Scam or real? Received winback offer but they wouldn't put it in writing?

[poutine666]

So, after being with Fido for over a decade, a few days ago I cancelled service and ported my number.

This morning I got a call from someone claiming to be with Fido, asking if she could know why I cancelled.  I told her it was because I wanted a Canada-US plan offered by a competitor, and Fido did not offer one.

She then made me an attractive offer on a Canada-US plan.  When I asked her to send me the details in writing, she refused. I said "ok, thanks anyway" and we ended the call.  So, I called Fido to see if it was legit, and a nice customer service person told me that the only way to get anything in writing is to first agree to the offer, and wait for them to send you the contract.  Oh - and he could not offer me the same plan I was offered on the phone by the winback people. 

While I'm perfectly happy to pay money and get cellphone service,  this "accept-my-offer-RIGHT-NOW" winback business seems like amateur hour to me.  I would have taken the plan offered ($35/80G/Can-US) if I could have seen it in writing to be sure I wasn't being scammed.  

Are these winback offers real?  Is there any way a customer can confirm the legitimacy of an offer made by an anonymous peron who calls you two days after you cancel your Fido service?

Owen.

[Original_Lucy]

Hi @poutine666 , the offers are indeed real. The winback dept is contracted out for bringing back clients who have left Fido. The offers are made and you decide then and there or ask them to call you back after you think about it. You will get a call back if you reach an agreed time for another conversation. Once you accept, the conditions are confirmed and you will get an email to the agreed upon plan. If you say no, they will move on and will probably try you again in 3 months. the customer service representatives are correct in that they cannot access an offer you haven't accepte from the call back team. So, not a scam just a try to get you to come back to Fido

[poutine666]

Hello Lucy, and thanks for the reply. 

Re:

>>So, not a scam just a try to get you to come back to Fido

Seems like it might be both. I just searched for messages containing the words "winback" and "scam" in this very forum, and the results paint a surprising and disturbing picture. 

It seems to be a common occurrence  for the offers made verbally by the winback people to be, effectively, scams - in the sense that offers are made verbally that subsequently are not honoured by Fido's billing department. 

I would have accepted the plan offered to me if it had been made in writing, but now more than ever I am happy I didn't accept the verbal offer. 

Can anyone from Fido explain why a legitimate offer being made verbally to a customer could not be made in writing as well? 

Owen. 

[FidoNajat]

Hey @poutine666! Our Winback team has specific offers that our Customers Service representatives do not have access to. 

They are not able to send offers in writing, we simply do not have such a process available. Note that we do not send offers in writing for any activation (be it winback or not), but once you accept an offer, we can then send a service agreement that states the same features and conditions made orally. 

Also, note that you always have a 30-days buyer's remorse warranty, so you can always change your mind; although usually, Winback offers are hard to beat. 

We hope this clarifies. 🙂

[poutine666]

Hi Najat,

I asked whether anyone from Fido could explain why offers could not be put in writing.

You replied,

>>

They are not able to send offers in writing, we simply do not have such a process available. 

>>

That is not an explanation. It is just re-stating the situation. 

Thanks for your reply anyway.  I'm currently happy with my new cellphone provider and plan, and frankly relieved to be done with Fido and their scam-scented "winback" call-centres. 

Owen