It's not easy being David

I often recommend “Catch-22” as required reading because it instructs you on 90% of everything you need to know about life. One of those lessons is that “they” will do anything to you that they can get away with doing. While somewhat cynical, it is not inaccurate when it comes to large organizations, whether they be business, government or private. They appear to assume that they are entitled and impervious. They aren’t wrong, except when it comes to a certain personality type; mine. I was shopping at a store of a huge office supply chain when a sign caught my eye. It offered a rebate on copy paper purchases. I bought and the cash register provided me with the rebate form, which I promptly submitted, carefully following all the instructions. I did that because I’ve been down this road before and I also copied everything submitted; everything. As is usually the case, it takes less than 24 hours for them to hit your credit card for their money. Ah, but almost two months to get your rebate money to you. Or, in this case, a postcard rejecting my application. It gave four reasons, which included omitted information (my copies proved this to be bogus) and that it was a duplicate submission (not a chance since it required sending original materials). It offered the opportunity to resubmit to the address on the reverse side of the card. This was obviously in bad faith since that would require the original documents (which they retained), not to mention that the reverse side of the card was blank. I’m certain the expectation was for most people to surrender. I’m not most people. Just to be sure it wasn’t “just me,” I did a search that incorporated their name and “rebate complaints.” No shortage of hits. Even allowing for the sour grapes factor, these people were obviously in the scam business. I emailed my complaint via their website. It took about a day for a response. I was informed that I had applied for an online-only rebate when I had purchased the product in the store. First of all, this hadn’t been listed on the rejection card, proving those claims were bogus. Secondly, their store promoted it and provided the rebate form. If the intent was to discourage further action, they misjudged their target. I dismissed the response as fertilizer and told them they had five days to mail a check or I would file complaints with the FTC and state attorney general, sue their store in small claims court and make it my hobby to publicize their tactics. I was provided with another website to take up my complaint. Another stall tactic? I chose “chat” over “email” to bring this matter to a head. Once again, I was informed that I had applied for a rebate that didn’t apply to in-store purchases. I said it was their store promotion, their in-store form and their personnel, so it was their problem, not mine. My only problem was obtaining court forms and compiling a list of websites to report their unethical practices. I received a stern warning about slander laws (actually, I believe it would be libel). My response was that her tactic probably worked on those unfamiliar with that, but truth was always a defense and I had copies of all submissions and had also copied all chats with their people, including her. I would welcome their legal action as it would generate more publicity plus the opportunity to countersue. And, for threatening me, I was going to strive to come up with at least a couple dozen more websites to post to. She responded that they would issue a check immediately and gave me a tracking number. A hard-fought win. On another front, I attempted to use my credit card this morning and was informed that they have a deny/confiscate order on it. Fortunately, the clerk was about two decades my senior so I was able to wrest it from her while suffering only superficial injuries. I got to my home computer and confirmed that the bank had closed the account. I called the customer service number on my card statement and, after running the gauntlet of selecting language, department, issue and five other things, was connected to a human after a wait that was a little shorter than the Peloponnesian War. She asked several questions, some already responded to in the aforementioned hoop jumping, before allowing me to state my case. She said I had the wrong department (the number listed on the statement) and sent me to Fraud. I went through the button pushing exercise before reaching someone there, only to be told that they had done nothing to my account and I needed to talk with the Customer Service department at the bank. I repeated that I had been referred by them and got a polite sorry-about-your-life. I jumped through the hoops to get a person in Customer Service again and this time was told I needed to talk with the Compromise Department. I was given a number and went through the automated selections, considering that opting for a different language might generate better understanding and results than I was receiving. Compromise admitted that they had slain my account because a merchant I dealt with had experienced a possible breach. A letter was going out to me today, explaining that. Was there anything else they could do for me? Yes, how about a phone call the next time so I don’t find myself out on a limb? “I said, we’re sending you a letter.” I’ll score that as a loss. It’s not easy being David. But, unless people go to the trouble, the Goliaths of the world will do more and more of what they can get away with.