Three and Topcashback = Scam?

fitzgerald99

Hi all

I’ve just used TopCashBack for the first time, to purchase a new iPhone 5 on Three. It is also the first time I am signing up with Three. Thus far, the order has gone very badly.

TopCashBack has been advertising a £96.96 cashback offer for Three customers on the One Plan, which includes the iPhone 5. I clicked through the link (http://www.topcashback.co.uk/3_mobile/) and was taken to the Three website store. I then went through the order process until I came to this message:

For all Pay Monthly purchases, we're required to check your details against your credit history. Unfortunately it hasn't passed automatically, so we've put your order on hold. It's nothing to worry about - and we should be able to sort it out in a quick phone call. We will call you on [my number inserted here]

Sensing that this would mean my order was not completed in the same online session (i.e. with whatever cookies I may have received from the TopCashBack website) and worrying that this could potentially invalidate my cashback claim, I decided to phone Three's customer service line. The representative told me he was unable to comment on cashback claims from external parties and hung up before I could finish asking my questions. I therefore opened an online Live Chat with another representative. It concluded with him telling me that the department I need to speak to was closed at present. I was told that they would phone me "within the next 48 hours" to complete the order. I then opened a Support Ticket with TopCashBack to ask if this would invalidate my claim for cashback, as if it did, I did not want to proceed with the order with Three.

That was yesterday. Today, Three called me to confirm my identity with some basic questions (DOB, address, etc.) and then authorised the order. The representative from their Credit Checking Department / Order Completion Department told me that he knew of the TopCashBack site and saw no reason why the delay would affect my cashback claim. He was the first Three representative to comment on it. The previous two had simply claimed (predictably and easily) that they were unable to comment on cashback from external parties. Based on this reassurance, I assumed all was well and my order was completed there on the phone.

Unfortunately, I have now (after having completed the order) received a reply from TopCashBack to my Support Ticket. It reads as follows:

Hi there,

Thanks for getting in touch.

From time to time merchants may contact members whilst making a transaction to clarify the information the member has provided. If the merchant does need to clarify information and make the transaction on the phone, then unfortunately it will affect your cash back.

As you are fully aware transactions do need to be completed wholly online in order to be eligible for the cash back, if a transaction is not completed online then the cash back will not be paid. I can appreciate this is frustrating for you however the merchant does require transactions to be completed online.

EDIT: The order was completed WITH THE ONLINE SALES TEAM and its order reference number refers to online sales, so the assertion that it is invalid because it “wasn’t completed online” is itself invalid. Furthermore, the cashback claim was indeed tracked by Three back to TopCashBack, as shown in the screenshot image below.

When Three Mobile contact you, it may be worth asking them to cancel your transaction, so that you can try putting it through online again.

I am really sorry that you have experienced this issue when making your first transaction, and I hope that any future transactions that you go on to make run a lot more smoothly for you.

If you do require any further information please don't hesitate to get back to us.

Many thanks,
Hannah

So, I now have the following situation:

1. TopCashBack claims it cannot honour the cashback because “the merchant [Three] does require transactions to be completed online”
2. Three’s representatives state that they cannot comment on cashback from external parties, and then say that they can see no reason why the claim should be invalidated by their ID check

Thus, both parties are pointing the finger at the other and absolving themselves of responsibility. This amounts to false advertising and makes a new customer feel as though he has been duped by yet another online scam - cashback scams on mobile phone contracts have been very popular over the last 6 or so years. I understand, however, that many of you have had positive experiences with TopCashBack, so I am giving this process the benefit of the doubt and posting my experience here to ask your advice in the hope that the matter can be resolved honourably.

In the screenshot above, it is clearly written: “Your transaction has been tracked and reported to us by the retailer. The retailer now needs to confirm this transaction”. There, TopCashBack is saying that the ball now lies in Three’s court. Three “needs to confirm this transaction”. Yet, when you ask Three, they either can’t comment on TopCashBack or can see no problem and suggest talking to TopCashBack about it. Hence, when a claim presents even a little bit of complexity, both parties pretend that they have no way of communicating with each other to resolve the matter. Clearly, though, an affiliate agreement IS in place between the cashback provider (TopCashBack) and the merchant (Three). If no such agreement was in place, it would be illegal for TopCashBack to list Three’s site in its transaction links. Hence, communication between the two companies clearly DOES exist. Yet, as soon as there is a problem, both parties simply take the lazy option of saying they “can’t comment” on each other, and each of them claims that the other one is responsible.

If Three is deliberately making it complicated for orders via TopCashBack to finish in one online session (in order to complicate cashback claims), they are doing something that reflects extremely badly on TopCashBack. I.e. Customer clicks through TopCashBack to Three, but Three then insists that the order requires a phone call to proceed, and then refuses to pay the money because the phone call that THEY insisted upon contaminates the online purity of the order. Then, Three doesn't need to honour the cashback, but the customer still signs up with them anyway since his credit file has already been touched. Alternatively, if Three is telling me they can see no reason why the cashback should not be paid, does it mean that they are not actually refusing to pay it and that TopCashBack is merely misrepresenting the matter?

Clearly, I am not at fault here. I clicked through TopCashBack as instructed and Three then refused to complete the order without the phone call. For them to both now say that the phone call invalidated the cashback is tantamount to con artistry. I deeply hope that this is not the case, and that the matter is simply a misunderstanding. I would not have signed up with Three if it weren’t for a discount of nearly £100, nor would I have used the TopCashBack site for any other reason. Three now has me as a new customer based on promises that have not been honoured, and TopCashBack was the vessel for these promises.

Please advise on what I can do to get this cashback claim honoured. Your advice would be much appreciated. I've also posted this up on TopCashBack's own site forum for feedback:
http://forum.topcashback.co.uk/iPhone-5-Three-cashback-scam-m25385.aspx

Thank you.

niktheguru

It does say on their website:

Three Mobile cashback is available through Top CashBack on genuine, tracked transactions completed immediately and wholly online.

So, it is likely that even though the transaction has tracked it will probably fail before it gets to the confirmed stage. (i.e. transaction will track to £0.00)

topcashback is a great site and i have had lots of success with it, but you have to be careful that you follow all the rules from topcashback. As long as you do, they nearly always honour the cashback claim (even if sometimes it doesn't track, or tracks incorrectly)

In your case if it doesn't track correctly you claim will not be honoured as you didn't complete your transaction fully online.

I know it was through no fault of your own, but if three deem it necessary to call you for your credit check then it invalidates the cashback claim. You cant really blame three as they have nothing to do with the cashback (as it is dealt with totally by topcashback - even though it is three who give the cash to topcashback who then give it to you!)

My personal advice to you would be to cancel the order if you think that you wouldn't want that deal if you dont get the cashback. You may be lucky and get the cashback but I think its going to be unlikely. You cant really argue the point between the two parties as the topcashback site clearly has the conditions for the cashback and you have broken them (or more accurately three didn't let you complete the transaction wholly online) therefore that makes you ineligible for cashback in this case.

Good luck!!

mobilejunkie

Actually I disagree. Not with Three, but with other merchants I have needed to confirm things by phone from time to time. I've never yet lost a cashback (and I do a LOT) because of that. I suspect they are all covering themselves and that the cashback will go to confirmed in due course. However, if you are concerned and can still cancel you have that option.

I believe the real reason for such clauses are that if you go through the merchant direct they can use their marketing money to pay their own (sales) people. As long as you've kept the order number the same (something I always insist on with the (dealer) in these circumstances) it should be ok.

robbies_gal

why did u go through with the order without knowing for sure?

flashg67

I'm in exactly the same position as the OP but am giving 3 the benefit of the doubt for now, having used them several times before.

I understand cashback should not be a reason to purchase, but is a 'nice to have' However, if 3 insist on having every new contract customer contact them, but the cashback rules need the sale to be completed online, how would anyone ever get cashback from 3 for anything other than PAYG?

I can't see that scenario lasting long without multiple complaints? Of course, we don't know that 3 do need all contract customer to get in touch? AFAIK I have an unblemished credit record, no problems in the past getting credit, loans etc and also just got a new credit card approved in seconds online, so I was surprised 3 did put the order on hold until I spoke to them. The call to me seemed like an extended ID check - asked me who was on my mortgage with me and who else was on the electoral role at my address (stuff they probably already knew anyway).

We'll have to see if my currently tracked cashback suddenly turns to zero....

Juzza12

From the Important Information at the bottom:

Please do not make purchase decisions based on expected cashback as it is not guaranteed.See our Terms and Conditions for more information.

mobilejunkie

If you accept THAT you wouldn't use cashback sites for much; many of the so-called offers work out dearer without the cashback.

Spend-a-holic

I used Quidco to take out iPhone 5 contract with 3. My contract was wholly completed online, however the cashback isn't tracking. This isn't a problem because I am cancelling this & going with a sim only & phone from Apple.

The sim only contract is also with 3, this was also wholly completed online & £50 cashback is tracking.

So I don't think it's a conspiracy on 3's part to not complete any contracts online so they don't have to pay out cashback.

Granted my first cashback isn't tracking but if I put in a claim there is nothing to say it wouldn't be paid.

turtle2k1

Spend-a-holic wrote: »

I used Quidco to take out iPhone 5 contract with 3. My contract was wholly completed online, however the cashback isn't tracking. This isn't a problem because I am cancelling this & going with a sim only & phone from Apple.

The sim only contract is also with 3, this was also wholly completed online & £50 cashback is tracking.

So I don't think it's a conspiracy on 3's part to not complete any contracts online so they don't have to pay out cashback.

Granted my first cashback isn't tracking but if I put in a claim there is nothing to say it wouldn't be paid.

Can you tell me how you are cancelling as I've ordered with three and I'm having second thoughts now regarding signal etc.

Quentin

turtle2k1 wrote: »

Can you tell me how you are cancelling as I've ordered with three and I'm having second thoughts now regarding signal etc.

Use dsr (assuming you ordered online, and are within the dsr time limit)

Spend-a-holic

I purchased online do you get 14 days from receipt of the handset to change your mind. You can't use the sim for any chargable activity, ie calls, texts, Internet.

I am going to ring though & see if I can cancel before they send it out as I don't fancy the special delivery postal bill to send it back.