If you have an iPhone and something goes wrong with it, you might be tempted to take it to your cellphone provider for a quick fix. But according to one former phone store worker, that’s a terrible idea.
In a viral TikTok video, Kima Ali (@drcasanovabrown), who claims that he worked for a cellphone service store, hopped on a TikTok trend of exposing company secrets. He says that if you have an iPhone and it malfunctions within the first year of having it, you should make sure to take it to an Apple store instead of your cellphone provider.
In the video, Ali claims that if you take the phone to your cellphone provider, they will give you a “certified like-new replacement” that is actually just a refurbished phone and likely to have more problems than your original device.
“Don’t do that, take it back to the Apple store. If something happens to your phone like it’s not holding a charge, or the screen goes out, whatever happens, take it to Apple,” he says in the video.
The TikToker explains that the convenience of going to your cellphone provider is outweighed by the risks involved, listing the potential issues you might face if you opt to get a “certified like-new replacement” phone.
@drcasanovabrown #companysecrets #iphone ♬ original sound – Dr. CasanovaBrown
He warns, “They’re going to be overheating. They’re going to be losing battery life. They’re going to be dropping signals, the screen is going to be going out, it’s going to have so many issues.”
Speaking about his old job, he recalls, “We used to get pressured to give you those certified like-new replacements, when we knew that you had the option to take it to the Apple store and get another replacement.”
The video was posted on July 14 and has since accumulated 1.9 million views, with many going to the comment section to share their thoughts.
“Always had Samsung Galaxy series, switched to iPhone , I am not impressed at all. Going back to Android lovingly,” one commenter said.
“You should let them know that certified also means refurbished and that can be a brand new phone or a used phone,” another user added.
“My son was having problems with his phone. Took it back to the provider. They switched it out. And now he still having the same problem with the new phone,” a third user shared..
“This so true I use work for AT&T,” a fourth user confirmed.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kima Ali via email for comment.