BYOD rebate/cashback issue
frustrated211
Newbie

Anyone has their cashback reversed a few days before payout from Rakuten/Ebates/Befrugal, etc when sign up with Verizon Wireless?

A few days before i'm due for payout for my sign up via Befrugal, my cashback ($115/line x 5 lines) got reversed.  Befrugal is blaming Verizon, Verizon is blaming Befrugal.  After months of so-called "investigation and request for missing cashback, Befrugal said Verizon refused to pay".  After hours and hours for days on the phone with Verizon reps, even sending emails as proof per Verizon request, Verizon told me I have to take up with Befrugal and that they don't know any site in associate with their business other than the official verizon.com site.

I switched to Verizon mid 2020 and have been either on phone or emails with either company for the past few months in regard to this.  Any inputs?

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Re: BYOD rebate/cashback issue
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

We're truly sorry to hear about the issues you've been having. Where are you seeing that we have a partnership with Befrugal?

EllisandraC_VZW

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Re: BYOD rebate/cashback issue
frustrated211
Newbie

https://www.befrugal.com/store/verizonwireless/

https://www.topcashback.com/verizon-wireless/

https://www.rakuten.com/verizon.com?query=ver&position=1&type=suggest&store=10794

The cashback rates vary from time to time.  However, around the time I signed up, the rate was $115 per line.

l contacted Befrugal and they told me verizon denied payment probably due to change in plan/service.  The last communication from them stated:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting BeFrugal.

In response to your request, we submitted a dispute with Verizon Wireless, asking them to re-check the reversal tracking on this purchase. This dispute was declined, indicating that BeFrugal will not be receiving a commission for this transaction.

Cash Back is based on commissions BeFrugal.com receives from the store. If BeFrugal.com does not receive commissions for orders placed directly with the store, we cannot give you cash back. These terms are explained on our FAQ page https://www.befrugal.com/help/faq/ and in our terms and conditions section http://www.befrugal.com/termsandconditions/.

Please let us know if you have any further questions.

Best regards,                            

Todd from BeFrugal

I contacted Verizon and was told the only change to my account that matched the reversal time line was my nurse discount.  After I verified my qualification and added the discount to my account, the cash back payment got reversed, a few days before it was due to payout.  However, I contacted Verizon prior to adding the discount and was told that it does not change the original service/plan I signed up with.

I know the cashback payment is valid as I have friends and family, who signed up at the same time,  received their payments.  The only difference between theirs and mine was that I added the nurse discount.

I looked through Verizon community forum and other forum online and saw that mine is not a lone incident ( https://community.verizonwireless.com/t5/My-Verizon/Rakuten-Ebates/td-p/1149782 ).  Since there is no dedicated Verizon Department for Cashback, the exact cause is unknow.

I'd really appreciate it if you can look into this matter for me.

Thank you.

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Re: BYOD rebate/cashback issue
frustrated211
Newbie

After countless hours talking on the phone with Verizon reps and months-long back and forth emails with befrugal website, I gave up on ever seeing the cash back.  However, on the principle of things, I just want to get to the bottom of this incident.

I finally spoke to someone on the phone who was able to find out the cause for the cash back reversal.  Turns out the discount the Verizon said i qualified for and added to my account caused the invalidation of my $575 cash back.  I was told that Verizon reps were not aware of the issue and it usually does not affect anything, but it did in my case.  Because it had been more than 6 months, there's nothing they can do about it. 

I'd be more than willing to stay (my monthly bill is $200+) if Verizon make right the situation but because of Verizon's unwillingness to own up to their mistakes, not being upfront about their offers' limitations and gave me the run-around causing me to unnecessarily waste lots of time, I'm leaving Verizon Wireless today.   

I just want to post a follow-up of my situation so others can get a head's up.  It is not cash-back sites' fault if you get a denial/reversal, it is Verizon who decides whether or not you get your cash back and Verizon will use any possible reason to deny the payout.  Since there is no specific Cash back Department that is available to the public, you will get the run-around and a "sorry for the inconvenience" in the end.  

Just to be clear, as a service, I don't really have a complaint.  Although the monthly bill ($200+) is a bit high, it is still comparable to other carriers and for what I get with the service so it is not an issue.  The issue I have that caused me to leave Verizon is their handling of the situation.  If you decide to get Verizon Wireless service and don't add discounts that you are qualified for, which Verizon Wireless encouraged you to get and are advertised/target to you, rebates/cashback offers will go through without any problem 99.99% of time.

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