My 12 year old son wanted and iPhone 5s.
What a great opportunity for a life lesson!
I told him he has to do a job and earn the money to pay for the phone and it's monthly costs.
He agreed and was proud of his work and looked forward to owning his very first iPhone, worked and paid with his own money.
Just before Xmas 2014, he had saved enough and proudly completed his first real purchase of anything, really... his own iPhone 5c at the AT&T store in Studio City, California.
He was told by his salesman, named Justice, that his monthly fee would be $53.00 per month, TOTAL. When told about the insurance option, he very smartly included it. The salesman said he would have to pay the following:
$25 for the line.
$22 for the phone.
$ 6 for the insurance.
$53 TOTAL.
Sadly the bill has arrived and it says my son's monthly fee is $59.99.
My son has to pay $6.99 more per month than he was sold by the salesman, Justice, who, also incorrectly told him the insurance was only $6.00, not $6.99. (See image below of Justice's worksheet presented to my son)
To you and I, that's a burger and fries, but to a 12 year old, that's a lot of money, his hard earned money.
I personally went back to that AT&T store, told the manager, Nicole, the issue, and she acknowledged that the employee made a mistake and her response was to offer a few months credit of $6.99.
Sadly, that credit DOES NOT cover the extra amount my son now has to pay, per month, for the length of his 20 month contract.
So... what's the life lesson? When a company gives you false information, admits the mistake but doesn't cover your loss, then maybe it's time to switch companies. T-mobile has a really nice plan. My 12 year old could have been an AT&T customer for life.
It's a sad day for a 12 year old.
[Edited for privacy-please do not post personal or unique information such as but not limited to full names, employee ID numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, etc.]