- Report: #168985
Complaint Review: OnRebate.com - Miami Florida
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
OnRebate.com
P.O. Box 3028 Miami, 33144 Florida, U.S.A.
Phone:
888-222-9300
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
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OnRebate.com Confirmed receipt of my rebate materials, then decided not to pay Ripoff Miami Florida
I purchased the commonly advertised "FREE after rebates" Computer Associates Internet Security Suite from TigerDirect.com. It had a $30 rebate, as well as a $40 rebate for a competitie upgrade.
I sent in my rebate forms promptly, including all materials required. My $40 upgrade rebate submission included proof of ownership of a competitive anti-virus or internet security suite product (manual cover page), as well as the CD. I sent all of this, including proof of purchase that was required from the software box, to OnRebate.com after registering my rebate online. All of this was done well before the deadline, sent in two seperate envelopes, as required. I made copies of EVERYTHING (including the actual CD and manual cover page), as OnRebate.com recommends you do in case there are any problems (not that it ever helped with this though).
Although my rebates were registered online on 10/23/05, and the materials were sent in the mail the very next day, I had not heard anything back weeks later...and I would expect with all their advertising of how quickly they pay rebates, to have heard something.
I e-mailed them on 10/16/05 inquiring about both rebates. It was 3 days after that (10/19/05) when the $30 rebate (HPPDAKBAV7PXSUJV) changed status to accepted, and the e-mail said my check was "in the mail". I requested PayPal payment, so I wasn't sure why it said the check was in the mail. I called inquiring about this, waiting the now-typical 25-30 minutes on-hold, got nowhere... e-mailed, got nowhere (was told I'd have to call).
Even though that rebate was accepted, I STILL have not received the requested PayPal payment or even a check for this rebate.
The other rebate, for $40 (GWTR372HHQLG3FMC) was never even accepted. I called about this, and after being placed on-hold again, I was told that they found it, it was in a "big pile" of submissions that they still had to process, and I should receive my rebate "within about a week", but that never happened.
After numerous calls and HOURS on-hold, including a time waiting 30 minutes on-hold only to have Lamar answer and tell me that their computers were down and he couldn't help me, and he refused to take my number and call me back or have someone call me back... when I eventually got through, I was told by Maria that they did not receive my mailed rebate materials and that there was nothing they can do.
Then Maria told me that TigerDirect guarantees their rebates and will send me the money for the rebate. I have only begun to start down that path, but I'm not too confidant on that already. I will update this post with my results there.
One plus to all of this is that when a I feel that a company is pulling a scam and deliberately cheating customers out of what they advertised, I get VERY motivated to not stop until it either gets resolved, or my experience is broadcasted enough so that they lose some valuable business. Luckily, between my family and a few close friends, we have 2 that are lawyers and several that are in the news/media business. You can bet that I'll be using this to publicize my experience so that at least some others are aware, and don't fall for the same scam by doing business with these this company. Most news stations now have the "Hall of Shame" type segments...well, if OnRebate.com does not correct this FAST, they will be aired on this type of segment on several major metro area's networks...just the facts of my experience, of course, with all the proof that I have... but that's enough to do some reputation damage right there.
Frank
Flat Rock, Michigan
U.S.A.
I sent in my rebate forms promptly, including all materials required. My $40 upgrade rebate submission included proof of ownership of a competitive anti-virus or internet security suite product (manual cover page), as well as the CD. I sent all of this, including proof of purchase that was required from the software box, to OnRebate.com after registering my rebate online. All of this was done well before the deadline, sent in two seperate envelopes, as required. I made copies of EVERYTHING (including the actual CD and manual cover page), as OnRebate.com recommends you do in case there are any problems (not that it ever helped with this though).
Although my rebates were registered online on 10/23/05, and the materials were sent in the mail the very next day, I had not heard anything back weeks later...and I would expect with all their advertising of how quickly they pay rebates, to have heard something.
I e-mailed them on 10/16/05 inquiring about both rebates. It was 3 days after that (10/19/05) when the $30 rebate (HPPDAKBAV7PXSUJV) changed status to accepted, and the e-mail said my check was "in the mail". I requested PayPal payment, so I wasn't sure why it said the check was in the mail. I called inquiring about this, waiting the now-typical 25-30 minutes on-hold, got nowhere... e-mailed, got nowhere (was told I'd have to call).
Even though that rebate was accepted, I STILL have not received the requested PayPal payment or even a check for this rebate.
The other rebate, for $40 (GWTR372HHQLG3FMC) was never even accepted. I called about this, and after being placed on-hold again, I was told that they found it, it was in a "big pile" of submissions that they still had to process, and I should receive my rebate "within about a week", but that never happened.
After numerous calls and HOURS on-hold, including a time waiting 30 minutes on-hold only to have Lamar answer and tell me that their computers were down and he couldn't help me, and he refused to take my number and call me back or have someone call me back... when I eventually got through, I was told by Maria that they did not receive my mailed rebate materials and that there was nothing they can do.
Then Maria told me that TigerDirect guarantees their rebates and will send me the money for the rebate. I have only begun to start down that path, but I'm not too confidant on that already. I will update this post with my results there.
One plus to all of this is that when a I feel that a company is pulling a scam and deliberately cheating customers out of what they advertised, I get VERY motivated to not stop until it either gets resolved, or my experience is broadcasted enough so that they lose some valuable business. Luckily, between my family and a few close friends, we have 2 that are lawyers and several that are in the news/media business. You can bet that I'll be using this to publicize my experience so that at least some others are aware, and don't fall for the same scam by doing business with these this company. Most news stations now have the "Hall of Shame" type segments...well, if OnRebate.com does not correct this FAST, they will be aired on this type of segment on several major metro area's networks...just the facts of my experience, of course, with all the proof that I have... but that's enough to do some reputation damage right there.
Frank
Flat Rock, Michigan
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Frank
Flat Rock,Michigan,
U.S.A.
WRONG--OnRebate.com employees already stated that they received my documents
#2Author of original report
Sat, December 31, 2005
Actually, OnRebate.com never receiving my documents is incorrect, and apparently Nadina didn't even take the time to look at my file. I'm pasting below one of the e-mail responses I received, from OnRebate.com, on 10/19/05: Dear Frank, Your rebate status has been updated! Rebate Description: $30 MIR on Total Internet Protection Suite Rebate Offer: CA-1594 Tracking Number: HPPDAKBAV7PXSUJV New Status: ACCEPT If you have any questions, please send an email to [email protected] or call us at 1-866-310-9707. Thanks for using onRebate.com! --------------------------------- As for rebate with tracking # GWTR372HHQLG3FMC, when I called I was told WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE (after being placed on-hold for some time) that my rebate submission was found "in a big pile of submissions that needed to be processed". Obviously that person either left it laying somewhere, trashed it, etc., by no fault of mine. I was in a conference room on a speakerphone at the time, and I have witnesses to this (the other people were listening because they were shocked at how long I had to wait on-hold, combined with the fact that every few minutes your systems states how my call is very important to you and how OnRebate.com "prides" themselves on their customer service). I have not received the $30 rebate that you sent me a E-MAIL CONFIRMATION for, # HPPDAKBAV7PXSUJV, nor the $40 rebate # GWTR372HHQLG3FMC, for which your representative confirmed on the phone in front of multiple witnesses that she located my submission "in a big pile or submissions that needed to be processed". I also mentioned that I have copies of everything submitted, as I was told to keep, in case you needed me to send them to you. Your unwillingness to accept these (even after you tell us to keep them on hand), as well as your ignoring what your employees have already stated both on your web site as well as on the phone, only further makes this look like a scam. You contradict yourselves, many times over. I have already filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Florida Department of Consumer Services. I have initiated contact with the state attorney general, who is very interested in cases like this that are going on in his state (and with enough cases, will put a stop to them all together). Also, this story, along with the witnesses mentioned above, will be shown on FOX News in two major metro cities in my area next week. Three other channels will follow, as soon as I finish coordinating with them. From there, I will continue with my non-local contacts. Again, as I stated before, Nadina...please understand that I WILL NOT just sit back and allow a company like yours to take advantage of consumers like myself (and the rest of us, with so many complaints about OnRebate.com on here), and I will NOT stop until the situation is either corrected, or the facts are publicized everywhere in my power. As I said, with the family and friends I have in the media and legal system, you can bet these stories will be told to warn MANY others.
Nadina
Hialeah,Florida,
U.S.A.
Guidelines
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, December 30, 2005
Frank- Unfortunately we never received your documentation in the mail and the vendor does not allow us to take resubmissions. Please note that we are under contract and must abide by their rules. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Nadina
Hialeah,Florida,
U.S.A.
Guidelines
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, December 30, 2005
Frank- Unfortunately we never received your documentation in the mail and the vendor does not allow us to take resubmissions. Please note that we are under contract and must abide by their rules. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Nadina
Hialeah,Florida,
U.S.A.
Guidelines
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, December 30, 2005
Frank- Unfortunately we never received your documentation in the mail and the vendor does not allow us to take resubmissions. Please note that we are under contract and must abide by their rules. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Nadina
Hialeah,Florida,
U.S.A.
Guidelines
#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, December 30, 2005
Frank- Unfortunately we never received your documentation in the mail and the vendor does not allow us to take resubmissions. Please note that we are under contract and must abide by their rules. We apologize for the inconvenience.
