A whistleblower has come forward with allegations of illicit activities occurring at some Metro by T-Mobile outlets, claiming that employees are manipulating sales to meet targets, potentially defrauding customers.
Whistleblower Reveals Illegal Practices
A former Metro by T-Mobile employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, sent a letter to PhoneArena detailing how some outlets are using illegal tactics to inflate sales figures. The whistleblower alleges that a District Manager has been involved in these practices since the first quarter of the year. This involves acquiring ported phone numbers through an outside source.
These ported numbers are used to manipulate phone prices, allowing employees to apply discounts in the system. Discounted phones are then sold at inflated prices to customers, with the difference made up by charging customers for accessories. Employees were reportedly instructed not to sell phones below a certain price point.
"As employees, we were not only encouraged but expected to use these ported numbers to greatly improve the sales numbers of the stores... We were not allowed to sell phones under a certain price so we were required to scan as many accessories as possible to have the customer still pay the full quoted price of a phone. This is where the theft of customers happens."
How the Scheme Works
If a customer couldn't afford the quoted price for a phone, the District Manager would still approve the purchase. The customer would be charged for various accessories, from chargers to headphones. In cases where the customer paid the inflated price, accessories were allegedly scanned into the system but never given to the buyer. They would then be returned to store inventory and sold to future customers.
This practice, as alleged, has led to substantial commissions and bonuses for the District Manager and participating employees. PhoneArena has reportedly contacted both Metro and T-Mobile for comment. We will update this story as more information is made available.
It is important to note that these allegations have yet to be verified, and should be approached with caution.
