My family and I approached Ms. April Swaffar a Sales Rep for Cingular Wireless. We agreed to purchase two phones each and were told that one phone had a rebate with it for $100.00 and a gift certificate would also be available for both phones.
The Sales Rep made us photo copies of the paperwork which included the serial number of each phone and the product code numbers of each phone. She made a statement that we would need the copies to send in for the rebates.
We were told that the cost was $49.00 total for both phones plus tax. We are paying $81.68 a month. That's a lot of tax.
Getting back to the rebates, we filed the proper paperwork and after a week or two receive a form letter back stating that we did not meet the product proof-of-purchase requirements as stated on the order form.
We were given 7 days to reply, however their letter was dated 11 days earlier then the date we receive it. That applied only to one phone. A couple of weeks later we received another letter for the other phone. It also stated that the product proof of purchase did not meet the requirements.
In both cases I thought that they meant to send in the actual proof of purchase on the box. After all the information was already on the paper copies, so I cut the proof of purchase from the boxes and mailed them.
It listed a phone number to call and when we did the party on the other end stated that by sending in the box proof of purchase we null and void the request and was not due any money.
I went back to the store and tried to talk to a manager but he was hiding in the back room and told the clerk to tell me that he left and would not return for a couple of hours. I told them I would wait. AFter waiting about 30 - 45 minutes a clerk finally approached me to see if she could help me.
I was then told that he went to his other store and told her to authorize a credit of $160.00. She told me that he would put it on my credit card. It never got there.
A few days ago I received a check that was not dated nor a letter of explanation included. It did contain a statement on the check "Cingular National Postpaid $50/$100 Rebate". So once again I am left to guess that it is a form of rebate. I can only guess. My track record of guessing with this company was not good the last time so I don't feel confortable guessing again. I have not cashed it.
The address that is doing all of the correspondence with me is:
Cingular PO Box 200; Young America, MN 55553-0200.
I have contacted a Mr. Daniel E Camlunas of SBC Southwest and he is helping to get the remaining $80.00 that they told us we would receive.
What really amazes me is that the manager nor the sales rep have picked up the phone and called me. After all they are in the phone business and I am sure they have access to one. I have 5 phone numbers that ring into my home and they know three of them and they have not called.
The BBB is a farce you can't get anything done through them only a letter telling me that I am wrong. I contacted the Attorney Generals office consumer department and was told that I need to discuss it with the company. Again I think that I was suppose to contact the company three times before they would act on any complaint.
When my two years are up they will not see me any more and I shall tell as many people as I can about doing business with Cingular.
By the way after complaining about the higher total on my bill I was told that it should be $86.59 plus tax so I guess it will be going up.
James
Irving, Texas
U.S.A.
0 comments