Manufacturer Warranties and Protection Plans

[scott22xx]

I purchased a new Samsung Epic 4G on 10/17. When I bought the phone I was presented with the option of going with the Geek Squad insurance instead of the Sprint insurance. It was $3 more a month, but it appealed to me because there is no deductable and you don't get refurbs (supposedly).  So I decided to try the Geek Squad Black Tie Protection.

On 11/2, the screen on my precious phone mysteriously went black. I brought it into Best Buy on 11/3. They set me up with a loaner ($150 deposit) and sent me on my way.

Today (11/23), I got a phone call telling me my phone was ready to pick up. I was so excited to have my phone back.

I showed up at the store to pick up my phone and, upon inspecting it, found that it was not in the same condition that I had brought it to Best Buy in. When I brought the phone in, it was just over 2 weeks old. The phone had absolutely no dents/scratches/marks of any kind. When I picked the phone up, the Geek Squad person I was dealing with asked me if I was having problems charging and told me they had to re-solder my charging port (which made no sense because I wasn’t having a problem charging, just a black screen). When I was looking over the phone I noticed scuffs on the keys on the slide out keyboard (from it rubbing as it slides in and out) that were not there before. I also noticed a big mar (very deep gouges) on the corner of the phone as if somebody had taken a pair of pliers to it. There were also scratches on the screen of the phone.

Yes, these are only cosmetic flaws in the phone, but they were not there before. They happened at some time when the phone was in the possession of the Geek Squad. The GS rep I was dealing with said the only thing he could do was send the phone back to get the cosmetic damages repaired. I was very hesitant to send my phone out again because it takes so long to get it back, but I had to do it as a matter of principle. Now I am angry and still without my phone.

I would highly recommend avoiding Geek Squad insurance based on this and plethora of other negative reviews, which I wish I had read before signing up.

I would have switched to Sprint TEP, but BB had my phone.

GEEK SQUAD BLACK TIE PROTECTION = BAD NEWS!!!

And yes, Best Buy, I’m telling everyone I know!!!

[Nokia]

Ignore the description of the work done. The service center that BB uses never puts in an accurate description.

It's unlikely that the service center will repair the damage, as the BTP plan does not cover cosmetic damage. But you're right, it should've returned in the same condition it was sent out in.

[scott22xx]

I accidentally clicked on "accept as solution"... However, this is not an acceptable solution. Therefore, I'm re-posting it.

Also, the service center can't even put in an accurate description of the work they do?!?! Yeah, that sounds legit... not really.

One thing that is likely is me making a big scene in BB if I see my phone again in the same condition it was today.

[Nokia]

If you click on the options menu at the top right of my post, you can unmark it as solved.

[JoshSB]

Only Touchstone can have issues with their notes if you ask me. Usually the Service Centers for laptops and desktops is pretty good with their descriptions.

[Nokia]

Yeah Josh, sorry, I should've clarified that. BB uses third-party service centers for phones and for cameras (though not the same one).

[Melissa-BBY Senior Social Media Specialist]

Hi scott22xx,

As someone who takes good care of their cell phone, I was very disappointed to read that yours had been returned with damages that were not present when you initially sent it in. If I were in a similar situation, I would likely be not only equally as upset, but hesitant to send it in again as well.

While I can’t speak for what is documented in the repair comments as our mobile phone repairs are done through a third party service center, it is possible that they had noticed issues with the charging port as well during the repair process. Regardless, the phone should have been returned in the same condition it was originally sent out in.

I would like to look into this further with you however, I was unable to locate your service orders with the information you provided in your forum registration. If you could please send me your name, phone number and service order number via private message, it would greatly assist me. To send me a private message, you can simply click the link in my signature below after verifying you are logged into our forum.

[scott22xx]

Thank you for your response Melissa. I have just sent you a message with my information.

Hopefully I can get my phone back soon in an acceptable condition.

[scott22xx]

UPDATE: today I received the following PM from Melissa-BBY~

Hi Scott,

 

Thank you for sending the repair information as requested. I was able to use this to locate the repair details within the service center's system. All cell phone repairs are sent to a third party service center that we use, as they are authorized to repair nearly all cell phones. Because of this, they are unable to update our repair system directly, which is why you are still receiving the status of estimate approved.

 

From what I can tell in the service center's system, it appears that they had determined in both the previous service order and the current one that the phone had liquid damage. I am not sure how this was determined or how it may have been caused, but this was the reason an estimate needed to be approved. Since you had our Geek Squad® Black Tie Protection (BTP) plan on the phone, this was covered under the Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH) portion.

 

At this time, since the estimate was approved by the BTP, your phone is currently in the hands of a technician for repair. I am currently uncertain how much longer the repair process may be, but if parts are needed, this could add some extra time to the repair.

 

I will do my best to keep a close eye on the repair for you and let you know as I see more progress.

 

Sincerely,

 

Melissa

Community Connector

Best Buy® Corporate

My respone to that is that this phone has never been exposed to any kind of liquid. It has never even been in a humid environment. Plain and simple.