Brightstar is a Scam

[SamGhazi]

I was sold a brightstar device protection warranty through Fido. My camera was cracked and had to pay a 100$ to get it fixed.

When I got my phone back,  weeks later I dipped a supposedly a water resistant (up to 1.5 m and can swim up to 30 min in fresh water) in a 50cm fresh water for less than 5 sec and it broke down.

I contacted Samsung warranty and they said that it is Brightstar's fault becasue after they repair a device, they do not test it for water resistance, so I went forward and contacted Brightstar to explain my case. Their response was they do not guarantee that the device you recieve back after repair will be water resistant. 

So Why not tell users about that ?? you think thats a minor detail !!!! It is not stated in the contract as well. 

Fido should not be affiliated with this entity. As a commodity that relies heavily on brand equity, Brightstar will drag you down and before you know it you'll start losing your customers. 

[heshmontey]

Absolutely unimpressed with the horrible service provided by the scam known as 'Brightstar'. i've used them before, had a broken phone, sent it in to get replaced, they sent back a close enough device (different color but they mentioned that could happen and I didn't really care) but the screen had a dead zone where the screen wouldn't work, being annoyed at my service I went to apple to get it fixed. Apple said it was in warranty but after further inspection found 'Third party parts' and denied my warranty claim. When apple returned my phone it was not working, screen was out and Apple said they were not liable and in the nicest way possible told be to get the hell out. Now don't get me wrong Apple is also a money sucking prick but they are not my focus right now, when I contacted Fido about my problem (I am a LONG time member and absolutely love your customer service) everything got sorted out. Recently my phone got lost in the Sea when I went swimming, (I was not swimming with my phone, I gave it to someone to hold while I swam and they dropped it) and I tried to make a claim on lost device, I was informed by the absolute units at Brightstar that they are no longer going to service me as I had reached their maximum 2 service within 12 months. Firstly my first request was WELL over 12 months ago, secondly my phone was only damaged and serviced the second time due to Brighstars being horrible at fixing phones. Then I got an email saying they would no longer be charging me they canceled my insurance. WHAT? so ever since my 2nd claim they have been stealing my $13 knowing they wouldn't service me, only to cancel now? Absolutely unreal, to think the best phone provider with the best customer service would think this is okay, I honestly don't know.

[FidoPierre]

Hey  @heshmontey, 

It's unfortunate you've had these kinds of difficulties while trying to get your phone serviced. It's definitely not the kind of experience we want for our customers.The Fido Device Protection is usually automatically removed once you've processed a second claim within the 12 months. Did you speak to someone at our customer support team since that last email you received? 

There's a few different ways to reach us which can be viewed here. Or if you'd prefer we can also send you a PM from here to check out your account. Let us know! 
 

[heshmontey]

Please send me a pm, and they definitely did not disconnect after the second repair, if Brightstar is good at anything it;s making sure they get their damned money!! 

[FidoSaad]

Hey @heshmontey

A PM will be sent your way shortly so we can go over the situation together.

Talk to you soon

[TylerJames]

I've come across this thread while doing some research and I will 100% agree Brightstar is a scam. I purchased an iPhone x through Fido. My screen cracked in early January this year. I did what I had to do and contacted Brightstar for a screen replacement. They sent me to a partnered store and I got it fixed. 

The same day I got it fixed my phone speakers wouldn't work. I was already out of the are when I realized so I thought hey, the apple store is down the street. I went there, explained to them what had happened and if they could just fix the speaker knowing it was most likely a cable not attached properly. Turns out my phone was water damaged and it wasn't repaired properly. When I signed the contract it stated if there was any more than the damage to the phone I will be charged for it. with that frustration in mind, I went back to the store and complained. The owner agreed with me. He stated I should have been made aware of it by the employee who fixed the screen. I will give credit to the store as the store owner did a water damage repair service and he threw in a few cases and screen protectors free of charge. 

When I brought the issue up to Brightstar they told me they're unsure why the store didn't tell me in the first place. it seems they don't want to take responsibility for the negligence. Months down the road my phone keeps shutting off and it's acting up. I've spoken to Brightstar multiple times. I've been escalated. They know the story and they still refuse to make it right. They require me to pay the $300 fee to replace my device. I'm now stuck with a nonfunctioning, unreliable phone due to their lack of action. 

I've been a fido customer for almost 5 years now and I've never in my life seen such a high company partnered with such a flop company. I pay $12 a month just to be turned down a replacement when it was their fault in the first place for neglecting to tell me my phones damaged beyond what i knew. 

[Cawtau]

Hello TylerJames,

  Welcome to the community!

  I'm sorry to hear your phone has sustained damage.

---

@TylerJames wrote:..Turns out my phone was water damaged and it wasn't repaired properly. When I signed the contract it stated if there was any more than the damage to the phone I will be charged for it. with that frustration in mind, I went back to the store and complained. The owner agreed with me. He stated I should have been made aware of it by the employee who fixed the screen. I will give credit to the store as the store owner did a water damage repair service and he threw in a few cases and screen protectors free of charge. ..

  Are you suggesting that the repair shop caused the water damage or that they merely did not mention the damage? If the water damage was already present, I'm not sure how that affects your current issue. According to Brightstar's protection fee schedule, you should have been charged for the water damage repair the store owner performed. Since you didn't pay for that repair, was it officially done through Brightstar? If it wasn't, I'm not sure if that repair would be under warranty.

---

@TylerJames wrote:... turned down a replacement when it was their fault in the first place for neglecting to tell me my phones damaged beyond what i knew. 

---

  I'm sorry, but if you knew about the water damage, how would that have changed anything? From what you mentioned, you were not turned down for a replacement, they quoted you the replacement fee. It would have been the same repair or replacement fees back then or now (see here).

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[rrpp]

Please for the sake of your mental health do not buy Fido Brightstar Device Protection Plan. Purchase manufacturer plan (AppleCare) or if possible Geek Squad (fantastic experiences in the past).

My phone was stolen on a Saturday night and I went to the Fido store when it opened on Sunday morning.  Fido let me use their phone to call Brightstar and start the claim.  I told the rep my phone was stolen and they informed me I would need to provide ID, Proof of Address and Declaration stating the phone was actually stolen.  Since I had no phone, the Fido rep took a picture of my ID, a screen shot of my cable bill clearing showing my name/address and a screen shot of my completed declaration and proceeded to email them to me so I could upload to the portal.  I then called Brightstar back to give them my credit card info for the replacement fee of the phone.  They informed me I would have a phone delivered next business day but that it would be Tuesday since the claim started on a weekend.

I logged into the portal on Monday morning expecting everything to be approved but noticed that two of the documents had been rejected.  I called Brightstar and they informed me that the declaration did not match the claim status, meaning that while I indicated the phone was stolen and filled out the declaration saying so, their rep had started the claim as lost. The system would not allow them to update this so I either had to change the form or restart the claim.  I was able to change the declaration to show lost and reupload.  Apparently the screen shot of my bill was not enough proof so I had to download a PDF of the entire bill and send.  The frustrating part here is that there was no notification to indicate documents had been rejected.

Since the portal went down at some point Monday night, I called Brightstar first thing Tuesday morning to check on the status.  The rep told me the documents were approved but that management needed to approve them again later in the day and everything would be on track. I eventually got an email which said more info was required.  I thought this was odd since I was told the claim was approved.  I now needed to provide the original purchase receipt and a copy of my credit card statement.  I have no problem providing the receipt but was annoyed that this was not asked for in the original submission.  I was uncomfortable providing a full credit card statement but was told there was no way around this. Either way, I cannot understand why these documents were not asked for up front.  This run around further delays the process another two days. 

With the portal still being down on Wednesday morning I again called in to get an update.  The rep said they cannot provide one since they can’t see anything on their end.  Again another dead end and stall tactic.

A simple process that should take one day to complete has now dragged on for four with zero resolution in sight.  My impression of Fido is a company that is very customer centric and provides great customer service.  For them to align with a company like Brightstar totally opposes that image.  I cannot believe the run around I have been given and the lack of notification and updates throughout this claim.  This is by far the worst process I have ever dealt with to have anything replaced.  It’s sad because I pay a premium for this protection and assume a company that specializes in this would be quick to get you a replacement phone.  Not the case; the service is horrible and I feel they are purposely delaying at every step.  Not the experience you want to have when you are without a phone.  I have spoken with six reps and only one has been remotely helpful.   Unfortunately, I will probably leave Fido after this contract as this has left a very bad taste in my mouth.  DO NOT PURCHASE THE BRIGHTSTAR PLAN.

[FidoKenny]

Hello @rrpp and welcome to the Community.

I moved your post here since it's related to this discussion.

Losing a phone can't be easy for anyone. I also went over what you explained about your experience with Brightstar and we do want you to get your phone as soon as possible.

To confirm with you, were you able to get your new device yet?

[rrpp]

No I have not.  I really wish I had read the reviews before I purchased the Brightstar plan.  It appears their way of operating is very common and not just a bad experience on my end.  I am still baffled by the amount of personal information I have given to them just to replace a phone via a plan I pay a lot of money for.  For a company that is supposed to help you get a new phone quickly, they are an absolute fail and make it nearly impossible for a person without a phone to go through the process.  I will actually be sad to leave Fido after my contract but I cannot support a company who is associated with Brightstar.  I will never again, not get AppleCare or the Best Buy Geek Squad warranty.  This has been an absolute horrendous experience and I'm disappointed it came via Fido.....

II really hope I don't have to replace a screen via Brightstar as it appears it will either ruin my phone or void the Apple warranty.  

I hope I am able to cancel this coverage and switch to AppleCare since this is technically a new iPhone I will be receiving. 

[Cawtau]

Hello Rrpp,

  Welcome to the community!

  I'm sorry to hear you lost your phone. For many, the claims process is simple and straightforward. You don't often read about their experiences because people happy with services tend not to post as much praise as dissatisfied people post complaints. Brightstar device protection is insurance, like any other insurance. The claims process is to identify and prevent insurance fraud. I understand your case might be legitimate, but from what you noted, it's likely your case was flagged for additional review -- requiring the additional documents. Your initial claim was that your phone was stolen. I understand you signed the declaration the phone was stolen, but had you filed a stolen property case with the police?

  I'm not sure where the misunderstanding which lead to the file being claimed as lost rather than stolen occurred, but your change in story when updating the claim is a big red flag. I understand it might not have been your fault and it was easier to merely update the claim as lost, but the inconsistent story likely merited additional review.

  I'm not sure why people do not realise that device protection (from any company) is insurance. For some reason, people seem think that they since they pay a monthly fee for the protection, repairs and/or replacements are without additional cost. All insurance -- device protection included -- have deductables or processing fees associated with repairs or replacements in addition to the monthly fees. Once your claim is finally approved, don't be surprised that you have to pay a replacement processing fee. All of the fees would have been outlined in the documentation provided to you when you purchased the protection. You can also view the fees here.

---

@rrpp wrote:..this is technically a new iPhone I will be receiving. 

---

  You should note that the phone you receive may or may not be new. It's possible that the device you receive was refurbished.

 Premium Device Protection Replacement Service Requests will be fulfilled with a wireless device of like kind and quality with comparable features and functionality to the Protected Device and may be new or reconditioned. There is no assurance, representation, or warranty that any replacement equipment will be identical or offer the same function as the item being replaced. ~ taken from here.

  You should also note that it's the same policy with AppleCare (see here).

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[rrpp]

Bottom line people, DO NOT PURCHASE BRIGHTSTAR, terrible company to deal with and a giant waste of money.

The Toronto Police Service does not accept reports for stolen phones.

As for the red flag, Brightstar incorrectly inputted the claim as lost, then advised me to change my declaration from stolen to lost even after I told them it was not lost and wanted the record to be truthful.  They said the claim could not proceed unless I modified the declaration.  

I don't believe I ever mentioned I had an issue with a deductible as I know that is the case.  It's extremely frustrating to pay $13/month and receive incredibly bad service and get the run around full of inconsistent information.  I have dealt with insurance companies before and none have been close to this bad.  Both AppleCare and Geek Squad may have similar policies and costs etc but they do not constantly delay like Brightstar.  They have an interest in getting the consumer back up and running.  

Bottom line people, DO NOT PURCHASE BRIGHTSTAR, terrible company to deal with and a giant waste of money.

[Cawtau]

Hello again,

---

@rrpp wrote:...  They said the claim could not proceed unless I modified the declaration...

  I understand it may not have been your fault, but you might have been better off to restart the claim as stolen as you suggested was one of your options. That way, your story would have remained consistent.

---

@rrpp wrote:...I don't believe I ever mentioned I had an issue with a deductible as I know that is the case. ..

---

  You're right, you didn't. I included that information for others who may read these posts. Many people do get upset that there is a processing fee because they didn't read the documentation. I apologise for missing that point in your original post.

  You said you've dealt with insurance companies in the past and claim AppleCare and Geek Squad do not delay with their claims. Those instances likely didn't involve an inconsistent story like your current claim.

Cheers

[rrpp]

Guess you know it all.  

Regardless of the exact details of my case, they are very inconsistent in terms of requesting/giving information and providing notifications on case progress.  Their customer service reps are some of the worst I've dealt with.  I'm not shocked to see the amount of people who have had a negative experience.  Disappointing experience either way.......just letting people know there are better options out there.

[Brightstar]

I phoned Fido because my phone died today out of the blue. The person who helped me with Fido also found out while we were waiting to connect with Brightstar that I was overpaying for my device upgrade bundle by $2/mo

. Nice

Brightstar is saying my deductible is $400, but when I bought the protection I was told it may be "UP TO $200"

 Complete scam, Fido. You touted this as a product that was superior to Apple Care, I fell for it. Now I'm out $100s in premiums for a worthless product. 

Fido, you abused my trust as a loyal customer since 2003. 
 

[Cawtau]

Hello Brightstar,

  Welcome to the community!

  You mentioned you upgraded your device. Had you also had the device protection with a previous device? The processing fees for repairs and replacement vary depending on the cost of the device (see here). Since you mentioned that your processing fee is now $400, it appears your phone is a Tier 5 device. If you purchased the device protection when you still had a Tier 3 device, it could explain what you were told. Obviously, I do not know what was discussed between yourself and the representative. However, you should have been provided with the documentation regarding the device protection and processing fees.

Hope this helps 😀

Cheers

[SourabhG]

I shared my experience too. Just getting rid of Fido and going for someone who doesn’t support brightstar scams.

[SourabhG]

I totally agree to it. Brightstar sucks! I lost my mobile and file complaint before 2 weeks. After submitting 8 documents they asked me for a utility bill. I am renting out a property and don’t have such a bill under my name. I call them everyday and they said they can’t help it out. I am more upset with FIDO as I always used Fido since I immigrated to Canada. Well I give up with Brightstar and FIDO too. Its time to change my mobile service provider and all I paid from last 3 years for insurance of $13 per month is a waste. Disappointed!

[FidoClaudia]

Hey @SourabhG,

Welcome to our Community!

We're sad to read that your experience to replace your device wasn't positive and we certainly wouldn't want to see you go because of it! 

I understand it can be very frustrating and I would suggest checking out this thread here to find out all about the documents accepted as proof of address and how you can get in touch with Brighstar.

With this said, I'll send you a PM to take a closer look into it. Chat soon!

[SourabhG]

Hi Claudia,

I have submitted my address proof as my internet bill. Than they asked for lease agreement and I submitted that too. After submitting 8 documents with brightstar they asked for utility bill. I called them daily as I don’t have any utility bill except internet which is submitted already. I think they just wait till you don’t give up. However, I think i should switch to some other service provider who doesn’t support brightstar. My friends never encountered such a problems dealing with Asurion. And finally today I feel I won’t get anything from Brightstar except headache.

[FidoRanya]

Thank you for clarifying @SourabhG !

We sent you a PM, make sure to reply so we can help.

[moeali2019]

Brightstart is the worst people i have delt with, they asking me lease, gas etc bills , when they have my driver lience as id prove also can use as address approval