iPhone 16 Purchase dissatisfactory

I am beyond disappointed and disgusted by the service we received from Revibe.

My mother purchased an iPhone 16 (A-Grade condition) from this company for my 18th birthday. The phone arrived within 10–12 days after purchase. I initially noticed a few dents and bumps around the device, but nothing major enough to complain about.

However, only four weeks later, the phone completely shut down and stopped working entirely.

We took the device to the iStore to determine the issue. Because the phone was still under Apple warranty, they agreed to inspect it. During the inspection, they struggled to open the phone because Revibe had apparently stripped the *****s. Once they eventually opened the device, Apple refused further service due to evidence of third-party tampering.

According to the iStore, there were stickers and permanent marker markings inside the phone, clearly indicating previous interference. Apple also confirmed that the phone has a FACTORY ISSUE.

Since the device was still under Revibe’s warranty, we sent it back to them. Their response? They claimed that I had dropped the phone. They also keep copying and pasting their emails, offering zero customer service.

This accusation makes absolutely no sense. From the moment I received the phone, it had both a screen protector and a durable protective cover. The dents they are referring to were already present when the device arrived. For context, I owned my previous phone (an iPhone 13) for five years without a single issue.

Revibe is now demanding R3100 for shipping, or alternatively that we pay for the repair ourselves. In other words, they are effectively holding the phone ransom while we are still paying it off.

What kind of business operates like this?

We will definitely be taking this matter further.