McAfee AV rebate denied

Discussion:

McAfee AV rebate denied - what to do ?

(too old to reply)

Conase

2004-05-22 01:25:38 UTC

I am a previous owner of McAfee AV.
I bought version 8 and filled out and sent in all the paperwork.
I have xerox copies of it all.

The rebate asked for 3 items to be sent to one PROMO CODE.
The second part needed 2 items sent to the SECOND PROMO CODE.
Both PROMO CODES had the SAME PO box.

There is the PROBLEM = 2 PROMO CODES.

Obviously one side of McAfee does not talk to the other.

They said I did not send in my proof of purchase.
I did send it in.
I only have the xerox copy as proof.

I RESUBMITTED the xerox copies and got the same stupid request on a form
postcard. "You did not send in proof of purchase as required."

I will RESUBMIT the SAME xerox copies, but you can see where this is going.

Any ideas other than the BBB which has often been useless in the past ???
Federal Trade Commission ?

TIA

JerryL

2004-05-22 10:48:58 UTC

Permalink

I had the same problem with them. There were two rebates involved with
McAffee VirusScan. They denied both. I sent in copies and they finally
approved one of them. I finally threatened to go to the Florida Attorney
General and all of a sudden they approved the second one. However it took
seven months to get the rebates. Just be persisitent and then don't buy
anything from Best Buy anymore if that's the place you purchased the
software.

Post by Conase
I am a previous owner of McAfee AV.
I bought version 8 and filled out and sent in all the paperwork.
I have xerox copies of it all.
The rebate asked for 3 items to be sent to one PROMO CODE.
The second part needed 2 items sent to the SECOND PROMO CODE.
Both PROMO CODES had the SAME PO box.
There is the PROBLEM = 2 PROMO CODES.
Obviously one side of McAfee does not talk to the other.
They said I did not send in my proof of purchase.
I did send it in.
I only have the xerox copy as proof.
I RESUBMITTED the xerox copies and got the same stupid request on a form
postcard. "You did not send in proof of purchase as required."
I will RESUBMIT the SAME xerox copies, but you can see where this is going.
Any ideas other than the BBB which has often been useless in the past ???
Federal Trade Commission ?
TIA

Bill Rubin

2004-05-23 06:44:20 UTC

Permalink

Post by JerryL
I had the same problem with them. There were two rebates involved with
McAffee VirusScan. They denied both. I sent in copies and they finally
approved one of them. I finally threatened to go to the Florida Attorney
General and all of a sudden they approved the second one. However it took
seven months to get the rebates. Just be persisitent and then don't buy
anything from Best Buy anymore if that's the place you purchased the
software.

So don't buy from Best Buy because the manufacturer of the
product you bought the item from screwed up your rebate? Wow,
that makes a lot of sense.. not.

Bill

JerryL

2004-05-23 09:59:48 UTC

Permalink

The rebates were being handled by a company hired by BestBuy and they are
known for trying not to pay out the rebates. Does that make any sense to you
Bill?

Post by Bill Rubin

So don't buy from Best Buy because the manufacturer of the
product you bought the item from screwed up your rebate? Wow,
that makes a lot of sense.. not.
Bill

Bill Rubin

2004-05-24 05:56:24 UTC

Permalink

Since you asked, no, absolutely no sense. I can see your saying
not to buy McAfee products anymore because they hired the
company that screwed up the rebates (these are McAfee rebates,
not retailer). But saying not to buy from Best Buy because he
bought you bought the item from there which had manufacturers
rebates that got messed up makes no sense to me. Do you then
stop buying at Circuit City when a manufacturers rebate for
something you bought there gets messed up? You're going to run
out of places to buy pretty quickly.

Bill

Post by JerryL
The rebates were being handled by a company hired by BestBuy and they are
known for trying not to pay out the rebates. Does that make any sense to you
Bill?

Post by Bill Rubin

So don't buy from Best Buy because the manufacturer of the
product you bought the item from screwed up your rebate? Wow,
that makes a lot of sense.. not.
Bill

Nonymous

2004-05-24 15:32:59 UTC

took

Post by JerryL
seven months to get the rebates. Just be persisitent and then don't buy
anything from Best Buy anymore if that's the place you purchased the
software.

So don't buy from Best Buy because the manufacturer of the
product you bought the item from screwed up your rebate? Wow,
that makes a lot of sense.. not.

The rebates were being handled by a company hired by BestBuy and they are
known for trying not to pay out the rebates. Does that make any sense to you
Bill?

If it was a manufacturer rebate, then you don't *have* to send it to Best
Buy, you can send it to the manufacturer.

Bst Buy's register-printed rebate forms are just a convenience to the
customer so you don't have to xerox the receipt, etc. that using the
manufacture's form usually requires. This way, Best Buy does all the
processing, then forwards the processing on to the manufacturer's rebate
handler who 'trusts' Best Buy. (i.e., the manufacturer may require an actual
receipt, Best Buy does not, but the manufacturer trusts Best Buy's
rebate-form).

You can still just fill out the manufacturer's form and mail it the address
the manufacturer provides and choose not to use Best Buy's forms. If Best
Buy doesn't have the manufacturer's form (kept at the front of the store, if
not on the shelf next to the product), you can usually find and print a PDF
for the form after a two minute search on the Web.

I almost always use Best Buy when a manufacture is offering some sort of
bizarre double-rebate. (usually a rebate on the product itself, along with
another rebate if the product is bought along with some other product of the
manufacturer). That way, I use the manufacturer's form (requiring my
one-and-only receipt) for one rebate, but then use Best Buy's form (not
requiring a receipt) for the other rebate. The only time this doesn't work
is when both rebates want the original UPC.

Bill Rubin

2004-05-25 01:40:24 UTC

So don't buy from Best Buy because the manufacturer of the
product you bought the item from screwed up your rebate? Wow,
that makes a lot of sense.. not.

The rebates were being handled by a company hired by BestBuy and they are
known for trying not to pay out the rebates. Does that make any sense to you
Bill?

If it was a manufacturer rebate, then you don't *have* to send it to Best
Buy, you can send it to the manufacturer.
Bst Buy's register-printed rebate forms are just a convenience to the
customer so you don't have to xerox the receipt, etc. that using the
manufacture's form usually requires. This way, Best Buy does all the
processing, then forwards the processing on to the manufacturer's rebate
handler who 'trusts' Best Buy. (i.e., the manufacturer may require an actual
receipt, Best Buy does not, but the manufacturer trusts Best Buy's
rebate-form).
You can still just fill out the manufacturer's form and mail it the address
the manufacturer provides and choose not to use Best Buy's forms. If Best
Buy doesn't have the manufacturer's form (kept at the front of the store, if
not on the shelf next to the product), you can usually find and print a PDF
for the form after a two minute search on the Web.
I almost always use Best Buy when a manufacture is offering some sort of
bizarre double-rebate. (usually a rebate on the product itself, along with
another rebate if the product is bought along with some other product of the
manufacturer). That way, I use the manufacturer's form (requiring my
one-and-only receipt) for one rebate, but then use Best Buy's form (not
requiring a receipt) for the other rebate. The only time this doesn't work
is when both rebates want the original UPC.

I don't shop much at Best Buy but when I've bought something
from Best Buy, the manufacturers own rebates have been sent to
the exact same address that they would go to if I bought the
product at Staples. And I just checked at bestbuy.com, and for
Symantec and McAfee products, all of the rebates I checked go to
the same place they'd go to if I took the rebate out of the box
(or off the front of the box), or bought it at Staples. I will
admit that I never did understand why they list the Best Buy
rebate center phone number on their forms, but they are
certainly not processing it.

Anyway, sorry to disappoint you. I have no idea where you got
the idea that BB pre-processes rebate forms for manufacturers,
but I've certainly never seen a case where that is true. Now,
there may be cases where the rebate actually is a Best Buy
rebate, which is possible when it is an additional rebate, but
in that case they would process it themselves.

Bill

Shawn Hearn

2004-05-22 14:27:31 UTC

Permalink

Go to the top. Don't waste time with the BBB. Find out who the CEO is of
the company that publishes that software, then send a letter to the CEO
to explain exactly what you explained in your posting. In the letter,
make sure you also state that if you do not receive your refund, you
will be contacting your state's Attorney General to report this incident
as fraud. Since fraud is illegal, that will get the CEO's attention.

s***@nospam.com

2004-05-25 16:31:08 UTC

Permalink

Post by Shawn Hearn

But that CEO is not the top, George W. Bush is the top, if you are a
US citizen. Or got to the top of the top. Go to church and tell God.
You cant go any higher than that.

Bill Rubin

2004-05-23 06:50:49 UTC

Permalink

First, you should be calling, not wasting your time mailing
stuff in. Call and ask for their fax # and fax the stuff to
them. Actually, first talk to them and calmly state that you
sent everything in, twice, and ask them to validate your rebate.
If that doesn't work (while Parago was typically approve stuff
over the phone, they do not seem to do so with McAfee), I guess
you ask to fax it in, then call back a few days later to check
the status. Keep track of your rebate status via their website
-- don't wait for the postcard to show up in the mail, you will
waste a month or more doing that.

Remember this is not McAfee you are dealing with, it is Parago,
their rebate processor. You aren't clear on which rebate got
rejected, the upgrade or the non-upgrade. Did you actually get
one of the rebates successfully? Also, what proof of purchase do
they want? I believe you need to send the UPC for one rebate and
a tab from the top of the box for the other. I hope you did not
choose to send both rebates in the same envelope unless the
forms specifically said that you could -- that is typically a
recipe for disaster (yes, even if they both go to the same post
office box). And do not consider the two rebates to be related
in any way. The two submissions need to stand on their own
because they are processed separately.

Bill

Conase

2004-05-23 12:36:47 UTC

Permalink

Post by Bill Rubin

First, you should be calling, not wasting your time mailing
stuff in. Call and ask for their fax # and fax the stuff to
them. Actually, first talk to them and calmly state that you
sent everything in, twice, and ask them to validate your rebate.
If that doesn't work (while Parago was typically approve stuff
over the phone, they do not seem to do so with McAfee), I guess
you ask to fax it in, then call back a few days later to check
the status. Keep track of your rebate status via their website
-- don't wait for the postcard to show up in the mail, you will
waste a month or more doing that.
Remember this is not McAfee you are dealing with, it is Parago,
their rebate processor. You aren't clear on which rebate got
rejected, the upgrade or the non-upgrade. Did you actually get
one of the rebates successfully? Also, what proof of purchase do
they want? I believe you need to send the UPC for one rebate and
a tab from the top of the box for the other. I hope you did not
choose to send both rebates in the same envelope unless the
forms specifically said that you could -- that is typically a
recipe for disaster (yes, even if they both go to the same post
office box). And do not consider the two rebates to be related
in any way. The two submissions need to stand on their own
because they are processed separately.
Bill

I am the original poster.
I bought the the AV from Staples.

There were 2 rebates - one for $20 and the other for $30 if I was a previous
owner. FREE after rebates.

I am a previous owner and sent them the cover page of the previous owner's
manual as the PROOF they requested.

I sent them ALL the items they wanted and WHERE they wanted.

My XEROX copies show PROOF of that since I have underlined the items requested
and the place to which they wanted them sent on the xerox copy of their rebate
form.

They just refuse to pay attention and said the SECOND time around that I still
had not sent in the "proof of purchase".

I told them, "It's in the xerox picture, idiot."
I can no longer send you what I've already sent in.

Picture of the proof of purchase is IN the xerox copy right next to the address
to which they wanted it sent.

I think the problem is that the items requested were ALL sent to TWO separate
PROMO CODES at the same PO box as printed on their instructions and visible in
the xerox copy.

There is NO phone number to call on this rebate or to fax info to.

TIA

Bill Rubin

2004-05-24 06:12:02 UTC

Permalink

Post by Conase

Post by Bill Rubin

First, you should be calling, not wasting your time mailing
stuff in. Call and ask for their fax # and fax the stuff to
them. Actually, first talk to them and calmly state that you
sent everything in, twice, and ask them to validate your rebate.
If that doesn't work (while Parago was typically approve stuff
over the phone, they do not seem to do so with McAfee), I guess
you ask to fax it in, then call back a few days later to check
the status. Keep track of your rebate status via their website
-- don't wait for the postcard to show up in the mail, you will
waste a month or more doing that.
Remember this is not McAfee you are dealing with, it is Parago,
their rebate processor. You aren't clear on which rebate got
rejected, the upgrade or the non-upgrade. Did you actually get
one of the rebates successfully? Also, what proof of purchase do
they want? I believe you need to send the UPC for one rebate and
a tab from the top of the box for the other. I hope you did not
choose to send both rebates in the same envelope unless the
forms specifically said that you could -- that is typically a
recipe for disaster (yes, even if they both go to the same post
office box). And do not consider the two rebates to be related
in any way. The two submissions need to stand on their own
because they are processed separately.
Bill

I am the original poster.
I bought the the AV from Staples.
There were 2 rebates - one for $20 and the other for $30 if I was a previous
owner. FREE after rebates.
I am a previous owner and sent them the cover page of the previous owner's
manual as the PROOF they requested.
I sent them ALL the items they wanted and WHERE they wanted.
My XEROX copies show PROOF of that since I have underlined the items requested
and the place to which they wanted them sent on the xerox copy of their rebate
form.
They just refuse to pay attention and said the SECOND time around that I still
had not sent in the "proof of purchase".
I told them, "It's in the xerox picture, idiot."
I can no longer send you what I've already sent in.
Picture of the proof of purchase is IN the xerox copy right next to the address
to which they wanted it sent.
I think the problem is that the items requested were ALL sent to TWO separate
PROMO CODES at the same PO box as printed on their instructions and visible in
the xerox copy.
There is NO phone number to call on this rebate or to fax info to.
TIA

I hope you don't get upset but given the lack of clarity in your
posts here, I can see why you are unable to get things fixed up.
First and foremost, you claim there is no phone number on the
rebate form. I find that very hard to believe as the copies of
my submitted McAfee rebate forms I just checked all have a phone
number, 866-880-9644. If you call them, and are able to explain
to them what the problem is, you should be able to get their fax
number to resubmit.

Second, what are you sending them? You need to resubmit the
ENTIRE submission again. And I don't mean BOTH rebates. That is
where you also seem to be confused. Think of these are
completely different rebates. I assume you got one paid
correctly (you did not bother to answer that part of my
question). It appears your upgrade rebate is what is still the
issue here. So what you need to fax to them is: the form, your
receipt, the proof of purchase for this version (the inside flap
that says "proof of purchase" -- not the UPC), and the cover of
the old manual. Fax them copies of all of this -- don't get cute
and send them a picture of what you want to next to the address,
that is garbage. And don't call them idiots as that won't help
you either. After you fax, check online after a couple of days,
and if it does not show up as valid yet, call and ask the
status. I have found that that sometimes help them to process
your faxed request a little faster.

If you want to learn how to get your problem solved, and not
just blabber without providing the information that can help
people solve your problems, try this Fatwallet thread which
deals specifically with McAfee rebate issues.

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=245515

Bill

Conase

2004-05-24 12:49:11 UTC

going.

Post by Conase
Any ideas other than the BBB which has often been useless in the past

???

Post by Conase

Post by Bill Rubin

Post by Conase
Federal Trade Commission ?
TIA

First, you should be calling, not wasting your time mailing
stuff in. Call and ask for their fax # and fax the stuff to
them. Actually, first talk to them and calmly state that you
sent everything in, twice, and ask them to validate your rebate.
If that doesn't work (while Parago was typically approve stuff
over the phone, they do not seem to do so with McAfee), I guess
you ask to fax it in, then call back a few days later to check
the status. Keep track of your rebate status via their website
-- don't wait for the postcard to show up in the mail, you will
waste a month or more doing that.
Remember this is not McAfee you are dealing with, it is Parago,
their rebate processor. You aren't clear on which rebate got
rejected, the upgrade or the non-upgrade. Did you actually get
one of the rebates successfully? Also, what proof of purchase do
they want? I believe you need to send the UPC for one rebate and
a tab from the top of the box for the other. I hope you did not
choose to send both rebates in the same envelope unless the
forms specifically said that you could -- that is typically a
recipe for disaster (yes, even if they both go to the same post
office box). And do not consider the two rebates to be related
in any way. The two submissions need to stand on their own
because they are processed separately.
Bill

I am the original poster.
I bought the the AV from Staples.
There were 2 rebates - one for $20 and the other for $30 if I was a

Post by Conase
owner. FREE after rebates.
I am a previous owner and sent them the cover page of the previous owner's
manual as the PROOF they requested.
I sent them ALL the items they wanted and WHERE they wanted.
My XEROX copies show PROOF of that since I have underlined the items

requested

Post by Conase
and the place to which they wanted them sent on the xerox copy of their

rebate

Post by Conase
form.
They just refuse to pay attention and said the SECOND time around that I

still

Post by Conase
had not sent in the "proof of purchase".
I told them, "It's in the xerox picture, idiot."
I can no longer send you what I've already sent in.
Picture of the proof of purchase is IN the xerox copy right next to the

address

Post by Conase
to which they wanted it sent.
I think the problem is that the items requested were ALL sent to TWO

separate

Post by Conase
PROMO CODES at the same PO box as printed on their instructions and visible

Post by Conase
the xerox copy.
There is NO phone number to call on this rebate or to fax info to.
TIA

I hope you don't get upset but given the lack of clarity in your
posts here, I can see why you are unable to get things fixed up.
First and foremost, you claim there is no phone number on the
rebate form. I find that very hard to believe as the copies of
my submitted McAfee rebate forms I just checked all have a phone
number, 866-880-9644. If you call them, and are able to explain
to them what the problem is, you should be able to get their fax
number to resubmit.
Second, what are you sending them? You need to resubmit the
ENTIRE submission again. And I don't mean BOTH rebates. That is
where you also seem to be confused. Think of these are
completely different rebates. I assume you got one paid
correctly (you did not bother to answer that part of my
question). It appears your upgrade rebate is what is still the
issue here. So what you need to fax to them is: the form, your
receipt, the proof of purchase for this version (the inside flap
that says "proof of purchase" -- not the UPC), and the cover of
the old manual. Fax them copies of all of this -- don't get cute
and send them a picture of what you want to next to the address,
that is garbage. And don't call them idiots as that won't help
you either. After you fax, check online after a couple of days,
and if it does not show up as valid yet, call and ask the
status. I have found that that sometimes help them to process
your faxed request a little faster.
If you want to learn how to get your problem solved, and not
just blabber without providing the information that can help
people solve your problems, try this Fatwallet thread which
deals specifically with McAfee rebate issues.
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=245515
Bill

I went back to Staples and did find a phone number on the half of the rebate
form I had to send in - the part containing the name and address, etc.

I will call today.

I know that calling them idiots will not help and I did not do so.

I DID RESUBMIT the whole megillah to them.
The xerox CLEARLY shows the items they say I have not sent.
They have been sent in already.

In my xerox I have a copy of the : register receipt, rebate form part
requesting name, address, etc. and copies of the barcode and POP - all of which
have been sent in already. If they wanted the title page, I have a xerox copy
as my "proof".

I have not received either rebate for $20 or $30.

Thanks for the help.

Instructions always say to "keep copies of all submissions as my proof".

Well, I did that.
Now it appears as if that "proof" is not good enough.
I can only supply XEROX copies and not PROOF from the box that I have aleady
sent in.

Bill Rubin

2004-05-25 01:43:34 UTC

Permalink

Post by Conase
I went back to Staples and did find a phone number on the half of the rebate
form I had to send in - the part containing the name and address, etc.

You need to make a copy of the entire form, both sides if
necessary. That way you have all of this information if/when you
need it.

Post by Conase
I will call today.

Good. Let us know what happens. Parago will often override
rejections over the phone for some companies like Staples, but I
have not seen this to be the case for McAfee.

Post by Conase
I have not received either rebate for $20 or $30.

What is the status of the other rebate? If you go to
www.mcafeerebates.com can you find it online?

Post by Conase
Thanks for the help.
Instructions always say to "keep copies of all submissions as my proof".
Well, I did that.

But you didn't make a copy of the entire rebate form.

Bill

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