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iPhone Deposit Question

M

mikebench

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 20, 2009
1
0
Hey all,

Newbie here.

Went to Wal-Mart today to buy an iPhone and (I'm 18 and haven't established much credit) they wanted a $500 deposit.

However, I go online through the AT&T Premier Store, and there is NO deposit required...

Did Wal Mart make a mistake or what? I don't want to be docked $500 after submitting my order..
 
mikebench said:
Hey all,

Newbie here.

Went to Wal-Mart today to buy an iPhone and (I'm 18 and haven't established much credit) they wanted a $500 deposit.

However, I go online through the AT&T Premier Store, and there is NO deposit required...

Did Wal Mart make a mistake or what? I don't want to be docked $500 after submitting my order..
Click to expand...

I am not sure who they use to run credit, but when I moved to AT&T they said they same thing. I have great credit, house, car, credit cards paid off... I was like WTF. So I asked them to call their credit department and ask why. (You have that right). Their credit department imediatly said oh sorry yeah no deposit is needed. I asked them why they wanted one in the first place and they could not give me an answer. I asked for a supervisor and the "manager" told me that my Social Security Number came up attached to an account already, Some Lady in Detroit. I asked how to remove my Social from that account and the manager said that he would do it right now and that it was all cleared up.

I checked my credit when I got home and there was nothing there that shouldn't have been.

I think AT&T credit check is a not 100%
 
I am going to be in the same boat in January. My parents have gone through a bankruptcy and it is over now. It has been for a year. We have a contract with Verizon right now. I was wondering how much of a deposit we were going to have to pay when we switch. It would be cheaper than me getting my own account probably. I am a college student with no credit at all.

Anyone know if you order online if you have to pay a deposit? We were planning on going in the store.
 
mikebench said:
Went to Wal-Mart today to buy an iPhone and (I'm 18 and haven't established much credit) they wanted a $500 deposit.

Did Wal Mart make a mistake or what? I don't want to be docked $500 after submitting my order..
Click to expand...

Remember that you are dealing with hourly employees here who probably have little training. They follow whatever pops up on their screen, and for some reason your SSN brought up a flag. Maybe try an AT&T store or just buy it online. If they don't ask for a deposit at time of purchase, you're golden.
 
did anyone else find out if this was true? I'm in the same boat. 18 and they want a $500 deposit in-store but nothing online.
 
bigmike8946 said:
haha. wow no. I just googled this question and this site came up. Seriously.
Click to expand...

I would not be surprised if they actually did require a deposit from an 18-year-old with little or no credit history. That's what I had to go through when I bought my first cellphone (back in 1992 LOL). If what was true back then is still true now, you should get your deposit back after a year.
 
AT&T is the provider

I think they have the final say on it. ;) if they catch it or when they catch it and what they do about it is anybody's guess. remember this is Mac Rumors try looking for Mac Facts or AT&T Facts :p good luck but nobody can answer you or that other deposit post for sure 100%
 
Yeah it is a $500 depoist you get back a year later, in 2007 when the original iPhone was released I was 18 with no credit and I had to pay the deposit as well. The scary thing was the iPhone was $599 at the time.. Cost nearly $1200 upfront just to walk out the store with iPhone in hand.. Granted, the $500 the following year is like an early x-mas present to yourself Haha:rolleyes:
 
I have never heard of this.

Why are you buying it at Wal-Mart? Go to an AT&T store dude.
 
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