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Update:
- Judge David C. Godbey consolidated claims against AT&T in February 2022, less than a month after plaintiff Jill Witte filed a lawsuit.
- The judge consolidated Witte’s lawsuit with that of Steven Palumbo; Palumbo filed his complaint in August 2021 and later amended it in March 2022. AT&T and co-defendant DirecTV responded to the complaint later that same month.
- AT&T and DirecTV then filed a motion to compel arbitration for the consolidated class action lawsuit in April 2022.
- Judge Godbey dismissed the case without prejudice in March 2023.
- The suit alleged AT&T misled new customers by allegedly promising them reward cards the company either never sent or sent near or after their expiry date.
AT&T reward card class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: Jill Witte filed a class action lawsuit against AT&T Services, Inc. and DirecTV LLC.
- Why: Witte claims AT&T offers new customers reward cards for signing up that it either never mails or sends near or after they are set to expire.
- Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Texas federal court.
(Feb. 7, 2022)
AT&T misleads new customers by promising them reward cards that it either never mails or sends near or after they are set to expire, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Jill Witte claims AT&T uses the promise of a reward card, often worth between $100 to $400 and that expires after 150 days, to tempt new customers into signing up.
Witte claims AT&T either never sends the cards or “delays” doing so so that it won’t have to honor them.
“Rather than sending the card to new customers immediately after they contract and pay for their new AT&T services, AT&T either never sends the Reward Card or delays sending it such that new customer recipients don’t receive it until near or after the card’s short 150-day expiry period,” the class action lawsuit states.
Further, Witte alleges AT&T may also attempt to offer customers a lesser value card than they were originally promised.
Witte claims AT&T’s offer of a $150 reward card persuaded her into signing a contract with the company last year to receive bundled television and internet services.
While alleging she was told the reward card would arrive in the mail within six to eight weeks, Witte claims it never came during that time and that an AT&T representative eventually told her she was not eligible to receive it.
Witte claims AT&T ultimately agreed to send her a $50 reward card instead, which she says she did ultimately receive.
Monetary value of reward cards reduced by AT&T restrictions
Once activated, AT&T also places restrictions on the usage of the reward card, such as by freezing the card for an extended period of time if a threshold amount is spent.
“AT&T’s processes, limitations and restrictions on the Reward Cards and, therefore, their adverse impact that reduces the actual monetary value of the Reward Card to the prospective new customer, are not adequately disclosed at the time new customers are induced to enter into their contracts for bundled services with AT&T,” the class action lawsuit states.
Witte claims AT&T is guilty of negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment and in violation of Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Witte wants to represent a nationwide class and Florida subclass of AT&T customers who either never received their reward card, received it after it had already expired or were unable to activate it.
Plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and requesting declaratory and injunctive relief along with compensatory, special, treble and general damages for herself and all class members.
A similar class action lawsuit was filed against AT&T last year by a consumer in Florida who argued the company either never sent or sent nearly expired reward cards to new customers who switched to the provider.
Have you been promised a reward card for signing up with AT&T that you never received or were unable to activate? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by William B. Federman and John Charles Sherwood of Federman & Sherwood; Gary S. Graifman and Melissa R. Emert of Kantrowitz, Goldhamer & Graifman P.C.; and James M. Evangelista, David J. Worley, Kristi Stahnke McGregory and Hannah Drosky of Evangelista Worley, LLC.
The AT&T reward card class action lawsuit is Witte v. AT&T Services, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:22-cv-00274, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
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341 thoughts onAT&T class action over reward cards consolidated, dismissed
Oh wow… I am currently going through the same thing. I was offered (4) $200 Visa gift cards for the 4 new cellphone lines I started by the field rep. I was also offered a $100 Visa gift card for new service at our home. We paid the deposit yet nothing has come. This is extremely sketchy and I have to look into this more.
I attempted to use a virtual reward card on 2/28/2023. The card was declined at multiple online merchants, indicating it had already expired, even though the card clearly read “good thru 02/23”. The card customer service rep said they saw the declined transactions on 2/28, but that the card actually expired on February 1st, even though it clearly says on the card “good thru 02/23”. They said that the funds are sent back to AT&T after the card expires and there is nothing further they could do. There was no supervisor or point of escalation available with their company. She suggested that I contact AT&T.
I then contacted the AT&T Rewards Center, spoke with a first level rep, and a supervisor. The supervisor confirmed that they are aware that the cards state, good through a specific month but do not indicate the specific date. He said that some cards may expire at the beginning of the month shown on the card, but other cards with the same printed expiration date may expire at the end of the month. He agreed they should probably print the day of the month the card actually expires, as it has created confusion with other customers, as well. He agreed it is confusing, but unfortunately there was nothing he could do to re-issue or re-activate the card. This seems fraudulent to print an expiration date on the card when it actually expires a month earlier.
I was promised a 800 visa gift card never received it. They said I was going to receive it in two weeks.never received it. I was also told if I was to bundle the package I would save money. Got billed for three different amounts. They took out money out of my account that triple the amount I was told I paid. They took out money every three days. I talk to numerous people about the account and why I was getting money taken out of my account for service. They stated that they never received payments .went to their store with proof and they faxed it over to their billing department. Never got a reply and canceled the service. Now they turned me over to a debt company for collections . Worse customer service experience and won’t be doing business with this company.
This is what I’m going through, my offer letter clearly states my monthly payment for device and plan. They somehow took away my acp and have managed to double charge me each month for installment plan on my wireless. Every time I make payments I end up paying triple the amount due. It’s caused me a great deal of stress and out of pocket expenses
This is what I’m going through, my offer letter clearly states my monthly payment for device and plan. They somehow took away my acp and have managed to double charge me each month for installment plan on my wireless. Every time I make payments I end up paying triple the amount due. It’s caused me a great deal of stress and out of pocket expenses that have come to me paying a bill that continues to be overdue. I literally submit 2 to three payments a month trying to play catch up. Every time I’ve called they manage to end the call with me still submitting payments, leaving my bill understanding to be wrong and their right
I have several residential & several business accounts that each yearly contract promised gift cards of $300-$400 gift gifts for each account for each year of newly signed contract. I’ve NEVER been provided not 1.
I want to sue not only for that but also att is charging me for business services of internet and not providing the service. I’ve tried everything possible with wasteful contact to att customer service and they will never help you. I h e every bit of proof
Same issue happened to me in Louisiana. Signed up because of the rewards incentives advertised on the ATT.com website, never received the rewards. Called several times and was told they will only offer 2 of the 3 rewards that were applied when I checked out. Called and talked to several different agents in several different departments and they will not honor their end of the promotions that were applied upon purchase. AT&T are a bunch of sketchy scammers. Beware.
Never received $300 rewards for switching from Dish.
This happened to me too.
I was told I would get a 50 and 150 card. Got the 50 right away but am still fighting to get the 150. I was actually told last time that I was still getting and that she was going to take care of it and basically not to call back! Been over 2 weeks and still nothing.
Same issue, never received a card that I was promised , talked to a supervisor at the rewards center named Kylie, told thhe same song and dance, that to much time had passed even though I never recieved anything from them
I was promised a $200 gift card for signing up for Internet. I did back at end of July 2022. I was told by sales rep that I would get an email with the gift card info. I kept waiting for the email but it never came.
A few weeks ago I tried to research how to get my gift card. I could find nothing on my online account about it. Finally figured out I had to call the rewards center which is only has office hours M-F 8-5 and with my job I have no time to call during that time.
Finally found some time and called into Rewards Center and they were not helpful whatsoever. When I told them when my internet was installed they said I was passed the 120 days to request the rewards card and there was nothing they could do for me.
Rewards Center then transferred me to AT&T customer service. CS rep was very friendly and tried to help me out. But really all he was doing was trying to submit the request for the rewards card for me and it would not work for him. When he exhausted all his efforts, I asked to speak with a manager.
The manager called me back and was friendly but explained he did not have the budget to fix the money I was out. I get the feeling that he did not believe the Rewards Center people had done all they could.
The CS Manager transferred me over to their Loyalty department after I started threatening to cancel my service. The loyalty person was well trained and tried to assist but was limited in what she could do as well. They all claimed I probably got my email sent to spam but I told them I receive other AT&T emails. The loyalty person was trying to get me not to cancel service so she was able to initiate a $50 gift card and explained the process in detail on how it works. She also put a $75 credit on my bill. So as long as I get the $50 gift card then I am still out $75 from what I promised in the promo.
A week later I received the email to get the $50 gift card and it is just a BS process, I had to request the $50 gift card but now it has to be approved etc. it was a whole 5 step process. So I received the email this time from the rewards center without having to go spam box. I do not think I ever received the email for the $200 at all. I think somebody screwed something up and they are blaming me for not requesting it timely. I have already spent so much time just getting some of my money owed, I am afraid it would have taken so many more hours to escalate it any further to get my full amount I was promised.
This whole gift card promo may not be a full scam but it is shady. If you are promised in writing a gift card for signing up for the service then as soon as you sign up for the service and it is installed and paid for then gift card should be sent. Not this BS about having to request it. AT&T is counting on a certain percentage of people forgetting about the promo. And then AT&T is counting on a certain percentage not seeing the email (or in my case not even receiving the email) to initiate the gift card process. This whole process has soured me on doing any business in the future with AT&T.
My name is in this class action and I never heard anything about it even tho it’s all true I never got paid anything