Did I get cheated by the Wowmobile retail dealer?

[Lynn89]

Hello all,

I went to a Wowmobile dealer in West Vancouver to take advantage of this Public Mobile deal: the Public Mobile offer was that I would pay $0 for SIM and $0 for the first month of the plan if I activate a Public Mobile plan on March 9 or March 10, 2019.

The Wowmobile dealer charged me $44.10 to "start the plan." 

I activated the Public Mobile plan today, March 10, 2019.

I went online to my Self Serve account, and I printed out my current and future payment. My plan says that I don't pay Public Mobile anything from March 10 to April 9, 2019: $0.

My plan says that I pay Public Mobile $40 on April 9, 2019. 

But that means I didn't get the free in-store activation of the plan for March. I paid the dealer $44.10.

I went back to the dealer on the same day of the activation and I asked him. He waved it away, saying that "Even though the Public Mobile plan says you'll pay $40 on April 9, 2019, that's not true, you won't pay anything on April 9, 2019, you'll pay the next instalment in May 2019." Then he said that I should come back on April 9, 2019 to see him, if I get charged $40 on that day.

Did anyone else have the same problem with this type of deal from Public Mobile? You pay the dealer up front the cost of the 1 month activation, Public Mobile credits you 1 month of activation fee, but you don't get the money from the dealer back?

Am I getting fleeced by the dealer? It's the Wowmobile dealer in West Vancouver. 

Thanks,

Lynn 

[steff12321]

While I agree PM could do a better job on the wording of their ads, you could also take a closer look at the promotion fine print to confirm these details 

[Lynn89]

Thanks for your response. All of you were right. I didn't get charged for the next renewal. It shows as $0 on my payment screen. 

I agree, Public Mobile could word this type of ad better to help first-time customers like me who are suspicious of getting fleeced. But that's not up to me. 

[Kevster1974]

No u pay the fisrt month u get the next 1 free

[mik101]

@Lynn89 

As others have mentioned -- you did not get cheated. The first thing I noticed when you posted that ad was the NEXT 30 days part. You should recieve a text message as well when Public Mobile puts the funds into your account. It only says your next payment of $40 in the self serve menu because it hasn't been deposited yet (or maybe it even has been at this point). Log into your self serve page and see what your current credit amount is.

We are all customers like you providing help on here -- and the vast majority of us do not have any issues getting the credits were are owed (ie $25 online referal and $10/mo for months 2-7 when I signed up). Just be patient and enjoy the savings on PM compared to shelling out the big bucks to be with the big 3. I've been there -- at one point or another I was with Telus, Bell and Rogers over the past 15 years.

[Anonymous]

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@computergeek541 wrote:

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@slash407 wrote:

i dunno why u were charged by wow mobile if thats what ur saying, they dont have any power in that sense, again. It's a prepaid service. I'm suprise wow is offered with PM out west

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WOW isn't a carrier; it is a store.

The customer had to pay WOW Mobile because the plan has to be paid for to activate the service.

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And what's with "out west"? PM is nation wide. Wow Mobile is nation wide (except NFLD, PEI, up north)

[computergeek541]

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@slash407 wrote:

i dunno why u were charged by wow mobile if thats what ur saying, they dont have any power in that sense, again. It's a prepaid service. I'm suprise wow is offered with PM out west

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WOW isn't a carrier; it is a store.

The customer had to pay WOW Mobile because the plan has to be paid for to activate the service.

[hairbag1]

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@Lynn89 wrote:

Thanks, everyone, for clarifying the terms of this offer. I appreciate your input.

I'll check my bill 7 business days from today, and I'll check the bill again when I have to pay for April 2019.

Does anyone know what the Public Mobile customer service phone line or email is? 

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@computergeek541  sent you this info awhile ago...but here's a link to contact a moderator. Be aware that it could take 24 hours or more for a response so please be patient. Good luck and welcome to PM.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

[Someone_here]

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@Lynn89 wrote:

Thanks, everyone, for clarifying the terms of this offer. I appreciate your input.

I'll check my bill 7 business days from today, and I'll check the bill again when I have to pay for April 2019.

Does anyone know what the Public Mobile customer service phone line or email is? 

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For customer support, there is no email or telephone; only this forum.

In this exact page, you have been taking with fellow customers who just want to help.

If you need to talk with PM employees, then send a private message to moderators (they are PM employees). Often, writing in the forum as you have done will bring you solution faster than by writing to the mods, and if we can't answer you (for example if access to your account is required), then we will refer you to moderators 🙂

[Lynn89]

Thanks, everyone, for clarifying the terms of this offer. I appreciate your input.

I'll check my bill 7 business days from today, and I'll check the bill again when I have to pay for April 2019.

Does anyone know what the Public Mobile customer service phone line or email is? 

[lheintzman · Accepted solution]

@Lynn89

While the wording is confusing, you are not being cheated. These terms are exactly how I and many others came to Public Mobile, and it's actually a good deal. Keep an eye on your account and within a couple days, or maybe sooner, you'll see a credit in your account, equal to what you've already paid. 

Ignore the dates on your bill, for a moment; here's how it works. When you come to your first renewal date, your next 30 days will already be covered and you probably won't have to pay anything. "Probably" because you could opt to change your plan or purchase an add - on

It might help to remember that PM is a *prepaid* service. First you put in some money,, then you get the appropriate amount of data and minutes. And the purpose of this promotion is to attract new customers. If PM was to start the discount clock from the moment you signed on, it would simply be handing out free cell service with no incentive to continue as a customer beyond 30 days. Definitely not good for business.

EDIT: The credit used to be applied within 72 hrs  This may have changed in more recent months  But it definitely will show up before the next renewal date  

[computergeek541]

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@Lynn89 wrote:

Hi, I just read your last post.

So you mean that Public MObile won't charge me for the "second set of thirty days," that is from April 9, 2019 to May 9, 2019? 

If that's the case, then why does my BILL from Public Mobile say that my next due date for the next instalment is $40.00 on April 9, 2019? 

The part where it says $40 will be due on that date is assuming that you don't have funds to cover the price of the plan already in your account. The terms of the promotion state that the cedit will be added to your balance in time for your renewal.

[Metal1967]

@Lynn89 

You always pay for the first 30 day plan...the next 30 days will be free...the credit will show up in your self serve account..

[computergeek541]

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@Lynn89 wrote:

No, the deal says that I don't pay for the first 30 days. 

And I didn't. Public Mobile didn't charge me for March 10, 2019 to April 9, 2019. I looked in my payment plan bill and that's correct--I didn't get charged any money for March. So my "beef" is not with Public Mobile. 

THE WOWMOBILE DEALER MADE ME PAY $44.10 in order to "start" with Public Mobile. What do I do?

Thanks,

Lynn 

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The dealer charged you the correct amount.  Your beef is not with the dealer, but rather with the way Pubilc Mobile advertised.

I have seen some fine print details for this promotion, and it was always intended on being the second complete set of 30 days (or the first renweal to be free). 

As I was saying, I actually agree with you based on the wording in plain view contracdicting the fine print.  This is matter that you can provide Public Mobile feedback on by sending a message to the moderators. https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

I've actually asked Public Mobile to consider changing the wording to "first renewal free" for future occruances of this promotion. 

[Lynn89]

Hi, I just read your last post.

So you mean that Public MObile won't charge me for the "second set of thirty days," that is from April 9, 2019 to May 9, 2019? 

If that's the case, then why does my BILL from Public Mobile say that my next due date for the next instalment is $40.00 on April 9, 2019? 

Am I supposed to just wait to see whether Public Mobile honours the deal?

Thanks,

Lynn

[Lynn89]

No, the deal says that I don't pay for the first 30 days. 

And I didn't. Public Mobile didn't charge me for March 10, 2019 to April 9, 2019. I looked in my payment plan bill and that's correct--I didn't get charged any money for March. So my "beef" is not with Public Mobile. 

THE WOWMOBILE DEALER MADE ME PAY $44.10 in order to "start" with Public Mobile. What do I do?

Thanks,

Lynn 

[computergeek541]

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@Lynn89 wrote:

No, that's not the deal. The deal is as follows - and I'm quoting directly from the ad.

"Next 30 days for $0⁹ when you activate a 30-day plan

$0 SIM card¹⁰ 

In-store only offer  at participating Walmart, London Drugs, The Mobile Shop, WOW and K-Mobile locations

Limited time offer  March 9 - 10, 2019"

Why did I have to pay $44.10 -- the cost of the plan that I bought for the first 30 days --  to the dealer? 

Thanks,

Lynn 

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As I said, the promotion is for the second complete set of 30 days.  You must pay for the first 30 days.  To be honest, I agree with your interpretation.  The fine print for this promotion gives it away that you need to pay for your first 30 days, but when it comes to "next 30 days", I see that as meaning "okay, that starts now".  Some of us have been nudging Public Mobile to change this wording.

[Someone_here]

Nope everything is normal, for now anyways 🙂

You should get a credit (available funds) in your account soon, if you read the promo terms it says: "Elegible customers will be credited the 30-day rate plan amount within 5 days. These credits will count towards your next plan renewal."

[Lynn89]

No, that's not the deal. The deal is as follows - and I'm quoting directly from the ad.

"Next 30 days for $0⁹ when you activate a 30-day plan

$0 SIM card¹⁰ 

In-store only offer  at participating Walmart, London Drugs, The Mobile Shop, WOW and K-Mobile locations

Limited time offer  March 9 - 10, 2019"

Why did I have to pay $44.10 -- the cost of the plan that I bought for the first 30 days --  to the dealer? 

Thanks,

Lynn 

[computergeek541]

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@Lynn89 wrote:

Hello all,

I went to a Wowmobile dealer in West Vancouver to take advantage of this Public Mobile deal: $0 for SIM, $0 for the first month if I activate a Public Mobile plan on March 9 or March 10, 2019.

The Wowmobile dealer charged me $44.10.

I activated the Public Mobile plan today, March 10, 2019.

My plan says that I don't pay Public Mobile anything from March 10 to April 9, 2019: $0.

My plan says that I pay Public Mobile $40 on April 9, 2019. 

You are not supposed to get your first 30 days for free.  The promotion is for your first renewal to be free.  The dealer was telling you the truth, although I do not know why he said to come back to complain him if you get charged for that renewal.  Your issue would then have to be taken up with Public Mobile's customer service if that happened.

[Lynn89]

Hello all,

I went to a Wowmobile dealer in West Vancouver to take advantage of this Public Mobile deal: $0 for SIM, $0 for the first month if I activate a Public Mobile plan on March 9 or March 10, 2019.

The Wowmobile dealer charged me $44.10.

I activated the Public Mobile plan today, March 10, 2019.

My plan says that I don't pay Public Mobile anything from March 10 to April 9, 2019: $0.

My plan says that I pay Public Mobile $40 on April 9, 2019. 

But that means I didn't get the free in-store activation of the plan for March. I paid the dealer $44.10.

I went back to the dealer on the same day of the activation and I asked him. He waved it away, saying that "Even though the Public Mobile plan says you'll pay $40 on April 9, 2019, that's not true, you won't pay anything on April 9, 2019, you'll pay the next instalment in May 2019." Then he said that I should come back on April 9, 2019 to see him, if I get charged $40 on that day.

Did anyone else have the same problem with this type of deal from Public Mobile? You pay the dealer up front the cost of the 1 month activation, Public Mobile credits you 1 month of activation fee, but you don't get the money from the dealer back?

Am I getting fleeced by the dealer? It's the Wowmobile dealer in West Vancouver. 

Thanks,

Lynn