I'm looking to see if anyone else has or has had iPhone issues similar to what I am going to describe. An iPhone was sold to my girlfriend as a "new" phone, fresh out of the packaging (as the salesman was explicit to state when we saw him today). She played with it for about a day and when she went to download an application there was someone else's email information inside and that feature was locked with a password.
This made it obvious that the phone was not new, since the phone did not impregnate itself with someone else's information. I sent an email to the address that was in the phone, asking them if they returned one or not (response pending). We went down the AT&T store in Westland (Central City Parkway and Warren) to get the "new" phone that she had paid for. The salesman was shocked, which would have been entertaining if this was not an expensive phone, and repeatedly stated that they sold her a "new" phone out of the box and that they also do not sell any refurbished items. The phone may not have been refurbished, but if clearly was not new. They would have given her another one, but wanted to charge a restocking fee. There was no need on our end to troubleshoot the issue because the true issue was that they lied about selling new phones. The salesman did say that we could try signing up for iTunes and then try using that account in an attempt to circumvent the account that was already in the phone, but that did not make sense because then I could theoretically steal anyone else's iPhone, create an account, and bypass their information. In the end we cancelled it and still had to pay a restocking fee...but for $20 or so it is over and done with.
Needless to say we will make several complaints about this. The salesman wasn't too bad. I think he really had no idea of what was going on, but then again he was not open to replacing the phone with one that had not been used unless we paid a fee for his error. One complaint, of course, will go to AT&T for selling used or refurbished merchandise as new and then not offering a free replacement with a new phone (which is what was paid for originally). Another will probably go to Apple, to make them aware of AT&T's error. A third complaint may go to the BBB, as this is unacceptable for any line of business.
The problems were that:
-someone else's personal information was still in that phone, which could lead to identity theft or a number of other issues
-an item sold as new was not new (imagine buying a "new" car that had the odometer rolled back, a "new" package of underwear that had already been worn, a "new" toothbrush that had been used, a "new" hamburger that had been returned by another customer...the comparisons lead to endless entertainment)
-AT&T did not offer to provide us with a new (a truly new one) phone after being caught in their lie, then charged a restocking fee for an item that was sold under false claims
...I'll probably think of more at some point
So, has anyone else had an issue like this? I Googled "someone else's information in my iPhone" and got this as the first result:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1489681
I have someone else's calendar on my iphone. how safe is our info?
Posted: Apr 17, 2008 2:31 PM
I got a replacement iphone after dropping mine...once...
I assumed this was a new phone.But when I looked in the calendar, I found someone else's information, some of which looks confidential.
I have just given the 'genius bar' my old iphone to replace, which although it didn't work properly, obviously has MY confidential info on it too.
Are Apple recycling phones? Do I have a recycled phone?
can I be reassured that my info hasn't been passed on to someone else?
If you're at Apple, please feel free to get in touch!
iphone
... and the last post was:
marcusl
Posts: 6
From: london
Registered: Nov 5, 2007
Re: I have someone else's calendar on my iphone. how safe is our info?
Posted: Apr 18, 2008 3:28 AM in response to: marcusl
After speaking to apple store, the manager has told me that the replacement phone they have given me does not exist on their records and they have no idea how I come to have it.
They have no idea how the information is on the phone at all.
They would like me to go back into the store so that they can investigate it.
Hmmm. Great customer experience, guys!
macpro
...so apparently this is not an isolated incident and is more a prime example of poor business practices.
This made it obvious that the phone was not new, since the phone did not impregnate itself with someone else's information. I sent an email to the address that was in the phone, asking them if they returned one or not (response pending). We went down the AT&T store in Westland (Central City Parkway and Warren) to get the "new" phone that she had paid for. The salesman was shocked, which would have been entertaining if this was not an expensive phone, and repeatedly stated that they sold her a "new" phone out of the box and that they also do not sell any refurbished items. The phone may not have been refurbished, but if clearly was not new. They would have given her another one, but wanted to charge a restocking fee. There was no need on our end to troubleshoot the issue because the true issue was that they lied about selling new phones. The salesman did say that we could try signing up for iTunes and then try using that account in an attempt to circumvent the account that was already in the phone, but that did not make sense because then I could theoretically steal anyone else's iPhone, create an account, and bypass their information. In the end we cancelled it and still had to pay a restocking fee...but for $20 or so it is over and done with.
Needless to say we will make several complaints about this. The salesman wasn't too bad. I think he really had no idea of what was going on, but then again he was not open to replacing the phone with one that had not been used unless we paid a fee for his error. One complaint, of course, will go to AT&T for selling used or refurbished merchandise as new and then not offering a free replacement with a new phone (which is what was paid for originally). Another will probably go to Apple, to make them aware of AT&T's error. A third complaint may go to the BBB, as this is unacceptable for any line of business.
The problems were that:
-someone else's personal information was still in that phone, which could lead to identity theft or a number of other issues
-an item sold as new was not new (imagine buying a "new" car that had the odometer rolled back, a "new" package of underwear that had already been worn, a "new" toothbrush that had been used, a "new" hamburger that had been returned by another customer...the comparisons lead to endless entertainment)
-AT&T did not offer to provide us with a new (a truly new one) phone after being caught in their lie, then charged a restocking fee for an item that was sold under false claims
...I'll probably think of more at some point
So, has anyone else had an issue like this? I Googled "someone else's information in my iPhone" and got this as the first result:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1489681
I have someone else's calendar on my iphone. how safe is our info?
Posted: Apr 17, 2008 2:31 PM
I got a replacement iphone after dropping mine...once...
I assumed this was a new phone.But when I looked in the calendar, I found someone else's information, some of which looks confidential.
I have just given the 'genius bar' my old iphone to replace, which although it didn't work properly, obviously has MY confidential info on it too.
Are Apple recycling phones? Do I have a recycled phone?
can I be reassured that my info hasn't been passed on to someone else?
If you're at Apple, please feel free to get in touch!
iphone
... and the last post was:
marcusl
Posts: 6
From: london
Registered: Nov 5, 2007
Re: I have someone else's calendar on my iphone. how safe is our info?
Posted: Apr 18, 2008 3:28 AM in response to: marcusl
After speaking to apple store, the manager has told me that the replacement phone they have given me does not exist on their records and they have no idea how I come to have it.
They have no idea how the information is on the phone at all.
They would like me to go back into the store so that they can investigate it.
Hmmm. Great customer experience, guys!
macpro
...so apparently this is not an isolated incident and is more a prime example of poor business practices.
