‘Verizon is a scam’: Woman buys iPhone 16 from the Verizon store. She had to file an insurance claim not even 24 hours later

An iPhone customer claims that Verizon tried foisting a used phone as new on her. The Crazy Lunch Lady, CLL for short, (@thecrazylunchlady) recounted her frustration in a viral TikTok. Her video amassed over 35,000 views, and it seems other customers have also had the same issue.

Moreover, she states she had difficulties attempting to replace the phone, despite only owning it for about 12 hours. The TikToker says that initially, Verizon employees said her keys must've damaged the screen. However, she never even took the phone out of its original packaging, she claims.

"Replacing my iPhone 16 Plus in less than 24 hours," a text overlay in the video reads.

She says, "24 hours since owning my iPhone 16, I had to file an insurance claim. It wasn't even 24 hours, it was like 12 hours."

@thecrazylunchlady #iphone16plus #apple #iphone ♬ original sound - TheCrazyLunchLady

She claims the phone had a crack on the screen before she even took it out of the box. When mentioning it to a Verizon employee, she says they told her it must've been from her keys.

"I walked out of the store at 7pm. And I was back by 3 o'clock the next day," she says. "And while I was at work, it sat inside the box it came in. So, now that I filed an insurance claim, they're not gonna replace the screen. Because they don't have replacements."

Not new

At this point in the video, she holds up a brand new iPhone, still in the box, up to the camera.

"They sent me a new box. Brand new phone. So, you know, we get to peel the tabs off them," she continues. "Which, now that I think of, when I was at the store. When I was at the Verizon store, they didn't peel these off."

She holds the back of the box up to the camera to display its peel-away tabs. "Like the box was already opened. So then now let's take it out of the box, right? And it comes like this," she says, displaying the sheet on top of her new phone.

Further discrepancies

The TikToker continues that with the first phone, the box was open and the white sticker from the screen was peeled. Following this, she peels off the white sticker to reveal a brand, shiny new phone. "This, is a brand new phone. My other one, it has like this smudge and a crack," she concludes.

Several Verizon customers have posted to forums complaining of instances similar to the TikToker's. User @Carolina0520 wrote that they bought a new phone "but got sent a used one." Also, just like the TikToker, their box had its tabs already removed. They were irate that they were charged "almost $1,500" just to get a used phone from the wireless carrier.

Another customer complained that they ordered a same-day pickup of an iPhone, only to be handed an open box device. One commenter who goes by @Nagreenwood92 also stated they were sold a new iPhone from Verizon. There was just one slight problem — it was refurbished.

TikToker commentary

One person who responded to CLL's video suggested that she request security camera footage from the store.

"They have cameras at Verizon they should pull the footage. And then they can see how your phone came," they said. "Because you filed insurance claim got you a refurbished phone not a new one and that's wrong."

Another person said CLL's story is a prime reason they only purchase their iPhones directly through Apple. "This is why I only buy at the Apple Store," they wrote.

Someone else said that shoppers must inspect the phones they're purchasing prior to leaving the store. "ALWAYS open the box in store even if you're not setting it up right away," they advised. "Most places that sell phones ask employees to check for this reason."

"How did you leave without checking it? Verizon opened it in front of of me and put in a screen protector," a commenter said.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Verizon via email and CLL via TikTok comment.

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The post ‘Verizon is a scam’: Woman buys iPhone 16 from the Verizon store. She had to file an insurance claim not even 24 hours later appeared first on The Daily Dot.