I worked at Apple ASC for 4 years. This is how clients tried to deceive us and not tell us the truth

The service center deals with problems that may arise when using equipment. I had the opportunity to work for several years in one of these service centers and I can be sure that some clients abuse the help of the manufacturer – try to get free repairs or even replace the device body.

In this article we will talk about some cases from the perspective of a service center employee. You will learn about the main advantages of Apple services that were used by dishonest clients, as well as methods of protection against them.

Why Apple’s Warranty Service is the Best

When replacing the case at the moment of operation, the serial number and imei of the replaced phone have changed

Apple Company perhaps the insidewho use this type of repair such as complete replacement of the device. I can’t remember which other manufacturer uses it – most often they will change something or solder until they get a properly working device.

Apple simply replaces a faulty iPhone, tablet or watch of a similar model. The replacement device is also assembled at the factory, just like equipment sold in stores. The only difference from the same new one on the shelf is the absence of a box with accessories. In fact, this is a new device, but due to the release of the sales kit, it was legally named correctly replaced.

A certificate according to which the ASC receives a replaced phone. There is nothing inside except the phone, not even apple stickers.

The replacement is defective unless the manufacturer has provided repairs to any component to correct the defect. For example, if the wireless charging or cellular communication module is faulty.

Replacement also occurs in cases where the replacement component is not used. For example, if the flash does not work, the main camera module is first replaced. If after this the flash also does not work, then the entire phone is replaced.

Replace components for the manufacturer for less than the cost of all units supplied by the manufacturer. It’s possible that some types of repairs are subject to strict quality standards, like factory-made ones—which is probably why Apple uses replacements and doesn’t use payment as a type of repair.

Who most often calls the service center for faulty iPhones?

During my work, representatives of dubious stores and services most often appear in the authorized service center, promising their clients to buy phones. They find the necessary faults or make them on purpose at their own risk.

Next, one of the employees contacts the ASC under the guise of an ordinary client. They provide free repairs at Apple’s expense, but they already take money from their customers.

Providing the client with incomplete information when searching the service in the hope of warranty service is not a big problem for the ASC. Such clients may keep silent about the fact that the phone got wet in the rain, swim in the pool, or drink a drink from an upside-down glass.

But usually such moments are considered quickly enough; the fact of flooding is revealed by an internal inspection – a mandatory step before any repair.

How to try to deceive ASC

Employees of unauthorized services or stores in most cases reported warranty defects that required replacement of the case itself.

For example, the compass or the auto-rotate display function does not work. There was also a common problem when the flash did not work. Sometimes when there are several such devices.

You could hear stories from them in the spirit that the phone number of a brother/sister/matchmaker/mother-in-law/grandmother has no idea how random this or that problem is. They always looked surprised when, following the results of service, they replaced the boss’s phone number.

Some most likely knew that someone in the ACC knew, but they still continued to play their roles.

It is not considered a warranty condition if the bottom screws are licked, are a different color, or are simply missing.

It happened, of course, that they made a mistake. For example, he said that the phone had not been repaired, but the bottom screws were missing. At such moments, they simply immediately took the phone and walked silently.

However, there were also me who did not invent anything. He directly said that we are service employees and want to service our devices.

When can a smartphone go to the Repair Center?

Frequent access by one person to different devices over a period of time looks suspicious for Apple. still special and identical problems.

The next time such a frequent guest visits the ASC, there is a high probability that when completing a repair, a request will be received to send the device to the Repair Center for service.

The ASC cannot continue on-site repairs with such instructions – the Apple service system simply will not provide its structure. The ASC can send the device only according to the message or issue it without repair if the client does not want to send the message.

The standard period of detention is up to 7 days, and when sent to the RC it increases to 10.

The repair center is located in the wooden equipment, and there was most likely an additional structure for internal inspection. I say “most likely”, since no one in the ASC knows exactly the principles and algorithms of the operation of the RC.

When do you need to show your purchase receipt?

When searching for equipment for Russia in the ASC, verification was not needed if a year had not yet passed from the date of purchase. For foreign devices for which service was available in our country, they were also not required. It was easy to look at the possibility of servicing – if it could be bought from us through the official Apple website, then servicing the equipment is so affordable.

Small shops and resellers mostly sell “gray” devices that cost less than PCT. The difference in cost of ownership is due to Apple’s need to certify equipment and complete customs paperwork for official import and sale in the country.

The growth in sales of “gray” tubes has also increased in the number of applications with them in ASCs

It was strange for Apple when an executive handed in a receipt for purchases from Russia, although the company did not import this equipment into the country. Because of this, when searching with a foreign iPhone, a receipt became necessary at the initial stage of sale from the destination country. For example, if the phone is intended for Germany, then you need a receipt from a German store.

The warranty runs from the date of original purchase and does not go into effect as many people believe. You can activate your iPhone at the checkout counter in a store, the next day, after six months, or even after 10 years, the device has long been discontinued and is not serviced. On its website, Apple explicitly states that the warranty period is valid for one year from the date of original purchase.

There was a requirement for the check – it had to keep the serial number. If the serial number was not indicated on the receipt, the client wrote it down himself with a pen – this reduced the possibility of using the check again for another phone.

Client filling out service requests

The Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights provides 2 years of service without any additional payment for officially sold equipment in Russia, which not everyone knows about. Sometimes this was used by incomprehensible services that took money for repairs from their clients, but at the same time they themselves provided the equipment to the ASC for free service under the Health Protection Regulations.

Until the end of 2019, when servicing under the Labor Protection Regulations, no additional documents were required; it was enough for the guys to simply service the equipment. It is highly likely that the client was an employee of another service or a reseller if he handled several devices for servicing PZPP during the year.

However, in 2020, a special service claim form was introduced and everything changed.

Application form for PPSA services

The form is a form in which it is written that the client wants to service the equipment free of charge in accordance with the PSA. Without it, ASC could only offer paid repairs, since the manufacturer’s warranty has already expired.

The statement provided information on the device, such as the name and serial number, as well as passport details of the owner of the equipment. Information about the purchase was also ordered – the date and name of the store.

If the specified date was different from the one Apple had, then a check needs to be done. The serial number was included in the receipt if it was not originally there. A photo of the receipt with the serial device was attached to the client’s request.

So Apple gradually changed the rules and service requirements, producing them strictly. From the outside it can be assumed that the ASC is only putting various spokes in the wheels, just to not take measures for warranty repair of the equipment. But in fact, the main goal of all this was to provide service services specifically to the owner of the equipment.

Perhaps now you will understand why, when searching in the official service, you need supporting documents – this is not the whim of an employee, but the rules from Apple itself.

As for me, I worked at the ASC until 2022. About work experience earlier in my article. If you missed it, you can check it out here.