02 Water Warranty Scam, could you be affected

[Anonymous]

Hi all

I wanted to post this as I think its really serious.

Last week my 4 month old Samsung Note 2 died, I'm a computer tech, so I tried everything I could to bring it back alive, after much searching it looked like a pcb fault. 

Not a problem phone is still under manufacture warranty, so  I contact 02 who arranged a repair.

Monday came, I looked at the repair log and it said the tech has dismantled and diagnosed a fault in under 22 min, I assumed then that they had come to the same conclusion as me and put it down to a dead PCB, so I rung 02 to confirm this, I then got a shock as they said there not repairing the phone its had water damage?, thus voiding the warranty

I was shocked its never been near water, I argued and requested evidence, this is what they sent 

no time stamp, no series number. The picture you see is what is under the battery?. The circuit isn't from this phone its a random circuit put there to make it look like its been dismantled (found a pic of a dimantled note 2 on the Internet and it doesn't match. The picture is also blurry, and doesn't show anything.

Now all new phones have a water indicator, this covers the manufacture, it cant be bypassed, any liquid it triggers, that's its design. 

So I requested the phone back, and when I got it, the water indicator (which is there to cover samsung and 02) hasn't tripped, and the warranty sticker is still on there. Yet 02 claim the tech dismantled the phone and water damage. 

I told 02 this and basically there not interested, go to the manufacture, and tell them.

So 02 have lied, and there de frauding me as they wont give me a new handset, yet they still want me to pay for a the contract?

Im still arguing with 02 at the moment, they say that they go on the tech report, yet ive sent them evidence to contradict this water damage claim, and they don't care, not there problem not happy go to the manufacture and pay them to check it. 

So I wanted to let everyone know about this, 02 are refusing to repair my phone even thought ive provided evidence showing another samsung galaxy s3 (mine is a note 2, but there basically the same) showing the water indicator that hasn't tripped, and the technical report from the repair company claiming water damage,

ive goggle this and it looks like a lot of people are getting de frauded. In my case how can a phone have water damage, yet the thing that tells the tech there's water damage, hasn't tripped? Cant be done.

I would like to hear if anyone else has had this issue, I think this is one of the most serious cases of fraud a mobile company has done? And if 02 are reading this post some reasons as to what your doing, (funny enough I did some research into the repair company 02 uses and there being investigated for doing exactly what I put above). 

Let us know, and ill keep you all posted on what 02 are going to do, this could be black day for 02!!!

[Anonymous]

More to the point they need closing down

[Anonymous]

ha ha definatly a "shut your mouth and dont do the website lol" still doing the website thought, i did have to fight dam hard for this, but im a computer tech ive seen "water damage"  ive also seen comapnies lieing, what happens to those who dont live the world of a geek, its not fair, like all sites its gonna be basic, but i plan to grow it, i think people have a right to this,  im reasearching as many mobile phones as i can to show the water indicator, unfortunatly the worse one is apple, as the phone is sealed, but all manufactures have there dissasembly instructions avaliable, it normally tells you visable ways of checking (please dont disasemble thought i will be shot)

I dont plan on it being a slander site, just info to help those combat against fraudlent claims, unfortunatly its like everything some people cant be pleased so will say nasty things,  without evidence, i just want to give people the info they need to check themselfs and counter the claim. ill look at pooling info from other sites ensuring credit goes where needed

I will say though ill be glad when the handset turns up, miss my phone  been a whole 2 weeks, feels like my arms been cut off.

[MI5]

Good for you - It should be a valuable website and I can see it growing

[Anonymous]

aprreciate the comments guys, ill keep you all posted,

[Liquid]

Apple are fairly easy to see with a good light source. Pre 5 one in both audio input jack and other in USB dock.

iPhone 5 only one in the sim tray.

Well if you want/need any help send us a pm. I'm rather bored recently with lack of work always up for a good cause:D

[Anonymous]

ahh wicked info, defiantly take you up on the help, im gonna get the site up on my vps, ive got space on it :D, as soon as i get the basics laid out ill give you a shout, its gonna be a community site anyway as im gonna need people to post any pics of theres phones etc to show it, ive also got a ton of reasearch papers coming in, explaining law etc, just for people to read, its only a small project but i think it might be nice to give back some info and help those who are not geeks :D.

And i didnt know about the iphone though interetesting to know that, i did think they would have something to easily spot it, thats the idea of the strip saves the tech from dismantling the phone.

Oh also on the site im gonna include links to gadget insurances, but again ill leave it for people to comment as to wheather there good or not, "open community" 

[MI5]

I'm looking forward to this

[Liquid]

Sounds good to me:)

I hate the old placement of iPhone liquid sensors they use to activate if you been out in the rain or had a shower with the phone playing music 7ft away. Yet there wasn't actual damage to the phone.

Neat little trick I found bleech and a cotton bud:) (sssshhh)

[Anonymous]

Looking forward to this, kick some butt mate

[darrengf]

Very interesting reading all this.

I take pics of everything i send back no matter what including the box and wrapping if i have to take it to the post office.

You would be supprised when something happens when you say, ok i have pics of the product and the boxes etc.

I traded a HTC HD2 in to a wellknown company. It was in pristine condition and was wrapped and boxed perfect. Got photos of everything and even got the post office to watch me seal it etc.

Any way i got a email back to advise that I wouldnt be getting the full value and i would be loosing £50 in value. No reason just that.

I callled and emailed them and asked for the reason, Explantion was the screen was slightly scratched. This i knew was utter rubbish. So I sent them photos via email and backed it up with a phone call.

Suddenly it was oh we have relooked at the phone and there isnt a mark. The "Engineer ticked the wrong box"

Im a engineer and beleive me, Ive seen many water damaged circuit boards and ive helped many friends when they have sent things of only to be told that the companies have said the items are water damaged and wont repair them.

It goes agaisnt my grain that i see and hear of these stories.