SMH
Promotional Upgrade - Fraud-like Offer Eligibility
I recently attempted to upgrade my device through US Cellular's online portal. During the upgrade process, I was presented with promotional offers advertising a $0 cost for the Samsung Galaxy S25+ when trading in a device with a value of $50–$100 or more (was not presented immediately, had to find this notation). My current device, an older phone (~5+ years), was marked as upgrade-eligible and shown alongside these offers, with no indication that it would not qualify. Only after completing the purchase — through a separate trade-in portal and or customer service call — that my device trade-in was valued at just $5, making it ineligible for the promotion. This information was not disclosed prior to checkout, despite being available in their system. I believe this constitutes a deceptive and potentially intentional practice that misleads consumers into agreeing to a 36-month financing plan under the false impression that they are receiving a promotional discount. The misleading nature of this process removes the ability to make an informed purchasing decision. Additionally, the shipment was initiated within 12 hours, overnight, leaving virtually no window to cancel the order after discovering the truth the following morning. This practice not only misrepresents promotional eligibility but may also violate fair marketing and consumer protection standards. I hope the FCC/BBB will help ensure transparency and accountability in how upgrade offers and trade-in values are presented to customers.


