RebatesHQ Gives Rebate Headache
November 30th, 2006 Davis Posted in Technology, Marketing, TV |
A little over a month ago, I made a purchase that was almost as exciting as when I picked up my HDTV TiVo series 3. After seeing Wired magazine call the Canon HV10 High Definition camcorder the best consumer high def camcorder on the market, I decided to take the plunge and splurge on an unncessary, but very hot little luxury item.
Over the last month, I’ve had fun playing around with it, but I’ve held off on writing a review of the product, in large part because I haven’t been able to actually produce my first video yet. I have been able to record in High Definition and I can even hook the camera up to my TV and watch it in all it’s HD glory, but what I haven’t been able to do is transfer the recording onto my computer so that I could edit it and make a more polished video.
In order to do this you need software that can handle HDTV signals, to go along with the hardware. Normally I would have gone out and purchased my own high definition editing software, but part of what Canon has been doing to build buzz for the camera, has been to offer consumers a free copy of the Pinnacle Studio Plus Titanium Edition with any Canon HV10 purchase before January 31st, 2007. The Pinnacle software has gotten decent reviews online and knowing a good bargain when I see one, I eagerly took advantage of Canon’s free software offer.
This software normally runs for about $100, so this is a nice little extra for them to throw in, especially because I was already interested in buying the camera. The problem with the offer though, is that instead of letting me buy the software in the store and then rebating me the $100, so I could immedietely use it, they insisted on mailing the actual software as part of the rebate. This meant that I’d need to wait a bit longer to do my editing, but I figured if I sumbited the paperwork fast enough that the wait wouldn’t be that bad.
As soon as I got the camera, I sent the rebate form, the UPC, serial number, copy of my fingerprints, a promise to give up my first born, a sample of my DNA and the original receipt in the mail. I then sat back and waited eagerly to take this baby out for a real test drive.
About a week later, I logged onto RebatesHQ.com to check on the status of my rebate and was pleasantly suprised to see that they approved my rebate and that on November 11th, it was in “final processing” status.
Knowing that these rebates get rejected all the time, I knew that this was a good sign and figured I’d be happily editing away in another week or two. When the software didn’t arrive, I checked the website again and sure enough it still said that it was in final processing. Wondering how long “final processing” would last, I fired off a quick email to RebatesHQ.com and asked them for a status update. On their site they promise to get back to me within 24 hours, but after waiting another week, an email never showed, so I did a little online sleuthing and found a telephone number for the company.
The phone number was an automated system and of course it didn’t have my information in it, but after mashing every conceivable combination of * and then a number into my phone, I finally hit paydirt and was able to get through to a live operator.
Once I got ahold of an agent, they verified that they had received the request, that everything looked great, but that they wouldn’t ship the software until December 23rd because “according to the terms and conditions” December 23rd was the longest possible amount of time that they were “technically” allowed to take.
Talk about infuriating. Here I am, just itching to use this hot new piece of tech candy, but I can’t because Canon forced me to wait for a software rebate to begin with and then the company that they hire to process the rebates, insists on doing the absolute minimum required to get the software to me. The irony of all of this is that if you go to RebatesHQ’s parent company, Parago.com, they brag about how great their word of mouth programs are and how much consumers love their service.
“Parago can help you identify the customers most likely to spread your marketing messages, and we’ll help you develop and deliver the tools to turn those “super customers” into effective marketers.”
Well thanks to Parago, they just turned this “super customer” into a super lit fuse. Canon was all set up to get some really great buzz about this camera, but because of their poor rebate decisions, it’s turned my customer experience into a nightmare. Without the software, the camera is practically worthless and while I could just go out and spend the money to buy the software instead, it’s hard for me to justify spending an extra $100 after I’ve already been forced to wait a month to begin with.
Now it’s possible that this rebate scheme could have been set up by Pinnacle or Canon to begin with, but it seems unlikely to me that either company would want to delay their customers from being able to fully use their product for two whole months after making a purchase. When I pressed RebatesHQ to explain why it would take 42 days from the time my rebate was in final process to the time it takes them to actually drop a piece of software in the mail, they only reiterated that legally they didn’t have to send it to me and that there was no way for me to escalate the status of my rebate request.
With customer service like this, it surprises me that Parago has any customers at all, let alone that they have the stones to claim on their website that they “understand the art & science of successful loyalty programs” More like they understand how to juice their customers for the highest profit margin if you ask me.
Update - I did end up getting my software, but it showed up on Christmas Eve as promised. It also seems that I’m not the only one who has run into some kind of trouble with RebatesHQ.com The company may not want you to know how to contact them, but if you have a situation that needs straightening out, I think you should go ahead and give them a live call, so here are a couple of numbers that you can use to contact RebatesHQ and Parago directly. If you find other numbers for the company or if any of these come up disconnected, please leave a comment and let me know.
877-755-3837 RebatesHQ
866-462-3944 RebatesHQ (It takes a while, but don’t push any buttons)
800-337-4849 RebateHQ
800-531-5000 RebateHQ (Main Office)
800-940-1298 RebateHQ (may only be for Amazon purchases)
800-706-5729 RebatesHQ (may only be for Dell purchases)
866-865-0241 RebatesHQ (may only be for Circuit City
888-213-9916 Parago - press 1, then 0
866-206-8800 Parago
A lot of people feel pretty strongly with how RebatesHQ is treating them. Some want to band together and form a class action, but anytime lawyers get involved things just get too messy. My advice is that if you feel that RebatesHQ is breaking the law by denying legitmate rebate requests in an attempt to discourage people from collecting on them, then you should contact your state attorney general and file a complaint. If they see a pattern of abuse, they will investigate and will rain holy hell onto Parago, if any allegations end up being true.
If you feel that RebatesHQ is engaging in morally questionable activities, by making it extremely difficult to dispute their rejections or for customers to get their rebates, then my advice is to contact the BBB and make the company file a response for their actions.
Update #2 - Thank you to everyone for continuing to comment and share information that might be helpful in getting back other people’s money from RebateHQ.com. Thanks to one of our commenters, we’ve successful determined that RebateHQ has a specific person for dealing with these rebate frustrations. While the 800 number listed above appears to be correct, my recommendation is to use the DavisFreeberg.com Hotline and get in touch with Mr. Kent Patterson, RebateHQ.com’s Consumer Complaint Specialist at (972) 538-7277. Good luck with your efforts to get your money back and thanks again to everybody whose shared their experience, for helping others avoid the pitfalls of dealing with Parago Inc.
December 11th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Just to let you know that I’m going through a similar headache with BebatesHQ for three months now.
December 18th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
[…] Normally, I’m a pretty big TiVo proponent, but this was one TiVo case, where I really felt like they were in wrong. Every state has a different set of rules, but in the Golden State, you’re not allowed to put an expiration date on a gift certificate, except in very rare instances. This is largely because gift certificates are typically purchased with cash and it’s not fair for a consumer to lose out on a service just because they didn’t move quickly enough or because they received the gift on a later date. When it comes to rebates, coupons and other discounts anything goes, but once a consumer has purchased a gift certificate, it’s good for life as far as California is concerned. […]
January 5th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Its 4 months now since rebateshq.com received my rebates documents but they have not yet sent me the rebate check. Eachtime i call them they say it will take 15 days and now its 4 months and they say that the promotion is on hold and they cannot do anything. Its a cheat company.Never buy anything which involves rebates thru RebatesHQ.COM (or PARAGO)
January 5th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Kumar, I’m sorry that you are getting the run around. I did end up getting my software rebate, but just like Parago promised it came as late as possible. My advice is to send an email to the Consumerist. They’ve always been helpful at stepping in when a company has consistant failures. Between, my experience, yours and Ma’s, I bet they’d be willing to investigate and put a little pressure on them. You are also welcome to send me an email at davis AT davisfreeberg dot com and I’d be happy to look at your issue, but considering that after three emails to Canon, I couldn’t get them to end this policy, I’m not sure how much help I can be. Good luck, keep at it, don’t let the bastards keep your hard earned money.
January 13th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I too have been waiting for over 4 months for a $100 rebate check from RebatesHQ.
What is their phone number? Their website indicates I can call the phone number listed on the rebate form–there is no number listed.
I cannot even email them, as they require the name of the manufacturer via a pull down menu in their email form. Hanns-G, the manufacturer of the monitor I purchased from Office Depot in August 2006 is NOT listed in their menu. I have tried emailing them, but they do not respond. I called Office Depot, but they said they have nothing to do with it–it is up to the manufacturer to deal with their own rebates–it is out of Office Depot’s hands, although they are still selling Hanns-G monitors with $100 rebates through RebatesHQ. I will be very careful in the future when purchasing any item that includes a rebate that must be processed through RebatesHQ.
What is their phone number, and how did you find it?
Thank you.
January 15th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I am agrred with you guy. RebatesHQ.com is the worst rebate processing company I delat with so far. I think they never paid any one. I bought Fuji Film digital camera from J&R.com and sent all required documents for rebate back in Aug 2006.I checked my status and in Sep and it was updated as they received everything and verified every document and I should get my rebate chcek soon. After waiting for 1 month I called their 800 number (1-800-381-0037) and have been told I should get my rebate check with in 15 days . I asked them to check my address and found that my city was entered wrong even I sent correct detail to them. I requested them to correct that. I called them again after some days but got the same response. This time also I found that my city name was wrong. Since then I called 4-5 times to them but everytime same thing happend. Today I just called them and they said that my rebate has been put on hold for 30 days for some technical reason.I think they don’t want to release my money. We should really do something against such companies….
Tnank You
January 19th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
I recommend that we get together and file a class action lawsuit. I submitted 4 rebates and received bogus rejections for every one of them. After a bunch of back and forth (I keep copies of all documention), I still don’t have any checks and still don’t have it all resolved.
January 19th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Class actions lawsuits can be so messy and take a lot of organization, but you can count me in if someone else is doing the work, in the meantime, my suggestion would be to contact your state attorney general, you’d be surprised at how effective this can be. If all of us started filing complaints about bad business practices, then RebatesHQ would face 50 different legal threats instead of just one. This company is clearly operating on the fringe when it comes to ethical behavior and since they don’t seem to want to change their practices, sending the regulators at them may be an effective technique to make them change their ways. If anyone else knows of any good government agencies who we should complain to, feel free to leave a comment.
January 22nd, 2007 at 4:13 pm
I amn fighting the battle with these *ssholes over the $100 Hanns G rebate. Two suggestions.
FIRST: file a dispute with your credit card company. They should charge back the $100 to buy.com, officedepot.com ,or whoever.
SECOND: file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in the area where these Squirrels nest.
January 26th, 2007 at 7:54 am
I am on the phone right now with them. The supervisor says that I need to send my rebate form by fax (1-800-886-8370 Attn: Resubmissions Dept.) & they will BEGIN action on it. Today is 26JAN07 & I sent mine in 5DEC06. I’m with you on the class action suit. By the way, mine was Hanns-G as well.
January 26th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Where do these “squirrels” nest? In what city are they located?
January 26th, 2007 at 10:22 am
It is now 12:19 and I have been hard at it since 7:30 this morning. I have finally reached an agent at 800-469-7908 who took my info over the phone & gave me a tracking number. I have already submitted the requested forms by fax. SUPPOSEDLY, I will receive my rebate within 6 weeks.
If others are running into this problem, the company which sets up this system is called Wintergreen Systems. That is where I got the new 800 number & the reassurance that I would get genuine help. The “genuine” is yet to be proven.
Hang in like a bulldog & some progress may be made.
January 26th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I’m not sure who Wintergreen Systems is, but they could be another name that RebatesHQ is going by. When I called, I was told Parago was the parent company. Personally, if I was a company thinking about using Parago for anything, I would think twice about entering into a business relationship with them. There is only so long that you can get away with this type of behavior before consumers revolt and tarnish your company’s brand over it. While I did end up getting my software rebate, I’m very disappointed that Canon refused comment on three occasions and that they refused to get involved. In retrospect, I would never have done business with Canon to begin with had I known that they would tacitly endorse this company by doing business with them and refusing to make them do their jobs in a more efficient manner. Good luck getting your rebate back. I know it’s a total pain, but don’t give up, this company doesn’t deserve to keep your money.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Rebateshq is terrible. I submitted my Hanns-G $100 rebate on 9/7/2006. And now it is 1/29/2007. I am still waiting my rebates. I called them several times, everytime they promised to send me the check within “one” month. This really turned me down to buy anymore Hanns-G product
January 30th, 2007 at 10:47 am
Please let me know if any of u are planning to file a suit against this company. I would like to be part of that. Please contact me at vishal_goelis@hotmail.com or otherwise give me your contact detail.
January 30th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I have had a rebate denied from Parago in which they stated the product was not purchased during the promotion period. Oh yes it was. I have a copy of the bellsouth ad that says free modem if you sign up by 12/31/2006. I have e-mailed them six times and they have yet to respond to my simple request to tell me when the promotion period was.
January 31st, 2007 at 9:19 am
I too have had a horrible experience with a properly submitted rebate to RebateHQ on a Hanns-G monitor.RebateHQ says I will now get a check in 4-6 weeks,after I talked with them. It was bought through OfficeDepot (which is also culpable for this rebate nightmare).A person to complain to at OfficeDepot is Margaret McFadden,561-438-4800, ext 0125.
February 1st, 2007 at 8:15 am
I recently submitted a $90 rebate for the Hanns-G monitor that was purchsed from Office Depot and it was reject on the RebateHQ web site due to an invalid purchase location! How strange is that. I called RebateHQ and spoke to a customer service rep and she said that she would update the record and I should receive the rebate in 4 - 6 weeks. We’ll see…
February 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
I am now going through a similar headache, and found this page doing a Google search. Thanks for posting the phone number; I’m on hold waiting for a supervisor as I type.
Coincidentally, I am an attorney, and one of my clients has been having problems with a shady online retailer running a bait-and-switch scam — offering my client’s products and swapping inferior generics, then giving customers the runaround when they complain. I found literally hundreds of reports of this retailer’s practices, involving my client and others’ products, on consumer sites like Shopping.com and ResellerRatings.com. The Illinois Attorney General declined to pursue a prosecution when we contacted them a year ago, but we’ve been in touch with the U.S. Attorney’s office and they’ve shown some interest. I will be meeting with the FBI next week to present them with a packet of evidence, which we hope will make it easy for them to launch an investigation and prosecution of that company for wire and mail fraud. If this rebate operator is offering rebates over the Internet with the intent not to honor them, then that is both mail and wire fraud, and if the practice is widespread enough, then it could be an easy prosecution.
Anyone know where RebateHQ is based? It’s only $100, but if they screw me over, I may just be annoyed enough to put something together on my own time like I put together for my client.
February 2nd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Update: After 15 minutes on hold (thank god for speakerphones), I got a supervisor. I got his first and last name, and then very politely explained to him that no, I most definitely *did* include my original UPC and serial number with the rebate form, and no, I could not send those in as they had advised me, because I did not have them anymore, because I sent them in with my rebate form. He apologized to me and said that he would update my status. The Web site now reads that my rebate is valid, and that I should wait 4-6 weeks for my check to be issued.
Let’s say I’m not holding my breath, but I’m hopeful. I will keep his name and a record, however, and will print out the updated status page in case I need it later.
February 2nd, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Alex - Thanks for your comments. For some reason I think that RebatesHQ (really Parago) is located in Florida, but I’m not 100% sure. I’m also not 100% sure that what they are doing is fraud, but I do think that the company has some quality assurance issues. I hope that you do end up getting your money back, it shouldn’t be such a hassel to get your rebate, but if you don’t keep fighting for your Benjamin, then they will have won. Hopefully, by posting the phone numbers other people will also be able to collect.
February 2nd, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Thanks, Davis. There’s actually a Business Week article I found recently (here), discussing how there have been some Spitzer-type actions by state attorneys general (including the new Thuginator of New York himself, in his previous job) against some rebate companies, and how they do factor unclaimed rebates into their profit projections, but allege that all the hoops they make consumers jump through are mainly to prevent fraud (which on its face sounds reasonable enough).
I also know generally not to attribute malice to that which is easily explained by incompetence, but maybe my mind is in the “fraudulent” vein lately due to some of the sleazebags I’ve been dealing with on behalf of clients lately. Proving the mental state necessary for a fraud prosecution can also be pretty darned difficult, but as Spitzer learned and has made a political career out of, even if you can’t prove it, the credible threat of a prosecution is a pretty effective club to get action out of a company.
February 2nd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
I, too, am waiting for my Hanns G $100 rebate. They got in 11/27/06 and it is valid. On my rebate form it says 10 weeks. I just called (thanks for the phone #) but I’m afraid I got someone in India, I really think so. He said he’ll expedite it and I should have it within 15 days. I asked him how that was expediting it, since it’s been over 10 weeks now. I don’t think he has a clue, just a poor sap who answers the phone. This is ridiculous!
February 2nd, 2007 at 5:07 pm
I just found where their offices are. Dallas and Coppell, Texas. In their legal mumbo jumbo, it says that if you disagree with them you can’t take them to court, only arbitration and it has to be in Dallas… wait! I found this! Let’s bombard their legal dept.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this statement, please contact:
Attn: Legal Dept.
Parago, Inc.
700 State Hwy., 121 Bypass, Suite 200
Lewisville, TX 75067
Email: legal@parago.com
February 5th, 2007 at 6:21 am
I will add my continuing story as well, my rebate per their website was submitted 9-17-07, per my knowledge it was mailed in August ($100 hanns-g like others). I called after not receiving my check in early december and was told that my rebate was valid and that I would receive my check end of January (the 29th to be exact). Well that came and went and I emailed them again since their phone number was removed from the website (though now that I found it on this page I will be calling). I received an email back this morning that I would now have my check mailed on March 12th. This is completely bogus. I’ve never been so frustrated about a rebate before, and I agree with whoever said this is criminal. This is a staunch reminder of why I hate rebates so much, these rebate companies exist for one reason only, to keep our money out of our hands… grrrr.
February 5th, 2007 at 7:02 am
UPDATE: I just filed a complaint with the BBB online, it took about 15 minutes or so, it would be great if everyone that is having problems would do this, it should help our cause. When asked to search for the company I used the search field by URL and just entered “www.rebateshq.com”… it should be no surprise they were found in the database.
February 5th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Thanks for taking the time to let the BBB know about your experience Philip. Hopefully, we’ll see Parago respond to your complaint with an explanation for why it’s taking them 3 months to process your rebate when all of your paperwork is in order. The complaint won’t stop more consumers from having to deal with RebatesHQ, but hopefully when businesses are considering whether or not to hire Parago to do their rebates, they’ll see your complaint and think twice about doing business with a company that could potentially taint their brand with these types of shenanigans. If everyone who is having a problem with RebatesHQ, lets the BBB know about this, then sooner or later, they’ll have to address their policies and maybe we’ll see some changes. Thanks again for taking the time to let the BBB know.
February 6th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I am in the same boat with the OD $100 rebate. I just got off the phone with a supervisor named Kenya after calling the 866-462-3944 number. She said I should receive a check within 15 days. We will see. Even if I get it, I will never, never, never use a Parago rebate center again.
February 8th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Today, I called rebateshq again. Last month they assured me that they would issue my rebate check on Feb.3, 2007. I called them again today and they assured me they would send me a rebate check on March 17. (They didn’t mention the year, however). So I filed a complaint with the El Paso, TX BBB. I sent an email to buy.com and followed up with a call to buy.com as well. Next is my credit card company.
DO NOT LET THESE SQUIRRELS GET AWAY WITH YOUR MONEY!!!
I also added interest in at the default rate (31%) and added a time and innconvenience charge of $100. I offered to settle for $219.94 (the original cost of the monitor).
I contacted my credit card company and placed a dispute on the original purchase from buy.com. (But in the amount of only $100.)
So, folks, I have collected my $100, effective today. The credit card customer service was helpful, organized, and efficient.
If you charged your purchase of the Hanns-G monitor, do as I did, and let buy.com, Office Depot or whoever eat the root on this one!!
February 8th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Buel - Thanks for contact Buy.com, it’s important that they know the vendor they selected is failing them. When I contacted Canon, they offered to ship the software early, but would only do it because I had a blog and was upset. This has soured me on Canon now, all because of RebatesHQ and their poor policies. Hopefully, Buy.com will realize that they are being hurt by their affiliation with the company and we’ll see their vendors put the necessary pressure on them to clean up their act.
February 9th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Thank you! I have been chasing my rebate for 18 weeks on the Hanns-G monitor. After reading about all the people like me that bought the Hanns-G like I did and did not receive the rebate from rebatesHQ.com, I went right to the TX BBB and filed a complaint. I hope if they have enough complaints, rebatesHQ will release the rebates we deserve and stop these delaying practices. If anyone does file a class action - I’m with you.
February 9th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Emails are now bouncing for both rebates@parago.com and rebates@rebateshq.com. This is not a good sign. The advice to jingle your credit card bond is more justified than ever before.
No matter how old your claim, contact your credit cad company. All they can do is say it is too old. They will likely surprise you and honor your claim.
February 11th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Had the same problem with the Hanns-g monitor rebate (monitor purchased from PC Connection). Sent email to RebatesHQ and was told I would receive rebate 3/21/07 (filed mid October,2006) at which point I went off! Emailed them, PC Connection, Hanns-g(which bounced), and Techdeals.net. Received response from PC Connection who stepped up to the plate and made the $100 rebate. Make sure you let your vendor know they are being drug thru the mud because of a low-life pseudo-rebate company.
Oh yeah, they wanted to take 5 months (if I EVER would have gotten it) to send my rebate but the rebate check is valid only for 90 days!
Mike
February 12th, 2007 at 10:27 am
If you bought your Hanns-G monitor from PC Connection, they are aware of the problem and have been authorized to give a refund for the $100 if you have waited 14 weeks. While that is a pain in the butt, its certainly worth something. Give them a buzz. If you bought from somewhere else, I dont know what to tell ya.
February 13th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
See my post of 02/02/07. I sent a nasty email to their legal department and a cc to California Dept of Consumer Affairs. I rec’d my rebate on 02/09. It doesn’t look like a rebate check though, be careful. It’s on a small card, not in an envelope like a normal check. I didn’t have on my glasses and almost threw it away, thinking it was junk mail. LOL. Good luck to all….I suggest the email to the legal dept.
February 14th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Had a lot of trouble with this one. Rebate was $100. on a Hanns-G monitor. Sent the rebate on 10/3 and still waiting on the money. Finally called Hanns-G. They gave me a phone # for Wintergreen Systems 1-800-763-8239 ext 110. Called them and they put me on an expidite list. Also told me that they have contracted with Rebateshq. We will see if I get the rebate. I think I will send pc connection an email. Seems like Mike had some luck with that.
February 14th, 2007 at 11:06 am
CK, thanks for the tip. I just called PCConnection and the woman I spoke to was really nice and apologetic about it. I bought my monitor back in September, but the rebate website still says that it’s in “final processing”. What bullshit. PCConnection said that I should be getting my rebate in 2 weeks or so–a pain in the ass, but better than nothing. $100 is way too much money to just blow off.
February 19th, 2007 at 5:49 am
I’ve had a similar experience trying to get a $60 rebate on an Office Depot Acer monitor I submitted back in 8/06. They keep saying it’s in “final processing” and set the date again. I sent then an email this morning indicating that I need to take a more drastic direction. I will use some of the info I found here. Thanks.
February 19th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
Same issues, waiting for a $100 rebate from RebatesHQ for 20+ weeks so far. Sent 9/27/06, they say it was received on 11/2/06 and keep getting emails with new dates that a check will be sent. I called the company I bought the monitor from (PC Connection) and demanded the $100 from them, instead of the rebate company. They immeditately issued a $100 credit to my credit card. I suggest that everyone try the same tactic (after filing complaints with the BB and their local attorney general!)
February 20th, 2007 at 7:58 am
Props to Davis and CK! Like many listed here, I bought my Hanns-G monitor in September 2006 from PC Connection and had not received my rebate. Emails had done nothing. I called one of the numbers above and received the same run around. Then I read CK’s tip about calling PC Connnection directly. The customer service rep basically finished my story once I mentioned the monitor. He transfered me to another rep and within 5 minutes, my credit card had been credited the $100. I hate that they are eating the cost because of RebatesHQ, but am very appreciative of their approach to handling this. Because of it, I’ll probably buy more from them in the future. But I’ll DEFINITELY stay away from anything related to RebatesHQ! And the BBB will definitely be hearing from me.
Thanks again all who helped me out on this one!
February 20th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
I also had problems with Parago not paying my mail-in rebate for a Fujifilm camera. But I’ve got some good news:
I AM GOING TO GET THE MONEY DIRECTLY FROM J&R!!!
J&R assumed responsibility for my $40 mail-in rebate for the FUJI FILM FinePix A350 Digital Camera, which was originally “processed” by Parago, Inc., in the following email of today:
—– Original Message —–
From: “Larone Stevens”
To: “Jan Morávek”
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 4:56 PM
Subject: RE: Fuji camera rebate
Mr. Moravek;
I have decided to refund the $40.00 back to your credit card. Please provide us the credit card number used to make the purchase so we can start the refund process. The refund process usually take 4-5 business days. Do not put your credit card # in the email. You can reach me at the telephone number listed below. I apology for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Larone R. Stevens
Contact Center Manager
J&R Music and Computer World
Tel: (800) 221-8180 ex. 1225
Fax: (718) 507-3153
Email: lrs@jr.com
Web: www.jr.com
February 20th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I’ve been pretty surprised at how many retailers are handing over the cash directly instead of making you go back to Parago. I bet that this is probably a good tactic to take, if you are sick and tired of waiting for your rebate. I bet by making the store pay the rebate directly that Parago actually loses a commission from it. So far we’ve had success with Office Depot, J&R, and PC Connection. If other people have success going directly to other companies, can you let me know which firm it was with and who/how you contacted that particular person or department. If there is a way to cut Parago out of the transaction, that could end up being an even more powerful form of complaint then just emails to the companies that have made the mistake of partnering with rebateshq
March 1st, 2007 at 3:01 pm
My rebate is not as substantial as some of yours that I have been reading. I had no idea of all the problems everyone was/is facing with Rebateshq.until I started to do a little searching. My rebate is for a measly $10 and I’ve emailed, faxed and resubmitted this $10 rebate 4 times. I’ve looked into the BBB website and found that Paragon and affiliated companies do belong to the BBB and there is ’supposedly’ a person Mr. Kent Patterson, Consumer Complaint Specialist - (972) 538-7277 listed to contact if you have a complaint. Has anyone had any success with Mr. Patterson? I left a message to see where that will take me. Like I said, it’s a measly $10 bucks, but at this point, it’s become a mission to not get screwed. I’m surprised these people are still in business!
March 1st, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Thanks for the update Sylvia, please do let us know if Kent Patterson ends up being helpful for you and I’ll update his contact information on the article. It’s too bad you have to complain to the BBB in order to find out about this guy, but if it’s a shortcut, then I say we start calling him with our problems instead.
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:01 am
I just got off the phone with PC Connection and they refunded $100 for the Hanns-G monitor rebate. Kudos to them for stepping up to the plate. Thank you for that suggestion by the previous posters. Now to the BBB to file a complaint with Parago
March 7th, 2007 at 11:26 am
I too have purchase a hannsg 19″ from PC connection in December of 2006 and it is now March 2007 and the rebatesHq still says the same final processing. I have been in contact with PC connection who wash their hands of all of this. A word of warning to all of you credit card fans that take the rebate off the bill. Remember, or learn about the fair credit reporting act. If you don’t know what that is, then you should know. Because by just calling the credit card company on the phone and explaining that you were ripped off, you haven’t fullfiled your obligations. The net results can be that your credit card company can raise your rate at their discretion to the maximum allowed. See http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcb.htm
Now I will ask PC Connections to intervene with Evergreen before I call the AG. Ill keep you posted.
Has anyone ever got their rebates from Evergreen except through court order?
March 7th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
After battling with Parago and Wintergreen on this $100 Hanns Monitor Rebate from OD since last Auust and had gotten e-mails from the CEO of Parago saying it is Wintergreens fault as they haven’t been paying Parago or any of us. Today checked for status ad it is saying my tracking number no longer exists. I have written to the BBB, but this is competely frustrating.
Will await news if any of you accomplish getting rebates…..
March 7th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Judah - You raise an excellent point. You may end up winning the battle with RebateHQ, but it doesn’t do you any good if you lose the credit war. Be careful with the loopholes and good luck getting your money back.
March 8th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
I’ve been waiting 6 months for my $100 rebate on the lcd monitor I bought last Sept. I sure wish I’d have read this site which is apparently dedicated to people who’ve been ripped off by RebatesHQ, before I bought the monitor. I will never buy anything again if it’s attached to a RebatesHQ rebate.
March 9th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Follow up to my comment left on March 1. Well to my surprise, I received my $10 rebate check (which could easily be mistaken for junk mail)on March 3. I don’t know if it due to leaving a voicemail with Mr. Patterson and letting him know I found his # on the BBB website and thought I would see if he can produce any results… or not, but I finally received it. Funny thing is, RebatesHQ.com still shows that they are unable to locate my rebate and requests that I re-fax or provide more information. I never did speak with Mr. Patterson, we just played phone tag a couple of times. Good luck to all, I’ll be a little more weary of the next rebate if there is another one!
March 9th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Last comment and I definitely think it’s worth a shot…Mr. Kent Patterson, Consumer Complaint Specialist - (972) 538-7277 listed to contact if you have a complaint, did return my call regarding my complaint, so he is returning calls at least…Hope this helps.
March 10th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
I used information from your site to FINALLY successfully get my $90 Hanns LCD Monitor rebate. Purchased product at Office Depot. Mailed proper info to HQRebates@Parago. Received e-mail on 12-14-06 that it was received and I would get rebate! HA!!! After getting several verbal alibis, I e-mailed Juli.Spottiswood@Parago.Com voicing my complaint in no uncertain terms. IMMEDIATELY….LATE ON FRIDAY NIGHT PASS WORKING HOURS….I received reply that she had e-mailed my information to “Kathy Plake” KathyPlake@wintergreensys.com. Received e-mail from her on Monday requesting my home address. Said check would be forthcoming. Waited 10 days…still no check! Wrote Plake again….again in no uncertain terms threatening to call CEO Steve Udland of Office Depot, Better Business Bureau, Attorney General of Florida and Federal Trade Commission if I did not have rebate overnighted immediately. Cited information in the Florida Times Union that morning. This article advises consumers to take action if
companies do not comply and states
“The time frame for rebate offers is now set by companies. By law,
companies must send rebates within that promised time, according to the
Federal Trade Commission. When the rebate does not specify any dates,
the company must comply in a “reasonable time” which usually means 30
days, according to the commission.” To see entire article go to
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/030607/met_8328135.shtml
Last modified Tue., March 06, 2007 - 12:57 AM
Originally created Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Tired of waiting for those rebates?
Legislation in Georgia and Florida would set redemption deadlines.
By DAVID BAUERLEIN, The Times-Union
Got a short reply immediately from Kathy Plake saying check had been mailed on 2 days prior from Indiana. Finally received check at end of the week. Hope it will still be good when I take it to the bank! Good luck to anyone who still needs to persue this. It really is annoying and obviously they have no intent on paying rebates unless forced to do so. I’ll return to this spot to see if this helped anyone else.
BEST OF LUCK!
March 11th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Please let me know if any of u are planning to file a suit against this company. I would LOVE to be part of that. Please contact me at borisbg79@aol.com
March 13th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Hi Guys….
Finally got my rebate money not from ReatesHQ but from J&R directly. I called J&R and told them I don’t have faith any more on their rebate processing company. I demanded my rebate money to them and finally they gave me the credit on my credit card.
I wish that all of u also will get ur money back soon….
March 14th, 2007 at 9:02 am
Something must be done to stop these “Shenanigans” I would definitely be willing to participate in a class suit action. I also will refuse from now on to buy anything that involves a mail in rebate.
March 15th, 2007 at 9:20 am
I had the same situation here for HannsG monitor I bought in Aug. 2006. Called many times, every time was told check will be mailed out in 6 weeks. Of course, nothing received. Finally asked for a supervisor on 02/05/06 and expedited the process. Website finally says the check was issued on 02/06/06 but nothing is received so far. Well, now the phone no is even disconnected and I needed to make long distance phone calls to Wintergreen Systems. And, the call only goes to voicemail. Emailed to Kathy Plake as suggested in this forum, received a reply (email) today saying that “When we are able to verify your rebate status Wintergreen Systems will honor your rebate by processing a check
within 2-3 weeks.” God knows when they will “be able” to verify the status. Looks like they were never able to and never tried to. If a class action were taken, I am all for that. I got this monitor from Office Depot online, would anybody let me know how to get Office Depot involved into this? I know for sure their customer service is a nogo, are there any other choices except calling the CEO? Thanks a lot for all of your help!
March 15th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I have been in contact with OD customer service in Fla. and faxed them all my info. and past e-mails to Parago and Wintergreen. When I get a response will let you all know as my complaint goes back to Aug 06 and a Hanns Monitor purchase also. Kathy Plake said she would send a check - finally - a few days ago, but until something shows up won’t believe it….
March 15th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Thanks Willow. What is the customer service no. you tried? I am in KY. I always tried the 1-800-GO-DEPOT (1-800-463-3768), which is always frustrating and disappointing. Thanks!
March 17th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Mickey, I talked to Margaret McFadden at 561 438-0125 and faxed her all my info at 561 438-6899. Hope this helps as she was the first helpful person I’ve talked to.
March 19th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
I too am in the same boat w/my rebate for the Hanns-G monitor from PC Connection through RebatesHQ/Parago/Wintergreen System. Unlike some others, my rebate submission was received and approved, waiting for final processing. I waited the 8 weeks for final processing and still my status showed waiting for final processing. Today I checked my status and it showed this:
Date Received: 01-19-2007
Status Detail: Please be advised: Parago, Inc. is a provider of rebate processing services for its clients. As a rebate processor, Parago works on behalf of Wintergreen Systems to receive mail, perform data entry services, receive customer service calls, print checks, and perform other services associated with its promotions. For the submission in question, Parago performed data entry on the submission, and forwarded the information to Wintergreen Systems for approval and funding. To date, Parago has not received such approval and funding from Wintergreen Systems. Until Wintergreen Systems forwards additional funding for the promotion in question to Parago, Parago will not be able to mail any additional consumers checks under the promotions. We apologize for any frustration this has caused, and will process the reward as soon as we are provided the required funding and approval by Wintergreen Systems. In the interim, we suggest you contact Wintergreen Systems directly, at:
Wintergreen Systems
2510 Sterling Avenue
Elkhart, IN 46516
(574) 295-9054 ext. 110
I, of course, left a message at the above number, as it didn’t allow you to talk to anyone. I have also left a message for Mr Patterson at the number mentioned above (thanks!) and emailed Ms. Kathy Plake (thanks again). We will see what happens. I am not holding my breath. If I do not hear back from someone this week, I will also contact the BBB. I would be definitely up for a class action lawsuit, this just isn’t right.
March 19th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Here is the reply I just got from the email I sent to Parago’s legal dept. No help, of course. Big surprise there.
Ms. Powers:
Unfortunately, the message you have already read is accurate. Parago is merely a service provider, and is paid a small fee by Wintergreen far less than the value of the check you should receive. From an economics standpoint, Parago cannot make you, and the other consumers in your situation, whole. When we receive the funds from Wintergreen for your rebate check, we will promptly forward that check to you. I understand your frustration, and share it (we haven’t been paid either). You can, of course, complain to the FTC, or attorneys general, as you see fit. I am confident that they will understand the situation that Parago is in, and respect our inability to pay Wintergreen’s rebates out of our own pocket.
I sincerely hope we all get paid soon,
W. Edward Woodson, General Counsel, Parago, Inc., ed.woodson@parago.com
March 20th, 2007 at 8:32 am
My rebate status is same as JT POWERS. Actually I cannot even find the rebate under my name, only way to get the rebate show up is to use the tracking number. I just called and left a message at Margaret McFadden at Office Depot at 561 438-0125 and left a message for her to call me back. Let’s see what happens. Again, I am all for the class action.
March 20th, 2007 at 11:11 am
I have not received the HannsG monitor rebate that I submitted in Oct 2006. Any suggestion on what I shall do to get the $100 besides filing complain with the BBB?
Here’s more info from BBB on the company “Wintergreen Systems”
http://www.fortwayne.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=2025824
____
Principal: Mr. John Levy, President
Customer Contact: Mr. Aaron Leonard, General Manager - (574) 294-7101
Incorporated: June 1990, IN
Employees: 26
TOB Classification: Computers-Used, Electronic Equipment & Supplies-Dealers
BBB Membership: This company is not a member.
Romaine, Inc.
2026 Sterling Ave
Elkhart, IN 46516-4220
Telephone: (574) 294-7101
Fax: (574) 294-4961
www.wintergreensys.com
March 20th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
file a complaint with your credit card company and dispute the charge, they should be able to get a $100 bucks back.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:52 am
ON Feb 8, I wrote here that I was going thru the BBB.
USELESS. They gave Parago 30 days to respond. Then they sent me a letter showing Parago’s response, dated March 20, which I rec’d todat, March 26.
The letter stated that if the BBB did not here from me in 5 days, they would close the case. I looked it up. They did. They should give us equal time to respond.
PS: Parago passed the buck to Wintergreen. I reported WIntergreen to the NE Indiana BBB but now I know how fruitless that is.
If I ever buy an item with a rebate again, please smack me into eternity.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:26 am
I have been waiting since Nov of 2006 for my 90 dollar rebate on a Hanns-G Computer Monitor. After doing a google search to find out the scoop on the web, and reading similar complaints, I definitely believe it’s time for a class action lawsuit against this company!
March 28th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Call this no. 1-877-470-3621, Got it from my local Office Depot.I called gave them my info and purchase date, Office Depot IS taking care of what Wintergreen’s will not.
April 1st, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I submit my rebate for my monitor since December,2006. can’t get my rebate till now April 1st 2007.It B.S
April 4th, 2007 at 8:35 am
11/24/2006-Purchase,12/29/06-Confirmation of receipt of rebate submission. On or around 3/15/07 verified(8-12 Weeks). next Day Parago states there is insufficient funds. Parago hides behind anonymity of a web based company. Even though, you can eventually contact them like I did, their lack of concern for the issue says it all. Wintergreen is the same. Not even a threat of the BBB, FTC, or the Attorney General of the States involved Scares them. The facts speak for themselves, since they have been engaged in this practice before and wintergreen refuses to .ack. the BBB. Only a Class Action MIGHT get things done for pennies on the dollar? Hit’em where it hurts anyway! Buyer Beware? I don’t think so! One voice may not be heard. But together all our voices become a roar.
April 4th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
The Wintergreen deal sounds pretty shady. I’m not sure how much responsibility Parago actual has in this case, but in all fairness it sounds like Wintergreen is the one that doesn’t want to pay.
Sooner or later some smart Attorney (or someone who knows one) is going to come across this comment thread and realize that they have a decent looking case that they could take on a contingency basis. I bet you wouldn’t need more then 50 people to participate and you could be a real threat.
April 8th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Just to let everyone know, Wintergreen Systems went bankrupt, and now it is up to the distributors to pay out the rebates if they choose to do so. I know some of the companies such as Office Depot and PC Connection are making good on the rebates now. Make sure to call them if you haven’t yet.
More info:
http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=486302
Good luck!
April 10th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you Tony L!!! I read your posting and checked out the link to Slick Deals and read the postings there and then immediately called PC Connection again (last time I called, before this new info, they said I had to wait 14 weeks to have my “case” expedited). I was put on hold for a little while and then reached someone in customer service who reviewed my call/case from before, put me on hold to get a tracking number, and then came back on the line with a confirmation number for the credit of $100 going back on my credit card. She said it should show up in 3-5 days. I will write after I receive my credit next week to let you know I received it. I can’t even believe I am going to get my money back this soon, I thought I was in for a long process, if ever. Thanks again Tony and good luck everyone!
April 13th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Thanks again Tony and THANK YOU PC CONNECTION. If your rebate was for a product bought through PC Connection, they are processing the rebates as credits on the credit card you used to make your purchase. My credit went through this week and is on my card now. Good luck everyone!
April 14th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Hi all, thanks for all the info. I checked officedepot.com and saw that my rebate will be processed through them. also sent buy.com an email with some of the info i got through here. hopefully will get a reply from them also. this is what i sent them…..
Hi there,
Back in October ‘06 I purchased a HannsG monitor from your site. I bought it because of the $100 rebate that was offered with it. I sent in everything that was required (within the time frame) and to this day I still have not recieved my $100 rebate. I have gone on-line to track it, and all it states is that Parago Inc. which “works” for Wintergreen Systems has not recieved any funding from Wintergreen. Basically saying that they don’t have the money to pay the rebates that were submitted. I’ve done some on-line searches and have found that there are many people out there that has this same problem (Davisfreeberg.com). Today, I read that Wintergreen Systems has gone bankrupt. I had bought another monitor at OfficeDepot, same brand, that also had a rebate offer, also going through Parago Inc. I never got the rebate for that one either. But now that OfficeDepot knows what is going on with Parago/Wintergreen, they are honoring those rebates themselves. So what i would like to know is if your company has recieved any complaints about this issue and what you guys are doing about it. The only reason i bought this monitor was because it came with a rebate. Will your company honor this rebate like OfficeDepot and PC Connection? If not, i would like to return the product for a refund.
Eagerly awaiting my $100 rebate,
Jennifer Castro
April 17th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
I bought my Hannsg from buy.com and had the same problem with parago/wintergreen. I filled out the form on buy.com related to my monitor purchase and told them they were guilty of advertising fraud. They refunded my $100. Good luck to all!
April 20th, 2007 at 6:34 am
file a payment dispute to your credit card. these people are guilty of advertising fraud… i suffer the same thing.. they will continue to send you bs emails that means nothing and they are not picking up calls either…
April 20th, 2007 at 9:24 am
i think we should gather all people who were abuse by this fraud and file complaints to our state attorney and our credit card co…
April 21st, 2007 at 7:24 am
call pcconnection, they are taking care of this issue.
April 23rd, 2007 at 7:27 am
gman, are you talking about the form that says to “rate your purchase”? or another one? I sent Buy.com’s customer service dept. and email (above) but have not gotten a reply yet and its been almost 10 days. don’t know what else to do
April 24th, 2007 at 6:45 am
Like everyone else, I too have a problem with rebatesHQ. I bought a HDTV from Ultimate Electronics the day after Thanksgiving. Mailed my rebate information in immediately and checked their website for the status. It has had the status of “Your rebate is valid and ready for final processing” since 12/10/06.
On 2/12/07 I emailed them and asked for an update. Christian from Prootions Customer Service replied promptly and said my rebate will be mailed by 3/4/07. No rebate received.
On 3/10/07 I emailed them again for another status. Marvin from Promotions Customer Service said since I am a ‘valued’ customer, my rebate would be expedited and mailed to me within 15 days. Never received a rebate in the mail.
Yesterday, 4/23/07, I found a number from their web site and called them. I spoke with Alex and all he could tell me was there is a note in my file that says “more time is needed to process the rebate.” Interesting since it’s been 19 weeks and 2 days and I should have received it in 6-8 weeks. Alex assured me my rebate would be expedited and I would receive it in 15 days. I told him obviously expediting a request doesn’t help because it’s already been expedited. I asked him what the problem was and he couldn’t answer saying it was with ‘another department’. I asked the phone number to this mysterious ‘other department’ and he could not provide me one. I then asked their email address and he couldn’t provide that, either. I then asked how he communicated with the ‘other department’ and he said he just pushes a button his computer and it routes my expedited request to the other department. I have no faith in this process and told him I would be calling back in 15 days.
Today, 4/24/2007, I went ahead and filed a complaint to the BBB and sent a copy of my complaint to the customer service department of rebateshq.
April 24th, 2007 at 8:52 am
6 months is way too long to take processing a rebate. Don’t let these guys get away with deny you your hard earned cash. If this was a one time event, I would be more forgiving, but clearly we are seeing a pattern develop. Thank you for making the BBB aware of the issue, you should also consider contacting Ultimate Electronic’s media relations department and letting them know that their reputation is being damaged by their doing business with such a shady partner. If we can’t stop consumers from doing business with Parago, we should at least encourage other businesses to think more carefully about working with them, if they are going to engage in this kind of crap. Thank you Jill for the update, I hope that you get your money back within the next two weeks.
April 25th, 2007 at 1:44 am
I thought I was the only one with a problem. Boy, was I wrong. Waiting 29 wks for rebate on desk top computer. Called 1-877681-2362 was told to call Wintergreens# and as you who have called know thats a dead end also. Did get my rebate from my moniter (Hanns) but this one is going to be a doozie to get. Good luck!
April 25th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Jennifer,
I filled out the form at this link, and had to do it several times before I received a response. Keep filling it out and someone will get back to you. https://secure.buy.com/corp/support/email/default.asp?what=anytimehelp
April 25th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Thanks for the link Gman - I hope that it saves others some time. Even still though, Jennifer (and everyone else) shouldn’t have to keep resubmiting requests before they get justice. I think it’s time to escalate this specific issue to a higher level and see if we can get these people their money back.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
I finally got my rebate today from Office Depot for the monitor, and they even sent an extra $10 off $50 purchase coupon, and a $5 gift card for the trouble. I hope you all get yours soon too.
I feel bad for Parago though, they really shouldn’t be taking the blame. They are a separate company that was just processing info for Wintergreen, and in the end took all the flak. And OD losing money by paying the rebates, when they shouldn’t have had to.
Oh well, good luck all.
April 30th, 2007 at 5:12 am
got my $80 rebate from OD, and like Tony, got a $5 gift card also. still waiting for buy.com to reply back to me. so far have sent them 2 emails, and no reply yet. gman, thanks for the link. will fill out the form asap. thanks everyone.
May 5th, 2007 at 4:26 am
I bought my monitor from PC Connections in September. I asked for PC Connections to do something about the $100 rebate a few months ago, but they did not do anything. Little did I know that they pulled a report number on me my first call. A few days ago, I called them back and told them my story. They asked what my order number was and what the rebatehq tracking number was and if the credit card I charged to was still active. They then told me it would take a week or two to refund my credit card. The reason I am writing is that my credit came last night (two days after I called). They were very polite this time and I am glad that I amd others will be able to get their money back, even if it is many months late.
May 8th, 2007 at 4:43 am
While my rebate is only for $30 this is not the first time I have found that my rebate is initially denied. I scan in everything before sending it in, send the rebate form and materials by priority mail with tracking (and scan that as well). I then check the rebate site in about 10 days and if the status is wrong, send them an e-mail (save copy as PDF as well) stating that they have 10 days to correct their error or I will contact the BBB in their town, the town of the store who sold the merchandise, and anyone else I can think of related to the scheme. I also will contact the FTC, direct marketing association, and Attorney Generals in both states. I send a letter to the marketing VP of both the store who sold the item and the manufacturer . It is amazing how fast things get done properly when they figure out the costs involved in dealing with all these inquiries is a lot more than they stand to make. The letters to the manufacturer and selling company are worded to encourage them to rethink using the rebate process at all and in particular RebateHQ from both a marketing standpoint and investor standpoint. I use mail merge and send letters as it is much quicker than filling out the stupid on line forms. If I have an email address I send it via email with my PDF file attached. Hasn’t fail yet.
Don
May 30th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Wintergreen (a dba name for Market Development Specialists) is located in Elkhart, Indiana. They have been under investigation by the Indiana attorney general for their rebate practices. According to the press release, they’ve reached an agreement and should be paying rebates out in a timely manner from this point forward or face further legal action in Indiana.
http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/press/AttorneyGeneralScrutinizesCompanysRebateProgram.html
June 12th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Add me to your list of unhappy people!! I have been trying for 3 months to get my rebate without success. It has been 20 days since they claim my check was mailed, so now they get to blame the US Postal Service! Additionally, I think Mr. Patterson has stopped answering his phone. I have left him voicemails and sent emails to rebateshq.com indicating my next action will be to notify the TN attorney general, but that doesn’t seem to bother these people either. BUYER BEWARE!!
June 25th, 2007 at 6:15 am
Yes, me too. Only I got it from both Hanns-G Monitor/Office Depot/$90 Rebate, but also the AudiovoxHDTV/Ultimate Electronics/$104 Rebate, both the day after Thanksgiving. I have written to the CEO’s of Wintergreen and Parago on both issues, I also wrote to CEO’s of Hanns-G, Office Depot, Audiovox and Ultimate Electronics. I have filed complaints with the both the Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau in 7 states and called and left messages for Kent Patterson (to no avail). I would encourage everyone to write to the CEO of the company using Parago or RebatesHQ to process their rebates and simply tell them that you will no longer do business with them as long as they process rebates through a third party. I have to say, out of all the time, engergy and money on postage I have expended, the only responses I have had have come from the Attorney General’s Office in Indiana and Office Depot, who refunded the $90 that Parago/Wintergreen did not. I am not about to let this issue drop, however, because at this point it is not the money but the principal. I work in law enforcement and what Parago is allowed to do is more than criminal!
June 25th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Hana - Thxs for the update, I know that a lot of people have unfortunately also had to share you experience. It’s a bit surprising that the Indiana AG would actually send you a refund, but I’m not surprised to hear that they were the only ones to reply. I’m sure that these other firms are hoping that this Wintergreen issue goes away. I’m not sure who should end up getting the blame here, but I share your frustration in seeing the consumer being the one to have to take the time and energy in order to get the rebate that was promised to them.
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I have to say after reading this blog a week ago I thought we would never receive our rebate from Cox Communication via Parago. Our rebate is in the amount of $100. I emailed Parago many times and received back a cookie cutter reply stating it would be another 30 days to process our rebate. These replies came after 60 and 90 days. The rebate was submitted in Feb ‘07. My frustration led me to this blog and the information to reach Mr. Patterson at (972) 538-7277. I left a message on his voicemail around midnight 6/25/07 asking for any assistance he could provide in getting my rebate processed. To my surprise he called me 6/26 at 8:48am and had informed me he changed the status of my rebate to valid and urgent and that if I did not receive my rebate in 15 days to call him back. He was honestly very pleasant on the phone. I had taken the precaution the previous night of printing a copy of my online rebate status just in case, but sure enough the status went from processing to valid as he said and within another day the status said the check would reach me within 30 days. Today is 7/2/07 and I have received my rebate. I hope everyone receives their rebates, but until then thank you for the information provided on this blog.
July 17th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Rebates HQ is a joke. How this outfit isn’t subjected to constant scrutiny by the BBB is beyond me. I’ve read all the stories. They repeat themselves over and over, and the same thing has happened to me . . . “unfortunately, we never received your rebate form.” A joke. They ought to be shut down, and reputable businesses should not be sending their customers to them for rebates.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:29 am
I submitted a $20 rebate for a Uniden cordless phone that I purchased at Fry’s electronics. I too received a postcard stating that rebateshq could not process my request because of an invalid purchase date and/or and invalid postmark date. I know both of those allegations to be false but as most, could not get a hold of a customer service rep at rebateshq via telephone. I just sent a complaint email and will proceed with my complaints to the BBB, FTC and other pertinent parties if my issue is not resolved. I’ll keep you all posted.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
[…] phone number was a useless endeavor. They make it VERY hard to talk to anyone. I eventually found Davis Freeberg’s site where he talks about this company. He recommended calling Kent Patterson–rebateHQ’s […]
December 27th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I submitted $50 Uniden Cordless phone rebate in November purchased from Fry’s Electronics. I checked my rebate status and they PROCESSED as invalid. I know and 110% sure that i sent all the information required to claim my rebate. I tried calling above all the numbers totally useless.
Such kind of companies should be thrown out. I am very frustrated and worried that I may not be receiving my rebate. I purchased the product just because it had rebate and what do I get………. end up paying more money and all headache.
Please do something about this fraud company.
February 29th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/sen/sb_1701-1750/sb_1737_bill_20060901_enrolled.pdf
California Law Regarding Rebates
SB1737
22735. (a) A company shall mail the rebate check or transmit
the rebate funds to the consumer or fulfill the terms of the rebate
offer no later than 60 days from either of the following events as
applicable:
(1) Upon receipt of a consumer rebate request meeting the
terms and conditions of the rebate offer, to the extent permitted
by this chapter and as disclosed at the time of purchase.
March 1st, 2008 at 8:31 pm
World Wide Rebate refused my rebate although I sent all the document that I received from Tiger Direct. This rebate thing is a racket and I will never again but anything on this basis. How else can a rebate company make money except that it is a scam.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I just found out I’m not getting my $250 rebate for a $3500 canon video camera I bought at BH. I did everything I was supposed to do by the deadline. Here’s what they said:
“Thank you for your rebate inquiry. Unfortunately, we are unable to honor your rebate request because this particular rebate promotion is closed. We are very sorry for any inconvenience.
We appreciate your participation in this promotion. If there is anything else we can do to assist you, please contact us at rebates@parago.com. We are always happy to help.
Be sure to visit our website at www.RebatesHQ.com for future rebate opportunities.”
So, I wrote to them and then they said this:
“Thank you for your rebate inquiry. Unfortunately, we are unable to honor your rebate request because this particular rebate promotion is closed. We are very sorry for any inconvenience.
We appreciate your participation in this promotion. If there is anything else we can do to assist you, please contact us at rebates@parago.com. We are always happy to help.
Be sure to visit our website at www.RebatesHQ.com for future rebate opportunities.”
I just wrote to them again and this time I attached a scan of the receipt, the rebate I sent and the delivery confirmation receipt.
They better give me my money!!! If they don’t and someone wants to make a class action lawsuit, then I am in. Just post the details here.
Next time I’m buying a Sony and I’ll shop somewhere else from now on too!!!
July 11th, 2008 at 6:28 am
This company is very slick and there is no way to contact a human to explain your issues. I will definetly never again look forward to a rebate on an item. I did recieve a rebate card for my GPS unit but it in fact was for the wrong area of the U.S. which does me no good at all. I replied to there service email deal and only got that it is a technical issue and will have to be brought up before a team of yahoo’s prior to deciding what to do. That was 6 days ago and still no response. This total transaction has been over 8 weeks now and no rebate or human contact to discuss my problem. I will never willingly deal with this so called company again. I wish you all alot of luck getting your rebates because it looks like alot more than 1 unhappy customer…