[Berry Crazy]

I got my rebate VISA card yesterday for the $100.00 rebate on my curve. I "thought" fine and dandy. I went to the bank today, to get the money transfered over to my checking account. (So I thought). WRONG !!!!!!!!!!!

The bank swiped the card in their machine, and it came up "invalid". I thought, well maybe I have to call in to the card company, and get it authorized. (Even though, I didn't see anything in their paper work, saying so).

SO, I called the VISA #, and I ask them, about it. Their answer, was, "NO, but you can only draw out $99 of the $100. AND, that in "8" days, I could go to anystore, that would accept the card, and get my $1.

I said you have got to be kidding me!?!?!?!? The lady, (who I could barely understand), said no, and that it wouldn't work at a bank, BUT would workt an ATM machine, HOWEVER, it "might" cost me a fee at the ATM !!!!

NOW, that ticked me off !!!!!!!!!!

I came home, got on the computer, went through the bs on their website, only to find out that it was only for checking out their showings of balances, on the card.

SO, as a last ditch effort, I called the Alltel customer service folks. I got a guy, that told me that I wasn't the first one to experience this problem, BUT, he thought that he could help me out !!!

Long story made short, he was able to get the card cleared, get it to take the $100.00 off of my bill, (which is where I wanted it to go to start with), so I am finally happier than I was.

WHY, does something like this that should be simple have to be such a pain !?!?!?!?

Sorry for the long post, just a warning to anyone that might have a card coming, what to watch for.

[FIFIANN]

Wow don't blame you I'd be ticked too. But congratulations on the curve!!

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[big.daddy]

i used mine to pay my bill also.

[boom3991]

That doesn't make much sense since you have $100 on the card but can't have access to it all at the same time. I wonder what would have happened if you were at the store and bought something for $100 if it would reject it then? You got to love these simple things that get outsorced and then Alltel has to answer for it. At least Alltel made it right to you.

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[grandpa dan]

I got news...you can't use it at an atm...you got no pin.

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[Kaylajoy21]

I never had that problem with my rebate. I know some changes are coming to rebates so customers have more options in the future.

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[ddmcs14]

i hate the rebate card. i just received mine in the mail today.

[tarotmusic]

I'm waiting on my 2 rebate checks. I have a horror story about my Curve's (I bought two).

My 8 yr anniversary was the 31st of March. I was within my 60 day time period to upgrade my plan. I wanted to get my wife a smart phone and I needed one myself.
The rep was nice, showed me some cool apps and I was sold. He filled out the paperwork, swiped my card for both phones, then went to the back to get my phones. He came back, saying they were out of Curves in the store but he could ship them next day so they would arrive on time. Wrong. My phone arrived 2 days later, but my wife's was no where to be found. I had ordered her a red one and discovered when it didn't arrive - they were on back order. I called Alltel and changed the order to a black one immediately so she could get one (she liked the black one better anyway). Well her phone finally arrived yesterday - 2 weeks late to the day. The black one has been on back order too.

The thing that griped my *** so much...the dude sold me on the phones, then went to the back, pretending to get them and discovering they were out of stock. I discovered several days later in complaining to that store manager, they had BEEN out of stock when I came in and she had already told the reps they could overnight them. HE KNEW THERE WERE NO PHONES WHEN HE WENT TO THE BACK TO CHECK. That is so fake and phony. Why can't you be upfront, instead of pretending you just ran out?

Make the sale, get their money, THEN give them the bad news.

As great as this Curve is, I still have an extremely bad taste in my mouth over Alltel's less-than-honest approach to the problem.

[grandpa dan]

Sorry you had a jackass for a sales rep but what does this have to do with the original point of this thread?

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[middbrew]

That doesn't make much sense since you have $100 on the card but can't have access to it all at the same time. I wonder what would have happened if you were at the store and bought something for $100 if it would reject it then? You got to love these simple things that get outsorced and then Alltel has to answer for it. At least Alltel made it right to you.

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Any store will take it just like any visa. I used my to go grocery shopping.

[cocoabikerbarbie]

I'm not going into the year long frustrations Alltel put me thru getting away from my Treo-that's for another post.

December 2, 2008 I got an upgrade w/ $100 rebate. I was not expecting a card to be mailed to me. I waited 2 months to get my card. Alltel as usual blamed the card company but assured me that it was showing processed in my account. We argued that I was supposed to get an upgrade plus rebate & yet I'd paid FULL price for the phone.

When I finally got the card nearly 3 months later, I was miffed to discover that it can only be used at Alltel. So, I logged in to my account & paid my phone bill. The remaining balance I paid with my bank card.

I later got a service interruption msg that I owed $100 plus late fees! I was told the card was declined & given the card company #. That company apologized & stated she would issue another card. IM STILL WAITING!!!!! AND ALLHEL MADE ME PAY THE BALANCE TO MAINTAIN SERVICE!!!!!

[Berry Crazy]

Unfortunately, these rebate cards are issued by the same people that issue the cards for un-employment, here in my area. The Un-employment is a PITA if you have one. What I mean is that I started off with one, and it was a screwed up mess from day one. NOW, I have went to direct deposit. (I hate to have anyone messing with my checking account !!!! )

If it wasn't fot he guy at Alltel, I'd probably still be waiting to get something to work for me !!!!!!!

I say, and have always said. Give me the rebate at the time of purchase. BUT, "I believe", that the rebate people are just hoping that YOU FORGET to apply/send off for the rebate, and it gets lost in the system !!!!!! (Just my $0.02 )

[callmeox]

I've had no issues with the rebate cards that I got. The first attempt at using one was at a department store and the purchase rang up at $100.65. When the clerk swiped the card, it acted like a regular Visa transaction and after signing the electronic pod, the register said that I still owed the 65 cents that was left over.

Same goes for the other 100.00 card.

[grandpa dan]

Update: used my card today (have been holding onto it for a couple weeks). I used it for a purchase well over $100. It deducted the 100 from my total and left me oweing the balance...no issues. For what its worth when you send for the rebate it says allow 8-12 wks for delivery, I got my card after 2 wks.

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[mcgrubbs]

I bought three new phones in Feb and got three rebate cards. Each took exactly one month to recieve.

I actually read the rules, so I knew what I could and couldn't do with them.

They all worked fine. I really liked that I could check my remaining balance via SMS.

[gpaaske]

Yeah, you can't draw off of them but that doesn't mean it has to ruin your day, we stopped sending people checks because if you lose it somehow and go longer then the void period then your out your money, the rebate cards work like the visa card in your wallet does, swipe it to buy something, typically (correct me if I'm wrong) you can't draw money off other credit cards you have.

Either way, sorry for your trouble, in the future this process will be simplified and sped up. With more options avaliable to you, like kaylajoy said.

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[SRTFREAK_239]

hmmmm im still waiting on my rebate

[astoon44820]

I work at an Alltel retail store and i get 100s of customer complaints about the rebate cards. they call me asking where their card is and why i havent gotten it for them yet. People, i do not work for the alltel rebate center. i live in ohio, they are in texas. Also,if people would read the paper they get with their rebate they would know what it can and cannot do. For the people thinking they are gonna get a check, there is a 4"x3" picture of a visa check card in the top left of the paper. if that isnt clear enough idont know what is. And yes people do mail inrebates because consumers forget to fill them out (everyone does this, not just cell phone carriers). Ever buy a tv from bestbuy with a $20 m.i.r.? the reason for this is last year Alltel had over $2,000,000.00 in unclaimed rebates. We here at my store call every customer 5 days after purchase and remind them about their rebate, and we even offer to do it for them. If they dont fill it out after that it isnt my fault. Thanks for your time, been needing to vent onthis for awhile.