Buying a new phone should be exciting, but for some AT&T customers, it’s turning into a headache. A Reddit user recently shared their frustrating experience of being charged for a service they never signed up for, and struggling to remove it.
Redditor explains why one should avoid buying new phones from carrier stores
According to Reddit user prof_designer (via PhoneArena), they went to an AT&T store to buy a new phone and made it clear they didn’t want AT&T’s Next Up program. For the uninitiated, it’s a paid add-on that lets you upgrade your phone early. Despite refusing, they later found it had been added to their plan anyway.
Trying to remove it was a wild goose chase. First, customer service said they couldn’t cancel it until the phone arrived. Then, after the phone showed up, they were told to wait two more weeks. When they finally got through to someone who could remove it, they had to sit through a long sales pitch on how great Next Up was.
And this is where things go worse. When the next bill arrived, they were still charged for it. After yet another back-and-forth with customer service, AT&T refused to waive the fee but eventually gave them a $10 credit as a “favor.” To top it off, they were asked if they’d like to refer a friend to AT&T.
Other customers have reported similar issues, with some saying it took two months for Next Up charges to disappear. Even former AT&T employees have chimed in, claiming that staff are pushed to sneak extra services onto accounts to boost sales.
If you’re eyeing the Galaxy S25 Ultra, think twice before heading to a carrier store. These upselling tactics can be more trouble than they’re worth. Instead, buying directly from Samsung can save you from unnecessary stress. Plus, you also get surprises from us when SammyGuru Rewards launches. And it’s launching soon.
