AT&T Cingular Beware of AT&T Rebate Ripoffs Monroe Michigan
My wife and I thought it would be nice to buy our daughter a cell phone for Christmas. We went to the Frenchtown Mall in Monroe to the AT&T Cingular store to purchase a phone.
The sales representative suggested a pay-as-you-go phone. We had to pay $80 for the phone but with the $50 rebate the representative said we would get it seemed like a good deal.
We explained to the representative that the phone was a Christmas gift and that we would activate the service after Christmas.
We sent in our rebate form and never received our rebate. We called AT&T and asked them why and they said it was too late. We activated the phone on Christmas morning and they said the rebate expired on Christmas Eve.
I can't help but think the December 24th deadline was set knowing people were going to get their phones on December 25th and activate them afterwards.
I explained to AT&T that their sales representative neglected to tell us of the December 24th deadline when we purchased the phone. They said they were not responsible for that and there was nothing they could do for me.
Another rebate rip-off by AT&T! We were ripped off again by AT&T for another $110 worth of rebates and incentives. We sent in all the appropriate forms and filled them out properly and sent them in on time.
When we didn't receive yet another rebate we called and asked why. AT&T said they never received our forms. We mailed them in again and they said they didn't receive them again.
I talked to a customer representative and he said to fax the forms in and he would take care of it. I did so and now they're saying the fax for the rebate was received after the deadline.
How convenient for AT&T that they neglect to inform their customers and apparently never receive their rebate forms until it is too late. If you read their fine print they try to blame the U.S. Post Office in advance for them losing or misplacing your mail. It's as if it's all planned out in advance.
Can anyone help me with this? Whatever happened to the customer is always right? Can I report them to a collection agency like they would me? I want justice! And my $160 worth of rebates! I would love to be involved in a class-action lawsuit. Please feel free to contact me.
Bryan
Monroe, Michigan
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Steph
Cadiz,Kentucky,
U.S.A.
Past Agent Store Owner they will rip you off
#4UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, December 31, 2007
I have worked in the cellular industry for many, many years. First as a Cingular agent for an independent agent store and then I opened an independent Cingular agent store.
I know all of the tricks of their trade. NO they DO NOT want to issue you a rebate.They make up every excuse in the book not to. Cingular/ AT&T are not responsible for the rebates issue, but here is the secret. They contract with Young America to issue rebates. They sometimes offer rebates that will cover the entire cost of the phone. The customer has to pay the entire amount at the store but agents drill in their heads that they will get all of that money back.
Heres the kicker.
All of the money saved from those "refused rebates" will be split with Cingular. If the rebate was for $25.00 and they refuse a customer they collect $12.50 and Cingular gets $12.50. That will start to add up when they deal in volume. I've had to get the rebates for my customers myself. I have filled out rebate forms and mailed everything asked for on the forms.
What happened? They would deny the rebate and send the stuff back to the customer and ask them to re-file it . The really bad part? They wouldn't send everything back and when the customer sends back all they have requested then they would claim the customer didn't send back everything and to my amazement ..... they would say they "lost" some of their forms!
I was sick of this total scam and I would start to do the rebates for my loyal customers....... when they would try this stuff on me I would call them. Sometimes I would be on hold for 45 minutes but I WOULD get them their rebate.
After the merger I sold my business. I wasn't comfortable selling products to my customers and then knowing the horrible things done to them.
Lets not even get started in the billing department. I've seen phones shut off for charges not incurred by my customer. When they would get the bill straight they would still have to pay the re-connect fee! Text pkgs, media pkgs, higher rate plans would be added without their permission. How could I sell for a pitiful company?
So, there is part of the Bible that I know on Cingular/AT&T and Young America
Amethyst
Fayetteville,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Rebate is a Manufacture Rebate, not a cingular Rebate
#4UPDATE Employee
Sat, September 01, 2007
The rebates have nothing to do with cingular/ at&t, they are manufacture's rebate, from the maker of the phone.
All the information is clearly written on the form, all the date when it is valid, usually a time span of 3 months, is written clearly on the form.
It is even mentioned to make copies of everything you send in, in case of loss. They have also account notes where they can see when you called in the first time about your rebate, if it is within the time period I am sure they will send you out a rebate visa card.
But you have to follow the directions and time frames on the Rebate form.
Randy
Covina,California,
U.S.A.
Easy Solution that has worked 100% of the time for me!
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, August 15, 2007
I have used this technique to great success to battle big business that has tried to screw me out of money.
1. Get the address of their legal dept. (call customer service but do not discuss why you want it - remember they have failed to help you by now)
2. Write a letter with the heading "notice before lawsuit" explaining all the problems you have encountered, be specific. Explain that you would rather have a judge make a decision on your complaint.
3. Give them 14 days to respond and correct the problem explaining that you will file the lawsuit in small claims court on the 15th day if you receive no response or they refuse to satisfy your demand.
4. Mail the letter certified with proof of delivery.
They know it is very simple for you to file and go to small claims court but it would be expensive for them to send someone to represent them. Is this a bluff on your part? Sort of. You really don't want to file although you can do it very inexpensively. You simply want your money back or whatever your situation is. Do they want to call your bluff? Probably not and this why I have done this several times and ALWAYS SUCCEEDED!
Remember, this will work only if you have a valid complaint and you have truly been treated unfair by the company.
Should they still refuse, go ahead with your lawsuit. Check the web for easy tips to win in small claims court. GOOD LUCK.