Please help me obtain a $10 rebate for the purchase of a Southwestern Bell Freedom phone. I sent in the completed original rebate form, the 12-digit UPC from the bottom of the box and the original store receipt to the specified address Sept. 23. I do not have access to e-mail or the Internet to pursue this matter. More than 10 weeks have passed with no sign of my rebate. Any help you can give me will be appreciated. John Markis
Response: In the meantime, an additional 14 weeks have passed, and it appears you're going to be waiting forever. Southwestern Bell in Springfield, Mo., did not respond to either of our letters, the second sent certified, return receipt requested. It was received March 8.
We did go online and check the status of your rebate and, according to the Web site, the check was mailed Oct. 8. Is it possible that you received it and thought it was something else? If not, we suspect it is lost or was cashed by someone else.
Recent recalls
The following products, distributed nationwide and in Florida, were recalled between April 23 and 29:
59,400 ProSweep rechargeable cordless sweepers by L&N Sales and Marketing; the sweeper can overheat, posing a fire hazard. The ProSweep rechargeable cordless sweeper with rotating brush has a clear blue plastic housing and model number "EB005/52008" written on a silver-colored label on the bottom of the unit. They were sold on QVC television from Dec. 28 through Feb. 16 for between $36 and $40. Consumers will receive direct notification from QVC about the recall. Call toll-free 1-800-367-9444 between 8 a.m. and midnight daily.
3,900 TrojanUVMax water disinfection system by Trojan Technologies; some of the lamp pins used in these disinfection systems are improperly soldered and can cause the units to overheat, posing a fire hazard. The recalled TrojanUVMax system, designed for residential and light commercial application, uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water. Models included in the recall are D, D Plus, E, E Plus, F, F Plus, Pro 7 and 15. They were sold at water treatment dealers, plumbing stores and through direct sales from plumbers from August 2000 through April 2004 for between $500 and $1,500. Call toll-free 1-800-241-7923 for free repair or replacement.
88,000 LP and convertible gas water heater temperature controls by White-Rodgers, a division of Emerson Electric Co.; the gas water heater controls can open gradually instead of snapping open to full flow, which can cause soot to build up on the water heater burner, presenting a fire hazard. The temperature control, a small metal box above the access panel door of the gas water heater, has a white label with red lettering located on the right side of the control with one of the following model numbers: 37C55U 658, 37C57U 602, 37C72U 520, 37C72U 546, 37C72U 547, or 37C72U 548, and 37C72U 676. Recalled controls have metal stamped date codes 0240 to 0329 40th week of 2002 to 29th week of 2003 located below the label. Potentially affected gas water heaters include: AO Smith, Apollo, Crosley, Energysense, Freedom, Intertherm, Kenmore, Maytag, Mission, Myers, Penfield, President, Reliance, Sentry and State. Retail distributors and independent servicers have sold and/or installed water heaters with the controls from October 2002 through March 2004. Call toll-free 1-800-426-3579 to arrange for a qualified service technician to replace the recalled control free of charge; www.regcen.com/tempcontrolrecall
4,300 Majestic Vermont Castings fireplace remote receivers by CFM Corp.; the circuit board can overheat and catch fire, posing a burn and fire hazard. The remote receivers, model number ERX15 B, were sold with the HES40R and HES40 electric fireplaces/stoves and sold as accessory items for CFM DEF33/36, DEF36S2, Addision, DEF26 and HE32EF electric fireplaces and stoves. They were sold at fireplace retailers from November 2001 to February 2004 for about $70. Call toll-free 1-866-757-6649 between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays for free replacement; www.cfmcorp.com
Sources: SafetyAlerts at www.safetyalerts.com Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov toll-free 1-800-638-2772; Food and Drug Administration at www.fda.gov. USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, toll-free 1-800-535-4555; government food safety information at www.foodsafety.gov National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline, www.nhtsa.dot.gov/hotline toll-free 1-888-327-4236.
- Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, e-mail action@sptimes.com or call your Action number, 727 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.
We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.
We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
