Trade In Phone Stolen?

[ILowry82]

I submitted a trade in for the S21 Ultra which gave me $600 off the phone. I received my phone and sent my trade in. I was informed that the box in which my trade in was sent was empty and they want to charge me the $600. I honest to God sent my phone in. It looks like someone along the way stole the phone out of it. I have a supervisor at Samsung who is going to call me back. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Now I’m out $600 and an iPhone 12 Pro Max? Doesn’t Samsung or UPS have insurance that covers this kind of thing?

 

[Vegastouch]

I submitted a trade in for the S21 Ultra which gave me $600 off the phone. I received my phone and sent my trade in. I was informed that the box in which my trade in was sent was empty and they want to charge me the $600. I honest to God sent my phone in. It looks like someone along the way stole the phone out of it. I have a supervisor at Samsung who is going to call me back. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Now I’m out $600 and an iPhone 12 Pro Max? Doesn’t Samsung or UPS have insurance that covers this kind of thing?

You have to get insurance on it from UPS or who ever you shipped it with. It don't cost much.

 

[sracer]

The OP is sadly out of luck. Insurance covers if it doesn't get delivered, or the item is damaged as a result of damage during shipping. I know of no insurance that covers a box arriving empty.

This is one of the dangers of a mail in trade-in program. It's a rare thing but it does happen.

 

[ILowry82]

Samsung provided the label. I put their label on the box and handed it over to UPS. At that point it’s out of my hands

 

[Apple_Robert]

Samsung provided the label. I put their label on the box and handed it over to UPS. At that point it’s out of my hands

Unfortunately, you are going to be out $600 unless Samsung can somehow find out what you said is true. I hope something happens in your favor over this.

Whenever I have to ship off a UPS or Fed Ex package, I make a point to go to the UPS store or Walgreens etc. and get the package scanned and weighed so that I have proof of shipment and weight.

 

[Apple Crusader]

You have to get insurance on it from UPS or who ever you shipped it with. It don't cost much.

I hope you have the IMEI, report it stolen.

 

[robotica]

Sounds like it’s Samsung’s problem if they paid for the label. I would fight it if they say no. Especially as you have nothing wrong. If they paid for the shipping, everything after it left you is their responsibility.

 

[tbayrgs]

Sounds like it’s Samsung’s problem if they paid for the label. I would fight it if they say no. Especially as you have nothing wrong. If they paid for the shipping, everything after it left you is their responsibility.

I can’t see how this is true—otherwise Amazon would be liable for every single return requested by their customers who could always subsequently just send back an empty box and claim it wasn’t their fault.

Liability still falls with the OP. As @Apple_Robert pointed out, he could have obtained proof of shipment, including weight of the package, when dropping it off. If he didn’t, I think he‘s SOL.

And while not exactly the same, I has a situation years ago where an eBay buyer tried to claim that I didn’t ship them the device they bought. Fortunately, after a previous incident of someone attempting to screw me over, I now video the entire process of sealing up a package and dropping it off for shipment. I also get proof of shipment every single time. It’s a pain in the ass but sadly, the world is full of douchebags who constantly try to pull this type of ****.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

This is why I excessively tape my packages. Not that it would prevent theft. But it becomes obvious that someone tampered with the box and forced it open vs just putting a single piece of box tape on it.

 

[ILowry82]

They don't weigh the prepaid packages when you drop them off. They are just scanned into the system and put in a bin for the UPS driver. I got proof that the package was scanned, it's in the system and it was delivered obviously. Also I asked UPS and was told that I cannot purchase insurance on a prepaid shipping label.

 

[Shanghaichica]

So sorry OP. I've not used a send in trade in since 2016 because either the postal service or the trade in company damaged my S7 edge. The screen was shattered and the display was broken. It was in perfect condition when it left me. On that occasion I was lucky enough to have insurance on the device still so only had to pay a £50 excess for a replacement. Since that time I've avoided trade ins where you have to send the device away.

 

[velocityg4]

They don't weigh the prepaid packages when you drop them off. They are just scanned into the system and put in a bin for the UPS driver. I got proof that the package was scanned, it's in the system and it was delivered obviously. Also I asked UPS and was told that I cannot purchase insurance on a prepaid shipping label.

That must be whatever store you use being lazy. Every prepaid package I've brought to the local UPS store. I set the item on a scale and they hand me a receipt with the weight printed on it.

 

[mi7chy]

That must be whatever store you use being lazy. Every prepaid package I've brought to the local UPS store. I set the item on a scale and they hand me a receipt with the weight printed on it.

Ditto. I always ask for drop off receipt and it always has the date, time, weight, store info, etc. regardless of USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.

 

[Bobout]

I submitted a trade in for the S21 Ultra which gave me $600 off the phone. I received my phone and sent my trade in. I was informed that the box in which my trade in was sent was empty and they want to charge me the $600. I honest to God sent my phone in. It looks like someone along the way stole the phone out of it. I have a supervisor at Samsung who is going to call me back. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Now I’m out $600 and an iPhone 12 Pro Max? Doesn’t Samsung or UPS have insurance that covers this kind of thing?

When we do our trade ins we go to a ups store and they always weigh the package even if its a prepaid label.. I always make sure they do this..I have done a trade probably 5 times now and they always weighed it..did you drop off or just hand it to a ups driver??

 

[mi7chy]

They don't weigh the prepaid packages when you drop them off. They are just scanned into the system and put in a bin for the UPS driver. I got proof that the package was scanned, it's in the system and it was delivered obviously. Also I asked UPS and was told that I cannot purchase insurance on a prepaid shipping label.

Can you show a picture of the drop off receipt to compare?

 

[- rob -]

Failed returns logistics is a problem across retailers right now.

I had a problem returning a pair of Nike shoes, where I combined two orders into a single return label.

I had indicated the return on the site, it was a matter of the person opening the package simply looking at the account.

Instead they tried to act like the shoes had never been returned. I got this email threatening to stop doing business with me if I sent back empty returns packages again.

I had not realized at the time the shoes were not a part of the other order—it was an honest mistake.

The rep took care of it right away, crediting me the cost of the shoes. I said I hoped they found the shoes, and they said they would.

The point is, their returns logistics should have been robust enough to match the product registered for return with the obvious contents of the box.

In your case, if you used their label it should have been insured against theft. If you’re acting in good faith, call them and tell them that. Tell them that in writing.

 

[nikotown]

I submitted a trade in for the S21 Ultra which gave me $600 off the phone. I received my phone and sent my trade in. I was informed that the box in which my trade in was sent was empty and they want to charge me the $600. I honest to God sent my phone in. It looks like someone along the way stole the phone out of it. I have a supervisor at Samsung who is going to call me back. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Now I’m out $600 and an iPhone 12 Pro Max? Doesn’t Samsung or UPS have insurance that covers this kind of thing?

3 years i sent my macbook to apples trade in company, Phobio. Only to find out that they received the box empty. At the time I didn't have the shipping receipt from USPS. Couldn't prove anything.

So a few months ago I sent my 10yr old iMac in, but this time I asked for the receipt. With my luck, I received an email from them saying that they received my shipment box empty. Thinking to myself this cannot be happening twice in a row. Once I was able to provide my receipt from USPS they were able to provide me with a gift card. I'm seeing this is as a scam from Phobio. I've attached the transcript below for reference:

 

[- rob -]

Someone should hide an air tag in a return and bust this company

 

[Pierre535]

What good would that do? Would either prove delivery of an empty box, or who ever took the phone would also remove the air tag.

 

[StaceyMJ86]

That must be whatever store you use being lazy. Every prepaid package I've brought to the local UPS store. I set the item on a scale and they hand me a receipt with the weight printed on it.

Yup they even have the weight for Amazon packages that you are sending back.

 

[LFC2020]

Don’t pay them a cent, once you put that Samsung sticker on the return box and handed it over, it’s there problem from then on.

 

[mi7chy]

They're going to check if the weight of the package was not empty when it was handed to the shipping carrier in which case they won't do a charge back.

Would've been better selling the iPhone 12 Pro Max since it's fetching greater than $600 trade-in value.

 

[mjschabow]

Check with your financial institution too. If Samsung charges you the $600, report it as fraud with your bank. Wouldn’t hurt to have them on your side.

 

[ian87w]

Typical scam of these companies. Usually inside job. It should be exposed, and brands like Samsung or Apple should be ashamed being involved with these scammers.

Luckily, since scams happen so often in my country, companies like Samsung will actually send a person to pick up any trade ins so both parties know that the actual item is given/received and tested on the spot.

 

[Fred Zed]

Just takes one incident like this to ruin the selling or mailing of phones experience. Feel for you OP.
A years or so ago I sold my Huawei Mate 20X via Swappa. Was on the FedEx truck out for delivery, then never got delivered. It was such a pain in the ass getting the insurance claim. Eventually got some of my losses back. But now I'm scarred, I'd sooner take a hit in price and deal with Facebook marketplace dooshbags than mail a phone again.