Samsung phone burns and bubbles in Neptune

Neptune resident Donna Tillery said her 15-year-old son's Samsung Galaxy S7 edge started to smoke and burn. Press on Your Side stepped in to help. iPHONE VIDEO BY DAVID P. WILLIS DAVID P. WILLIS

Rasheed Tillery's damaged Samsung phone.(Photo: COURTESY OF DONNA TILLERY)

Late last month, a Samsung G7 edge smartphone belonging to Neptune resident Donna Tillery's 15-year-old son heated up.

"Mom, mom, feel this," Donna Tillery said, recounting her son's exclamation. "The phone, the phone, feel hot how it is." Outside on the grass, the smartphone began to smoke and burn. It didn't explode, but Tillery said, "The phone was clearly burning."

Unsatisfied with the response from Samsung, Tillery called Press on  Your Side for assistance. Now, Samsung, which said it stands behind the quality and safety of its Galaxy S7 devices, is working with Tillery to issue a refund.

Samsung's smartphones have been in the news recently. Earlier this fall, every Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone – about 1.9 million handsets – were recalled. Samsung received 96 reports of batteries overheating, 13 reports of burns and 47 reports of property damage associated with Note7 phones, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The U.S. Department of Transportation has banned all Note7 smartphones on flights.

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Rasheed Tillery of Neptune shows his damaged Samsung phone. (Photo: COURTESY OF DONNA TILLERY)

G7 edge smartphones are not a part of any recall. But given news about the Note7, Tillery said she was concerned.

'Hot to the touch'

Tillery purchased the phone for her son, Rasheed, about nine months ago. A few days before Thanksgiving, they had just arrived back at their Neptune home when he noticed the device was very hot. "It was burning hot to the touch," she said.

Her older son told them to get it out of the house. "We took it outside and threw it on the grass and it began to smoke and the phone was, like, exploding," she said. While the phone didn't burst apart, it did bubble. They took a video of the phone smoking. And pictures taken later showed it was destroyed.

Tillery took the phone to an AT&T Store. She did not want to file an insurance claim, which would have included a $200 deductible, as requested by the store.

"It wasn't lost. It wasn't stolen. It wasn't dropped," Tillery said. "I didn't see flame, but you could clearly see the phone burning, smoke and stuff coming from the phone."

Tillery called AT&T customer service on the telephone, and was told she would not have to file a claim as the phone was under warranty.

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Proof of purchase needed

She was transferred to Samsung customer service but a representative said the warranty did not cover the phone burning. Instead, she was told she would have show proof of purchase, and send in the phone. The company would have to decide whether it could be refurbished, Tillery said, recalling the conversation.

Upset and without a phone for her son, Tillery contacted Press on Your Side. We contacted Samsung Electronics America, which is based in Ridgefield Park, and asked for someone to look into Tillery's problem. A spokeswoman quickly responded.

That evening, Samsung contacted Tillery. "They want me to send in the phone and they said they would replace it with a new one," Tillery wrote in a text message to Press on Your Side. Tillery said she didn't want another Samsung smartphone and asked for a refund instead.

"They said they will give me a refund," Tillery said.

In a statement to Press on Your Side, Samsung said what happened to Tillery's phone was a "rare incident."

"We are sorry to hear about the Tillery family's experience," the company said in a statement. "We are working with them to understand the circumstances that led to this rare incident and resolve the matter to their satisfaction.

Rasheed Tillery's damaged Samsung phone. (Photo: COURTESY OF DONNA TILLERY)

"We stand behind the quality and safety of the more than 10 million Galaxy S7 family devices being used in the United States."

Tillery sent the phone back to Samsung over a week ago, but in order to get her refund, she will have to track down her receipt for the smartphone. She hopes that AT&T or even Samsung can uncover her proof of purchase in records, but for now, it looks like she's going to have to find it.

As an aside, Press on Your Side reminds readers to keep receipts, especially for big-ticket items, in a safe place. Admittedly, we sometimes misplace them too.

Tillery thanked Press on Your Side for the help. "I appreciate everything that you did," she said.

We're glad Samsung agreed to a refund. It's an example of good customer service. Now we hope they can find proof of purchase to resolve the matter and issue Tillery's refund.

Do you have a consumer problem that needs solving? Contact David P. Willis at 732-643-4042, pressonyourside@gannettnj.com or facebook.com/dpwillis732.

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Source: Samsung phone burns and bubbles in Neptune