Scam Alert: Tigerdirect.com and onrebate.com

Just posting in all the forums I belong to that I got scammed. It's the typical scam of offering a rebate and then making the rebate so difficult to claim that you just give up.

1. Bought a CPU with $50 rebate and then went to onrebate.com to fill out the rebate request. They send you a confirmation email, which I never recieved. Sent a test email to the account to confirm there was no problem there and also tried the rebate process with two seperate accounts. Sent an email to 'noemail@onrebate.com' as instructed by their site and it bounced from two seperate accounts tried several times over three days.

2. Spent 45 minutes on hold with their CS on Friday. Had to hang up the phone and go back to work. Tried calling again today, offices were closed.

3. Called TigerDirect and told them I just wanted to return the product. They told me that because I purchased a CPU without a fan at the same time, the warranty was automatically void so I couldn't do a straight return. I then explained my difficulties with onrebate.com and they told me to call them. Explained I had already done that and couldn't get ahold of anybody. They told me that eventually I would...

4. Just to test the waters, I called them back a second time and said the product was still in the sealed package but I could see bent pins on the CPU and wanted to return it. They told me the same thing - because I bought it without a fan, absolutely no returns. Wow.

I google'd "tigerdirect" and "scam" and not surprisingly, got hundreds of pages of similar stories.

I wouldn't count on any online stores rebates. Although Ive bought tons of stuff off of tigerdirect and never had any sort of problem with them. (usually I am to lazy to go through the hassle of mailing in rebates though)

Mail in rebates are made for the express purpose that, for whatever reason, some people will not be able to compelte the rebate process- or even not even try to.

It comes as no surprise that this happened. After doing customer service for a time for AT&T Wireless a couple years back, I learned to stay very far away from any mail in rebates.

Which for computer parts is why I shop at NCIX.com a lot more often than Tigerdirect. NCIX has lower prices, without rebates most of the time :D

I actually work next door to TigerDirect so I buy from them alot because I can just walk in. They are definately not that good of a store. Good prices but it stops there. They have a 15% restocking fee on any returns. I never send in rebates so I never buy anything with a rebate price advertised.

I know of some folks who have delt extensively with TD. I guess having a place which has sold to Tom's Hardware, Pyrinex, just across town (about 5 minutes from where I used to work at Lucent) has something to do with that, especially given that I get reseller prices. I just wish that their web site was more up-to-date on prices. Then of course, there is MicroCenter (headquartered here in town) and several CompUSAs as well if there is something really odd which Pyrinex does not have.

BTW...I sent this thread on to the others in my clan who have dealt with TD to see if they have had problems with them.

Just an update. Tried yet again to go through their process and never recieved an email. Also tried emailing them at the address specified on their site and it bounced again. Called and was told by their automated menus to email 'support@onrebate.com' instead of 'nomail@onrebate.com'. So now I'm trying that.

Assuming their system is down, I figure a notice would have been posted by now (after six days). Assuming the 'noemail' address was having problems, their pages could have been updated with a new addy by now. It's clear to me the hassle is deliberate.

Whether or not I'm able to claw and scrape to get my rebate remains yet to be seen but one thing is crystal clear - I'm never buying from tigerdirect.com again.

I have never had a problem with either one, and I've done probably a dozen of those rebates, to the tune of receiving back several hundred dollars (those rebates add up!!

). I do know that they stick to their guns on those return policies. I have a DOA D-Link 54g router to prove it. I also know they are sticklers on buying an item and getting the rebate, and buying another similar item 3 or 4 months later and being rejected for the rebate.

I don't think that Tiger Direct is the problem, I have purchased far too much from them and not had a problem but only twice (dead router but rebate paid, and bought memory and rebate refused). I figure the real problem lies with onRebate.com. I'd file a complaint with the BBB about onRebate.com and your local state attorney general. No doubt they have a cyber-fraud unit.

So is the stuff you bought good or not? I realize you may not have opened it hoping to return it, but just thought I'd ask.

Good luck,
Don

"One you know, you newegg."

http://www.newegg.com

I open my mailbox this morning and what do I find. About 15 registration emails in my inbox from onrebate.com. Conveniently there they are *after* I email their support address which is nowhere to be found during the online rebate process. I'm a system administrator and know how email works - I'm not fooled. I noticed in the headers the sent dates are exactly the same and all exactly 24 hours before the recieved date.

Let's say you ordered 15 items from a company and they didn't show up. You call and they assure you over and over that the items were sent two weeks ago but they never show up. Then one day, all 15 items show up at once and they are all postmarked the same date, two days ago.

Now I have a form I have to print out and attach UPC labels and such too.
This begs the obvious question - why didn't they just give me the form in the first place? The UPC is your proof of purchase. Not only that, but I have to cut out their address label and attach it to an envelope. ???? That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. I'll do that when I get to work and use gorilla glue.

This whole process is completely assinine.

I'll check out ncix.com - thanks for the tip. I've also dealt with newegg several times and had no problems.

The lesson learned here is to simply skip the online rebate game altogether. At least in a store you're handed the rebate form and you can walk back in and start yelling at someone if they try to jerk you around.