Prime TV Would not refund rebate sent all info ripoff Southern Pines North Carolina
I signed up with Prime TV to receive a satallite dish and free installation in July. I soon found out when the installers came to hook up the system that Prime TV would pay for only $140.00 of the installation.
I was asked to send in all forms, proof of installation, contract with Direct TV, proof of payment to Direct TV ect.. I sent in all the forms and was send a letter that my rebate was denied because there was no Direct TV bill.
I called and talked to Keri in customer service and she said she was sorry about the letter and to send the bill again. I send it out again to Prime TV and was sent a letter saying my rebate was denied due to no Direct TV bill.
I have left several messages with managers and no one has returned my call. I am going to call Direct TV and let them know they are dealing with a fradulent company and scam artist at Prime TV.
My husband and I where shocked to see that many people had compliants on line about this company and the North Carolina Attorney General's office was investigating some compliants. Also the Better Business Bureau had multiple compliants as well. How can this company still be in business!!!!!
Melanie
Golden, North Carolina
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Brian
Southern Pines,North Carolina,
U.S.A.
Not a Scam, Just Lazy Consumers
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, May 30, 2003
As an ex-employee of PrimeTV I would like to say that alot of these complaints are understandable, but at the same time some are ridiculous.
Ths directions for the Rebate are simple and easy to follow. I had my 9yr old daughter read the form to me and tell me what she needed to do to get the rebate and she got it RIGHT! The problem with the rebate for most is PURE LAZINESS. I received NUMEROUS calls from customers who were void for the simple fact that they SIGNED LEGAL DOCUMENTS that they CLEARLY did not read i.e. ..." no one told me to send that in ...". HELLO PEOPLE! I don't know about you, but before I put my name on anything I read it, especially the fine print. You can't blame everyones mistakes on prime TV Remember there are one sided stories all over the internet. I also had numerous calls from people who didn't send ANYTHING in and they KNOW IT and they went to the BBB and filed a report when they KNEW they they didn't send in the required documents. My advice to any consumer would be don't listen to some installer who doesn't even WORK FOR PRIMETV and just sign away on the dotted line, take a minute and read it for yourself and maybe you won't feel so dumb when you get told your not getting your rebate.
As for the delay in the check issues, it is VERY EASY for a reputable company to fall behind when processing such a surplus of information. Sony, Panasonic and most other major companies have had the same problems with keeping on top of things. The employees of PrimeTv are not MACHINES, they are people who are doing thier best to process these rebates and get these checks out to people. No one is trying to rip anyone off, they are all working strenuously to sort through the rebates, enter the submissions,and write the checks. Now I'm not saying that there has never been a conflict between customer and employee but what I am saying is that as a whole the PrimeTV staff is working to correct these issues and regain the trust and respect of its current customers and the prospective ones.
Lastly, For those who have submitted required information and have yet to receive a check, please continue to be patient and if you do need to call, don't treat the employees who are TRAINED staff like they are personally trying to steal your money. Majority of them are more then willing to help if you don't curse and scream at them, they have no control over the actual rebate checks all they can do is Request Payment.
Thanks for reading!!
Jamie
Memphis,Tennessee,
I believe every word this lady is saying !!!!!
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, October 06, 2002
I install satellite sysytems through a national installation company who just recently signed a contract with Prime TV to do their installs. I have had the phone thrown @ me and repeatedly cursed by the consumer when I tell them of their " free installation fee ".
I am also a consumer and I carefully explain to these people how to get their rebate. It is as close to scandolous as you can get, but be very careful. First, they send you two envelopes, one pre-paid postage, one not pre-paid.
Wouldn't all of us use the pre-paid envelope, well if you do, that goes to the wrong place, you will not get a rebate.
Also if you pre-pay your first month over the phone, you will not receive an actual DTV bill. A proof of payment will not do. It has to be an actual copy of your DTV bill.
You have to request a bill for that first month. If you wait until next month to send a copy of your DTV bill, then you would have gone past the required 21 days to have everything back to Prime for your rebate, thus you loose again.
People who think they are calling the actual company, DirecTv, are not, you are calling a retailer who is authorized by DTV to resale their product.
I don't think that DTV really cares how retailers get the customers, just that they get them. Just today I went to an elder lady home to install DTV that she aquired thru Prime TV. Not only did she not know of the $49 @ the time of install but the salespeople @ Prime are some of the lying people I have ever encountered in my 8 years of being associated with DTV.
Now DTV is a great company, hands down the best value if your choose to pay for television. This guy actually told her that she could have every television in her home hooked up to one receiver and she could watch what she wanted independently on each t.v.
Then to throw some gasoline on the fire the person she spoke with @ Prime actually told the company who I am contracted to that " I told the lady to go to Radio Shack " Horse hockey I would not send my worst enemy to a national chain such as Radio Shack to purchase a DTV system.
I am a retailer, now why would I do that. Another scandolous act from Prime and their associates. If that lying SOB @ Prime gets my contract taken away I will work till no end to make his life as miserable as I can.
I will go to the 6,000 customers I have and have them petition DTV to revoke the retailership of Prime. It is time that we as consumers stand up and rip apart companies such as Prime TV. That is all I have to say. So many consumers can't be wrong Prime.
Sell your DTV systems with pride it is a great product. It dopes not take fradulant means to sell DTV.