We switched from the former Cingular to T-Mobile in 2006. We purchased two cell phones via wirefly who is one of T-Mobile's internet sales agent. The phones were nothing fancy, just regular Samsung phones. They were supposed to be almost free after rebates with the standard two year contract. They cost us $200 each and the additional activation fees etc.
Once we had the phones we went online to print out the rebates. I don't remember the actual distribution anymore but I think there was two for $60 and one for $40 for a total of $160 for each phone. They were customer appreciation rebates placed a few months apart from each other. You could cash them only if you proved that you paid your bills. It started with the lowest one for $40.
Here comes the scam:
You had to cut out the ORIGINAL bar code from the side of the boxes then send it in with the rebates. We got the $40 no problem. Once it was time for the 2nd rebate we went online and printed it out. It said that we had to have a copy of the bar code and send it in with the rebate. But wait! We already sent off the original so we did not have it anymore! Without a copy there is no rebate. This was not exactly obvious by only reading the first rebate! Very slick isn't it? They make you get rid of the original with the first coupon and I bet 90% of the people do that and don't read the 2nd and 3rd coupon's instructions. A nice way of making another $100 on each phone. Good old street scam.
I have reported T-Mobile to the BBB. But since wirefly was the one who issued the rebate they managed to isolate themselves from the deal legally and I got nowhere. They simply said it was not their business. But I did purchase the service contract through wirefly as well didnt I? Of course that had nothing to do with the phones. But then why the two year contract?
This or the other way, we all know T-Mobile is behind these scams since they do nothing to stop them and they continue working together with these dirty distributors albeit the fact they are very aware of these little deals. They have a distribution agreement with wirefly, and when you buy you think you are dealing with T-Mobile so you have faith in the transaction. Hence I decided to make this report about T-Mobile, not wirefly.
Stay away folks from T-Mobile! Apart of this deal, reception is really horrible. Trust me I know! I have tested it because I am an airline pilot and I fly everywhere in the US. When you have no reception in JFK's International terminal then you know your cell phone company is not good. It is also not cheap as it appears. Since not many people have T-Mobile you wont get the free mobile to mobile minutes. Our 700 family minutes that used to be plenty with the former Cingular, had to be increased to 1000 with T-Mobile and we still went over. Just stay with whatever you had. I cant wait for my contract to be over.
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