Scanport, Inc Gem ripoff consumer rip-off fraud Industry California *UPDATE
I purchased a GEM 821A computer monitor manufactured and distributed by Scanport from Fry's Electronics in Dallas Texas on December 19, 20001. I paid my $649 and have all the documentation to prove it. It has now been six months of writing letters and making phone calls to receive my $100 rebate. As reported in the June 11th issue of the Wall Street Journal, the practice of encouraging purchases with a rebate and then have the rebate company slow or no pay is a common occurrance.
The consumer is being ripped off by companies such as Scanport. See all the other Scanport rebate compaints in the Rip Off Report. They fully expect the consumer to go away and forget the rebate. I paid my $649 and have to look at this monitor every day and am reminded how they are ripping me and others off. Is it really worth the $100 they are retaining to produce such a mad (previous) customer.
In addition I refuse to do business with Fry's Electronics since they too have been unable to help and this is one of their suppliers. One call and I should have had a check sent overnight...surly Fry's wants to keep a customer happy?
I will nver give up as long as I have the internet to tell my story. The Rip Off Report is doing a great job of serving the consumer. Thank you.
I continue to wait for my check after submitting all the detailed information a second time on April 18, 2002. Will keep the consumer informed.
Dave
Dallas, Texas
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Scanport, Gem
#40
Fri, June 21, 2002
Can you believe it. I got an email from the company saying my rebate will be mailed on June 28th. And that once they have a check number they will notify me....what good is a check number? I want the check. I will give it until July 8th ...then I will begain the next barage of letters to the FTC, California Attorney General, Congressman, etc. If you have read their rebuttal you will see that it is a form reaponse.....they really do not take this Report as serious business....I am just one customer that they wish would go away quietly.
Robert
Las Vegas,Nevada,
Be wary of any rebates from small manufacturers!
#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, June 16, 2002
As you may have noticed, I also had this same problem with Gem/Scanport. Interestingly, when I bought a couple of products from them with rebates in the past (1998, I bought a monitor and a scanner) I got both rebates almost immediately. So I wasn't concerned last Nov. when I bought a LCD monitor (also from Frys, with their reputation for not caring about customer service...but that's another story)and it had a 90.00 rebate. I figured, they were good in the past, why worry? Well, if you read my report, it was almost impossible to get the rebate out of them. Only after repeated phone calls to "Annette" and telling them I'd been patient and waited 6 months, and threaten to report them to the FTC and everyone else under the sun, did they FINALLY send the rebate. I almost didn't believe it when it came in the mail! In general, everyone should be careful when buying a product with a rebate on it, from a small manufacturer like GEM. You really have little recourse if they don't pay up (and you know, THEY KNOW IT!). You have to invest time and money (long distance calls, faxes) to try to find out anything. Their website (wheresmyrebate.com)with their 800# is useless, they just refer you to the Manufacturer, which doesn't have an 800#.
My best suggestion is to keep calling them, and don't just give up, they are hoping you will. Call them once a week and let them know you are still waiting for your rebate, and let them know you can, and will, report them if necessary, to the FTC, State attorney general's office, the BBB, and the "Ripoff Report".
If enough people report their ripoffs here, people will find out and eventually force a change of behaviour from companies like this one.
I don't believe all their stories of "serial numbers don't match" or some such excuse. They have their "standard" answers they give everyone who calls in, because THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON! Someone else makes those decisions inside the company of when, and if, to pay you your money that's due.
Just don't give up, keep calling, and I think you will finally get your rebate. It may take 6 months or more, but it'll be worth it.
Report here if you finally get it, or what your progress is, I'm curious.
Good luck.
Ashley
City of Industry,California,
Scanport Inc. Rebate
#4UPDATE Employee
Wed, June 12, 2002
In response to rebate issues with Scanport Inc.:
There are many factors involved in the processing of the rebates. First, the customer fills out the rebate form. This form gets sent to the rebate processing company. When the processing company inputs the data into their database, and requests payment from us, sometimes there are errors and discrepancies. It has been found that serial numbers do not match, either by having not enough or too many letters and numbers. When we cross reference the products, and if they do not match in our database, we will refuse the rebate. It is therefore imperative that all information be filled out correctly.
In the fine print of the rebate form it states the following:
Requests from PO Boxes are not accepted, and requests with invalid or undeliverable mailing addresses will be rejected. We are aware that some people do not have a mailing address other than a P.O. Box, however they need to contact us directly and make special arrangements for the rebate to be processed.
Here is our contact information for rebate issues:
Telephone: 626-839-8488
Hours: M-F 9-5 PST