Hey everyone, I’m reaching out to get some advice and see if anyone has gone through something similar. Today, I had one of the most frustrating experiences with Samsung and their authorized repair center, uBreakiFix, and I’m seriously considering taking legal action. Here’s what happened:
I bought a Samsung S24 Ultra from the UAE, which came with a 2-year Samsung Care+ plan on top of the standard warranty. My phone has always been in pristine condition—no scratches, no drops, and always protected with a tempered glass screen protector. However, out of nowhere, green lines started appearing on my display. Knowing this was likely a manufacturing defect, I immediately contacted Samsung’s helpline. They confirmed that it sounded like a defect and directed me to visit one of their authorized repair centers, uBreakiFix, near my ZIP code. (i am back in my home town in US)
So, I called four different uBreakiFix branches to explain the situation and see if they had the display part available. The first three branches didn’t have the part, but the fourth one, which is a corporate location and a flagship Samsung store, did. Since this place was 1.5 hours away from me, I called them to explain the situation in detail. They assured me that they would inspect the phone and take care of it.
I made the long drive to the repair center, and once there, they took my phone’s IMEI number, checked the warranty status, and confirmed that it was indeed a manufacturing defect. But then, they hit me with a bombshell: because my phone was purchased outside the US, they couldn’t process the warranty claim. However, the technician said he would try to make the claim in their system anyway. To my surprise, the system accepted the claim! He created an order number, printed the receipt, and told me to return in two hours. He also took down my wife’s phone number to contact me since my phone would be with them.
After two hours passed, I called them to check in. They said it would take another hour. Three hours after I initially dropped off the phone, I returned to the store. They told me they were still running some tests and asked me to wait a bit longer. Now, it’s 6:30 PM, and they finally say the repair is done, but there’s a catch: they can’t give me my phone back. Apparently, their system flagged the repair, and now my original warranty was voided. I was in utter shock.
The technician explained that he had created a ticket with Samsung, and they wouldn’t release my phone until Samsung responded to the ticket. At this point, I was frantic. All my work correspondence is on that phone, and without it, I would be completely cut off from my job. I called Samsung from inside the repair center and explained the situation. The Samsung representative on the phone told me that, according to their policy, the repair should be covered. I asked her to speak directly with the technician.
What followed was a heated exchange between the technician and the Samsung rep. The technician dismissed her, saying she didn’t know anything about Samsung’s technical support. They argued back and forth, with the Samsung rep insisting that it was illegal to hold onto my device like this, but the technician wouldn’t budge. The situation escalated when the technician, clearly frustrated, started throwing a tantrum. He said he had to close the store and, in a threatening tone, told me that if I didn’t leave, he’d have to “call someone.”
I was completely confused and didn’t know whether I should call the police or not. In the end, I left the store and made the 1.5-hour drive back home, without my phone.
I’m now left without my phone, my original warranty potentially voided, and a repair receipt from uBreakiFix as my only proof of what happened. I’m considering taking this to small claims court, but I’m unsure if I have a strong case. Has anyone here dealt with something similar? Any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated.
i don't necessarily think that would be a samsung you break i fix problem. well, let me take that back. it would be their liability. but in reality, the real source of your problem was that employee. clearly, they were not fit to work for you break i fix if they're going to throw a tantrum just because the person from samsung is telling them that they are wrong. so, it's their fault for your problems, but at the same time, you break i fix should do a better job at hiring people. i have personally never been to one of the stores, but i'm just speaking based off your story.
@tascorp20 Unfortunately you have landed in the user to user discussion area for Samsung US products and services. The users here will have none, or limited, ability to help with non-US products. Often Samsung Care+ and warranty plans are not applicable in other countries.
