I bought my daughter a new phone for her birthday in the spring, and the phone included a $100 rebate. Normally, I avoid every product with a rebate, but my hatred for rebates couldn’t bring me to reject the phone my daughter wanted. So I got the phone, and the rebate came in a decent amount of time.
Unfortunately, ATT sent the rebate on a gift credit card. Not a check, not a service discount, but a stinking orange ATT Visa Promotion Card. Unhappy was I.
More unhappiness followed when I had to jump through three hoops to get it verified and activated. The online option wouldn’t work, so I had to call customer service. Twice.
Even more unhappiness followed when I did what most people do – forget about the gift card most of the time, because it’s a hassle to track the amount left on the card. So imagine my joy when I tried to take the family to the movies with the card, and found out the card had expired.
Yes, there are nearly 40 dollars left on that card I can’t get out. The card life was less than six months, because I bought if for my daughter in March.
When I get back from the ITEC show in St. Louis next Friday, I’ll call and see if I can get the card extended. After all, it is my money, right? Or maybe not. Maybe the entire idea for ATT is to give rebate cards instead of real rebates, hoping many people will lose them, forget them, or let them expire.
Just when you think the rebate business can’t get any sleazier, look at ATT. They should be ashamed of themselves. And they better have a good answer about extending my card’s usefulness, or send me $40.
November 2, 2008 at 5:47 pm |
Hi there, I am having the same problem! My promotion card expired after four months and i still have $50 left on the card! Did you ever get a chance to call ATT? If so, how did it go? I wanted to search around and see if anyone actually had any luck in getting a new card issued. Let me know. Thanks!
November 2, 2008 at 6:32 pm |
I called Friday – no joy. I’ll write an update post tonight.
James
April 16, 2009 at 3:12 pm |
I was stupid for buying 3 phone with this rebate crap. You have to shell out money upfront then you get a card you have to use as a credit card if you use it and return an item can’t reload this card you get store credit. the card is issued to the account holder’s name, I’m the wife had to call on each phone rebate follow up call and call. Piece of crap card most of the time it would say “bad card” you don’t get out what you paid upfront.When my contract is up I’m going elsewhere tired of contracts,rebates rip offs! Think of who much AT&T pockets when money is left on cards and they expire!