What if I "loose" my iPhone 3G?

[Tankgunk]

If I went and got an iPhone 3G, and then called the next day and said that I'd lost the phone and wanted to cancel my contract, they'd let me pay the $70 on the first bill and the $175 ETF fee and end it, right? Or would they force me to wait until after the 30 day period? If so, I'm planning on getting an iPhone and "losing" it. (And then "finding" it as soon as the contract ends.)

New iPhone - $199
Activation Fee - $36
First Month - $70
Early Termination Fee - $175
TOTAL (w/o tax) - $480

Assuming I didn't end up paying for two months of service, it looks significantly cheaper than buying the $599 iPhone 3G. Anyway, just posting this here to make sure that my math is OK and that it is possible to end your contract in the first 30 days and keep the phone.

 

[pintnight]

Committing fraud is what you are doing.

 

[Tankgunk]

Committing fraud is what you are doing.

Then forget the losing part, would they let me keep the iPhone if I paid the ETF?

 

[M0bile]

I don't think you get charged an ETF for "loose"ing your iPhone... that sounds more along the lines of voiding your warranty.

 

[Tankgunk]

I don't think you get charged an ETF for "loose"ing your iPhone... that sounds more along the lines of voiding your warranty.

If they would end the contract without ETF if I "lost" my iPhone, I wouldn't do it. I'm just looking for a good way to make sure I don't end up paying for two months of service. It's confirmed that if you call on the 30th day of having your phone late enough that it's impossible to return it, you pay the ETF and keep the phone. I was just wondering if there was a better way than waiting till the very end.

 

[The General]

loose |loōs|
adjective
1 not firmly or tightly fixed in place : a loose tooth | the truck's trailer came loose.
• detached or able to be detached : a loose board.
• not held or tied together; not packaged or placed in a container : wear your hair loose | pockets bulging with loose change.
• (of a person or animal) free from confinement; not bound or tethered : the bull was loose with cattle in the field | the tethered horses broke loose.
• not strict or exact : a loose interpretation.
• not close or compact in structure : a loose weave | figurative a loose federation of political and industrial groups.
• typical of diarrhea : many patients report loose bowel movements.
2 (of a garment) not fitting tightly or closely : she slipped into a loose T-shirt and shorts.
3 relaxed; physically slack : she swung back into her easy, loose stride | a loose-limbed walk.
• careless and indiscreet in what is said : there is too much loose talk about the situation.
• dated promiscuous; immoral : she ran the risk of being called a loose woman.
• (of the ball in a game) in play but not in any player's possession.

 

[Tankgunk]

loose |loōs|
adjective
...

I'm painfully aware, but I can't change the thread title.

 

[hierobryan]

Here's what you do:

1. Lose your iPhone by placing it on your kitchen table.
2. Have a friend take the phone and hide it for a few hours.
3. Go to your wireless provider and tell them you lost the phone.
4. Have your friend return the 'lost' iPhone to you.

This way it's actually lost, because your friend hid it.

 

[cwosigns]

And you wonder why ***** is so expensive; it's a$$wipes like you that cause insurance rates to go up and make deposits and hidden fees necessary. It's called FRAUD. Honest people pay more because we have to pay your share.

Take the money you save and get an education.

 

[hobbbz]

Do you think At&T is going to come to your house and take the phone from you if you cancel your contract?

They don't care as long as they get their ETF, and $480 up front is a better deal to them than spread out over 2 years.

Don't try and act like you found some sneaky loophole. Call AT&T and cancel your contract. You'll pay the ETF. And then you'll have a contract free iphone with no provider.

 

[Tankgunk]

And you wonder why ***** is so expensive; it's a$$wipes like you that cause insurance rates to go up and make deposits and hidden fees necessary. It's called FRAUD. Honest people pay more because we have to pay your share.

Take the money you save and get an education.

First, I'm not looking to collect on insurance or anything. I'm looking to keep an AT&T rep from trying to pressure me into returning the iPhone if I want to cancel within 30 days. If I save any money doing this aside from a second $70 monthly bill, I won't do it. I'm not trying to work around the ETF fee or anything. Second, I am currently getting an education above high school and I'm willing to wager that it's better than yours.

Don't try and act like you found some sneaky loophole. Call AT&T and cancel your contract. You'll pay the ETF. And then you'll have a contract free iphone with no provider.

I don't think I found a sneaky loophole. Like I said above, I'm just looking to pay the ETF and end the contract without having one of AT&T's stupid support people thinking I must return the phone because it's within 30 days.

Compare to when I called Apple to order a MBP and accessory with a money order and gift card. After finding out I'd have to order the accessory separately to use the gift card, it took a full two minutes to convince the person on the phone that I could handle that separate order online by myself. I could not convince her to let me do that order later until I told a white lie and said that I couldn't find the credit card. It's totally legal to pay the ETF, end the contract, and keep the phone. I was just thinking that having a "lost" iPhone 3G would make the call quicker. If it makes everyone happier, I'll tell the truth and spend twice as long on the phone.

 

[hierobryan]

And you wonder why ***** is so expensive; it's a$$wipes like you that cause insurance rates to go up and make deposits and hidden fees necessary. It's called FRAUD. Honest people pay more because we have to pay your share.

Take the money you save and get an education.

You're wrong. It's greed and the love of money that cause rates to go up and hidden fees.

 

[cwosigns]

First, I'm not looking to collect on insurance or anything. I'm looking to keep an AT&T rep from trying to pressure me into returning the iPhone if I want to cancel within 30 days. If I save any money doing this aside from a second $70 monthly bill, I won't do it. I'm not trying to work around the ETF fee or anything..

You're LYING!!! You will not have lost your iPhone. AT&T has already published their policies that state you need to return your phone if you cancel in under 30 days. You're LYING to avoid getting out of a contract that you already signed and agreed to follow. THAT is fraud, no matter how you look at it.

 

[Tankgunk]

You're LYING!!! You will not have lost your iPhone. AT&T has already published their policies that state you need to return your phone if you cancel in under 30 days. You're LYING to avoid getting out of a contract that you already signed and agreed to follow. THAT is fraud, no matter how you look at it.

If it were against the rules to pay the ETF within the first 30 days I wouldn't do this. The only difference if I called and said I just didn't want to return the phone is that they would try to make me return it before telling me I'd have to pay the ETF. AT&T's statement means that if you pay $199 for the phone and take advantage of their policy where you cancel within 30 days and don't have to pay any bills or fees, you don't keep the phone. I'm not trying to get around the bills and fees. Definition of fraud: "wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain". I'm not going to save money, the only result of me saying that I lost it would be less time on the phone. I'd have to pay the same fees. So it's not fraud, it's simply a lie.

 

[cwosigns]

I'm not going to save money, the only result of me saying that I lost it would be less time on the phone. I'd have to pay the same fees. So it's not fraud, it's simply a lie.

and...

I'm just looking for a good way to make sure I don't end up paying for two months of service.

That, by definition, is fraud.

 

[dukebound85]

I'm painfully aware, but I can't change the thread title.

yes you can.....

 

[645ci]

Dont see a problem with this, if the company was an honest one that treated its customers fairly and not like monoply money i would mind.
But in this case i really dont care, go for it imo.

Ps - which ever idiot said, att would rather have the money upfront than over 18 months is an idiot, ofcourse a business would rather have a confirmed gurantee sum coming over a long period as its going to improove cashflow for the business

 

[mkrishnan]

Enough....

P.S. all users can change the title of their own threads... simply go up to your original post (the very first one in the thread), click the edit button, and then click the go advanced button. If you change the subject/title line here (in between the reason for editing box and the main text box), it will reflect in the thread title.