Sony Cashback Scam? - Where to complain?

[Nirurin]

I recently purchases a sony a6000 camera from John Lewis, under the terms of the current sony camera cashback offer. This states that I receive £50 cashback if I purchase a camera during this time frame, as long as I send them the invoice which shows the date, invoice number, product model, etc. 

I have now done this 6 times. 

Every single time I send it, they respond with a different 'reason' that my claim is invalid. Sometimes it is that the date is not shown. Sometimes that the model number is not shown. Sometimes its the invoice number that isn't shown. 

However... I always send the exact same invoice document. And the document clearly shows the invoice date, invoice number, model number, etc etc. The document is perfectly fine. 

At first I gave sony the benefit of the doubt, assuming that it was some kind of automated service. However I have now had slightly different responses, but all having some degree of a copy/pasted response. Clearly the response team have been given a list of 'excuses' to respond with, in the hopes that their customer will just give up. 

I have contacted the customer services team by email on two seperate occasions, but am yet to receive a response. 

At this point I need to find out what the next stage of escalation would be. I have fulfilled sony's own terms and conditions to the letter, so I know that legally I am prefectly within my rights to expect the money that they owe me. However I do not know the best way to proceed. 

I hope someone on here can direct me in the right direction. 

[jumpsuit]

Hi again @bluesky2020 

You're welcome

I really do understand, however please be assured that genuine cases are

being dealt with as soon as is possible.

I'm sure you can understand also that Sony giving out free money to non customers

is detremental to their business.

The fraudsters have been quite adept at falsifying invoices and faking serial numbers too

which at some point could lead to the real owners of the 'made up' serial numbers being victims

Their requests may seem excessive but the photos etc. really do help with eliminating fraudulent requests.

Please believe me that Sony are trying to protect the genuine customers as well as themselves.

(I don't work for Sony btw)

Have you had any update on the status of your claim?

[michelangelocoach]

Here's another one!

I recently purchased 3 expansive lenses with my ltd company and got the claim back on my personal account. Then I purchased a a7III on Amazon that advertised the cashback promotion and it is also on the list of authorized resellers and guess what, Sony rejected my application saying that the promotion does not include Amazon, and it does not apply to any business!!!

Interestingly, on the Sony website there is no mention of restriction for any business, and Amazon in on the list

I hope that Sony will come back on this otherwise I am going to make negative reviews everywhere online.

Last but not least, allowing this advertisement is a scam!

[jumpsuit]

Hi @michelangelocoach  and welcome to the Community

Amazon Business is excluded in the T&C but I

have been informed that Sony will be following

up on your complaint.

[michelangelocoach]

Hi,

I hope so, I kept with me the screenshot on the Amazon business webpage clearly stating "Sony will double the cashback for this purchase"... from this moment onwards Sony can't ignore what happened and should keep the promise honoring what brought me to purchase the camera.

Any other problem must be between Amazon and Sony never the customer!

I switched to Sony two years ago and I invested in this brand almost £15K since then, hopefully, I don't have to switch back again.

Cheers

[Zimbali123]

It is now 2020 and this scam is still going. I have spent hours on this and they keep making it more and more difficult

[michelangelocoach]

absolutely, Sony went back to me only complaining about the fact that Amazon business is not included in the cashback promotion and the claim must be submitted by a person not a company, ignoring the fact that Amazon business is only a practical division of Amazon with the same company that is invoicing all customers, and I can purchase as sole trader.

It is a fact that:

1. Sony doesn't mention what I said above this on the policy, and because the ad was on Amazon, at very least Sony should honour the promise and eventually deal with Amazon directly not bothering the customer!!!

2. Sony already gave me 2 cashback that I submitted on behalf of my company which contradict the initial statement!

3. When you purchase on Wex or Park Cameras they both don't say that you as a company cannot apply for a cashback!

Three weeks ago I sent to Sony a copy of my last purchase listing only my name and Amazon (not business... which as I said is the same company!!!) and Sony didn't get back to me yet.

I really want to see if Sony will honour the promise of doubling the cashback for the purchase of my Sony a7III that I have done only because of the cashback promotion

I will keep anyone posted on this story and publish an article with a review on the social networks at the end.

[bluesky2020]

Hi.

Thank you very much for your help.

very glad to let you know that I have received my cashbacks for both products.  you are right,  sony did crosscheck it very carefully. if we purchase its products from their cooperated companies or shop, it should no problem. if it is from AMAZON,ebay or somewhere else,  it may be a big problem, as many of them are not cooperated retailers of sony. thereforce, we need to check if those shops have the qualification for cashback.

wish all of you lucky!

[bluesky2020]

Hi.

I purchased the products directly from the Park Camera. I checked it before purchasing.  it was on the sony cashback list. now I have received my cashback, and my problem has been sorted out.

thanks

[nibarne67]

What email address did you send the complaints to please?

[TheGOAT]

@nibarne67 You can simply contact them directly through this: https://services.sony.co.uk/supportmvc/en/contact/