Dial a Phone Irresponsible Rebate Scheme - BEWARE

**ukyellowpage** · 27-09-05

I'm quite upset with what happened. I personally bought a phone (signed on Vadofone) with dialaphone last year, with rebate on 6th and 12th months. Now at the end of the contract (12th month) I terminate the contract with Vodafone, and send my 12th monthly bill together with the rebate voucher to dialaphone. But I didn't get my rebate for months, so I rung and ask today and was being told:

The credit was returned by Vodafone because there's no active account to rebate to (whilst they can obviously send me a cheque or whatever). Then I phone Vodafone, they told me they had not received any rebate instruction at first place! If they do they will send me a cheque. So I was required by Vodafone to contact dialaphone and asked them to resend the instruction so that they can send a cheque to me, ok I do as requested.... but being rejected! DIALAPHONE INSIST THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RESEND ANY INSTRUCTION!!! what a shock!

If you are giving customer rebate at the end of their contract of course you would have to be aware or problem like this (no active account) because it's simply THE CUSTOMER'S RIGHT to terminate it. It is also in the contract that the customer only required to stay for A YEAR (12 months if you can count) in order to get the rebate! SO THIS PROVE THAT I DESERVE MY MONEY!

Unreasonable and irresponsible merchant with the cheating rebate scheme. Anyone thinking about promoting it? Think twice or think about your own reputation.

**EyeOfTheTiger** · 27-09-05

DGM and Dialaphone have driven the program into the ground of their own accord. I stopped promoting a few months back. SOunds just another sorry story about rebates and customer getting stitched.

I reckon if you've got proof etc and can be bothered then take it to trading standards and sue them for the money back plus compensation for inconvience. You could also do a big fuss and note on forums like this too and draw Dialaphones attention to it. Careful what you say, as it could be interpreted as slander.

If it's a standard rebate i.e. 12 months line rental 1/2 price, these are usually nothing to do with Vodafone themselves so why you should liase with them I dont know. Dialaphone may have liased with them to check that you had a contract in the first place and that it was 12 months, but if you had been disconnected when they checked (post 12 months) this may arise suspicions. Although I am sure Vodafone would still have a record of you even if you disconnected.

It sounds to me like you have a valid case. Remember get names and departments of everyone you speak to and get call reference numbers for all your liaison. It helps prove communication if you go to court.

Sadly, you aren't the first and won't be the last to get fisted by such companies and rebate schemes.

If you're looking for a reputable retailer PM me and I'll put you in contact with one of my clients (i am a specialist mobile phone affiliate), and it won't be Dialaphone.

Mike

**ukyellowpage** · 28-09-05

Thanks for your advice. I hope I do not sound like a slander as I merely describing what was happening. But to answer some of your questions:

1. Dialaphone refuse to resend instruction and insist they had sent one. As they were not being helpful and not even sound as willing to help and solve the dispute, I had no choice but rung Vodafone to see what I can do. I have to ring Vodafone because it's them who would normally credit the rebate directly into my account (deduct from my phone bill), and that's why problem existed when after 12 months I terminate my contract and there's no more active account to credit into. But as far as I know whenever a contract ends there would be an additional "closing bill" which will balance up everything (either money you owe them or money they owe you) and sent to the customer. My credit/rebate simply not in this bill.

2. Unfortunately Vodafone insisted they did not receive any instruction but said that if Dialaphone resend then they will be quite happy to post me a cheque (as there's no doubt I had stayed on the contract for 12 months as required. The following hesitation and problem arose should have nothing to do with my rebate which I deserved. The loophole, to me, is merely between Dialaphone and Vodafone.)

3. I will definitely take the case to the trading standard. If anybody would advice a proper and professional procedure I would be grateful and very appreciate.

**hirschnathan** · 28-09-05

You will probally get a cheque in the post as soon as trading standards call dialaphone on your behalf. (i had that with another company) Dialaphone will not be interested in messing around, especially if they know they are wrong and you right.

Its the next client who hasnt the will power or to scared to approach a mega company who will loose

**ukyellowpage** · 28-09-05

Many thanks for your assurance which make me feel stronger that I am doing the right thing. I am drafting my letter to the trading standard now.

**hirschnathan** · 28-09-05

Save your ink

Give them a call, they may be able to settle it over the phone

**ukyellowpage** · 28-09-05

You mean to call Trading Standards? or Dialaphone? I have been wasting all my time yesterday afternoon speaking to the call centre staff at Dialaphone but that make me feel stronger that I should raise the issue to Trading Standard. Perhap Dialaphone should also raise their call centre staff's standard!

Many thanks by they way by replying.

**hirschnathan** · 28-09-05

Call trading standards

They should be in your local council. Make your council tax worth paying.

**ukyellowpage** · 28-09-05

yeah just called them, sound helpful the staff. Thanks

**Pete Taylor** · 28-09-05

Could someone explian the link between this problem and the Dialaphone Affiliate scheme on DGM?

This should have been posted in the real world forum, as many people will think that DGM are involved.

**ukyellowpage** · 21-10-05

Eventually Trading Standard came back to me and say that DialaPhone did nothing wrong! It's in their T&C that the money would be paid into an "active account" and "no cash alternative available". Well, be careful then everybody because obviously DialaPhone is a cheat, the T&C is simply unfair and misleading for the following reasons:

1. They are conducting unfair advertising: It was in their advertisement that user who stay on contract for 12 months will be eligible for the rebate, but then at the end of the year when you terminate the contract you obviously left NO ACTIVE ACCOUNT (I bet they expect and happy to let this happen) and this give them a good reason NOT TO REBATE YOUR MONEY! They are clever with their T&C in the way they cheat if you can see what they trying to do.

2. They are having UNFAIR CONTRACT AND UNFAIR T&C. Unfair to their customers. It's obviously a kind of misconduct and abuse.

3. Even if there's no active account, the network company (Vodafone) will always have a "closing bill" after you terminate your account, i.e. that bill comes approximately 1-2 months after your termination/end of contract. Whatever credit (in this case the rebate) should be able to be included into this closing bill. DialaPhone claims there's no way to rebate the money because there's no active account? They simply too happy to retain the money for themselves.

Just beware, if I am unlucky, hope my case awake those haven't realise the trap. Go e2save, reputable and reliable and always helpful instead of being tricky.

Thank you for your attention.

**drivetowin** · 21-10-05

Sorry but if it's in their terms and conditions I dont see how you can say they are cheating - it doesnt matter too much what the advert did or didnt say (well it does but that's a different issue you should raise with the Advertising Standards Authority) - as a customer it's up to you to read and understand the contract you're signing.

If you didnt read it carefully enough then it's your problem - if it says they will only refund to an active account and there is no cash alternative available and you now don't have an active account I don't see that you've got a leg to stand on.

I'd agree with you that maybe they should have made it clearer but to call them irresponsible and cheating is a bit ott - they are protecting their revenue and interests and that's what a good contract should do.

You made a mistake - get over it and move on.

**fieldandtrek** · 21-10-05

Have to agree with kbudden - it's a real shame but I would advise that you always read the T&C's in full.

Saying that - I would never use Dialaphone after my last experience with them, and i'm not the only one; they don't have the best name for themselves in the industry.