Wireless Helpers & T-Mobile Merrick Harris, manager/owner, Possible insurance fraud or cell phone scam Florence / Magnolia Mall South Carolina

 I am a long –time customer of Wal-Mart Family Mobile which is powered by T-Mobile towers. I recently purchased a T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on March 5, 2013 from an independent T-Mobile prepaid retailer at the Magnolia mall in Florence SC. I supposedly purchased this cell phone brand new fully unlocked (see copied receipt) and never used. I was hoping I would be able to use the cell phone with my Wal-Mart Family Mobile Plan (which is powered by T-Mobile towers. I purchased this cell phone for $769.99 + $61.60 sales tax=$831.59(please see copy of receipt). Okay when I first inserted my Wal-Mart sim card, I had no problem and the service was working just fine. Two month later, I had a problem a few hours when I didn’t have any service and I would get a message not register with network. I called Wal-Mart Family Mobile tech support to see what was going on with my cell phone. After going through a few steps with tech support, my cell phone began to work again.

On July 21, 2013, I started experiencing the same issues, but however, this time the issues couldn’t be resolve. Wal-Mart Family Mobile tech support tried all they could to resolve this problem. I then went back to the mall to the retailer to explain to him the issues of my Galaxy Note 2. The retailer suggested that I send the Galaxy Note 2 back to Samsung. He stated I had no store warranty just manufactory warranty. I contacted Samsung about my Galaxy Note 2 and they instructed me to mail the device to them and they would email me a shipping label to print out. The Galaxy Note 2 was mailed out on Wednesday July 31, 2013 by UPS (please see copied drop off receipt).On Wednesday August 14, 2013, my Galaxy Note 2 was mailed back to me by Samsung. I inserted my sim card and the same messages not registered on network. I called Samsung again stating my cell phone still not working and they explained to me they couldn’t find a problem with my cell phone. They also said the first thing they do is update software before doing anything (please see Samsung ASA service repair statement). Meanwhile after talking with Samsung, a relative wanted to try their sim card in my Galaxy Note 2. She inserted her sim card into my Galaxy Note 2 and it worked but do understand her cell phone service is with Straight Talk Mobile (ATT towers). So here I’m thinking maybe my sim card is bad. I then went out and purchase a new sim card from Wal-Mart ($25.00+tax). Called Wal-Mart Family Mobile to transfer new sim card, still message not register on network.

By this time I’m getting very upset, frustrated and puzzled. So I then went to the local T-Mobile store @2391 David H. Blvd, Ste A, and Florence, SC 29501 and spoke with Candice. I explained to her exactly what the problem was, she suggested she try T-Mobile sim card in my Galaxy Note 2. While taking the back cover off the cell phone, she notices right away that I didn’t have an original Samsung battery for that cell phone and that battery I did have was swollen. She inserts her T-Mobile sim card and here again not register on network, she’s now puzzled saying “how can that be”. She tried what she could do to help me but again nothing worked. She could only suggest I take the cell phone back to the. I went back to your prepaid retailer in the mall @Wireless Helpers (see photocopy of business included). I spoke to the manager/ owner Mr. Merrick Harris about this situation and how disappointed I was because I haven’t used my cell phone almost a month. He again quoted” send cell phone back to manufactory because their no store warranty”. After arriving home from the mall, I decided to call Wal-Mart Family Mobile to discuss my frustration with this cell phone.  The representative I spoke with a that time, quote” I think I know exactly what’s wrong with your cell phone”. He said that I needed to call T-Mobile and give my IEM# on that cell phone and find out if that cell phone was reported lost or stolen. “People do this to do insurance claims to get new cell phones and resell them as new (which usually the person who sells to you does this to make money) and when they get the new one, the old one is locked by carrier. Things are starting to make sense now.Called T-Mobile to check IEM# and just as I was told, my brand new, never used before Galaxy Note 2 was reported lost. How could this be? I’m the only owner of this cell phone IEM#354340051442848/09 and never had an account with T-Mobile.

First customer care rep. I spoke with, told me that my cell phone was reported lost and belong to a T-Mobile employee. I explained to this rep. where I purchased the cell phone and how could that be. He asked me if I were still there at the mall and I replied “no and I was about 45minutes away (time was7:08pm). He suggested I go back to the mall and he will talk to this manager/owner @Wireless Helpers. I then gave him my wife cell phone number I can be reached on at that time. The time was 7:55pm and I was back at the mall. I waited patiently for the rep. to call me back @8pm as he said. It was now 8:35pm, no call yet from this rep. and it was 25 minutes before mall closing time.Called T-mobile back and spoke with different rep., explaining everything over to her. She asked to talk to prepaid retailer Wireless Helpers. I’m not all she asked him but she did ask him where he got his T-Mobile cell phones. He replied from a company by the name CPD T-Mobile Authorized Dealer (579 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd.SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. Now my question is whats going on and how can something like this happen. Who’s responsible for this?