I received my notification in the mail today about my $50 mail in rebate from my T-Mobile phone. I was expecting a $50 check, but instead I just got a letter saying they couldn’t process my request because I didn’t include the original UPC from the phone box. Of course that’s crap and I’m 100% sure I submitted everything correctly.
Google “T-mobile rebate ripoff” and you’ll find plenty of others with the same experience. They know I have no way of proving anything, so they’ve got the upper hand and they’re using it. I called their rebate “customer service” number, and the operator said that unless I have a copy of the UPC, he couldn’t do a thing. I should have known better, but of course I didn’t make a copy of that. I have the original box with a big hole in it, but that’s it.
I submitted a complaint on ripoffreport.com, but I’m not sure it will do any good. What else can I do?
This just happened to me, same exact story. How do we know they don’t just throw the rebate forms away? If they make a mistake, we have to suffer because they lost the information. If it gets lost in the mail, there is no recourse. It seems like a complete scam to require the original UPC. They should be able to keep track of which UPC numbers rebates have been issued for, so it’s not even a security issue–just a way to scam people. I’m completely pissed at them right now. It’s similar with their so-called military discount we were promised. I’m so tempted to call a lawyer.
Christy August 8, 2006
THIS JUST HAPPENED TO ME TOO. But, I did make a copy of everything and intend to follow up extensively. I also sent everything with a certificate of mailing which costs about a dollar. T-Mobile will hear from me.
The thing is this: In the past 6 weeks, I have been ripped off (let me rephrase) “robbed ” by a series of “errors” at the grocery, at the movie theatre, at the Ford dealership, at the drive-thru, at Staples, and by AOL, —-and all the afore mentioned, apologized and quickly, very quickly, very very quickly said, ” Oh, sorry. Here, let me fix that.” and made my money right— real fast. The dealership error was over $90, AOL’s was $15, the theatre was $5, the grocery shorted me a $10 bill, Staples shorted me $5. I wonder what I was robbed of, that I missed? (or didn’t miss)
I had the same thing happen to me, and i did use a lawyer. After they sent a letter it only took a week for my rebate checks to arive. Christy check out http://www.gottaplanb.com ,my lawyer only costs me $1.00 a day and they write letters for me and thats included . last year they collected over $900.00 dollars that included rebates ,overcharged for auto repairs,even found that my cell phone company was trying to add an extra $9.99 a month to my new contract for insurance that didnt cover anything. (the bold print givith but the fine print taketh away)
I have the same story. They said that I sent it late, of course I didn’t! I told them to send me a copy of the post marked envelope, and they said they were going to check with their other dept. , which is the same story they say, every time I call.
I did everything correctly mailed in the qpc number on the back I cut it from the box, and mailed it along with my receipt.
And I received an email from the Rebate Office stating it had been processed and on the way out.
follow step by step you will receive your check in the mail within 3 weeks that is all I had to wait and I had my check. Happy Customer here.
T-Mobile indeed engages in fraudulent activity. Please visit T-MobileFraud.com. It is not a coincidence that when you google “t-mobile billing error”, 600, 000 listings pop up.
YES!!! me too!!! same exact thing. my first rejection letter said I had not subscribed to the correct plan or the add on, which I had. So I copied my statement showing that I did indeed have the required plans, and resent it. Then I get another letter saying I did not enclose the original UPC etc. Of course not—I had already sent it in with my original request.
T-MOBILE REBATE IS DEFINITELY A RIP OFF!!!!!
I got T-mobile to go phone January 20, 2008 and went through the same trauma trying to get my rebate as most people, refused for dumb reasons. I finally went back to the guys at Costco who sold me the phone and who filed my original rebate form for me. The manager there contacted the manager at Young America. I was then told the check would be out in 10 days–expedited. It was not, after 20 days, I returned to Costco and told them the result and they called again and were told it would be 3 weeks longer. However, I got the check for $30 7 days after that.
The game Young American and T-mobile is play is interstate fraud and is covered under the Ricci Racketeering Act. Why isn’t the FBI action on this?
Jerry
ALL OF YOU PEOPLE ARE DUMB INSTEAD OF WRITING THIS STUFF AND WASTING YOU TIME YOU SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO THE COSTCO THAT YOU PURCHASED AT AND TALK TO THE MANAGER OR SALES REP THAT YOU TALKED WITH OR WHO ACTIVATED YOU. SOMETHING THESE MACHINES THAT PROCESS THE MAIL MAKE A MISTAKE AND REQUEST THAT THE REP TAKE CARE IT. I AM A MANAGER OF ONE OF THE KIOSKS AND I HAVE DEALT WITH THIS BEFORE INSTEAD OF GETTING PISSY JUST COLD DOWN AND TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO WORKS THERE AND YOUR PROBLEMS WITH REBATES WILL GET RESOLVED
Please do not use such words against customers. You the manager and your employees are suppose to be the ones checking for errors and providing resources for confusing customers. This is YOUR job! You are the one who is more knowledgeable and resourceful about all these rebate issues. Instead of getting angry, you should do a self-examination b/c you’ve provided unsatisfactory customer service. When customers purchase their cellphone, most of them do not know what’s the difference between a “rebate” and a “sales courtesy credit”, so blaming consumers for being “dumb” is non-sense. The manager at Costco who sold me my two phones never explained to me these terms, and the form he gave to me said “rebate” on it. Not until a supervisor at t-mobile customer service call center explained to me the difference, I would not have a slight idea that the “rebate” is actually a “sales courtesy credit” and the mistake had been made at Costco during the purchase. So instead of getting pissed off like you sounded, please kindly inform the customers this little detail would ease much more angers and frustrations.
Without shouting and making you all feel angry, let me give you a few tips when submitting your T-Mobile rebate.
1) Read the left side of the form, it spells out exactly what is required to qualify for the rebate. This usually includes, but is not limited to: a qualifying rate plan, a one or two year contract, and specific “data” plans for smart phones including blackberry.
2) It’s no different than mailing in a rebate form for anything else, including those coughdrops you just bought from RiteAid. You must include proof of purchase, both in receipt form and a UPC label, it’s your PROOF of purchase. Your UPC is listed on the receipt, they have to match up. There are a lot of people that try to take advantage of the system, play by the rules.
3) Most importantly- make a copy of EVERYTHING you send in. Remember, you are mailing in ORIGINALS, if you send them without making a copy, you have no one but yourself to blame. If something does happen, you have the burden of proof. It’s like anything else in the world.
4) Your salesperson will ALWAYS help you make sure your rebate is submitted correctly. If they don’t, you’re not at T-Mobile, you’re at .
5) Follow up! There is a website designed to help you with not only submitting, but also tracking your rebate. Try some self help first. You’d be suprised at what you can learn yourself, without even having to call in and deal with being on hold. You impatient customers you.
If you follow the above forementioned tips, I can guarantee you, you will have your precious rebate back in the palm of your hands lickety split! If its too late, and you’ve already been denied, find out what it’s going to take to get your rebate back, including talking to your orginal salesperson. If they are unwilling to help you (although I have no idea why they wouldn’t be) go to your nearest Corporate store and ask a represenative there. I stay away from kiosks anywhere, I’ve seen scary stuff come out of them….
Good Luck!
I sent in my rebate form for 2 phones. I looked at the rebate website and it said they were processed Nov. 2nd, so I called today, Nov. 18th and they said, “Because you put 2 rebates in the same envelope, it wasn’t done correctly. But I will resubmit these for you and you will get the prepaid VISA in about 4 weeks. It’s a good thing you called.”
I must say, I have a degree and I’m a nurse and it was very difficult to fill out the paperwork, I had to have help! Can you imagine someone whose English is a second language trying to fill it out?