A Samsung Galaxy Note 7 user was told by his cellphone provider that if he wanted to exchange his wife's recalled phone it would cost $200.
Steve Boswell said Sprint wouldn't exchange the phone because it had a small crack on the screen.
"They said, 'Well, you're going to have to get the phone fixed before we'll accept it back,'" Boswell said. "At the time, they didn't even have the screens out."
The Note 7, released in August, was recalled after reports that the batteries were overheating, causing fires and explosions.
Boswell, who has three children, is worried the same thing could happen to them.
"We don't want a phone blowing up in our house and catching our house on fire, or hurting our kids," Boswell said.
More than 2.5 million of the smartphones were recalled.
Boswell said when he first heard about the recall, he immediately went into a Sprint store to get a replacement. He said a representative with Sprint asked him if the phone was insured and then told him, "Because there is this crack, you're going to have to pay a $200 deductible so that we can get it fixed and get it replaced."
Boswell's phone doesn't have insurance. Still, he didn't think he should have to pay for his family's safety. His next step was a phone call into Sprint's customer service. However, that wasn't much help, either.
"Sprint said, 'Yes, this is our policy, we can't accept damaged phones,'" Boswell said.
Frustrated, Boswell then contacted Samsung directly. He said he was told by a representative that Sprint should be exchanging all Note 7s, regardless of the phone's condition.
It wasn't until Boswell took this information to Sprint, he said, that the company offered him the exchange.
"Their tune changed instantly," he said.
Boswell was offered a new phone.
The 41 Action News Investigators contacted Sprint to see what its policy is.
Lisa Dimino, a spokeswoman for Sprint, said the company made an error in regard to Boswell's request.
Dimino issued a statement:
As part of the Note 7 exchange program, we are providing Sprint customers who purchased an original Note 7 with a replacement device, regardless of the device's condition upon return.
Still, Boswell said he's frustrated he had to fight for a safe phone, adding that others who maybe weren't as persistent could either still be using a dangerous device or paid for a new phone when they didn't have to.
"[Sprint is] trying to get us to pay $200 to get these phones replaced. Even if they have minor nicks, scratches, little tiny cracks on the screen... [Sprint gets] that $200 for free and Samsung gives you a new phone for free," Boswell said.
The 41 Action News Investigators asked Dimino if other customers have had this problem. She said it's the first issue of this kind she's heard of.
Dimino said if there are other customers who paid to have their original Note 7 replaced, they can visit the store where they made the exchange for a refund.
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Jessica McMaster can be reached at jessica.mcmaster@kshb.com.
