ComplaintsforAffinity Cellular LTD

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Elderly Godparents live in ** (I, **). No computer, only flip phones. They saw ad in AARP for Affinity and asked me to help in Nov, 2020. Ordered 1 flip and 1 ***** (both free). ***** couldn't get service. Agent suggested Apple SE. $89.99, credited back after a year. They are on fixed income, so without them, I spoke to the agent, asked if I could use MY credit card so they wouldn't know and then be credited back on my card. He said YES! I am on their acct for the contact person. Billing is done auto via American xpress. All emails (and email bills)come to me. Uncle passed away in Dec. 2020 unexpectedly. Went down to just the iphone.There have been issues of over/wrong billing in past and Affinity always great to deal with. No issues. Resolved problems.Realized after reviewing an overage on my aunt's **** Dec 2021 (she went over her mins so I had contacted them to pay the overage for her without her knowing bc she doesn't understand overages - just that she pays a set amount for her ****) - while I had agent on line I asked about not having recv'd the credit back yet for the iphone. After a hold, returned saying he sees the promo and that this should've occurred. He said it'd be taken care of and an agent calling following week. They did, but didn't leave msge or direct callback #. Upon rec'v 1/22 ****, realized still no credit back. Now they are trying to say this was never a promo. Only entitled to $50. Need to fill out a form. I Explained NONE OF THIS was ever told to me. NEVER would've purchased without getting credit back. Not in position $$ to do so. Nor any word of a form or contact back by Nov '21. Rude service now. Derogatory. Insulting.And refusing to pay the $95.84 (I kept rounding to $100 for ease of discussion and this is what they seemed to focus on). I would drop them, but my aunt can't know I bought the phone and can't afford more than the $20ish she pays.Want my $95.84. Superv called and said not entitled. No such promo. Beyond frustrated.

  Business response

  02/06/2022

  When the customer called in to the Help Desk the Supervisor explained everything about the loyalty credit program. The  loyalty credit that the customer is requesting was for $50.00 not the full amount of the phone/s and the loyalty credit application needed to be filled out. When a loyalty credit is applied it is applied to the Affinity Cellular account and not on the credit card. Even though the application was not filled out the supervisor went ahead and applied the $50.00 loyalty credit to the account on January 25th, 2022. 

  Customer response

  02/07/2022

   
  Complaint: 16674626
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  There are countless numbers of elderly people that don't have anyone to speak on their behalf. This complaint is not just for me, but to ensure that no other elderly individuals are taken advantage of by Affinity.  As I tried explaining countless times to the Affinity Reps and at last a supervisor, at no point NO POINT was there "policy" ever explained to my aunt/uncle who were elderly. I know this bc I was on the phone with them as a three-way call to help them understand. I have detailed notes bc they ARE on a VERY fixed income and this offer was too good to be true, in the end - it truly was.  I spoke to rep after rep initially bc we had issues with the one phone they sent. Always asking the same questions. It is affinity's responsibility to make sure their reps THEIR reps are all on the same page with their policies bc unfortunately it becomes a "he said, she said" which is where we are at right now. A complete and utter standstill.  My aunt would have been fine with another flip phone, the only reason I got the apple for her was bc it was coming back in full on my credit card.  

  In the future, Affinity needs to send detailed emails explaining any promotional offers they run BEFORE the elderly community signs off on them. It is obviously too late for my aunt/uncle (myself who provided my credit card so my relatives did not have to be out the expense) and not rely solely on great affinity reps bc the information they provide is FALSE and there's no way of proving it right now.  Bravo for affinity for providing $50, but that wasn't what was promised. IN ADDITION - bc they focus on the elderly community (the ad was in AARP) - they should be keenly aware and sesitive to the fact that the elderly community a) doesn't have access to a computer b) are on fixed incomes so "fine print" should not be an option, but rather CLEAR AND CONCISE instructions, c) do not have a clue how to use the internet so this new "requirement" to go in and fill out something on line is ludicrious. Relying on a WEBSITE for the elderly should be banned. As I was told more than once "go to the affinity website"- if I am 30 years younger than my relatives and I can't decipher these new rules, how on earth is the elderly community.  Even to go so far as to utilize email. Sure, many elderly folk have it, but many are like my relatives and have no clue how to work it other than to communicate with family members. THAT is why I asked to have the emails for billing sent to ME.

  So NO, I don't accept this response. Not bc of myself or my relatives who were taken advantage of, but for customers who are elderly going forward.  I would like to know that they are revamping their systems so that other elderly individuals are not taken advantage of.  Even so much as ME who is in my 50's trying to remember to get the credit back. ** I waited til the 13th month, rather than the 12th (bc I was told ON THE ***** it would be automatic!!!!) I would have been denied had I not made a stink about it and even so am not getting credited back what I was promised. What elderly person is going to remember to do this a year to the month????? The mere fact that affinity thinks this is good business practice makes me so upset. Someone needs to advocate for the elderly and call this company out.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  Business response

  02/16/2022

  The loyalty credit that that the customer is asking was for $50.00 and that was applied to the Affinity Cellular account by a supervisor. The additional $39.99 has been credited to the Affinity Cellular account. This now covers the $89.99 which was the full price of the device. 

  Customer response

  02/16/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  06/14/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contacted Affinity Cellular on 5/4/21 and initiated service with them for 2 new phone lines/service. I paid for them with a credit card online for a ONE time transaction to purchase the phones and 1 month of service for each. I received the phones on 5/10/21. I used each phone less than 5 successful times. I had issues right from the get go that they assured me were resolved each time i contacted them which i did several by phone and email as directed). I ended up cancelling the services for both on 5/15/21 and was advised that I would receive my money back for the phones and the service that was NOT used. I would only have to eat the cost of shipping and the phone case i ordered for the one as they would accept them but i would NOT be refunded for it so i kept that. I have confirmation that they received the phones back on 5/19/21. They are STILL hitting my credit card with transactions for these phones and are now unresponsive. I did NOT give them authorization for this.

  Business response

  08/30/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/06/15) */ *** ***** has two accounts with Affinity Cellular XXXXXXXX Phone number XXXXXXXXXX And XXXXXXXX Phone number XXXXXXXXXX The XXXXXXXX has a bill cycle of the 15th and account XXXXXXXX has a bill cycle of the 23rd. Both were set for payment of refunds for cancelation of service and return of the devices. But neither bill cycle had ran yet, when she filed this complaint. Today, ahead of the scheduled time for payment (6-20-21 and X-XX-XX) we manually refunded her $117.26 and $27.78 back to the card on file. Separate refunds were due to the two separate accounts she had established with us. This should close out her account and refunded the appropriate amounts to her. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/06/16) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I would like a breakdown of the supposed refund amounts as their numbers are not what i came up with based on my conversation with rep when call was placed to disconnect the phones. I am attaching a copy of what they are showing on my billing screen for each account as well as the document that shows you can download (which is the same document all the time except XXXXXXXX has 2 bills). I can not figure out what they are doing with the information provided there so here are my calculations. XXXXXXXX -returned phone for $79.99 plus tax and i was advised by rep that the month would be pro-rated for the number of days i had the service which was only 6 days per initial complaint and then they took another payment off my credit card without authorization iao $10.24 for which the full amount should be refunded so i am showing refund for this account should be $118.40 ($79.99 phone +$6.40 tax +$20.16 pro-rated service for time phone in my possession +$1.61 tax +$10.24 additional billed for no reason =$118.40) XXXXXXXX -returned phone for $34.99 plus tax and i was advised again by rep that the month would be pro-rated for the number of days i had the service which was only 6 days counting the day phone was disconnected per initial complaint. I am showing that they tried to bill another $11.26 but then that was credited i guess making that charge a wash so for the money that i paid the refund should be $46.51 ($34.99 +$2.80 tax +$8.07 pro-rated service for time phone in my possession +$.65 tax= $46.51) Also i am not seeing anything pending as far as the amounts being manually done on my credit card so i would like the dispute to remain open until that happens for the correct amounts due me which I don't believe are accurate based on their response. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/06/18) */ Even though her prorated refund including cancellation of service credits was verified with our acconting group. To settle the complaint, we refunded an additional $19.87 back to her card on file. We received an approval code from the credit card company and if she cannot find the refund on her statement for the account with the credit card company, we respectfully suggest she contact them. The difference in what we refunded and what she paid is the shipping and taxes. This concludes the refunds, and the account has been closed in our systems.

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