WireFly - InPhonic - CellPhoneRebates@cs.rebates.com Free Cell phone ads online come with phony rebates Internet

I shopped for a cell phone discount on the internet. I found an ad online after Goggling "free cell phone" in October 2005. I printed it out and took it to my T mobile store to see if they would match the free-after-rebate offer. They could not. I had a single phone but wanted to set up a family plan with two new phones. I called the WireFly toll free number to ask if the offer would work for me, for a two phones.They agreed.

I wanted to upgrade my T-Mobile phone to a, back then, just-on-the-market, pair of Razr phones. I charged both phones to a credit card and they were both delivered the next day from Virginia, by FedEx.

Both phones were already programmed with new phone numbers. I went back to T-Mobile to have my old number assigned to one of the new Razrs. T-Mobile's customer service advised me against that. She suggested that I keep the old phone line active, as an emergency spare, for an additional $9.99 a month. Deleting one of the two new lines would void my rebate offers and canceling service to the old phone number would carry a $150 charge. I thanked the rep and kept all 3 phones (and phone lines) active for a little more than another year.

I marked my calendar to be sure to meet every deadline for those rebates. I waited for the second month's billing statement. I copied it and sent the copy along with the Razr boxes bar codes and all the rebate application forms on time. I was expecting a pair of $100 rebates and a pair $150 rebates.

By February 11,2006 CellPhoneRebates@rebatestatus.com sent me 4 emails confirming that each of my 4 claims were received and being processed. I waited and waited for my $500. I waited well past the 8 to 10 weeks processing time that I was told to expect. I had also marked my calendar as to when to expect that $500 rebate check. When the check was late I complained by phone, e mail and snail mail.

Finally I was told that an InPhonics investigation claimed that I violated the terms of the rebate offer by "reducing" my service. They indicated that T- Mobile reported I had cancelled service. I knew that T Mobile's records should not have indicated I had reduced my level of service. I sent in several of my T Mobile monthly statements, showing my usage before and for the several months after the 2 Razrs were added to my bills as well as my curent statement. I had added a third line to the pair of rebate phones. I documented how I paid for additional service, above and beyond the rebate requirements. They still refuse to pay up.

Eventually I got a letter from the Washington D.C. Attorney General's office offering to include me in a class action suit against InPhonic/WireFly. But only if I would settle for $150 instead of $500. I declined the offer to get ripped off for a second time over this same matter. I am still hoping Ohio's Attorney General picks up this case.They weren't even investigating last time I checked. I am still waiting for my $500.

Steven
Cleveland, Ohio
U.S.A.