CarPhone Warehouse SCAM!!!!

steveo-evo

Has anyone had the same problems with CarPhone Warehouse money back guarantee on their Mobile phone contracts? Otherwise know as Redemption payment cheque.
I took out 2 contract phones with them way back in August 2006. One was with Orange, the other with o2. The theory is after 4 months you take your paid bills in and they (CPW) repay you back an agreed amount of money called a redemption cheque.
After several emails and several phone calls via 0870 number (They make money on your call to them!) still no cheque back on the Orange contract!
Now one would expect to have to wait up to 28days after taking in the bills to receive this money back as promised when taking out the phone but 66days is taking the P***
The £50 cheque for the o2 was received after 44 days.
So this is just me with 2 contract phones, still waiting for redemption on one. My question is how many more people are waiting for money back from CPW???

dmg24

Hi Steve,

Welcome to MSE.

For your query, you'll probably receive more help on the Mobile Phones board. There is loads of info on there about Carphone Warehouse, and the whole money back situation.

I do agree that 66 days is far too long, mine has never taken more than two weeks. Have they confirmed that they received your paperwork? Did you send it Recorded Delivery?

shillu

if you have a debit card you can call them and ask them to put it on the card, or if you dont you can ask for it to be put on someone else's they just have to be there when you make the call.

MKwife

I just sent my first claim off last week by recorded delivery so I am waiting to see how long it takes.

The annoying thing is when we bought our phones, the carphonewarehouse twerp told us we take our bills in then and get cash back!!!

That was the advert when we bought our phones, cash back not cheque back 3 months later!!!

trisontana

What is the point of a cash-back scheme? Why don't they just offer a lower upfront rate instead? I suspect that the answer is that the idea is to draw people into the scheme and then make it so complicated that a high proportion of people end up not qualifying for their cash-back.

Another danger with these schemes ( though probably not with the Carphone one) is that many of the smaller companies go bust on a regular basis . This then leaves the poor customer having to pay the full rate to the service provider with no hope of a cash-back. This is because the cash-back is provided by the retail company and not the service provider, who wash their hands of the whole thing if the retailer goes bust.

Colin3

Hi Steve,

Funny that, I too have two contracts taken out May 2006 each with a generous £75.03 cashback every 4 months. So far the first redemption paid out one time, the second (Jan07) still waiting for one payment. Sent about four letters and about to take Carphonewarehouse to the Smalls Claims Court for the balance.

Be aware – when things went silent I started receiving many text and calls offering “you are inline for an upgrade”. Don’t be tempted as to do so will render your cashback deal null and void. Strange that – they don’t pay up and then try the old ploy of get then to buy a new contract.

Do send at least two reminders demanding the money owned with the final letter titled "FINAL WARNING BEFORE LEGAL PROCEEDINGS". If no joy don’t panic just fill-in the court forms on-line. It just like the Banks – sometimes businesses think we are all stupid. Enjoy and good luck.