USPS Lost my returned phone

Hey @dakatzen,

We'd like to look investigate your account for regarding returned device fees and help you. I am sending you a private message. Please check your forums inbox and reply with the requested information!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Bobbie, AT&T Community Specialist

I’m having the exact same issue right now except that I shipped my device back via a local UPS store. I refuse to pay the extra charge because I did my part in the transaction. I would also like to be contacted about this isssue instead of being given the run around. 

I'm having the same issue.  Trade in phone was dropped off at the post office personally along with four other items that I was returning elsewhere. All items other than my att return have been processed.  Going on 5 weeks now and I was told today by att who just put a charge on my account to give it time and if it didn't show up, I would have to pay the charge.  This is not acceptable. I returned the item well within the 14 days allowed.

Me too,

I have been calling ATT for the last 3 months on this matter.  I ordered a Galaxy 10  on Dec 16 and received Dec 18 2018, but returned the phone Dec 22 using the pre printed ATT mailing label. ATT rep on phone assured me as long as I returned I would get a refund, and perhaps a small fee to restock.  ATT phone rep said to try taking to an ATT store first.  We went to the nearby ATT store and they could not accept, but said to go the the larger ATT store at a different location, went there and they could not accept. Said we needed to mail it ourselves.

So we followed the ATT printed instructions exactly, taking a photo of the mailing label and deposited in the dropbox at the Post Office.  Nowhere did the ATT printed instructions say stand in line at the post office during business hours and tell the postal clerk to scan the label and get a receipt. We met the standard of care, ATT printed the label and ATT is still responsible for what happens to the phone after I placed in the mail.  I also found out the post office is somewhat lazy and very frequently does not scan the tracking numbers when picked up from the box. Just Google that about the Post Office and you will find out that is the case (packages not scanned), but not my problem, ATT as the business owner should know that and not be surprised.

So it is about 3 months now since I returned the phone and no refund as promised after numerous calls beginning late December thru March. Called about 8 times now  I called today and ATT opened a case number, but this is the THIRD case number they have opened, the previous 2 case numbers went nowhere, despite the reassurances of the lower-tiered customer service reps said to assure me this would be resolved. ATT says they can't find my return.  I again stated that I followed the written  return process exactly, using the ATT supply label thus ATT is responsible for the whole process. If there are defects in the written process, that is still ATTs problem, not mine.

I used an upgrade to get a discount on the Galaxy 10 but I still paid ATT $599 on my credit card and still have not gotten a refund. Today I filed a dispute with my credit card company.

USPS didn't lose your phone. AT&T did. There are hundreds of posts here about this.

Dear Scholar:

Scenario 1: Somebody in the ATT warehouse knows that USPS typically does not scan the tracking numbers once the phone is mailed. What this individual or group of individuals do is check the tracking number when they receive and verify it was not scanned by the Post Office. "Label created but not in system"

This insider group or individual(s) then pilfers the unscanned phone returns. Sounds like organized crime if more than one insider is in cahoots with the other   The customer who returns the phone never gets a refund and so no loss or priority for ATT to refund the customers. Blame it on the customer instead of the crooks ATT contracts with to handle the returns.

I have reviewed ATT's return instructions and it says to use the pre-printed mailer but nowhere does it say to physically go to the postal clerk and verify they scan into the system. It seems a large percentage of prepaid return mailers don't get scanned by the Post Office as there are "just too many" to bother scanning.  Google search confirms Post Office does not scan which is a big problem for Ebayers too. 

So ATT says they are working on making a determination about my phone (for the last 3 months). On average I spend 45 minutes to an hour on the phone each time I call. I could have earned money based on the time lost for each call I have made over the past 3 months. Today I was on the phone for an hour and 6 minutes while they tried to trace my phone and reported back "It never showed up at any of our warehouses".  But we will open a case.  Well I tell them this is the THIRD time you have given me a new case number and nothing has happened. We will see if I have any luck now disputing the $599 on my credit card that posted in December 2018. Today is March 18 2019, so I have lost my patience.  

Scenario 2:  Simple incompetence and poor management.  No wonder ATT stock price has gone down over the past 5 years. And I am a stock holder. 

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@TROLLEDYOUSO wrote:

USPS didn't lose your phone. AT&T did. There are hundreds of posts here about this.

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There's hundreds of complaints about the USPS losing stuff, too. There's no way tell from the information given where the package is. 

@teasiper, when you look at the tracking information, where does it show the package to be? If it shows delivered to AT&T or it's shipping agent, then you're in the clear. File a complaint with the FCC and someone from corporate will contact you. 

If it doesn't, I'd recommend contacting the USPS first. If it wasn't delivered to the proper address, then the post office is responsible and you'll need their help in tracking it down. 

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@TROLLEDYOUSO wrote:

USPS didn't lose your phone. AT&T did. There are hundreds of posts here about this.

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@TROLLEDYOUSO 

No Newlogistics and Young America may have lost the phone tho...

@teasiper 

You can track the package on this site as long as you have tracking number.  The post office just gives newlogistics the package they do not ship it.

http://tracking.smartlabel.com/

@TROLLEDYOUSO  Regarding the tracking number it shows that the label was created, but never scanned into the Post Office system, which is not unusual. You can do a Google search on that.  Going to the Post Office is a waste of time as tracking number yields no info. ATT created the label, let ATT deal with the Post Office. I followed ATT's instructions and have a photo of ATT's  label with tracking number, but tracking system only confirms label created, never scanned  So you don't believe the Post Office skips the scanning step? My sister just mailed a package that never showed up that she put in the large mail box. When she talked to the Postman who picks up that mail, he told her he only scans the large post office receptacle box, not the packages in the box, there are just too many too many packages to scan and he does not have time, so the packages enter the US mail system unscanned. 

It is ATT's responsibility to deal with the mail because they created the label, engineered the return system. provided instructions to me, the customer to simply take to the Post Office. Therefore the package never left the "auspices" or "endorsement" of ATT on how to handle. I met the standard of care as customer to follow ATT's endorsed procedure.