Cingular Wireless Sales Rep Arpil Swaffar ripoff of promised rebates and gift certificates Irving Texas
My family and I approached Ms. April Swaffar a Sales Rep for Cingular Wireless. We agreed to purchase two phones each and were told that one phone had a rebate with it for $100.00 and a gift certificate would also be available for both phones.
The Sales Rep made us photo copies of the paperwork which included the serial number of each phone and the product code numbers of each phone. She made a statement that we would need the copies to send in for the rebates.
We were told that the cost was $49.00 total for both phones plus tax. We are paying $81.68 a month. That's a lot of tax.
Getting back to the rebates, we filed the proper paperwork and after a week or two receive a form letter back stating that we did not meet the product proof-of-purchase requirements as stated on the order form.
We were given 7 days to reply, however their letter was dated 11 days earlier then the date we receive it. That applied only to one phone. A couple of weeks later we received another letter for the other phone. It also stated that the product proof of purchase did not meet the requirements.
In both cases I thought that they meant to send in the actual proof of purchase on the box. After all the information was already on the paper copies, so I cut the proof of purchase from the boxes and mailed them.
It listed a phone number to call and when we did the party on the other end stated that by sending in the box proof of purchase we null and void the request and was not due any money.
I went back to the store and tried to talk to a manager but he was hiding in the back room and told the clerk to tell me that he left and would not return for a couple of hours. I told them I would wait. AFter waiting about 30 - 45 minutes a clerk finally approached me to see if she could help me.
I was then told that he went to his other store and told her to authorize a credit of $160.00. She told me that he would put it on my credit card. It never got there.
A few days ago I received a check that was not dated nor a letter of explanation included. It did contain a statement on the check "Cingular National Postpaid $50/$100 Rebate". So once again I am left to guess that it is a form of rebate. I can only guess. My track record of guessing with this company was not good the last time so I don't feel confortable guessing again. I have not cashed it.
The address that is doing all of the correspondence with me is:
Cingular PO Box 200; Young America, MN 55553-0200.
I have contacted a Mr. Daniel E Camlunas of SBC Southwest and he is helping to get the remaining $80.00 that they told us we would receive.
What really amazes me is that the manager nor the sales rep have picked up the phone and called me. After all they are in the phone business and I am sure they have access to one. I have 5 phone numbers that ring into my home and they know three of them and they have not called.
The BBB is a farce you can't get anything done through them only a letter telling me that I am wrong. I contacted the Attorney Generals office consumer department and was told that I need to discuss it with the company. Again I think that I was suppose to contact the company three times before they would act on any complaint.
When my two years are up they will not see me any more and I shall tell as many people as I can about doing business with Cingular.
By the way after complaining about the higher total on my bill I was told that it should be $86.59 plus tax so I guess it will be going up.
James
Irving, Texas
U.S.A.
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7 Updates & Rebuttals
Heather
Chatham,Ontario,
Canada
Po BOX 200 is a DEFAULT ADDRESS
#8UPDATE Employee
Sat, September 04, 2004
This drives me nuts when YA Employee's (mike in YA) respond and have no idea what they are talking about.
PO BOX 200, Young America, MN is printed on the items we mailed out for all clients. Whether that be a baseball cap from pepsi, a check from Cingualr, or a letter from ATT
It is a default address that is used. We use that address becasue we can track the undeliverable items easier by always having the same address the undel's would come to.
As for not filling out the rebate form yourself... this happens all too much. THE STORES ARE NOT TO FILL OUT THE REBATE FORM. it is the consumers responsibility.
I get calls at least 10 day, saying that the store filled out the form and mailed in, and there is either no reocrd, or items missing.
As for the barcode requirement. IT IS THE IMEI or ESN Label from the Product pacaking. Please cut this out of the phone box. No copies accepted.
Under this requirement the rebate form also states:
Please be sure to retain copies of all documentation.
That is on there in case there is aproblem,a s copies are accepted on resubmission.
The original poster was back in March, and unfortunately, we cannot do anything now.
Cingular has advised Young America, if the rebate was offered over 6 months ago, we will not pay out the rebate.
As for the claim that there is a representative keeping rbt forms for him or herself and sending them to different address's that he or she owns, this is an old claim. This happen approx 3 years ago, and the 4-5 people that were doing it, have been fired, and to my understanding, charged with a crime by police.
There has been an situation recently with one other YA client, an employee sending this clients rebts to him/herself, and the employee has been caught and dismissed.
Mike
St. Louis,Missouri,
U.S.A.
I would like to apologize for the trouble you seem to be having
#8UPDATE Employee
Sat, May 15, 2004
This is in response to the original writer of the complaint. I work for Cingular Wireless and I know that not all of the sales reps are as honest as they should be. On behalf of myself and all of the "honest" sales reps, I would like to apologize for the trouble you seem to be having.
You did make some good points that I would like to address.
1. You said that it amazes you that no one picked up the phone to contact you. This I can explain very easily with 3 letter "FCC". AT&T Wireless recently got sued for calling people who are on the "no call list." Cingular has put a stop to all of the call-backs until we get a clear ruling on what exactly the "Fine Print" of the no call list is. So it is not that they didn't want to call you back but they weren't allowed to.
2. Most customers have a problem (this includes me). We don't read what we are given. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else. In the sales process, alot of things are covered and after hearing so much information, we just stop listening because we just want to go home and play with our new toy. The problem with that is that we might have been told some very important information that we didn't pay attention to. That is one of the main reasons we have the 15 day return exchange policy. So that the customer has time to go home and read over the information given to then by the sales rep. On the rebate form thier is a check list for mailing the rebate that tells you that you need the label from the side of the box and that a copy is not acceptible.
I truely am sorry for your inconvience. And being that I wasn't you sales rep and I made no money off of your deal I hope you beleive that. I have worked for just about every cell phone company and they all have their problem but I must say that Cingular is the best one that I have worked for.
Mike
St. Louis,Missouri,
U.S.A.
I would like to apologize for the trouble you seem to be having
#8UPDATE Employee
Sat, May 15, 2004
This is in response to the original writer of the complaint. I work for Cingular Wireless and I know that not all of the sales reps are as honest as they should be. On behalf of myself and all of the "honest" sales reps, I would like to apologize for the trouble you seem to be having.
You did make some good points that I would like to address.
1. You said that it amazes you that no one picked up the phone to contact you. This I can explain very easily with 3 letter "FCC". AT&T Wireless recently got sued for calling people who are on the "no call list." Cingular has put a stop to all of the call-backs until we get a clear ruling on what exactly the "Fine Print" of the no call list is. So it is not that they didn't want to call you back but they weren't allowed to.
2. Most customers have a problem (this includes me). We don't read what we are given. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else. In the sales process, alot of things are covered and after hearing so much information, we just stop listening because we just want to go home and play with our new toy. The problem with that is that we might have been told some very important information that we didn't pay attention to. That is one of the main reasons we have the 15 day return exchange policy. So that the customer has time to go home and read over the information given to then by the sales rep. On the rebate form thier is a check list for mailing the rebate that tells you that you need the label from the side of the box and that a copy is not acceptible.
I truely am sorry for your inconvience. And being that I wasn't you sales rep and I made no money off of your deal I hope you beleive that. I have worked for just about every cell phone company and they all have their problem but I must say that Cingular is the best one that I have worked for.
Brianna
Oak Harbor,Washington,
U.S.A.
Young America.. unprofessional
#8Consumer Comment
Sat, May 08, 2004
Mike, you work for Young America, correct? From the response YOU left, it is quite obvious why people are having these problems. You call Mr. James a fool, but your not any better. I can only hope that your just a rep and not a supervisor or manager because according to your response, you do not have the slightest clue on how to deal with people. For you to have the nerve to even challenge Mr. James' intelligence just shows the world how unprofessional YOU are and the exact reason for people to avoid YOUNG AMERICA!!! THANKS FOR THE WARNING, NOW I KNOW TO NEVER DEAL WITH YOU AND YOUR IGNORANT COMPANY!!!!
Alma
Denver,Colorado,
U.S.A.
you are victim of a Young America employee ..Contact Young America
#8Consumer Suggestion
Thu, May 06, 2004
James,
you are victim of a Young America employee, who is having a "private business" with the rebate papers. The guy/gal is using different - private POBoxes, NONE of the "officially" Young America address. If you make a search you can find many complaints on different sites against this employee(s).
My recommendation, send a letter to the Young America HUMAN RESOURCES,
address:Young America Corporation
Attention: Human Resources
717 Faxon Road
Young America, MN 55397
asking them to investigate this case. CONCERNING the private PO box address. ATTACH to your letter Mike's totally unacceptable e-mail too.
Good luck
Andrea
Matteson,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Before you chastise others Mike...
#8Consumer Comment
Mon, April 26, 2004
Re-read your response about "intelligence" and see how many SPELLING errors you made! Do not think by trying to insult someone that it makes continual problems with Cingular go away. In cases where there are over 1,200 customer service reps in one call center there is NO way possible everyone is on the same page! I called about a specific issue 3 seperate phone calls and I was told 3 different answers.
I have had VALID issues with un-educated employees at Cingular in Springfield,IL and it has caused me DAYS worth of phone calls and my time when it wasn't ME who caused the problems. I had to fix all of it MYSELF...so what are we paying YOU for? I read my agreements, I got letters my acct. was overdue 1 WEEK after I recieved the phones, a letter 1 month after 1 activated the phones that I had NOT activated them yet, I had a rep take my payment out 3 TIMES and withdraw my checking acct and bounce all kinds of checks...it's ongoing and the problem is CINGULAR.
Look at all of the complaints...this many people can't be wrong!
Mike
Young America,Minnesota,
U.S.A.
We don't have access to your account at the rebate center
#8UPDATE Employee
Fri, April 23, 2004
Mr. James. I appologise for your grief with Cingular. As to the rebate sir there is no existing Po Box 200 and secondly anyone who does not read over their paperwork before and after purchase is a fool. Rebate requirements clearly state original POP so don't get lasy and let the rep do it. We put the rebate there for YOU not the rep so do it yourself and if you have an appropriate reading level I entrust that you know how to follow instructions of a rebate carefully. All of Cingulars rebates require us getting the originals. We don't have access to your account at the rebate center. And if something happens and you read the instructions properly you keep copies for your records so we can fix the issue and give you your rebate. With a lack of intelligence such as yours I am surprised you have the capabilities of OWNING cellular phones or service.