Cell phones: Poor customer support from Inphonic.com/Wirefly.com
Cingular 866-615-0682
by Consumer Dave - 8/21/06 5:21 PM In reply to: Inphonic rebates by farry2If you have a Cingular phone plan with Wirefly / InPhonic , try what I did.
First I called Cingular and they gave me a rebate phone number, 800-592-6897 (Minniapolis). They told me to call their other rebate office, 866-615-0682 (Arizona). They kept telling me the check was in the mail, so it took 3 calls (I called them once a week).
Oh yeah, this may have had a lot to do with my success, but I made it very clear to Cingular that I was not going pay my phone bill until I received my rebate money. I'm not sure what my contract says (it is probably in Cingular's favor), but as far as I'm concerned, I purchased a phone and a service plan, and if Wirefly/InPhonic isn't going to honor the phone portion of our agreement, then I am not going to honor the service plan portion. Cingular would probably win in court, but this is all about money. They'd rather part with the swindled rebate money ($280) because it is far less than a 2 year service plan (do the math, $80 for 24 months is $1920 total).
...
John Edwards 4 Prez (do the math)
reply to Inphonic rebates
by mswebbs - 8/23/06 2:44 PM In reply to: Inphonic rebates by farry2I will go in with you on that lawsuit. I, too, was promised 2 $100 rebates. I sent mine in March 14th and as of August 23, 2006 I am still waiting for them. This is ridiculous.
My lucky day
by Billb692001 - 8/25/06 11:00 AM In reply to: Inphonic rebates by farry2I purchased my phone through Wirefly with the promise of $200 total rebates. After meeting all of the onerous criteria for applying (eg: no earlier than 180 days or later than 210 days after activation) and supplying the volums of paperwork required, my application was rejected.
Being about tenacious as a pit bull after a puppy I started calling, emailing and writing. Each response got me a different answer but eventually they admitted that there were no errors and reinstated the applications. I kept up the barrage of contacts for the next five months. To tell the truth it became a game to me with no expectation of results.
May miracles never cease to end! Today's mail brought me the much long awaited and exceedingly overdue check. Luck? Persistence? Divine intervention? Who knows. At this juncture I am not counting on the check actually being good and clearing but there it is.
Considering some of the message threads here on CNET I have to be in some sort of a slim minority.
Rebate rip-off
by divemanusa - 9/19/06 9:59 AM In reply to: Inphonic rebates by farry2Dido, These folks are rip-offs. I went through and am still going through this nightmare to get my $150 rebate. They gave me the same run around about the wrong # and then it was that I did not have a home phone # on my app. I only have a cell phone and that was not good enough, so I put that in the space and all was still done with in their tight time limits. Now the order processing is in White Bear Lake mn. and no one will answer the phone to even talk to you. F- wirefly and the rebate folks they hired to represent them and I too would join a class act suit against Wirefly...
My new phone has bluetooth - How does it work?
by moderateeverything - 2/18/06 1:07 PM In reply to: the ONLY way to get cell phone discounts by quakerwildcatThis new Nokia I got is bluetooth. I don't really know how this works. What do I need to buy to use it?
Here's the scoop...
by cnet_god - 2/19/06 4:01 AM In reply to: My new phone has bluetooth - How does it work? by moderateeverything...on bluetooth. It's a short-range wireless technology that let's devices communicate with your phone when within 20 or 30 feet of the phone.
The most popular bluetooth device is the bluetooth headset. You've seen people walking around with these little things on their ears... that's a bluetooth headset. Very comfortable and convenient because it lets you use your phone without your hands OR any wires. They are expensive but getting cheaper. in fact you can often find one for free bundled with a new bluetooth phone.
I also have a bluetooth adapter for my computer. this lets my pc communicate via bluetooth with my phone. basically, whenever i'm within 30 feet of my Pc, my phone's calendar gets synced up with my pc's calendar. very nice...
Any bluetooth headset will work with your phone, but . . .
by cnetmaildotcom - 2/19/06 8:04 AM In reply to: My new phone has bluetooth - How does it work? by moderateeverythingAny bluetooth headset will work with any bluetooh phone, but I wanted to get the same brand for one main reason -- the charger. It's not true in every case, but some bluetooth headsets will use the same charger as phones from the same company. For the car, that was key for me. I didn't want to have a bunch of different charges for different devices.
Absolutely...
by Meat11 - 3/6/06 8:45 AM In reply to: Have to agree. For cell phones, they rock. by jigglypuffyYeah, I'll chime in, too. I wanted something other than the RAZR, believe it or not (they're everywhere!), and found an awesome Samsung T809 on wirefly $200 cheaper than the price at the T-Mobile store downtown.
Got my phone, no problem. It was $100 cheaper to begin with, and I'm waiting for the rebates.
wireless rebates
by harris_2000 - 3/16/06 5:00 PM In reply to: Absolutely... by Meat11happy for you for having a good deal with your new phones. LET'S WAIT FOR YOUR REBATES. I'd like to know what BAIT they fished you?
Wirefly is a rip off SCAM
by benthampl - 3/16/06 9:27 PM In reply to: Got my phones promptly. Happy customer. AAA+++ by dudeyougotadellYou got your phones big deal.
Where the rebate??????
Oh I know the answer. They still have and they will always have. Sorry......
Read the fine print --- it gets worse
by kmiles502 - 3/17/06 11:46 AM In reply to: Wirefly is a rip off SCAM by benthamplRead the fine print! You have only 30 days (180-210 after activation) and if it ain't right the first time (you find out weeks later), it gets rejected, lost, and then claimed as expired, etc, etc, etc. And don't send web phone invoices - they are ''invalid'' which will cause you to fall into this cycle. First rebate I have ever seen that has a 30 day window.
The whole attraction for rebates (for retailers) is they are such a pain for consumers, many will go unpaid, and their margin goes up. But it's a great lead in. Free always looks good in print.
Wirefly in particular has this nice 30 day window. For 2 months, they have not replied to my issue with rebates. Go ahead, get that FREE phone.
Also note there are other options - pay for the phone, but you get a cheaper monthly rate. And NO REBATE hassles. Amazon offered the same phone, same everything, no rebate within a week after I bought from Wirefly. I will avoid REBATES and especially WIREFLY at all costs. Even if it costs me more. Worth every penny.
re finne print
by Ethan Bowen - 3/26/06 6:48 AM In reply to: Read the fine print --- it gets worse by kmiles502If you are buying products just for the rebates its time your woke up. Not everything is about a rebate. If there is no money off right then either for a sale or a instant rebate then i go without til that happens if is never does then owell. you all act like a bunch of kids a christmas not gettign what they asked for.. if those terms and conditions aen't met then the only person you have to blame is yourself. You all need to realize that there real people that enter in YOUR rebates and in case you forgot humans aren't perfect. So on that note you all need to grow about theys rebates they are not the end of world and your lives shouldn't revolve around rebates and making your purchases.
FINALLY Received Wirefly Rebate
by jsbx747 - 8/22/06 11:23 PM In reply to: Wirefly is a rip off SCAM by benthamplThis is an update to a message I left on 7/8. I finally got my $200 in rebates for forms I sent on May 11. I sent the documentation twice, sent letters, emailed, and finally called the new number that their website now directs customers to. Apparently a new company in MN is trying to sort things out. So if you didn't get your rebate, it might be worthwhile to call the new number to get them to review your file again. Mentioning that I was gathering information to file a suit in small claims court may not have hurt either.
All things considered, I would not buy through Wirefly or InPhonic again. Sending in documentation twice, sending letters twice, emailing, and calling the company, plus posting to forums like this (so that other people don't make the same mistake) has been time consuming and headache-inducing.
P.S.
One of my friends used to work at a cell phone store. He said that filing a suit in small claims court is often a good option in these types of situations. It costs about $40 to file here in Califorinia, you represent yourself, and if the other party doesn't show up, the ruling is likely to be in your favor. So if Wirefly still doesn't honor your claim, this might be another recourse.
Do you have the new phone number to call for your rebates ?
by condau - 9/5/06 11:55 AM In reply to: FINALLY Received Wirefly Rebate by jsbx747Dear my friend,
I submitted 2 rebates ($180 each)for my 2 phones bought from Wirefly.com. It has been 4 months and no way I can contact them by phone or email. I am gathering info to file a lawsuit agaisnt them. Do you have the phone # that you finally get to talk to their reps so I can call them ? I got 2 numbers (1-866-607-9877 and 1-866-800-4303) but all I can hear are the messages.
Thanks in advance !
Tony
well well well..
by dammed - 9/15/06 4:07 PM In reply to: FINALLY Received Wirefly Rebate by jsbx747I can't believe the check arrived after fighting for it for 9 1/2 month, all I can say to all of you still hoping to get justice, don't you dare give up..do what ever it takes, threats, calls, e-mail them get on their last nerve...i just hope the check doesn't bounce now...I am still hoping to get my Deposit back from someone...since it was never sent over to Cingular..Boy I can't wait for the 2 years to end my contract...Should have stayed with my old sprint phone..but nooo I wanted a Razor ...Cingular has the most dropped calls everrrrrrrrrrr!
Good Luck to us all...lets not buy from these People again!!!!!Bee
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