iPhone Trade-in

“Owning a new iPhone has never been easier,” said a recent email TINA.org received. Head on down to your nearest Apple store, swap your current smartphone for “the iPhone of your choice,” and pay as little as $15 a month, the email said. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy.

Only it’s not. At all. The fine print in the email discloses the many ways in which owning a new iPhone may actually be harder than ever. In addition to credit approval, the conditions of the promotion include:

• Possession of an eligible U.S. credit card and valid, government-issued photo ID.
• A 24-month installment loan that finances at least $249 of the full cost of the phone.
• Immediate payment of the sales tax on the full value of the phone plus “any applicable fees.”

The lengthy terms (though at nearly 200 words, “lengthy” may actually be lowballing it) also state that the offer may not be available in all stores, so make sure to call ahead.

Then, of course, while it’s not mentioned in the fine print, it’s also worth noting that the cost of the phone does not include the monthly cost of using said phone, which is to say, a data plan. For that, prepare to pay at least $20 more per month.

They sure do make it easy.

Find more of our coverage on smartphones here.