AT&T review: Rebate offer is a rip off! 171

AT&T High Speed DSL Equipment Rebate SCAM - Holland, Mich. Back in February 2007, I signed up for AT&T's High Speed DSL in answer to a promotion you were running. The deal was that you paid up front for the equipment and you would receive a rebate in the form of a $50 cash card or checking 10 to 12 weeks. You're supposed to be able to check the status of your rebate online. I mailed in the necessary rebate information immediately upon receipt of the equipment, Approx. Feb 21, 2007. On April 16th, 2007, I went to check the status of the rebate online, (www.attequipmentrebate.com), and it showed no record of my rebate application. I called the number posted on the rebate website, [protected]), and spoke with "Brook". She stated that my rebate postcard had been received by AT&T but had not yet been processed. She then told me that she would "petition" AT&T to get the processing underway so that they, the rebate center, could get the check sent out within the next one to two weeks. It is now June 6, 2007. I went online AGAIN to check my rebate status and there was STILL no record of my rebate. I called the rebate center AGAIN and this time spoke with "Angie" who told me that there was no record of my previous call to Brook but that my rebate postcard had been processed "today" and that they, the rebate center should have an answer in 1-2 weeks. "An answer to WHAT?" I asked. "I'm not asking them to approve anything". At this point i asked to speak with her supervisor and was told that the supervisor didn't take calls but that I could be put on a "supervisor call back list". I asked when he might be calling, fully expecting her to say, "In one to two weeks". To my surprise, her answer was, "Within 24 to 72 hours". Needless to say, I'm not holding my breath waiting for this person to contact me. After all, By AT&T calendars, one to two weeks equals 1-1/2 months and 10 to 12 weeks is quickly approaching the 4 month mark They promised a rebate in 10-12 weeks and I expect them to honor that agreement." She then changed her answer and told me it had been processed the day before. She actually forgot her lie within a span of about a minute. I didn't ask for a line of BS when I called your alleged "Rebate Customer Service" department. I just want you to do what was promised in your promotion. I'm no further now than I was a month and a half ago. The two weeks promised by "Brook" has turned into a month and a half. As if that's not bad enough, "Angie" told me it would be yet another two weeks before I could even find out WHEN my rebate would be sent out. Just a hunch, but I'm guessing that I'll be told my check will be sent out in... ready, Let's all say it together, "ONE TO TWO WEEKS". If I didn't know better, I'd say that your entire customer service plan is that no matter what the issue, just tell the customer it will be resolved in "one to two weeks" and hopefully the customer will forget about it or just give up.

I decided that talking to your drones at the rebate center was getting me nowhere so I decided to contact another AT&T Customer service department. This was yet another disappointing experience to say the least. This time I spoke with "Natalie" who told me that she could do absolutely nothing about it because it was a Rebate Department issue and she knew nothing about the policies or practices of the Rebate department. It soon became evident that she knew nothing about customer service period. I then asked who I could talk to to file a complaint about the practices of the Rebate department and she told me to talk to the Rebate department manager. When I told her that it made no sense to complain to the very people I was complaining about, I was told by "Natalie" that the nine minutes I had spent talking to her could have been better spent waiting for my "supervisor call back". In other words, "quit wasting my time because I'm not going to do anything or suggest anything or direct you to anyone that can help you in resolving this issue." She then had the nerve to ask if there was anything else she could "Help" me with. Totally disgusted with the entire AT&T Customer Service experience, I hung up.

Fifty dollars is nothing to a billion dollar company like AT&T, but I would guess that if this is happening to me, there are probably thousands of others out there having the same experience that are just as frustrated as I am and that would love to see this issue brought to light. I can see the headlines already, "AT&T Equipment Rebate "Scam" investigation". You might even make it onto 20/20. I know the local TV stations in Grand Rapids love doing pieces on huge corporations that are caught ripping off consumers.

Just so you know that I'm not alone in this complaint, I've included a couple of the other letters from your "customers" that I've found online which, interestingly enough, describe unusually similar experiences with you and your rebate promotion.
Incidentally, I just checked the status of my rebate claim one more time and here's the standard message that pops up...

"We're sorry, but we were unable to find any rebate claims matching the information you provided. Please make sure the information you supplied is correct and try again. Note: It takes approximately 10-12 weeks to process your claim. If you were unable to find your rebate claim status and you submitted your rebate form more than 4 weeks ago, please call [protected].

Thank you for choosing AT&T Yahoo! HSI Service!"

WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR ME TO GET MY REBATE? And please don't tell me it'll be sent out in (one more time) "one to two weeks".

Joseph C.
Holland, Mich 49423

From: Carolyn
Date: Wednesday, 15-Nov-06 08:57:30 CST

Beware when it comes to ordering a DSL service kit from AT&T/SBC. They promise you everything. The rebates and gift cards and all kinds of good stuff. However, collecting what they promise can be frustrating . I can testify to that! I signed up for the DSL promotion in June 2006, I promptly received the installation kit in the mail. I installed it... no problem there... everything is working fine. But where is my $50.00 cash rebate? It's now November 2006, and longer that 10-12 weeks. I've had to argue for every little thing. First the $50.00 visa gift card, I finally got that this week, but I've still not received my $50.00 cash rebate. I've called and spent a total of about 6 hours on the phone at different times talking to customer service people. I finally got the gift card. But still no $50.00 rebate. I contacted my local Public Utility Commission and they said they would check into it , but DSL lines is not something they current regulate, although they get plenty of complaints about them. I've also sent a letter to the AT&T chairman, Mr. Edward Whitacre, Jr., but I probably won't get an answer from him either. I was also referred to the FCC to file a complaint. I've never spent so much time trying to get what AT&T/SBC promised me. $50.00 is not a lot of money to a "BILLION DOLLAR" company. I've been a customer of theirs for over 40 years. I've always paid my bills on time. Why can't someone just follow through. You should here the stupid evasions answers I get when I ask about where is my rebate.

From: Robert
Date: Friday, 01-Dec-06 18:21:38 CST

AT&T (SBC Yahoo DSL)

I activated phone service and high speed internet service on January 4, 2006 and was promised a $50.00 rebate. I mailed my rebate activation sticker on 1/26/2006 and have not received my rebate, yet. I have spoken with AT&T representatives at least 4 times during the past year. I spoke with Merrill on 6/2/06 & was given case #92230, I spoke with an unknown representative on 10/10/06 and was told she was activating another case, but it would not have a case number & that she was forwarding this to her supervisor - she told me that if I called again just mention the word ESCALATION. I called on 11/4/06 and spoke with Bertha who could not find any notes from the unknown representative. I uttered the word ESCALATION and Bertha did know what that meant, but she said ESCALATION had not been done previously. Bertha promised she would ESCALATE this for me. I called on 12/1/06 and spoke with Crystal, she was shocked that a second case was not given a number, she did see the notes taken from Bertha and assured me my claim had been escalated, but she advised me to call back in a couple of weeks because the escalation department is a bunch of slackers and probably had not done mine yet. She said if she did another escalation that would mean I would go back to the end of the line and have to start over again. Crystal told me I might want to call billing and maybe they would give me a credit. I told Crystal that if I had to tell my story again I would just as soon tell it to complaintsboard.com.

Please let others know what a crook these people are. Thank you, Debra
Barber, Escalated Consumer.