Apple Store wants me to pay for MY phone twice.

I bought an Iphone 7 Plus in 2016 at the Apple Store in Bloemfontein. 2020 the phone for some reason would not make WhatsApp voicecalls and everything else is perfectly working meaning software issue on an app. I took the phone to IStore in Sandton, they then tok it for repairs then I received a quote of R7 523 from Core Group with a section for me to approve or disapprove to authorise fixing the whatsapp voice problem. I did not select and rather told them when they called that i will rather take the phone as is as thee quoted amount is equivalent to the cost of a new phone at the store. Am in Botswana and have not been able to travel i called to enquire about the quote( software issue costs) the store then informs me the have already fix the phone without my approval.

Is this the new way of getting more money from Clients?