I smell a scam.

rageaholic · #1 10-08-2009, 05:17 PM

Long time lurker here.

I have posted over at fratching the last month, but never really posted here because I don't work in retail. However, I do have a potential scam sighting from a few months ago.

It happened at the mall. Someone from one of those kiosks can up to me and offered me a free phone. First he asked me if I use AT&T (I use verizon), then said he was offering a free cell phone with no strings attached. Personally, something was abuzz. You don't just offer someone a free phone unless there's some kind of catch. My guess is they were going to charge me for all the extra features they put on without your authorization (I've read the AT&T horror stories here). I just walked away, saying I was happy with the phone service I had, and made sure to avoid walking past that kiosk.

So, whaddya all think, scam or no scam?

EricKei · #2 10-08-2009, 06:31 PM

I would say low-ish, but not irrelevant, potential for a scam, here...

He was in uniform, which means that it's likely that he was really working for them -- either that or he has a fake/stolen one

He may have been just trying to you come down to the kiosk to get all the add-ons

He may have been trying to just get "sales" and intends to fake your signature later on

Many possibilities

And PS,

to

!

RecoveringKinkoid · #3 10-08-2009, 07:05 PM

There is no such thing as "free with no strings attached."

There are no exceptions to this rule.

Ironclad Alibi · #4 10-08-2009, 10:01 PM

I thought the deal with a "free" phone was you had to buy their service for several years.

Andara Bledin · #5 10-09-2009, 07:46 PM

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!

Seriously, I would walk away and not look back.

My company got our service set up through an authorized AT&T rep. Who promised us far more than AT&T has ever been willing to give us, contract or no. We've been fighting with them for the last 2+ years over their failure to live up to this contract.

The rep in question is long gone, never to be seen or heard from again.

^-.-^

ThirdGenRetail · #6 10-10-2009, 03:27 AM

I dunno, my phone was free... IE, I didn't have to actually pay for the phone itself. Which was sweet. But I get a discount with my carrier through my job, which is the ONLY reason I got a free phone, as did my mother when I put her on my plan... More than likely, for that 'free' phone, you would have to sign a one-year contract.

rageaholic · #7 10-10-2009, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Quoth RecoveringKinkoid

There is no such thing as "free with no strings attached."

There are no exceptions to this rule.

THat's probably the most important lesson anyone can learn in ones life. Somebody will end up paying no matter what.

blas · #8 10-10-2009, 08:22 AM

AT&T is absolutely notorious for unathorized charges.

Do be careful.

Chromatix · #9 10-10-2009, 05:28 PM

When I got both my first and second phones, I deliberately bought the phone outright and set up service separately. Yes, you need more money up front for that route, but you save in the long run and you aren't locked into a contract.