AT&T rebate not as promotion says
Dear Fixer: I am trying to help a friend -- a Japan-born widow who has three teenage children -- with a problem she is having with an AT&T rebate.
I helped her apply for her home phone and Internet service with AT&T. I carefully made the application online and did everything necessary for her to receive a $79 rebate for the modem and a $150 rebate for being a former Comcast customer.
She received the $79 rebate for the modem. However, she only received $50 of the $150 rebate. She should still receive an additional $100.
I have talked numerous times with both AT&T customer service reps and supervisors at the reward center. I have dotted my I's and crossed my T's and done everything required for this rebate, but still the rebate center refuses to redeem what she was promised.
Robert Mansur
Palatine
Dear Robert: You were generous to assist this widowed mother, and The Fixer thinks one good turn deserves another.
We were happy to show your letter to AT&T spokeswoman Amy Grundman, who found someone to take another look.
It seems that an incorrect promotional offer was applied to the account, because your friend was indeed eligible for the $150 cash back for former Comcast customers, Grundman said. AT&T apologized and applied a $100 credit to the account, which, combined with the previous $50 rebate, is what your friend should have gotten.
Dear Fixer: For many years I had a Chase credit card and always paid on time.
About eight months ago, I got a bill for $80 to renew. I sent my payment for what I owed, but not the annual fee. I sent a note that I wanted the account closed.
The next month, I got a bill for the $80 plus interest and late fees.
I wrote, I called. They called and called. My bill is now over $300 and my near-perfect credit score is ruined. I have four other credit cards that are perfect. The story is longer but these are the highlights.
George Nissan
Crown Point, Ind.
Dear George: You told us that your biggest concern was that your good name was being dragged through the mud at the three major credit reporting bureaus.
Team Fixer showed your letter to Chase spokesman Thomas Kelly, who promptly looked into it and soon announced it was resolved.
You told us that resolution includes a forthcoming letter of apology from Chase. The bank also promised you they'd contact all three credit bureaus to correct the misinformation on your report. Within six weeks, they said, everything should be cleared up.
Keep us posted.
Sadly, the swindlers involved in this con are preying upon people who are barely making it as it is.
Here's how it works, so you won't become a victim:
The fraudulent loan company takes out ads or contacts you over the phone or online. They claim that even with poor credit or a bankruptcy, they can "guarantee" you'll be approved for a loan.
You fill out an application, giving all sorts of personal and financial information (yes, even your Social Security number). A phony loan officer talks you through the process and in a short time you get the great news that you've been approved. With just one catch.
Because of your poor credit, the lender needs a deposit to make sure you'll make your monthly payments. The lender says that after you wire a few hundred (or thousand) dollars, they'll sent you your loan check.
You send the deposit ... but the loan money never arrives. When you call to complain, you find the phones are disconnected.
So remember, dear readers, if a loan company guarantees you a loan regardless of your history, asks for a deposit in advance (which is illegal) and doesn't pass muster with the Better Business Bureau, run away as fast as you can.
• Make sure the estimator includes every last item. Many consumer advocates urge getting only in-home, visual estimates as opposed to telephone estimates.
• Obtain at least three estimates and don't fall for a lowball price.
• Check the complaint histories of the movers with the Better Business Bureau, state and local consumer agencies and online complaint sites. Be aware that brokers are not movers.
• Under federal law, movers can't hold your goods hostage if you've paid the full amount of a binding estimate, or 110 percent of a nonbinding estimate. The bill can go higher but you have 30 days to pay, after they've released your things.
• Movers are allowed to tack on extra fees for so-called "post-contract services," such as having to climb 10 flights of stairs at the new residence.
• Don't accept the standard insurance that's offered -- it'll pay out just 60 cents per pound, which doesn't come close to replacing lost or broken items.
