I got a rebate today

[emilyB]

It came in the mail and it was for the grand sum of $2.00 and I don't even remember being dumb enough to put a 44 cent stamp on the envelope and use gas to drive to the Post Office for such a reward.   My husband said just cash it and get a lottery ticket, so when I was in the market where our Bank has a small branch I took it to the teller, who happened to be in training.  After swiping my debit card and proving I had an account with them he tried to slide the check through his machine.  He did this a number of times and then told me it was invalid.  He then called an experienced teller over and while I stood there like a lemon for 10 minutes they kept punching in codes until they determined it was for a Canadian product and the $2.00 must be Canadian currency.  I said can we please forget it and they declined - determined to get me my $2.00 which I no longer wanted - and they called a supervisor over.  More clicking of codes until they decided it must be Canadian and could only be deposited, not cashed, and did I have a deposit slip.  I provided it - more swiping and clicking.  Then another glitch!  The teller said it would cost me a $30.00 fee to have it converted to U.S. Dollars.  My mouth fell open and I pleaded with them not to deposit it.  The supervisor then said to me that this didn't sound right (no kidding) and could she hang on to the rebate check and call me at home after she had found out more.

I came home and told my husband the whole story and said I really thought I was on Candid Camera and he said I should have grabbed the check back and torn it up - but I could have been arrested for that these days!  Anyway I forgot about it and was cooking dinner when the phone rang.  It was the Bank and they said they had sorted it all out and would deposit my $2.00 check but there would now be a $1.50 fee and my Bank Account would reflect a 50 cent addition!  I asked them to please not do that and ultimately they agreed to shred the check and my deposit slip with their other stuff tonight.

In the meantime my memory came back as to the source of this rebate!

Moral of this story is if you buy LePage's Mailing Tape (A Canadian product) and there is a rebate offer - don't bother to send it in. 

[Griobhtha]

ROFL! Sorry but that was too bazzare! 

[takncarabizniz]

Wow...!  Now that is bizarre...sorry to hear about the hassles.
 
Tells us how important it is to read and understand all the fine print when we attempt to get rebates...which I love...who wouldn't want to save some money.
 
Thanks for sharing this horrible experience, the rest of us can learn from your misfortunes.

[sunshine]

Anyone else fill out papers for the class action suit against push mowers? I did and got a check for $42.oo last week.

[emilyB]

The saga continues:

The mailing tape had an 877 number on it (Le Pages's Bandit) so I left a little sarcastic comment on their answer machine.

This afternoon I got a call from someone with an Indian accent and she wanted to know the details of the rebate check.   I told her the story but between my accent and hers it took a while to get my point across.  She then said that they were having all kinds of problems with people unable to cash their rebate checks in the U.S. and if I emailed her my address she would send cash by mail.  She said that was what they were having to do as the Bank of Nova Scotia rebate checks weren't working. (no kidding).

I am still chuckling!  I may still be able to buy that lottery ticket!