, or another option. I thought it was pretty clear, but you didnt provide an answer, just a lecture. BTW, why DID you reply if you werent going to answer my question?

 

[tRidiot]

This isn't a confrontation, and you're not being attacked. I was simply discussing the scenario, as you were NOT clear what your question was. Sounds to me like you're now asking if you can unlock this phone and sell it. My opinion is, I doubt it. They have lots of tricks now to keep phones from being unlocked, especially if they're considered stolen or 'contract terms not fulfilled'.

If you want to feel attacked, be my guest. That wasn't my intention, but your attitude certainly doesn't endear me to help. Have a nice day in the City of Brotherly Love.

 

[EarthDog]

His post is quite valid...

So... you've been sent to collections because your bill was in error and you didn't pay it. Right?

What I would do is deal with the collections agency and tell them the story to get it resolved once and for all. You're going to need to come armed with the contract that proves you got said phone for free. Show that you paid the full remainder in full as well.

As tridiot astutely mentioned already, you're bound to the contract you signed so I'm not sure what you want to recoup either. As far as the contract, surely there was an early termination fee and stipulation on what to do with the phone (keep and unlock/keep and locked/return for credit etc). Perhaps this is common sense stuff....but doesn't seem like it was done/followed/known. To me, at this point, all you're doing is clearing the mark on your credit and moving on. Find out what you can do with the phone (call/email is what I would do).

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

If they sent me to collections, then they essentially sold my remaining balance to a collection agency. That included the "free" phone I was supposed to have. I have all the paperwork and contact history. That stuff will be important for dealing with the collection agency..but I will never use that phone since I went with another company. Why wouldnt I want to see if I could resell it? I just dont want to do anything dishonest.

 

[EarthDog]

I dont think seeing what you can do with the phone now is a problem.

It seemed like you were already doing that and wanted something more? It was just vague. Anyway, yeah, find out what you can/can't do.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

I dont think seeing what you can do with the phone now is a problem.

It seemed like you were already doing that and wanted something more? It was just vague. Anyway, yeah, find out what you can/can't do.

The phone has just been sitting around for a year or so...may as well see what I can get for it. I just dont want to screw someone in the process.

 

[EarthDog]

You can only screw yourself by not checking.

Keep us posted!

 

[habbajabba]

You screwed yourself by buying the phone from the carrier and then letting them tell you you owe them $. Usually they will flatout refuse to unlock it after this happens. Doesn't matter if it's $3 or $300. NEVER EVER EVER get your phone from the carrier. Wgaf if you owe them btw. Just sell the thing and be done with it. Good luck with that btw. Samsung is the biggest pos one can own imo.
I remember this one time I walked into the store, layed down like $400 cash for a phone they advertised and they said would ship to me. They never did and then I had to fight with them to give me my money back. I ended up just cancelling their BS altogether and went elsewhere. Never did get that phone either.
I tried mint when they first came out. It was right at the beginning of the 'pandemic'. They emailed me one month in to my 3 month plan and offered to give me a month free as a new customer as a form of 'relief'. The following month I received another email saying I had one month left. I called them and said where's the free month and they acted like I was hallucinating even after I sent them a copy of the first email. I signed up with someone else right before my 'plan' ran out and right after that my CC was compromised overseas. They were the ONLY people I gave my CC# to over the phone so I know how that happened. My new carrier is even cheaper than mint so It was good that they SUCK. lol (I only lost like 18cents after the bank refunded me a frickin day later). Banks are truly scum. They'll watch people kill each other if it makes them money.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

You can only screw yourself by not checking.

Keep us posted!

I found a website, www.cell4pets.com that says they buy network locked phones. They have agood rating on Trustpilot, but most of the reveiws are from people with just 1 or 2 reviews all time. That makes me suspicious, so I have to do more reasearch. I'll update this when I know more.

You screwed yourself by buying the phone from the carrier and then letting them tell you you owe them $. Usually they will flatout refuse to unlock it after this happens. Doesn't matter if it's $3 or $300. NEVER EVER EVER get your phone from the carrier. Wgaf if you owe them btw. Just sell the thing and be done with it. Good luck with that btw. Samsung is the biggest pos one can own imo.
I remember this one time I walked into the store, layed down like $400 cash for a phone they advertised and they said would ship to me. They never did and then I had to fight with them to give me my money back. I ended up just cancelling their BS altogether and went elsewhere. Never did get that phone either.
I tried mint when they first came out. It was right at the beginning of the 'pandemic'. They emailed me one month in to my 3 month plan and offered to give me a month free as a new customer as a form of 'relief'. The following month I received another email saying I had one month left. I called them and said where's the free month and they acted like I was hallucinating even after I sent them a copy of the first email. I signed up with someone else right before my 'plan' ran out and right after that my CC was compromised overseas. They were the ONLY people I gave my CC# to over the phone so I know how that happened. My new carrier is even cheaper than mint so It was good that they SUCK. lol (I only lost like 18cents after the bank refunded me a frickin day later). Banks are truly scum. They'll watch people kill each other if it makes them money.

I'm with you. Insurance companies, banks, or any other company thats large enough to recieve government funding and tax breaks will screw anyone over for a dime. Its worse if you're one of their employees. This reminded me why I always refused to sign a cell phone contract. Never again. Was my mistake...I'm the one who entered into a contract that Sprint can hold me accountable for, but they dont have to be held accountable for.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

Well, apparently there are websites that check and confirm IMEI numbers, and whether or not a phone has been blacklisted. He ran mine and said it was clean, and not blacklisted. He then encouraged me to sell my phone and help displaced animals find a home

 

[EarthDog]

So.... You're going with what that site says versus contacting the provider and asking for sure? Bud.... I dont think you have any right to sell that phone. It may not be 'blacklisted' (w/e that means), but I don't think it's yours to do as you please either.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

You entered a contract with Sprint for a free phone in return of being a customer for X number of months. Whether they billed you incorrectly, and it was a PITA or not, is irrelevant here. You broke the contract. They have every right to send your account to collections here for the value of the phone, as you broke the contract by ending your service with them. Suck it up and pay them.

 

[Janus67]

Agreed with the above. Your credit is going to take a hit as well if you don't get this rectified.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

So.... You're going with what that site says versus contacting the provider and asking for sure? Bud.... I dont think you have any right to sell that phone. It may not be 'blacklisted' (w/e that means), but I don't think it's yours to do as you please either.

I havent done anything yet, except get info from the guy. He gave me a few website to check on, then encouraged me to sell it to them, if I wanted to. That's all. I came in here to find out my options because I wanted to do the right thing, while also recovering some of the money the collection agency says I owe. Why would you guys assume the worse?

 

[EarthDog]

Why would you guys assume the worse?

I don't think we're so much assuming the worst as we are following the story where it's going.

That said, you consistently asking for reparations is a bit curious considering (what we know about) the situation. You aren't really 'recovering' money from a collections agency but clearing your name and credit. From what we know, nobody owes you a thing (as in money back to you).

You need to work with whoever currently holds the debt and explain the situation. But if you just stopped paying on a contract because they screwed up the billing, you're still on the hook for the contract as ATM explained previously.

 

[HeatM1ser2k4]

You're making stuff up to benefit you, and its rather racist to say I was asking for reparations. How does trying to figure out my options on a phone that I was charged full price and sent to collections over asking for any sort of reparations? You need to stop assuming assuming the worst of people, if we're telling each other what each needs to do. You're also a grown *** man who doesnt want to be told what you should and shouldnt do in a public forum, so why the double standard? This is ridiculous.

 

[EarthDog]

You're making stuff up to benefit you, and its rather racist to say I was asking for reparations. How does trying to figure out my options on a phone that I was charged full price and sent to collections over asking for any sort of reparations? You need to stop assuming assuming the worst of people, if we're telling each other what each needs to do. You're also a grown *** man who doesnt want to be told what you should and shouldnt do in a public forum, so why the double standard? This is ridiculous.

Making stuff up? Fella, my only crime here, at worst, is misunderstanding.

Racist? Reparations is simply defined as... "the making of amends for wrong or injury done"
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/reparation

...aren't you asking for money because you feel you were wronged? You've said this twice now...

while also recovering some of the money the collection agency says I owe

What are my options to recoup some of my losses?

...you're essentially asking for reparations. You feel wronged and want money for it. This has absolutely NOTHING to do with race.

What im trying to say is , from the story we've been told, you can't get money back. You OWE money for breaching the contract. The phone is likely NOT yours to sell (unless perhaps you were sent off to collections for the entire cost of the phone - which we trying to help don't know). If you want to go down that path, you need to find out from the collections agency, not some random website. You could simply turn the phone in and be done with it...who knows. But you need to figure that part out from the right people first.

Good luck with your endeavor.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Locked. This has gone as far as it needs to.