beware of the "bait and switch" ploy

The the Ohio Attorney Generals office, Consumer fraud Division.

At some time before Nov. 24, 2007 someone from Verizon Wireless called my cell phone. The person who called told my wife that she was eligible for a free phone ungrade if she would come into the office and get the free phone.

On Nov. 24, 2007 my wife and I went into the office at 1272 Delaware Avenue.

We were then told by Steve Lewis that they were out of the free phone. Steve Lewis offered us a new Motorola phone Model W-385 a more expensive phone and gave his word that we would get a $50 rebate if we paid the $95.84 higher cost. Invoice number 9609. We paid with a Credit Card.

We agreed to pay the additional cost on the word of Steve Lewis that we would get a $50 rebate.

We also agreed to a new two year contract which would expire on 11.24/2009.

On Nov. 27,2007 we returned the Motorola and got a LGVX8350 model VX8350. My wife did not like the Motorola, we paid a additional $21.30 in cash. Total upgrade cost's of $117.14. The invoice number was 9675. The Salesperson was “Marion General” and the final transaction was date and time stamped by user MBORG at 5:46 PM. The transaction was later modified on December, 19, 2007 by user AYEATER.

On January 20, 2007 we received a notice from Verizon Wireless. “thank you for participating in this promotion, unfortunately we could not honor your request due to the following reasons. Invalid Purchase date.” This was our second rejecting from the Verizon rebate contractor in El Paso, TX.

This was our second notice and “on appeal” and the first notice was also reported to the store.

On January 21 I visited the Verizon Wireless office at 1272 Delaware Avenue a third time. The second time was when we got the first notice that “we would not get the rebate.” I ask to speak to the manager, the person there told me “they could not do anything about the notice from the Verizon Contractor and that person suggested I call them directly”. That person claimed “he owned the store and could not refund the rebate”, as promised by his sales person.

May I point out that Verizon has a “worry Free Guarantee” printed on the back of every employee business card that states in item number 3. “If you ever have a problem, it becomes our problem the first time you call” This statement could violate the “truth in advertising” laws of the State of Ohio, since the Verizon Vendor, or sales person seemed to me to be very dis-interested in my problem with the rebate promise not being kept the first time I reported that problem to the Vendor.

I know Sales employees are paid commission on sales. I also know bait and switch when I see it. The bate was the free phone. The Verizon Store may or may not have been out of the free phone at the time of my visit, I have no way of knowing if that was the truth.

I also know “step up” the customer sales contact very well. It's part of all sales training. We agreed to the step up to another, more expensive phone but only with the condition that we would get the rebate of $50. We did not agree to the step up in additional calling features that was presented by the sales person.

Please investigate this bate and switch ploy. Have other Customers had this same problem with this same Vendor.? We would like as our own remedy to get the $50 rebate we were promised by the sales person, Steve Lewis.

Aug. 27, 2009, Update, the rebate policy for the State has been changed. The old purchase date now applies. Regardless if you exchange the phone.