Raidmax not paying Fry’s rebates and how to take the bait out of rebate

by hardliner

Buy a Raidmax RX-630Z from Fry’s Electronics & receive a $40 rebate! NOT
I purchased this power supply to replace a Raidmax Volcano that died after a short period of time. I really should have purchased another brand like a Thermaltake Black Widow but this one had a $40 Rebate so I gave Raidmax another chance. So far the Raidmax RX-630Z is doing fine and fit my Antec 900 Case so I went with it. With the following spec it had enough power for my needs.
• 630 watts total input
• A huge 135mm blue LED fan
• durable black satin finish
• 20/24 ATX Main power connector
• Smart Modular Cooling system
• 6 x ATX 4-pin Molex connectors
• 4 x SATA connectors
• 2 x 4-pin floppy connectors
• 2 x PCI-Express connectors
• Hexflo honey comb cutouts for maximum airflow
• High grade black mesh wrapped cabling
The Rebate is handled by F.C.S Rebate Department in Hayward, California. I sent in the rebate withing two days on December 12, 2011 along with a Logitech Rebate and patriot memory Rebate, all which came back. It is now March 25, 2011 and now Rebate from F.C. S or Raidmax. I figured the Christmas season can slow down rebate fulfillment so I tried to be patient. I then began to wonder and began searching online only to see other people had similar issues I tried to call them, no answer just voicemail to nowhere. I then emailed them at status@rebateinc.com and waited on a reply and waited, I finally get a reply of:
Dear Customer:
We had no record of your rebate. Please email or fax your paperwork to us at 510-324-1389
We appreciate your participation in this promotion. If there is anything else we can do to assist you, please contact us at status@rebateinc.com We are always happy to help.
Sincerely,
Rebate Department
F.C.S, Inc
Tel:510-324-8810
Fax:510-324-1389
status@rebateinc.com

I have dealt with companies like this before so I learned to always keep a copy of everything you send in, otherwise you will be out of luck when things mysteriously dissapear. I have not gotten a reply from F.C.S or Raidmax confirming that they received my documents I faxed back in to them. I have since called Fry's Electronics and an associate had me fax in the information and said he will follow it up with Fry's electronics corporate but I do not have the promised email from him yet either confirming that he got the the documents I faxed to him too. I have now spent a huge amount of time for this $40 Rebate, really out of principle. My next step is going to be to call American Express and Dispute this charge along with filing a report with the Federal trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov/multimedia/video/scam-watch/file-a-complaint.shtm
From the Federal Trade Commission Website here are some tips to protect you and methods for
Taking the "Bait" Out of Rebates
“But the Federal Trade Commission cautions consumers against being "baited" by rebates that never arrive or arrive far later than promised. By law, companies are required to send rebates within the time frame promised, or if no time is specified, within a "reasonable" time. "Reasonable" in this case often is interpreted as within 30 days.
When purchasing a product that offers a rebate, the FTC encourages consumers to:
• Follow the instructions on the rebate form and enclose all required documentation in the envelope when filing for a rebate.
• Make a copy of all paperwork to be mailed when applying for a rebate. It's the only record a consumer will have of the transaction if anything goes wrong.
• Contact the company if the rebate doesn't arrive within the time promised.
• If the rebate never arrives or arrives late, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, the state Attorney General or the local Better Business Bureau.”
The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

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