Western Digital
Rebate fraud

July 26- I purchase a Western Digital hard drive that comes with a $40 rebate.in order to receive the rebate, I'm required to mail them my receipt, rebate form, and proof of purchase.

Aug 12- I mail in the receipt, completed rebate form, and the proof of purchase cut off the box.

Sept 15- I receive a letter in the mail from Western Digital stating "We regret that we are unable to process your request as received. It did not meet the product proof-of-purchase requirements." Included with the envelope that they sent back to me was the receipt, completed rebate form, and proof of purchase. I call them and I'm told that I didn't include the proof of purchase... Even though they sent it back to me. I'm advised to remail it, and I do on that day.
Total time spent on the phone: 45 minutes.

Nov 19- I've given them 60 days again, as requested, but no rebate nor denial letter this time. I call and the representative I speak with tells me they haven't received the letter; I will have to mail it in again and wait 60 days. I ask if I can fax the information in and I'm told no. I speak to a supervisor, Susan, who tells me that I can fax it, but I need to include ALL of the following on a cover sheet, otherwise it won't go through:
Attn: Special Handling
Western Digital
No record resubmission
445842684
re: dept 4722-613
advised to fax by Susan 1411
my name, address, and phone number.
She also tells me that I will still have to allow for 2 weeks (ask if it's business days, she says no, "2 weeks") for it to be processed. I fax EVERYTHING on Nov 19. The fax states that the fax, all four pages, went through successfully.
Total time spent on the phone: 1 hour 15 minutes

Dec 4- I call them again. The first agent I talk to says that they never received the fax. I'm immediately escalated to a supervisor... Who also happens to be named Susan, but insists she never spoke to me. Susan tells me that I will have to wait another 10 business days... Why?"We've been really busy." I tell them no, I can't wait. I ask if there's a fax nearby where they can give me a verbal confirmation that the fax is in hand and that all is in order... I'm told no! If I fax it in, I will still need to wait 10 business days for them to even begin processing... Then another 60 days to receive my check. I advise that no, this will not do, and ask what other alternatives she has. She has none. I ask for her supervisor, she refuses. I get a phone number for her for Western Digital (the people I've been speaking with this entire time are an outsource call center called Young America in Young America, MN) and she gives me one, warning me that all Western Digital will do is transfer me back to them. I call the number that's given... Susan had given me 800-275-4932... Which is for their Tech Support division. After dealing with their reps, mistransfers, and really bad phone menus, I get to somebody who says she will help. She tells me that there's nothing she can do until I told her that my next step would be to file a Small Claims suit against Western Digital. She tells me that I wouldn't be able to do that, I would have to sue Young America. After I tell her that no, the company I did business with was Western Digital, therefore, I will sue Western Digital. She puts me on hold, then comes back and asks me for the serial number off the hard drive I'd purchased... I tell her that the only way I can give her that is to take my computer case apart. She tells me that's the only way she can do anything for me. As I prepare to take my case off, I get curious and ask, "What will the serial number do? Will you cut me a check?" "No, it'll allow us to start a claim with Young America." "Which will do what?" "Somebody will contact you back in a couple weeks." "From Western Digital or Young America?" "Young America." So no, I wasn't going to wait on that one. Conversation over. Total time on phone: 2 hours, 40 minutes.

Everybody, wish me luck... I'll be filing with Small Claims court today. I plan to sue for 3 times the value of the rebate (legal requirement, so, $120), the materials involved ($5), and $100 for every hour I've spent working on this...$625 should do this right!

Company: Western Digital
Country: USA
State: California
City: Lake Forest
Address: 20511 Lake Forest Drive
Phone: 8882920667

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