Complain about a product or service

Wirefly (Inphonic, Inc.)

Inphonic/Wirefly • Inphonic Complaints • Wirefly Complaints • InPhonic Responds --- News • Feds Slam InPhonic for Deceptive Rebate Practices • InPhonic Settles With D.C.

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Jason of Blakeslee, PA (12/25/05):
After seeing a TV advertisement for wirefly.com I decided to order a cell phone from them. The deal seemed great - free Motorola razr 3 phone, after rebate, with a two-year contract to Cingular, free Bluetooth headset, a free DVD player, and free shipping through FED EX.

The form I filled out online included all the information needed to put my previous cell phone number on the new phone. When I received the phone it had a different number programmed into it. Wirefly's customer service said I needed to contact Cingular to have them port my number over. It took Cingular several attempts but the number was switched.

I thought everything was fine until I tried to text message - it did not work. Again I called Cingular and found out that when wirefly set up my account it left out numerous free options. Once all the options were loaded I tried to text message again but it still did not work. I called Cingular, and went through all the settings and found out that wirefly loaded the wrong information into the phone.

I finally got everything the way it should be and then I received an email from a collection agency, hired by wirefly! They were trying to collect $250 dollar for breaking my contract with wirefly. Wirefly said that I signed a contract with them saying that I would keep the number they loaded into the phone for two years and remain with Cingular for that period.

After going back and forth, wirefly finally admitted it was an error on their part, said I wasn't responsible for the $250 and that they would contact the credit agencies to inform them of the mistake.

Richard of Alexandria VA (11/7/05):
Oct. 1st, I purchased 2 cell phones over the internet from wirefly.com. A $50.00 rebate, per phone, was offered. Rebate info. should have come with the phone, it did not. We were told to download rebate info from www.whereismyorder.com. This site is working except for the rebate section. The customer service # 888-947-3359 is located in India where they field complaints but are helpless to solve any real problems.

After countless inquiries (no less than 8) to have a form mailed, faxed or e-mailed, I am still unsuccesful. I have been told on several occasions that I should receive this in the mail in the next few business days. But, nothing was ever received. I am only asking for Wirefly to provide the service and rebates that were offered when I purchased the phones. They do not seem willing to even provide the form to request the rebate. I am only left to assume that the rebate will be denied after the deadline for its submission has expired.

Bill of Woodstock GA (10/19/05):
In January of 2005 I purchased a cell phone and service with Cingular through a company called wirefly.com. They advertised relentlessly everywhere on the internet. I later found that they had probably a dozen aliases but their parent company was Inphonic, Inc. The phone purchased came with 2 - $150 rebates. The requirements of the rebates were probably the most stringent I’ve ever seen. We were to send it after 180 days but before 210 days of purchase plus several strange things were to be sent with it including a phone bill with the amount of the previous bill shown paid in full.

It was clearly designed to cause people to make mistakes. I am a veteran of the rebate wars, though, and after gathering all of the data required and making multiple copies of absolutely everything I sent it certified mail with signature required. After a couple of weeks I received an e-mail indicating that they had received both e-mails but were denying both because they were illegible or incomplete.

Once again I reviewed the paperwork and became even more convinced that the documentation was complete. I was able to get in touch with the rebate company (Continental Promotions group in Scottsdale, AZ). I talked to a customer service rep that told me that I failed to provide my cellular provider. I responded that the provider was listed on the cell bill that they required. He told me that I needed to re-file the paperwork. I told him that it would do no good to simply re-file without knowing exactly what I did wrong. I then asked to talk to his supervisor. His supervisor (name available) said that they had no idea why the rebate was rejected.

He said Inphonic reviewed all rebates and simply approved or rejected them while providing them with no details. We talked over an hour (he kept putting me on hold to “get more information”). It finally came out that Inphonic, Inc. originally used a rebate handler in Bear Lake MN but they couldn’t handle all of the complaints they were getting and Inphonic, Inc. had to switch to Continental Promotions Group. I told the supervisor the whole thing sounded like a scam and he responded that the word scam was one of the better terms he has been hearing lately.

Finally he told me I needed to re-submit the paperwork and that there was nothing else he could do for me. I re-submitted both rebates one more time. After considerable time and numerous e-mails to Inphonic, Inc. I received no further information. Then came the fun part. I tried to contact Inphonic, Inc. by phone. The only source I could find on contacting them (they would answer no questions at the number I ordered the phone from) was the Better Business Bureau of Greater Washington DC. They listed several numbers but the only one you could reach a real person at was the Corporate Number in Washington DC.

I called the number and was told that their customer service department was located overseas and that I could call there if I wanted to. I asked if there was someone in the US that I could call. She responded that she would put me through to the Office of the President of the company. I had no choice and the voice at the end of the line was voice mail telling me that they would call back in the order received. Again no return calls.

Ramarro of Baltimore (9/22/05):
I responded to an ad of a free telephone for filling out a consumer questonnaire, however the end product is that suddenly I have two (2) Sprint PCS accounts & numbers, which is not what the promotion made clear. I consider this a marketing SCAM by either Sprint or this Customercare group, with the end product beiong the my bill was doubled in cost, which I have not nor will I pay until this trick/game/scam has been resolved.

I am a senior citizen and I rely upon my cell phone not only for daily communication but for medical emergency, etc., thus I do not want to lose my service because of this matter.

James of Redonda Beach CA (4/4/05):
When I purchased a phone from them, they listed a $50 customer appreciation rebate, which required that I send the first 3 months of billing statements, plus the form, and the UPC code, and the invoice within 120 days (purchased 10/14/04, due 2/11/05). When I received my 3 statements, I photocopied the first page (as requested) and sent the entire package on approximately 2/4. However, I received a letter from the rebate company that said the request was not postmarked in time. My calls to Inphonic have not been returned. There are numerous complaints about Inphonics on the internet that indicate this is not a one-time mistake.

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