Make sure you know who you're dealing with! (Elephant Group - acting as Comcast)

I have had an ongoing problem with Elephant Group for almost a year now. I went online to look up Comcast High Speed Internet deals in January of last year. I came accross an add that had the Comcast logo on it and looked as if it were run by Comcast. They were advertising a start up rate of $29.99 per month for the first six months and a $50 rebate after your service is connected. What I didn't know was that when I called the number on the screen, I was actually dealing with a third party called Elephant Group. The man I talked to gave me false information about pricing. I signed up and I asked him exactly how much, after taxes and fees, would be charged to my credit card that day. He gave me an amount, but when I checked my account later, much more had been authorized. When I tried to call back about it, I was put on hold for very long periods of time. If I ever did get anyone on the phone and I tried to tell them what was going on, they would put me on hold and either connect me to an answering machine (from which I never got a call back) or hang up on me. I was given nine different numbers before I finally got ahold of someone to fix the charge.

Once my service was connected, I immediately sent in my rebate form complete with a copy of my first months bill as instructed. I have called back 15 times since then inquiring about my rebate. Each time I was told that it would take a little longer. Finally, about two months ago, a woman from Elephant Group told me that everything was received and I was on a list to receive my rebate. She told me that I should get my rebate within the month and to call back if I don't get it. I gave them two months, mostly because I was sick of calling. When I didn't receive the rebate (big suprise) I called back. The woman I talked to informed me that my name was not on the list, they never received my paperwork, and I would not be receiving my rebate. It took them ten months after I mailed in my paperwork to tell me that they basically lost it and that I was being screwed out of my money because of it. Their only suggestion was that I re-send the paperwork. Do they really think that after ten months of going on with my life and after they had told me they had my paperwork that I would have not only saved these documents, but that I would know where to find them? Even if I could, do they expect me to wait another ten months and go through this process all over again?

I tried to tell them that I did my part and sent in all of my paperwork right away. I checked the status frequently and did all that I could do. I told them it was now on them to figure this out and get my rebate to me as fast as possible. They basically told me I was out of luck and wouldn't be receivng my money.

This company should be required to state that you are dealing with a third party and not with Comcast not only when they advertise, but definitely when they are signing you up. It should not take this long to get a rebate and they should make sure that the paperwork is mailed directly to them and document when they receive it. I am very upset with this company and warn anyone to make sure when you are calling on online advertisements or signing up for online orders that you ask and make sure that you are not dealing with this company. BEWARE!!!!!