smoon wrote:
Those of you who contacted canon, who did you contact to file a complaint? I am in no mood to be transferred 25 times before hitting the right person on accident to complain to.
I now have two separate entries on my rebate status page; one showing the check is processing with one check number and the other showing the check has been mailed with another check number. I want to bring Canon in on this to help get it resovled since, at the very least, the rebate company is completely incompetent. I would not mind getting two checks for my troubles, but somehow I think one would not be valid.
Sony wrote:
Update on mine. I did the resubmit thing and they say they got it and it's processing for $350 dollars. LMAO that's funny because none of the rebate offers is for $350 The 5D is for 300 X2 and the 85mm for 40X2 so where are they getting this crap? There's noway in hell this isn't a directive. It's just a matter of who all is involved in the scam. Time to spend more time on the phone.
Update: I called them back today and they said the would change the dollar amount to $640, the corrct amount, and send a check out. They gave me a new tracking number and said I should have the check in 3-4 weeks.
I shall believe it when I see it!
PS Since, as I said, all barcodes are the same. If any of you good people forgot to make a copy of your codes, and you have the 5D or 85mm, please let me know because I now have a copy of those online. You can't get the rebate without the reciept, so I feel no need not to make them available.
Over this side of the pond there doesn't seem to be the same problems with rebates thank goodness.
However most people in the US who run into problems seem to vent their anger at Canon - whilst Canon may be at fault for continuing to use this company after troubles have come to light, it is Young America who are the culprits here and at who spleen should vented surely? Especially when you read that the government of Massachusetts is now out to get them.
Perhaps writing to Canon USA and enclosing a copy of that report may stir things up..........................
PaulB wrote:
whilst Canon may be at fault for continuing to use this company after troubles have come to light, it is Young America who are the culprits here and at who spleen should vented surely? Especially when you read that the government of Massachusetts is now out to get them.
Once again, I ask what evidence anybody has that Young America is the rebate company Canon contracted with. People keep saying this but I'm fairly certain they aren't the rebate processing company Canon is using.
Somebody on this or another thread posted a link to an article about how the State of Massachusetts is suing Young America, but did not say that Young America was the company Canon contracted with. I think everybody since then has simply assumed that they're the one.
EKN_2005 wrote:
I think most people who bought a 5D have had trouble getting their rebate.
Based on what? How do you know that for every report of an invalid UPC mentioned here there aren't ten or twenty that went through just fine?
moondigger wrote:
Once again, I ask what evidence anybody has that Young America is the rebate company Canon contracted with. People keep saying this but I'm fairly certain they aren't the rebate processing company Canon is using.
Simple evidence: when one receives a rebate check, it is from Young America (return address on the envelope) drawn on Young America's bank account (information on the check).
Once again, I ask what evidence anybody has that Young America is the rebate company Canon contracted with. People keep saying this but I'm fairly certain they aren't the rebate processing company Canon is using.
The address that I was told to use to "Resubmit" is:
Canon Customer Service
Attn: Resubmit Dept.
PO 7001
Young America, MN 55558-7001
rlharris wrote:
Simple evidence: when one receives a rebate check, it is from Young America (return address on the envelope) drawn on Young America's bank account (information on the check).
I wasn't aware of that, and yours is the first mention I've seen of it. I stand corrected.
I don't think Young America was used for the previous rebate offers between Fall 2004 and now. If they were used, they did fine by me... I have gotten every rebate so far with no hassles and first try.
When I spoke with Canon today it seemed to be a new attitude. Where I was getting snarky replies in the past they were very much the opposit today. I think it finally dawned on them they could be in for a huge legal battle if they didn't step up and make things right. I can't tell you how much dif they sounded in Cust Serv today as opposed to the 20 other calls I've made to them over this issue.
It's my opinion, all the internet complaints have finally got someone off their asses. I don't care if the problem is Young America or Canon. As an agent for Canon it's up to them to make sure these people are treating their clients fairly. Otherwise, it's the old, "We didn't know" crap. All one has to do is look at the past record of the company and see denials are a standard tool for them. It reminds me of the movie "Rain Maker" Maybe we should call them "Great Benefit?" I would imagine this directive is under their missing section U, or is it FU?
How do you know a lot of people are having issues? Conclusions cannot be drawn based on a couple dozen anecdotal reports here. People are unlikely to start a thread about how they got their rebate without problems. However people who do have a problem with the rebate are much more likely to start a thread or complain on an existing thread about it.
Somebody with a valid rebate claim is definitely going to make a phone call and provide supporting documentation if necessary to get their hundreds-of-dollars rebate. The rebate center supervisors know this. But they also know that somebody trying to get a rebate through fraud is NOT going to be able to provide supporting documentation and is unlikely to make the phone call in the first place.
Once again, I ask what evidence anybody has that Young America is the rebate company Canon contracted with. People keep saying this but I'm fairly certain they aren't the rebate processing company Canon is using.
Somebody on this or another thread posted a link to an article about how the State of Massachusetts is suing Young America, but did not say that Young America was the company Canon contracted with. I think everybody since then has simply assumed that they're the one. ...Show more →
questions moondigger has never answered:
cbres00: I talked to Matt, too! He instructed me to REsubmit my 'lost' 70-200L. I sent it certified mail so I know they got it. He then told me that it takes 30 days for it to 'post' to the internet. Something's DEFINITELY fishy here.
smoon:
Don't tell me the rebate submission company would give up $620 without more proof from me if they did not already know I was entitled to the rebate.
I don't even need to state a person here-many have had this experience.
nobody235, get off it. I remember when I did my first rebate submission for the fall 2004 rebates, Canon had switched from their previous rebate contractor to a new one, and people were optimistic that the same problems wouldn't occur as had happened previously. They didn't, as far as I could tell. I got my rebate first try and with no hassles. Many others did as well.
Last year I saw the same thing -- I got my rebates without any issues.
Obviously Canon hasn't changed their rebate processing contractor since then because you can find the previous promotions on the preregistration website. If it was Young America all along, or if they acquired a previous company, I don't know. But whether it was or wasn't, I have always gotten my rebates without hassle.
As for the quotes of things I've said that you have pulled in here, what do you think they are evidence of? It's still true that you don't know what percentage of rebates are being rejected. It's still true that people who don't have problems with the rebates are less likely to mention it on a forum like this one. It's still true that there are plausible explanations for rejection that have nothing to do with fraud.
This whole 'fraud' theory you're pushing smacks of "Wikiality" and "Truthiness," not to mention disconfirmation bias.
As for the "questions" you claim I haven't answered... I fail to see any questions there. Two people talking about their rebate issues, and I'm supposed to answer unasked questions?
nobody235 wrote:
Once again, I ask what evidence anybody has that Young America is the rebate company Canon contracted with. People keep saying this but I'm fairly certain they aren't the rebate processing company Canon is using.
Evidence exhibit 1: Return address on the envelope with the rebate check.
Evidence exhibit 2: The account name on the rebate check within the envelope.
rlharris wrote:
Evidence exhibit 1: Return address on the envelope with the rebate check.
Evidence exhibit 2: The account name on the rebate check within the envelope.
Need more evidence?
He was quoting me from earlier. I already conceded the point above.
What a messed up company. I too sent in for the double rebate 30D and 70-200 L4 they sent me back the missing upc card. So I called and they admitted that they had the warranty cards the invoice but the upc's were missing. I told them I had copies so they say now I have to resubmit upc's. Guess I'll send it certified. But even then what recourse do I have?
I sent everything certified and made two copies. In answer to the "But even then what recourse do I have?" question: The rebate offer is a contract. You held up your end, purchasing the goods, and remitting the documentation in a timely manner. If they renig on sending you the check and you have evidence that you complied, then your recourse is simple: small claims court. Just mentioning that you are aware that you can and will take them to court will probably get a check in the mail pretty quick. Especially since they must KNOW that they screw up more frequently than the consumer.
PS I personally have never had any trouble getting my rebates fulfilled by canon.
I don't have the time to read all posts, so I've skipped to the end here to put my two cents in as well.
Many people have the same problem as I did and when they call, they will eventually correct the mistake, but the tech will not say what the original problem really was.
I called on my double rebate ($700) after eight weeks. My online tracking into had said it was received on early October, but then suddenly changed in late December to say Dec. 27th. They explained I was missing a UPC, which of course I was not. Explained I had copies of all materials, she put me on hold a few times, came back and had me tell her what the UPC code read to verify (how ridiculous and insulting), and now tells me it's all set but will be another six to seven weeks from this point!!! I can't even believe this is legal.
moondigger wrote:
It's still true that you don't know what percentage of rebates are being rejected.
What is the point of bringing this up other than to suggest that you will be unconvinced that there is a widespread problem of improperly rejected rebate submissions until you personally see the numbers? This is, essentially, a self-fulfilling prophecy because no one outside of Canon and Young America knows these numbers. In the absence of a smoking gun, there is certainly circumstantial evidence to contemplate.
It's still true that people who don't have problems with the rebates are less likely to mention it on a forum like this one.
That you and other have not experienced any problems firsthand or the assertion that complainers tend to be fewer than the silent majority does not disprove the existence of a problem.
It's still true that there are plausible explanations for rejection that have nothing to do with fraud.
There is certainly evidence from the several reports on this and other forums that 5D rebates are being improperly rejected due to an invalid or a missing UPC. While it is certainly plausible that the claims processors were instructed with the wrong UPC number to match submissions against, one would not expect this problem to continue over an extended period of time. That there appear to be rejections of recent submissions has to, at least, make one consider fraud as a possibility. As the OP cited in the very first post in this thread, Young America has been sued by Massachusetts for owing hundreds of millions to consumers. Based on this, why is it so hard to believe that fraud may have occurred?
According to this article 40 other states have joined with Mass. in the suit against Young America. I know that Cingular, Office Depot, Best Buy, Microsoft and Radio Shack use this rebate fulfillment company. I have applied for rebates twice with Best Buys and never received a check. Best Buys says that they intend to completely eliminate mail in rebates this year.
When 40 other states join in on a suit like this I would assume that it is a pretty big problem.
Grant
The article:
Meanwhile, Massachusetts, in conjunction with 40 other states, is taking on a company that handles rebates. It has sued the nation's largest rebate fulfillment company, Minnesota-based Young America Corp., demanding that it submit to an audit of the uncashed rebate checks it has kept in recent years -- money known in the industry as "slippage" -- in exchange for charging its clients lower processing fees.
Who keeps the uncashed checks?
According to SEC filings, Young America kept $42.9 million in uncashed rebates between 1995 and 2002. Massachusetts Treasurer Tim Cahill believes the company has held onto $129 million worth of uncashed checks.
Cahill believes this practice has provided incentive for Young America to cheat consumers. This money should be turned over to the states' abandoned property divisions so that consumers can claim it, he says.
"There is an appearance of deception here," Cahill said. "We want to shine some sunlight on this practice. It sends a message to other firms. They are holding onto other people's money that doesn't belong to them."
I never trust rebate, so when I purchase 5D , 50mm/F1.4 and 24-105/F4.0 the last Nov., I didn't account rebate inside, I still not send them too...... (maybe try next week), but I don't care the money back or no, just enjoy my camera.
