On December 6, I submitted 2 rebate packets to Inphonic for 2 cellular phones purchased from them through their partner, Wirefly. As instructed, I included a copy of the dated sales receipt, a copy of the Guide to Wireless Service, a copy of each of the 12 digit UPC codes, and a copy of my 1st, 2nd and 3rd wireless bills, all dated w/in 120 days of purchase (which is close... They require 90 days of bills to be received w/in 120 days of purchase, and the first bill didn't generate for 3 weeks, so I had to act w/in a week!) Due to the close time-frame, I 2-day Priority Mailed the 2 packets with delivery confirmation. I confirmed through the post office that the 2 packets were received by Inphonic at 8:46 am on 12/8/04.
Two months later, I receive a letter from Inphonic stating that they didn't receive the 3 copies of the invoices. I immediately contacted customer service, got their fax #, and faxed them the entire packets again, also including the delivery confirmation, since of course, the rebate period had expired. They advised they received my faxes and would get back to me.
After a month of attempting to contact my customer service person at Inphonic, I elevated to the office of the president. After faxing 4 more copies of all of my documentation and still not receiving a response, I contacted the BBB of Washington DC and the FTC. Gwendolyn Cauthen/Inphonic office of the Pres. Advised the BBB that she received 2 of the bills, but not the 3rd, even though it has been sent now 6 times.
Based on the numerous complaints on the internet against Inphonic, I believe there is a pattern and practice of baiting customers with rebates that Inphonic has no intention of paying out. I have contacts in the cellphone industry that have advised me how to audit Inphonics financials to easily prove that they pay out of small percentage of the submitted rebates and are therefore involved in illegal bait and switch tacticts.
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