Okay so posting this makes me feel like a jerk but...

wboyle3

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Earlier this year I got my iPhone severely water damaged. Long story short I got it working completely aside from the fact that it has been stuck in vibrate mode this entire time.

Well within the last week or so it has started completely reseting itself anywhere from 15 to 40 times a day... This is more or less making it useless.

Now normally I would have no problem taking it to Apple or the Verizon store and paying the deductible to get it replaced, but I just found out that a month from now I will be going back to school and while Im at school I wont be able to work. So now that small deductible seems like a huge sum of money...

Does anyone know of any way that I could possibly trick (for lack of a better term) the Verizon or Apple reps to give me a new phone? Any way to make it look as though this is a manufacturers defect and has nothing to do with the water damage?

Thanks for any help!
 

bizfox

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I would suggest just being honest about the water damage when showing the iPhone to an Apple Genius. He/She will find out anyway when checking the ports. If this is your first time replacing the device, you may get lucky in getting a new one for free, but be prepared to shell out the $199 fee (if not). Good luck...
 

PsYcHoNeWb

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Hate to say it too but if you go to Verizon they will not let you get off the hook without paying the $200 for a new one. When I replaced my old Blackberry Curve before big red had the iPhone half my keys weren't working right and I only had the phone 5 weeks. They where CONVINCED it was water damage and it wasn't anywhere near water or rain that could cause that. Verizon has a rep (at least around where I live) for being real pains about the water damage issue.

In all honesty, even if you go to Apple, you probably will still need to pay some unfortunately thats just a reality of life sometimes. I would go now and shell out the $200 while you still have some money in your pocket and just be more careful with your phone while you are at school.
 

Genericmessage00

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Honesty or deviance aside, nearly every cell phone in the last 8 years (this includes the iPhone) have moister triggers that go off when exposed to water.


The second they pop the back off your phone, they'll know.

So lying will only make you look stupid, on top of being a jerk.
 

swooshme

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A while back another poster had a question about this and he ended up posting that they swapped it out for him free and charge. He was honest with them, and they hooked him up. I suggest you do the same. But be prepared to pay just in case.

And one other thing about Apple. My bro in law had an iMac on which the camera went bad. It was out of warranty when he took it in. First they told him they'd give him 50% off the repair price (came to ~$70), then when he went to pick it up, they told him they wouldn't charge him.

I wouldn't consider myself a fanboy, but stuff like that makes it no wonder folks keep coming back.
 

Fausty82

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Wow. I guess desperate people do desperate things. Honesty is always best... right, wrong, karma, whatever... but then again both Verizon and Apple are big companies who certainly can afford to replace it at no charge for you, right?

If they choose to replace it for you, great. If you "trick (for lack of a better word)" (try cheat) them into replacing it, that's a whole different matter.

I am firmly in the "tell the truth and take your chances" camp... it's just the right thing to do.
 

Eileen89

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There really is no point in not telling Apple the truth. Most likely they'll know right away that your iPhone has water damage and you'll end up getting charged for the replacement unit anyway. I think things usually work out better in the end anyway when a person is honest about what happened.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk.
 

Engire

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Feb 21, 2011
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I am also in the honesty camp on this. I have found that most customer service rep's will bend and help as much as company policy will allow when dealing with an honest and respectful customer. However that same helpful rep will put up walls and forget helpful little options when confronted with dishonest or arrogant customers.

But I would go to Apple instead of Verizon as you will get better options and worst case scenario you wont be stuck with an Asurion refurbished phone.
 

Phil DeLong

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Just tell the truth. If you slip up or get confused and get caught in your own lie you'll get zero sympathy after that, and it will make things much more difficult. If something is going to make you feel like a jerk, chances are you just shouldn't do it.
 
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Peligro911

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Just got back from apple with a 3Gs the power button work only sometimes and vib switch don't work at all they check cables and there was no water damage thy couldn't get it to work they said I would have to pay 199 I was out of warranty by 2 months kinda bummed but owell who needs a power button anyways lol
 

Smlk

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I truly think just being honest with Apple is the best bet for a good outcome. Last March I dropped my iPhone 4 in the parking lot and broke the front glass (badly) and I didn't have even so much as a bumper on it. I am disabled and coming out of the dr office. I LIVE on my phone and iPad to keep me connected to the outside world. I had my daughter take me straight to Apple because I was so upset and they were very kind. The people working there could not have been nicer. They replaced my phone for free and very quickly as they could see that my health is not good and I needed to get home AND they gave me a cover with cleaner wipes and a few other little odds and ends in the bag. I was so very happy to just have my phone back, but to have been so very nice about it was amazing! I was prepared to pay the fee, but they were so very nice about it.
 

ghostface147

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Walk in there with a drink (unless there are signs stating no food or drinks allowed, but I've never seen this at an apple store), place it close to your phone and somehow trick the genius into spilling it on your phone.