Man Asked Technician to Fix His Phone Screen, But He Fixed Everything Else. Now, He’s Scared He Might Go to Jail
Who's in the right here, the customer or the repairman?
Have you ever told someone to do something and they did the complete opposite? Preston (@prestont33) found himself in this irritating situation and now he thinks he might end up in jail. So what really happened?
In a TikTok video, Preston said he wanted to retrieve some pictures from his iPhone 12, which was in bad condition. He said he asked the cell phone repair technician to fix only the phone’s screen and nothing else.
He said he was told to return after an hour, but when he did, he says he was told they needed another 30 minutes. Then, when he came a second time, the technician said that he now owed him $300.
“That is a straight-up scam”
Shocked that his bill had soared so much, he checked his phone and found everything was fixed. “Look at the phone… everything’s fixed. The back is fixed….He put a new battery. He, like, literally did everything… I told him not to do. I just said, the…screen. But he proceeds to fix everything because I didn’t want to spend all that much on a phone I’m not gonna really use. I just wanted the photos.”
Apparently, when the technician asked Preston to pay $300, he refused. However, the technician allegedly kept insisting, and Preston, in a fit of rage, ripped out all the phones hanging on the wall and threw them one after another. He also allegedly took his phone with him without paying. Now he’s worried he’s going to end up facing criminal charges.
Some people in the comments section of Preston’s post supported and called out the misleading technician. One user wrote, “That is a straight up scam lol I don’t blame you.” Another user said, “ion see nothing you did wrong … he didn’t complete your service.”
A few others shared additional thoughts about the issue and advised Preston as to what he should have done. One user commented, “I mean, u could have just called the cops and put him in his place and be on with your day. you didn’t have to do all that and go to jail.” Another user remarked, “That’s called junk fee, you should’ve disputed it with your bank or called the cops to go there not damage property.”
Turns out “junk fees” are a real thing, and they’re more common than you would hope. US News & World Report describes them as “unexpected” and “sometimes hidden” fees that companies charge customers for services that cost the companies little to nothing to provide. For example, when you go to a clinic for the first time, you may be charged a nominal registration fee, which really doesn’t make much sense, come to think of it.
You’re not obligated to pay someone who provided you additional services
Although paying for services without consent is often a matter of choice, you’re not necessarily obligated to do so. Sometimes manipulation disguises itself as goodwill, and recognizing it early is crucial to prevent further escalation. Sometimes it’s a technician fixing your entire phone even though you asked them not to and then asking for money, and sometimes it’s sending someone a $1,400 grill when they had ordered a $140 one.
A Reddit thread loosely addresses this topic, where a user shared an experience of a worker jet washing their driveway a second time despite the user repeatedly saying they didn’t need the service, and then asking to be paid for it.
A significant number of respondents agreed that the person should not pay the worker, with some even recommending seeking legal advice. One of the users wrote, “Legally, they haven’t a leg to stand on. For them to successfully claim for the money, they would need to show that you’d entered a contract. They clearly can’t. Keep hold of any texts/messages as evidence that you didn’t agree to them carrying out the work.”
They continued, “They probably know this, and may continue to harass you for payment. Again, keep a record of any contact, and contact the police if they continue, or make threats.”
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
