🚀 go-pugleaf

In the US, rebates are now under the jurisdiction of the Post Office 
fraud section, since both you and they use the mail as the conduit for 
communications.

There have been so many complaints and so much fraud in this area, the 
US Post Office now has a website area devoted to dealing with rebate 
fraud and delays.

Delays are being prosecuted with heavy fines in cases of large enough 
groups of cases.

Further, in most cases, one's state Attorney General's office will 
intervene on your behalf is required to resolve a rebate issue.

Don't let the fulfillment company (the company usually hired to 
distribute the rebates) get away with claiming you sent in wrong forms 
or they did not receive your request in time.

Always keep accurate records of what you sent in when and how much is 
due you when.  Photocopy or at least scan the items you sent to them, 
including the filled in form, and any receipts or UPC symbols, etc.

Don't be afraid to talk tough with the fulfillment company front-line 
people or supervisors  Tel them you will be sending in a complaint to 
the US Postal Service and State Attorney General's Office.  If they 
still don't come through FILE an official complaint.

I have read the advertising these fulfillment companies  send to the 
companies that hire them.  They often mention is somewhat vague terms 
that they will help the manufacturer to pay out less rebate claims, but 
reducing the number of eligible claimant.

I have participated in about 200 rebates over the last 5 years.  They 
have very rarely been early (one particular retailer was very good about 
that until they were bought out).  The vast majority are 2-4 weeks late, 
(over the 6, 8 10, or 12 weeks they express in the "contract") some as 
much as 8 months so, but I have never NOT received my rebate, however, I 
have had to threaten legal action on several occasions.  In some cases I 
have gone to the retailer and make them fulfill the obligations of the 
rebate. In Canada, they have some legal requirements at the retailer 
level to make sure rebates are fulfilled.

Remind the fulfillment company that they have entered into a contract 
with you, and make sure you can prove you fulfilled that contract on 
your end (shipped on time, correct paperwork, etc).  Tell them you will 
begin charging them interest on the money after the due date.

And remember, don't just threaten, if you don't get satisfaction, fill 
out the web form with the US Postal Services or the state attorney 
general of your state or both.

Art


zmike6 wrote:

> On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 00:10:40 -0000, Mapanari <whosthat@anonmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
> 
>>I do rebates all the time, so I don't make mistakes.
>>
>>It's supposed to be 8 weeks.
>>
>>It's now 10weeks and counting.
>>
>>www.canon.rebatestatus.com
>>
>>No reply to my email from last week.
>>
>>That admit they have and it's being "processed".
>>
>>Wish some attorny general would slap a class action suit against these 
>>sonsofbitches and clean up the whole dirty rebate business.
> 
> 
> 
> 10 weeks and counting for mine too, and they are only sending me $20
> instead of the $70 I am eligible for.  They claim my receipt isn't
> good enough despite it clearly showing the digital camera and printer
> model numbers. (and I sent in both UPC codes from the boxes).  They
> are incredibly slow at responding to email, but eventually they did in
> my case.  Was yours for a digital camera + printer as well?
>