As soon as I cried out for help, these kind folk at TheRiver seem to have come up with a smidgen of space! Thanks, friends! :))

				--Steve, 8:26p, Saturday 15 February 1997.

Recent correspondence gets truncated when I try to load this page. That is why you do not find your correspondence here, if you wrote to me recently.

I apologize! However I am trying to figure out what to do about this problem.

Might you be able to help?

Thanks!

				--Steve Langford, 8:15p, 15 February 1997

Correspondence to be found at other pages:

June 1997

May 1997

April 1997

March 1997

January 1997

December 1996

Mail received 10OCT96 to 13NOV96

My responses to mail received 10OCT96 to 13NOV96 
 

Date: Sat, 01 Feb 1997 00:58:01 -0500
From: Jerry A Green <graphyx@sprynet.com>>
Reply-To: graphyx@sprynet.com
Organization: Custom Solutions
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega Rebate Scam AND some IOMEGA  1-800 numbers!

"All of the rebates were mailed yesterday!" (without asking who I was or when I had mailed my rebate in)

"Due to the overwhelming number of responses we are a little backed up" ( yes it probably does take longer to write a check than it does to build a Zip drive...)

"We are very sorry, but that rebate program has been closed. We appreciate your business, but there is nothing that we can do. We are not responsible for lost mail."

On, and on, and on...

The next to the last call was on 12/30/96. I asked to speak with a supervisor. I explained the problem that I was experiencing and the run around that I had gone through. She then told me that if I had a copy of my original sales receipt and the bar codes from the packages, and if I could fax the information to her, that she would make sure that I would get my rebates.

It is now 1/31/97... No check. No STUFF!

Since there seems to be so many others out there suffering the same rebate woes (and technical woes), I am going to give you a gift: a few unlisted IOMEGA 1-800 numbers. There are actually people at the ends of these lines. Perhaps a bit uncooperative people, but people none the less.

Official IOMEGA Rebate Center: 1-800-818-9729

IOMEGA Corporate (I think): 1-800-777-6004

IOMEGA Tech department: 1-800-456-5522

Let IOMEGA pay for the phone calls!

P.S. I saw a notice prior to finding this site that said that IOMEGA has reported record earnings for the 4th quarter of 1996 ( could this be in part due to their hording of all of those rebate checks?) I am looking for the site with the information, but I think that the numbers were someting like $384 Million profit (reported on 1/28/97).

Let me know if you hear of any sock-it-to-'em sites.

[Hi, Jerry! : ))

You have the High Honor of kicking off correspondence here for February 1997! ;))

We all thank you for these 1.800 phone numbers that you have provided, which now appear on a

You will also now find at the start of that Home Page a link to related sites, some of which are quite definitely well described by your "sock-it-to-'em" phrase. : ))

Your experiences with iomega are much too familiar and echo those of too many other people whose agonies are also detailed at this site. Perhaps people should start telling iomega folk not to make any promises they can't keep! Such neglect of promises made amount to breaches of contract, IMHO.

I really do not mind good companies/corporations making lots of money. I merely regret it being at the expense of the very people they should be trying to keep happy, their own customers!

When that happens, I smell deceit, dishonesty, fraud, and illegality ... on top of a lack of ethics, morals, or the milk of human kindness, of course; I hasten to add (self-protection, 1st amendment, disclaimer, etc.) that those are merely my humble opinions. But I would love to have the chance to voice them in a court of law.

Thanks very much for your contributions to this site and to your fellow consumers, Jerry! --SL, 1 Feb 1997]

From: kayakers@iconn.net
X-Sender: kayakers@mailhost.iconn.net
Date: Sat, 01 Feb 1997 11:39:57 -0500
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
Subject: Re: Iomega Rip-off

Hey Steve! 

I checked out the posting on your page. I don't know how much you want to use, but I'm attaching

to which I attached my

(before I discovered your site and that being ripped off was part of Iomega's business plan!). . . .

[Well, I am publishing what you say, Karen, understanding that you are here exercising your 1st-Amendment rights, and are simply expressing an opinion. We must be very careful not to slander anybody, strong though our feelings may get, at this site. --SL, 1 Feb 1997]

. . . I would have worded it a little more strongly today.

I intend to write to Connecticut's Atty General, as well as the Attys General in Minnesota where Damark is located and the US Atty General. I also wrote to Damark today asking them for a return authorization and a refund for the Zip drive. I don't know what kind of an outfit Damark is, because this was my first purchase from them. [I hope you'll send me copies of those letters, too, Karen. --SL, 1 Feb 1997]

I received a letter in response to my posting adding to rip-off threads on the computer newsgroups. It was suggested that small claims court was an option. I don't know if I could do that from here, though. [I am not a lawyer and have never gone the small-claims route. However, I believe that there is power in numbers and that a class-action lawsuit would stand the greatest chance of affecting the greatest, positive change in our business climate. --SL, 1 Feb 1997]

At any rate, I'm prepared to take this a lot further than I have so far. It's now not just the $50; it's the principle of the thing! A company like Iomega should not be allowed to continue to do business in such a fraudulent manner. I wish there were enough of us to warrant a class action. A lawyer would have to believe that it would be worth his while to pursue it, though. Unfortunately with most lawyers it boils down to the bucks and not the principle involved. [I am greatly disappointed by the lack of response from very many lawyers to our common plight. In fact, I believe that this possible case does indeed hold promise of a highly lucrative action. {Maybe that will get somebody's attention. : )) } --SL, 1Feb 1997]

Thanks again for your page. It really helps to know that we're all in this together!

 

Karen
kayakers@iconn.net

[Hi, again, Karen! : ))

Yes, The River Internet Access Company is a good one. They have indeed expanded into Sierra Vista, where my wife and I once worked, when we lived in the same home we have now, just northwest of Tucson. I strongly support Tucson-based "TheRiver" and believe that they work hard to provide good service at a fair price. They also do public service by providing free Web space to some worthwhile projects, including one

I do hope that some of these letters you are sending out will do us all some good. Thanks again for doing your part to square away a very messy situation! We need all the publicly-spirited people we can get, to work on this one. --SL, 1 February 1997]

From: NJKip@aol.com
Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 15:49:00 -0500 (EST)
To: S@theriver.com
Subject: Your Web Site

Hi, Steve,

What you've done is brilliant. [Pshaw! You leave me speechless! Thanks. -- SL, 2 Feb 1997] This is just the kind of thing that is so great about the Web. I am a University instructor and a corporation communications seminar leader in NJ (located just outside of NYC). A lot of the courses I teach are about research, writing, technology and culture. I am going to encourage my students (some 600 students a week go through my classes) to visit your site because it is a superb example of a "power play" by one individual against a large and highly profitable corporation.

I am currently making my students in corporations and at the university aware of the AT & T scammers. What a nightmare they are. Don't get me started. Every week, however, I warn my students to stay away from them and never sign up for their so-called "Internet" service. If you saw NetGuide this month there is a letter in there advising people that with some of their 800 numbers you are charged for the call and technical assistance!

I would like to work with you in coming up with some ways to further wield the ax with Iomega. Personally, the reason I entered the search was to see if there was a site to go to where I could find out where my rebate was. I was entitled to $70 and they sent $20. So far after one letter: nothing. And I can see from their record there is likely to be nothing in the future. I intended to complain to the proper authorities and your site has made that very easy for me to do and for that I thank you profusely. [*snip* (Some private strategies are shared.) --SL, 2 Feb 1997]

 
I await your thoughts.

Cherie Kipple
[Address and phone number withheld as a courtesy --SL, 2 Feb 1997]
NJKip@aol.com    (for email)
ckipple@ix.netcom.com

Thanks for joining in the fight with such vigor! You and I certainly have much to discuss, and we seem to be off to a good start!! I look forward to our continuing efforts together!

I am really pleased to know you! You have insights, energies, contacts, and devotion ! Gee, this stuff can even be FUN! : )) --SL, 2 Feb 1997]

Date: Sun, 02 Feb 1997 00:57:28 -0700
From: Charles Guatney 
Subject: Fraud or incompetence--which is it?
To: s@TheRiver.com
Reply-to: guatneyc@CLUSTER.CWU.EDU
Organization: Central Washington University

You are right on!  [Takes one to know one?  ;)) --SL, 2 Feb 1997]

Two rebates have been pending since September, 1996. After innumerable contacts with various offices in the Iomega complex, and absolutely no effort at service, I conclude that only fraud or outright incompetence can account for such action on their part. Certainly none of the employees I have dealt with would meet minimal qualifications for the mental olympics.

The explanation that "there has been an unprecedented demand for product" is a poor cover story for an inadequate corporate response. This experience has taught me anew what I learned many years ago when first buying a used car from a shifty-eyed drunk who promised much and delivered little.

The Iomega organization is committing economic vandalism and theft as far as I am concerned and has invested in a considerable amount of bad press to compliment their stock.

 
Charles Guatney, Professor
Central Washington University
[Address withheld as a courtesy.  --SL, 2 Feb 1997]
Ellensburg.

You say that "only fraud or outright incompetence can account for such action on their part". I think that from the consumer's point of view, it makes little difference. In a court of law, attempting to prove criminal intent on iomega's part would be one avenue to explore, but there is also such a concept as criminal negligence, right? In these regards, please see the next item, just below.

If you should write to any authorities to detail your complaints, please send me copies! : )) --SL, 2 Feb 1997]

Two times, yesterday, well-intentioned colleagues (in this effort to set iomega and such American corporations on the right path) have sent me copyrighted stuff by email. I am sure that this happens all the time on the Internet, and I have myself been guilty of doing the same thing, from time to time.

However, I beg readers NOT to send me copyrighted materials, as it puts me in a very awkward position, in terms of just what I can and can not do with what I receive in such a manner.

In one of the cases mentioned, an URL (which I pronounce "Earl") was included, with which I was able to visit the site directly. Therefore, there was no real reason to take up disk space to send me what was already readily available on the Web and was in fact copyrighted. Perhaps we can all do each other the favor of sending only URLs, when that alone can accomplish what we desire.

However, the donor of the other materials sent me material which is of critical importance to our understanding of why iomega users are having so many problems with the rebate program, as well as of other matters. I asked that the materials be paraphrased and sent again, carrying proper attributions as to sources, but I have not again heard from the sender of those materials.

Now that I have rested and can face the task, I shall here post paraphrases of those materials, together with their sources. The donor of these materials shall remain anonymous, for the time being. [Whether or not I bear the status of being able to claim a reporter's duty to protect his sources from exposure remains an interesting question, probably yet to be resolved, in this new media we call the Web.]

. . . . .

From Financial World, December 16, 1996, "1997 investment Guide," p. 64, "Down the Up Market" by Debra Sparks, "Five stocks to short in 1997":

[The

is ... put into my own words. --SL, 2 Feb 1997]

[End of paraphrased article from Financial World. 2 Feb 1997]

. . . . .

This next item is from The Kansas City Star, January 16, 1997

This was evidently from "At Your Service" a column that seems to be routinely carried by that newspaper, whose address is given as:

	The Kansas City Star
	1729 Grand Blvd. 
	Kansas City
	MO 64108

The store, "out of . . . coupons," said it would send one by mail, when they were available.

Instead, a photocopy arrived as part of a form that said that the purchase date had to be between 1 July 1996 and 15 September 1996. "This date was not mentioned in the ad nor when I asked for the coupon," the writer said.

Later, yet another rebate coupon arrived, for what was evidently "a different rebate offer," to cover purchases made between 1 October 1996 and 31 January 1997.

"This leaves a 15-day window that my drive does not qualify for a rebate. I believe this is grossly unfair," said writer J.E. Leavenworth.

The writers of the newspaper column responded that iomega blamed the electronics store for not knowing that "the 'Hold Everything' rebate offer had been extended until Sept. 30" and that all rebates were to have met the 15 October deadline to be eligible.

Honoring this customer's good-faith expectations, iomega promised to honor the rebate as an exception, asking the customer to send the original receipt, the coupon, and the UPC codes in order for the claim to be processed.

. . . . .

The third item sent by this anonymous donor is from PC World, PCW Advocate section; "not sure what month (I think January or February)":

"Where's My Rebate?"

Eric Hompe, of Washington, D.C., wrote that in July 1996, for a $350 total, he bought an iomega Zip drive and disk pack from PC Connection and immediately mailed his rebate coupon, expecting to get a $70 rebate, a free wallet, and a disk caddy. After 3 months, he called iomega and was told that the check was "in the mail." He asked: " Is Iomega going to pay up?" The Editor responded that six people, including Hompe, had written; that Hompe's letter was sent to iomega; that senior manager of public relations Cory Maloy had said that a fulfillment company handling rebates was "deluged;" that rebates were now taking 4 - 6 weeks after being submitted; and that Hompe had reported receiving his rebate.

Dear Reader, now I [Langford] ask you:

	1. Does this sound all too familiar?  

	2. Should it be necessary for so many to go to such 
   	   great pains to receive that which they should have 
   	   received readily, in the first place?  

	3. Has a pattern of fraud yet been established?

Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1997 12:36:56 -0600
From: Rick Russell 
Reply-To: rickr@is.rice.edu
Organization: Rice University Information Systems
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega Site

In addition, there are third parties packaging Jaz drives who would have been happy to answer your questions -- APS Technologies (www.apstech.com) and Micronet (www.micronet.com) for example. If Iomega bothers you, move on the next company! That will send the message that Iomega needs to hear. [That is at least one of the ways to send the message that iomega needs to hear, I can agree. --SL, 3 Feb 1997]

Personally, I have an Iomega Jaz and I'm happy with it. I don't want or need Iomega's "customer service"; I can't imagine that their tech support staff would or could tell me anything I can't already find on the net or figure out on my own. [I am happy for you. --SL, 3 Feb 1997]

When I did have a problem, the vendor that I purchased the drive from took care of all the problems by replacing the affected drive. [Count yourself among the fortunate few, I think. It is pretty hard to quantify this stuff, from where I sit, and I admit that this site tends to attract more letters from people with problems than from those without any. Nonetheless, I sense a world of hurt, out there, due to iomega's lack of care for its own customers. It was time that somebody pointed this out to others, so I did; and , I shall continue to do so until the situation changes. . --SL, 3 Feb 1997]

The gripe against Iomega for not promptly processing rebates is legitimate. [Thank you. --SL, 3 Feb 1997] And while Iomega's tech support (or lack thereof) deserves criticism, the sensible course of action is to buy the competitor's product, not claim that Iomega should be somehow forced to provide free customer service. [You are certainly entitled to voice your opinion, but I happen to disagree. --SL, 3 Feb 1997]

Rick R.

[Thanks for writing, Rick! Your points of view have some merit (even though we are not in total agreement) and deserve to be displayed at this site. --SL, 3 Feb 1997]

From: "Terry Stokes" <Terre@Sprynet.com>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: What Else Their CROOKS TOO!
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 21:42:58 -0500
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal 

[It is

			iomega corporation
			1821 west iomega way
			Roy Utah 84067

This Company Sucks thats the best word I can find. I have never got through to them By phone . I gave up Months ago (6 to be exact) All I want Now Is my Rebate Which They Never Sent. I have Purchased Other products from other Companies offering rebates and have got them all BUT NOT IOMEGA!!!! I have sent e-mails Over and over with no response I even sent 1 to the Web Master He did get back to me said it was not his concern???? If you have Iomega's mailing address in Roy I would appreciate it .

["You asked for it, you got it!" {Was Toyota able to trademark that common phrase?} --SL, 4 Feb 1997]

 
				
				Pissed Off In Reading PA
				Terry Stokes    

 
 
Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 12:52:18 -0800
From: "cook,es" <escook@valinet.com>
Reply-To: escook@valinet.com
Organization: esc assoc
To: support@iomega.com
CC: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Your -REBATE- policy

Gentlemen:
I, and a few associates, are about to visit a computer show, aka
" flea market " in the east, -and- I wanted to verify the position
Iomega presently taks on what I know to be its -Rebate- promotion
effort. 
We intend to purchase a sizeable quantity of 
-- 

÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
US Mail = Ed Cook, 16 Sunrise Ave., Deerfield, Ma., 01342, USA
Email   = "mailto:escook@valinet.com"   
Visit 1 = "http://www-dsed.llnl.gov/documents/tests/email.html"
           ... check out your Email capability at LLNL ... for free
Visit 2 = "http://www-dsed.llnl.gov/documents/WWWtest.html"
           ... check out your BROWSER graphics capability ...  -MORE-
Visit 3 = "http://www.nosc.mil/planet_earth/images.html"   
           ... -LINKS- to Web page graphics, maps, sat'lt imagery, etc
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

*** END   OF FIRST  EMAIL FROM ED COOK, THIS DATE ***
 

"Good luck!

"I suspect that sending to that support@iomega.com address will result either in no response or a boilerplate response that does not touch upon your question. If I am wrong on that, please tell me so!

"You might do better to call some of the toll-free numbers given at my

Web site. You have just given me the excuse to check out the 3 1.800 numbers posted at that site. The first requires a pin number, somebody at the second answered:

'Good morning, Iomega!' (Surprised me!)

and third has twice been busy. I suggest that you try 1-800-777-6004.

"Best wishes!

 

                                        "Steve Langford"] 

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 13:10:34 -0800
From: "cook,es" <escook@valinet.com>
Reply-To: escook@valinet.com
Organization: esc assoc
To: support@iomega.com
CC: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: After market support

Gentlemen:

I see reports of :

     . poor upgrade support ... sftwr
     . wont honor " Rebates " 
     . poor to non_existant tech support ... phone/Web site/FTP ....
       you name it .  

At this " moment " I am un_certain of : 

     . your continued existance ... I dont intend to get "orphaned"
     . your support quality
     . the actual "goodness" of the Jazz drive itself 

If you still want me++ as a customer .. please respond, your stationery, US Mail, at your earliest convenience. I++ do not intend to wait too long for your reply.

				    
At the risk of repeating myself ..your [_response_] on your [_stationery_]
and via US Mail. 

I look forward to your reply.

-- 
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷
US Mail = Ed Cook, 16 Sunrise Ave., Deerfield, Ma., 01342, USA
Email   = "mailto:escook@valinet.com"   
÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

I might be wrong, but I seriously doubt that iomega will send you any advance guarantees as to their rebate policies. To do so would be to admit that such assurances are needed, whereas none should be needed for any rebate program advertised in this nation, IMHO.

Even if they do offer you the assurances you seek, if you should happen to need customer support from iomega, there is not a high likelihood that such support would be given in any way freely -- unless there are changes of iomega policy that I ignore to date. And, there is no guarantee that they will treat your rebate claim any better than those of others to whom they offer no extra assurances, based upon my reading as to how these people are doing business to this day.

Nonetheless, trying to get some sort of promise from iomega before buying from them seems like a good idea, based upon most of the rest of my mail on rebate and service issues related to iomega.

I would be very happy to start hearing more from people who are actually receiving reasonable service from iomega as well as rebates in a timely and hassle-free way. That would validate my efforts and those of others who are working to square away this sad situation.

Thank you for your interesting and commendable approach to the problems presented to you and other computer users, by iomega and other American corporations who treat their customers so shabbily. Please let me know if anything positive results from your efforts! --SL, 4 Feb 1997]

[Sigh, no sooner did I get these answered than I received another one from Ed Cook to iomega, which is now where the other two should have been put in the first place! :)) --SL, 4 Feb 1997, and fading]

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 14:48:14 -0800
From: Mark Warrick <mark@credo.net>
Reply-To: mark@credo.net
Organization: Credo Computer Systems, Inc. (http://www.credo.net)
To: info@iomega.com
CC: smcguire@capitalnet.com, s@TheRiver.com
Subject: [Fwd: Re: Warning: Don't buy IOMEGA disk products !] 

Sean,

I read through a little bit of the problem you are having. I, too, have encountered the "click-click" (http://www.capitalnet.com/~smcguire/zipnoise.wav) sound. I assumed I had the problem because the file size (29MB) was too large and because I don't have a SCSI accelerator card for the zip drive, the drive simply couldn't read fast enough and transfer enough data to work. I solved the problem by copying the file to my local hard disk and opening it there.

My computer is a Pentium Pro 200 w/128 MB RAM running Windows 95. I assume that a slower processor, slower bus speed, and less RAM would intensify the problem, and I believe that purchasing the accelerator card which IOMEGA sells would solve the problem, although I haven't been annoyed enough yet to try it.

Ignoring customers is just plain wrong. I sympathize with you two.

 
-- 
Mark Warrick, Senior Web Design Consultant
Credo Computer Systems, Inc.
mark@credo.net
http://www.credo.net

[Hi, Mark!  :)) 

I do hope that you do not run into any major problems with your system. --SL, 4 Feb 1997] . . . . .

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Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 14:46:24 -0700
To: b.dajao@computer.org, Javascript <javascript@apollo.inquiry.com>
From: Machin <machin@mindspring.com>
Subject: Re: Warning: Don't buy IOMEGA disk products !
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At 01:29 PM 2/4/97 -0800, Ben Dajao wrote:  . . . 

Hello to all, 

I paid US$520.00 + US$130.00 for cartridge. Then I end up now, nothing.

They will even get your money (US$20) for just simple technical support by phone.

If you don't want to loose money too, don't do it.

Jazz, Ditto and Zip drives are now displayed in Egghead, Costco, CompUSA & other shops.

Think thrice before doing it.

Don't tell i did not warn you.

Thank you for listening.

Ben

San Francisco, CA

Been there, did that, got pissed. Oh well.

Chris

 
machin@mindspring.com
machin@geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/2052/PRE>
 
 
From: 74431.2600@compuserve.com
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 21:32:24 -0500 (EST)
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Chisel my name into the memorial

Dear Steve,

 

Curt E. Bixel
Hilliard High School
Hilliard Ohio 

Date: Tue, 04 Feb 1997 22:36:13 -0800
From: Tim Simmons <timsim@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: timsim@earthlink.net
X-Sender: Tim Simmons <timsim@earthlink.net> (Unverified)
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega Rebate 

Heres my story:

I purchased a zip drive on July 4, 1996 and sent my rebate information around the middle of august (my egghead store did not have the coupons right away).

I have since called the 800 number I received from egghead to check on my rebate. I called the first time around the beginning of November and was told by a woman (didn't keep any names) that I would recieve my rebate within two weeks.

I then called back three weeks later and spoke to another woman (not quite as nice as the first) and told her what I was told. I gave her the name of the woman I spoke to the first time(I had it then) and was told that she didn't work their anymore. She said the first woman should not have gave me a time frame as they were swamped from the 250,000 rebates they have received. (250,000 X 199.00 = 49,750,000 that's a pretty penny!)

Anyways I was told It would be awhile she told me to wait another month. So, I did not call back, but exactly two weeks before christmas (Dec. 10, 1996) Iomega called and spoke to my roommate and said I would get my check in two weeks, (that's why I remember it so well!, nice Christmas present)

Well Christmas came and went and no check so I called AGAIN around Jan 20, 1997 and was told they had sent my check and it was returned to them on Dec 3rd 1996. He told me that he could request it be sent out again but would take two to three weeks.(now where did I here that before).

Well after reflection a few things seem pretty funny

1. My check was returned to them on Dec. 3 but I was called on the 10th and told to expect it in two weeks.

2. The reason I was told the check was returned was that they had my city as Fresno, CA and a zip like 93702......My City and Zip is Clovis 93612 and on my copy of the rebate it is correct and in my phone calls I've never mentioned Fresno or that Zip Code. In fact almost every time I called they verified my address.

Well sorry I rambled so much but as you can see this has gone on for half a year.

I hope you do get Iomega to at least acknowledge their problems and not try to make everyone else seem foolish.

 

Tim Simmons
timsim@earthlink.net 

Thanks for writing! I hope that somehow you get the rebate that is coming to you. Maybe it is time to start billing them for interest! --SL, 5 Feb 1997]

Date: Thu, 06 Feb 97 14:32:28 0500
From: Denny Ulmer <mn0998dt@edu.gte.net>
Organization: Bemidji Regional Interdistrict Council (BRIC)
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Thank you for having this site
X-Url: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

Steve: 

Yes, your site was helpful!

Thanks! Stay warm - it's still winter here!!!

EJV

[Hi, Denny! :)) I see that you are quite near the source of the Mississippi River! That must be very interesting country.

I am gratified to know that it was not difficult for you to find my site.

I am not sure that iomega corporation is willing to satisfy either me or the rest of their hurting users. I just hope that those who have much invested in their zip- and jaz-drive approaches to saving their work will not be left in the lurch, should iomega happen to decide that it is just too much trouble to stay in business.

I guess there will could lots of money to be made by people willing to support products that their own manufacturers and vendors won't support! I could be wrong on this, of course. Maybe users will transfer their data to the latest media and just trash their iomega (and other such) products -- within the next few months, for all I know! I can not afford to do that, though. I suspect that there are at least a few others in my predicament as well.

What I really hope is that iomega will start to treat their users more reasonably. That alone would make these efforts worthwhile.

Thanks for writing! --SL, 6 February 1997]

Date: Thu, 06 Feb 1997 22:29:19 -0800
From: Robert Holloway <roberth@ntanet.net>
Reply-To: roberth@ntanet.net
Organization: Nevada Technical Associates, Inc.
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega and rebates

Steve:

I am taking the liberty of breaking long paragraphs into shorter ones, to make responses more easily read. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

I have looked at your web page and would like to comment on it. [Having already read what you say, I can say that I am pleased to hear from you! :)) --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

I sell Zip drives and have sold large numbers of them under the rebate program, probably hundreds. I have had not one complaint from a customer not receiving a rebate. [This does not seem exactly to match what you say below, which see. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

There may well be some who have not, since they would in most cases realize that it is not my responsibility to fix any problem. [Perhaps an argument against your position could be made here:

In Connecticut, as I understand things, you (the vendor) would be forced to deliver the rebate at the time of purchase. I believe that such laws, if applied throughout the land, would have provided an up-front solution to so many people's rebate problems. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

Yet I think that if a large percentage of the customers were not receiving the rebate, many of them would be complaining to me, especially those who bought last July and August. I can only conclude that for the most part, the rebates are being paid. [I have no way, short of a court order forcing iomega to divulge such data, to assess such missing data. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

I estimate that in the last six months, at least a million Zips have been sold under the rebate program and if even half of those asked for rebates, it is an enormous work load. My son submitted his rebate form in October and has not yet been paid, but since I know the large numbers involved, I am not too concerned about it. [When one offers rebates as an incentive to buy, one assumes a moral, ethical, and legal obligation to fulfill the rebate promise/s. Any company with the financial resources that iomega has amassed can afford to invest in better public relations than iomega has chosen to do, IMHO. --SL, 7 Jan 1997]

-- 

     Robert Holloway
     Nevada Technical Associates, Inc.
     Phone 1-702-564-2798, Fax 1-702-558-7672
     Web page address: http://www.ntanet.net/nta/iomega.html

. . . . .

Date: Thu, 06 Feb 1997 23:11:13 -0800
From: Robert Holloway <roberth@ntanet.net>
Reply-To: roberth@ntanet.net
Organization: Nevada Technical Associates, Inc.
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega, Zip and Jaz 

Steve and others: 

But first let me address some other points. I also own and use a Zip and my son has two Zips and a Jaz. We have not had any trouble with them and actually my internal Zip works wonderfully well, being so much faster than a floppy. [The only problems I have had with my single, parallel-port Zip drive was with one very-overworked Zip disk, which crashed. I am happy with the unit. But I disdain companies that get rich at the expense of their customers, which is what iomega seems to be doing by not fully honoring its rebates and by not gearing up technical support that matches the needs of all its customers. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

But the point I want to stress is that I have been selling substantial numbers of these products for about a year and the return rate is very low. Almost all of the customers are satisfied with the products. I do accept returns and replace any defective items at no cost within the first 30 days after purchase. The Zip is almost bullet proof in that respect. Returns for the Zip are extremely low, almost zero. [I am highly impressed by the technical expertise displayed by iomega in its design and manufacture of Zip drives as well as by the remarkable advances the Zip brought to the world of mass storage. I am also impressed by your calm expression of your own experiences, in these regards. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

The Jaz has a greater defect rate, but it is still not unreasonable. Also, in six months, I have had only one customer complain to me about the rebates. [I thought that you said that you had received no complaints about rebates. Are you separating here complaints from customers who bought Zip v. those who bought Jaz? In any case, your point is taken. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

I suspect that some are delayed and in fact my own son has been waiting for 3 months for his rebate. But it seems clear to me that most rebates are being paid. [I have no way to verify your impression, but I am pleased to hear of your experiences. There are always two sides to any story. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

The view that a company "owes" its customers free technical support is a strange one, and I don't think there is any legal basis for it.

[I don't think it strange at all. When one buys a product that is supposed to Plug-n-Play (whether or not that term is ever attached to the product in question), there should be no problem getting it up and running. Iomega products are supposed to be easy to install and to use.

If any such problem is encountered, users have a right to return the product and get their money back, no questions asked, within a 3-day period, in many if not all places in the USA. (I don't know whether that is state-by-state or federal law at work.)

However, installation of peripherals can take more than that 3-day period, so the pressure is on the user to resolve problems ASAP. Even a 30-day period can be unreasonable, when one discovers that one must pay for help to get a new product working and when the help one finally decides to pay for is virtually no help at all. The hidden cost to users of possible weeks of downtime due to insufficient support by manufacturers and vendors should be a recoverable cost, IMHO.

To discover (without having been told this before deciding to buy the product) that iomega or any other company is going to charge for help to get its product working in the first place, is a built-in, surprise cost that many customers (rightfully, IMHO) see as a matter of fraud.

Not only that, but the level of technical support, when one finally does reach an iomega technical person, seems to be below par, as you yourself have admitted. The impact of this combination of realities is that customers do not have the opportunity to return their merchandise to vendors like you within the above-mentioned, 3-day, buyer's remorse period, and they are then stuck with the question as to whether or not to invest further of their own efforts into trying to make the %(* thing work or whether to ask the vendor (possible a mail-order vendor) for an RMA that will permit the product's return.

Your letters state that you have personally encountered no such problems with iomega products, which I accept at face value. However, there are plenty of other writers to this site who have experienced problems that they have gone to great pains to detail. Were I a judge viewing the stark contrast between your story and theirs, I would not be able to assess the magnitude of the problem without demanding records from iomega. I do not pretend to be a judge, but I think that the phrase "Where there's smoke, there's fire!" probably is applicable in the current context. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

If a company chooses to provide "free" technical support, you still pay for it in the price of the product. Iomega could provide fee [free? --SL, 7 Feb 1997] technical support by increasing the price of their products by 10 or 20 dollars each, but do you really want that solution? [YES! I do and have already said so, elsewhere at this site. I believe that such is indeed the way for a company honestly to protect its users and to garner the monies needed to provide the kind of user-support services that are evidently now being demanded of but not supplied by iomega.

I grant you the right to maintain an attitude that sympathizes with iomega for having troubles keeping up with the demand for help from its many customers. But iomega has been able to manage the much-more-difficult problems related to manufacturing so many units of such a high-quality product (however, I must point out that some contributors to this site would argue that iomega units are not of high quality).

I believe that it is incumbent upon iomega to improve its customer-support services. I also believe that they could have done better in this arena from the start, concluding that the only reason they choose not to improve is due to the desire to improve their bottom line.

If it takes another $25 added to the price of the product, or even doing away entirely with rebate programs, in order to be able to afford to provide good service to all buyers of one's products, then I submit that such would be by far the more honest and honorable way to do business. It would avoid any possible appearance of fraud. A company doing business in such an improved manner could take much greater pride in its overall image than iomega can do today, IMHO. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

As a person who daily is involved with these products, I don't think there is any intent at fraud on the part of Iomega. [You may chalk it all up to poor management, if you like. I believe that you are being too charitable, here. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

I do think that any organization is likely to have trouble dealing with a half million rebates. A million rebates a year is almost three thousand per day. Can anyone reasonably expect that 99.9 % of those will be handled with no problems? If there are problems with 1%, then that is 30 problems (perhaps failures) per day. We are hearing from that 1% here in this folder. [I suspect that but a very few of the people having such troubles have or take the time to write to this site about them. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

I think that some of you are overreacting. [You are as entitled to that view as I am to mine that you are failing to appreciate the level of frustration among so many iomega users. --SL, 7 Feb 1997] And I say that as one who sometimes has to deal with Iomega technical support, and like you, I find it poor. But I also understand that when a product suddenly becomes immensely popular, it is not always easy to ramp up smoothly on all fronts.

[I think that we consumers have the right to expect better treatment from manufactures than so many have been getting from iomega and other manufacturers/vendors. I believe that it is time to fix a broken system, and I believe that this applies not only to iomega but across too much of the entire computer industry. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

-- 

     Robert Holloway
     Nevada Technical Associates, Inc.
     Phone 1-702-564-2798, Fax 1-702-558-7672
     Web page address: http://www.ntanet.net/nta/iomega.html

I am impressed by the graciousness with which you have made your arguments, for both of which (the arguments and your gentle approach) I sincerely thank you. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

X-Sender: mwitten@aye.net
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 12:40:58 -0500
To: s@theriver.com
From: mwitten <mwitten@bigfoot.com>
Subject: Iomega blues 

Mark Witten
Louisville, KY 

I look forward to hearing the REST of your story! ;)) --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

The following, handwritten note (postmarked 4 February 1997) was received 7 February 1997:

"Thank you for your efforts. I will keep you informed as to my status.

"I am interested in joining a class action effort if necessary.

 

				"Dallas"

Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 20:30:01 -0500 (EST)
X-Sender: hrayg@pop.penn.com
To: s@theriver.com
From: Ray Goetz <hrayg@penn.com>
Subject: Damn Iomega !!! 

I want to know how they documented just how many I bought when they don't even have the sales slip themselves. Well, I have coppies of my Discover card bill that shows itemized, just where, when, and how many I really did infact buy. (two zip drives and two ten packs of disks.) I wonder what they will say when the Attorney General and my attorney presents them with that, and their bill too. Please comment and answer with your recomendations! You may post this letter for all public access if you like.!!

Ray Goetz hrayg@penn.com

[Hi, Ray! :))

I also wonder what they will say when your attorney and "the Attorney General" (which one, btw?) present them with your Discover-Card, itemized billings. (Incidentally, I am in the habit of making copies of originals, when rebate programs insist on my sending originals. At least then I have copies of copies that I can send, to back up my position.)

I am flattered that you ask for my recommendations!

My recommendation is that you have your lawyer send a letter of demand to iomega corporation, specifying what damages you will accept to settle out of court; and, that you send copies of that letter to various attorneys general, Better Business Bureaus, Janet Reno (U.S. AG; find her addresses via link below), the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postmaster General, and any other authority that you or your lawyer can think of.

Of course, I offer this advice as a mere lay person, as I am no lawyer and do not pretend to be one.

Thanks for writing, Ray! Best wishes. --SL, 7 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 08 Feb 1997 03:40:53 -0500
From: Krista Wild <kwild@gsu.edu>
Reply-To: kwild@gsu.edu
Organization: Georgia State University
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: ZIPped off

Steve: 

I've been considering buying a Zip drive for a few months now--I almost went ahead and bought it a few times, but decided to keep gathering information before making the leap. I've been checking all the information sources I can find in an effort to find out whether the Zip drive would be a good way to back up my hard drive, and maybe be faster and easier to use than their Ditto drive (which a friend of mine had some memorable experiences with).

Unfortunately, Iomega's promotional materials raise more questions than they answer, and the box the drive comes in is suspiciously devoid of useful information--reads more like an ad than the ads do. It was perhaps this aspect of the marketing more than anything created my doubts--I wondered what they weren't telling me, and why.

Your web site (and, in particular, the posting from the "mom and pop computer store" owner, including Iomega's responses to his problems w/Zip) has convinced me that purchasing this product carries an unacceptable level of risk--to my data, my time, my money and my sanity. I originally was checking here tonight to find Iomega's phone number in order to ask them my questions and make the final purchasing decision. But now, not only will I not buy from Iomega, I also will post an Iomega warning to my graduate department mailing list.

Again, thank you very much for your efforts.

[Hi, Krista! :))

Of course, expressions of appreciation such as you have sent to me are extremely welcome! ;) You are very welcome, too!! I am pleased that my efforts have helped you to come to a difficult but cautious and (I believe) wise decision. Thank you for your highly supportive letter! --SL, 8 Feb 1997]

From: "Guess Who" <kevinb@coastalnet.com>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 10:56:34 -0500
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal 

I am running mine as a logical drive under windows 95. It seems to work very well like this.

I am a bit suprised to find out about the company.

Kevin Brady

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the world is a stage and We all get the beauty of the view.

[OK, Kevin! :))

Whatever works for you sounds great to me! Maybe others will want to try what you have done. If you want to give some instructions as to how to do that, I'll be happy to post them here . . . waiving responsibility for what happens, of course! ;))

Thanks for writing. --SL, 8 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 08 Feb 1997 18:53:12 -0500
From: traveler 
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Unhappy /w Iomega 

Situation, Not Cool.

thanks

bill

[You're welcome, bill! :))

If you did this by charge card, perhaps you could refuse to pay that bill, if they really offered you no help worth paying for and you can document that convincingly for your charge-card company.

Best wishes! --SL, 8 Feb 1997]

Errors-To: 
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 19:51:24 -0500
From: YA Singh MD 
Reply-To: yasingh@concentric.net
Organization: Y A Singh MD
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega

I am terrified to read that you need to "reformat the disk every few months" to ensure data integrity! Technically, it seems that it would be important only if you re-write over parts of data, frequently, thus fragmanting it. Is the data that is untouched for a long time in any danger? [I can not answer, except to say that all magnetic media need to be occasionally "refreshed.". All such media are also subject to the occasional loss of date due to cosmic radiations. I only quoted what a correspondent wrote to me and have no further knowledge on this point, I am sorry to say. --SL, 10 Feb 1997] The only problem I have at present is that the drive makes the whole system lock-up and become unresponsive for 1-4 minutes frequently, especially at the start of a protected disk. Today I thought of not using the port accellerator, or try version 5, I have ver4 at present. It is not a problem on an old 486, but the two new pentiums act this way. I would like your input on this. [Sorry, I am no expert on protected disks, port accelerators, or machines more recent than my 486DX2/66. --SL, 10 Feb 1997]

What I want to share is probably very prevalent. Since I sent the rebate coupons, by two separate peices of certified mail on 12/16/96, I have received a measly $20 check. I called and they say that I need to fill a separate coupon for each receipt - it was not in the instructions on the coupon. Now I am waiting for their letter to authorize me to send in additional coupons for the rest to the money since they already have all my receipts and box cut-outs. That was for one drive. They have no record of what I sent for the other drive and disks on a single receipt, which entitled me "$120 Value" in rebate and caddys etc. [This sounds all too familiar to me. --SL 10 Feb 1997]

I appreciate the time you are taking to start this action. However in a hurry to read most of the postings on your site, I missed the detail of problems you have had with Iomega. [My own problems pale in comparison to those of so many others, but if you spend more time chasing links at my site I am sure you can get all of my own gory details. --SL, 10 Feb 1997] I think there are many (approx 60%) who buy hardware and cannot follow simple directions. Such persons become a major burden on a company, and clog up the tech support. I am sure many nubies have bought the zip drive when they "Cannot find the reset button" or the parallel port. If people are going to venture installing something new on their computer, they sould be willing to spend some extra time to follow directions - play with different options availble - then call tech support. I believe Iomega should offer free tech support like any other major corp., but it may do so with some limits. [We agree. Defining what are reasonable limits may be a matter for the courts, I fear. Nobody else seems to be addressing these problems in anything like a cohesive fashion. Meanwhile, consumers get hurt. --SL, 10 Feb 1997] By the way, the directions that come with the drive are almost useless to solve even simple problems. [Agreed. It helps to have some experience when interpreting such "instructions.". --SL, 10 Feb 1997]

If it comes to join you in some legal action to get our rebates sraightened out, count me in - unless couple more phone calls will solve it for me. It is theirs, not my problem. I am not willing to waste too much time on this(They are probably betting that everyone else feels the same way, however...) unless it helps other customers, like what you are doing. If you want me to inform you of my status a month from now, please acknowledge this note. If you want me to post some "stuff" on my website temporarily, let me know how. I have 5MB available at present.

Y.A. Singh, M.D.

[Hi, Dr. Singh! :))

I might some day need to take you up on your kind offer of server space, but am not sure how temporary it would be. It might be smarter for me to convert some Web pages to ZIPped files for download, should the space pinch here make that necessary. It is not an immediate emergency, though. Anyway, thank you for that offer!

I shall be pleased to hear from you again, should you care to send me any further information! :))

Thank you for taking the time to write! --SL, 10 Feb 1997]

X-Sender: vijayr@cybernex.net
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 22:59:07 -0400
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: vijayr@gate.cybernex.net (Vijay Ramanujan)
Subject: Zip Drives, your page, etc.

First off, I am not a legal expert, but under what legal statute could Iomega be sued for fraud? Is there actual evidence of tampering with phone connections to milk the $15 fees out of customers? [The recent AOL over-subscription flap and involvement by a team of some twelve separate state attorneys general, acting in concert on behalf of consumers, is relevant to this context. Customers calling technical support long-distance and holding for long times might be analogous, but my original complaint of not being able to download Tools5.0 from the iomega site is more directly analogous to the AOL situation. One need not actively interfere with phone connections in order to create a situation that dissuades customers from getting the help that they need or the rebates that they have been promised. The concept of criminal negligence is of long standing, I believe. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

Secondly, I understand that this isn't the thrust of your complaint, but it seems to me that the root problem is that the Drives Don't Work.

[Actually, my own drive has worked quite well enough, I think; I have lost only one disk. Some writers to this site mention failure rates at levels of only 1% or 2%, which seems to me to be quite acceptable-- even remarkably good! However, claims on one side of the issue or the other are more easily made than substantiated with real data, I think. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

As soon as the data hits the drive, it becomes corrupted. [Some people do report such problems, though I have not had that experience myself. --SL, 11 Feb 1997] I plunked down $350 on a drive and disks, and now I am seriously considering buying an external hard drive on which to store all the data I am in danger of losing to this poor product. I have already lost over 100 Megs worth of data (thankfully, none irreplaceable) but have no other storage place left. [I deeply empathize with your problems, having been in such a situation. However, hard drives are now in the $1 per 10MB range, and their costs continue to fall. I strongly suggest that you invest in a multi-gigabyte HD. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

Have you considered launching an attempt to recall the products? [ No. --SL, 11 Feb 1997] If you haven't done so, I would be more than willing to chip in with what I can. [I appreciate your offer, but am not sure what to do with it. --SL, 11 Feb 1997] Perhaps a letter to the Consumer Union - which tracks complaints and attempts to force recalls - would do some good. Perhaps a lot of letters, or at least one letter with a list of names, would be better. [Would you like to pursue this yourself? I have too much to keep up with already without taking that one on as well. If you have the time and energy needed to pursue such an effort, I can at least point people in your direction. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

Once again - I thank you, as a customer, for doing something about this. I feel compelled to proselytize the evils of IOMEGA to all my computer using friends. [Vijay, Such a sense of compulsion keeps me at this onerous task. I just hope that these efforts produce some truly positive results. Sincere thanks for your good letter. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 12:25:27 -0800
From: Buddy Gardner 
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Bought a zip, got jipped! 
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/mailin.htm

[Thanks, I just added that to the growing list at

	http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

... just to get something to work. First I was told, it's fixed, we'll send you an updated version. I recieved it and it was the same thing that I had before. Then they said it would be posted on the WWW. It was. But it was only a scaled down version. It wasn't worth having. I called back, again to wait on hold for twenty five minutes, to tell them it wasn't right. Joe said that the new file on the net is for the JAZ drive, but the software is the same, filename jaz52w95.exe at their ftp, well it isn't there. What else could happen before I take this wonderfully useless machine back to where I bought it?

Wish me luck.

cooter@usit.net

[Hi, Buddy! :))

I'll pass, on speculating as to what else might go wrong, thanks! : |

But I do wish you luck.

Have you tried more recently to find the file that Joe mentioned? Maybe he put it on the FTP site a while after he mentioned it??

Thanks for writing, Buddy. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 15:29:04 -0500 (EST)
X-Sender: cooter@pop.usit.net
To: s@theriver.com
From: Buddy Gardner 
Subject: You will never believe!!! 

Here is the location of the new ZIP and JAZ updates as of Feb 11, 1997. If you give them enough hell, they will take your name and address and supposedly they will send you one by snail mail. GL :-) [Good show, Buddy! --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

http://www.iomega.com/product/jaz/promo/index.html - got it and it works!!!!!

Here is the number for the rebate!!!!!

1-800-818-9728 [This is now posted at my Home Page as well. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

I hope this will do you and three thousand others a world of good, Steve, you are godsent. Give 'em hell boyz!!!!!1

Buddy

[Well, Buddy,

I am a far cry from any god or God, ;) , but I am very pleased to see that things have gone well for you, for a change, with iomega. Could it be that they really are getting their act together?

Wouldn't that be GREAT!?? Thanks for sharing this good news. --SL, 11 Feb 1997]

Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 09:42:39 -0700 (MST)
From: Noreen Reist <reist@lamar.ColoState.EDU>
To: s@theriver.com
Subject: iomega 

I just wanted to thank you for the phone numbers posted on your iomega boycot web page. I don't know if it'll actually get me my rebate, but at least I got to talk to a person rather than a machine! Thanks.

Noreen

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Noreen Reist			    Phone:   (970)491-5882 
Dept. of Anatomy & Neurobiology	    FAX:     (970)491-7907 
Colorado State University		    e-mail   Reist@lamar.colostate.edu
Fort Collins, CO  80523
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am pleased to know that the site is helping some people. Thank you for taking the time to share this good news!

Happy Valentine's Day! :)) --SL, 13 Feb 1997]

Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 21:13:36 -0500
From: John Palmer <jpalmer@pobox.com>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: I*mega

John
jpalmer@pobox.com

[Hi, John! :))

Thanks for the kind words.

Sorry, but I just have never been into password-protecting drives or files. Maybe a reader of this will be able to offer you some help. Best wishes and thanks for writing, John. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

From: [Anonymous; name withheld by request.  
		--SL, 14 Feb 1997]
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 13:29:27 -0500 (EST)
To: s@theriver.com
Subject: Needing a bit of advice.

I was wondering if you could advise me on exactly the steps you have taken. [At

	http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

	
	"Preliminary Legal Action I have taken."

	http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/azatygen.htm

	"complaint" 

TO THIS DAY (FEB 14, 1997) I still do not have a working computer. In fact, The company that sold the computer has it right now for the umpteenth time, as i write you. They refuse to return my money or replace the system. I perfer the return of my money since I have seen no sign of them actually resolving the defective system - hence every thing in it has been replaced atleast three times to seven times.

Basically, it took me TEN/ELEVEN MONTHS (IN July 96 - August 96) to get them to issue a RMA for the defective motherboard (which I told them it was defective ten months prior to that. Ever Since receiving the computer things have gone wrong Some parts I had to replace because they never would return phone calls and I could not get through to them until FEB/Mar 96 to get this companies attention. They sold me a defective faulty nonworking computer system, To date still they refused to omitt the system was defective. Since Sept 1996 I have had one RMA # after the other... nothing is resolved yet.. They have claimed outragous things... They have ignored my calls (not returning my calls), claming I never spoke with them yet I have outragaous phone bills for proof and phone bills still coming in and going on to them. For one year and eight months - calls to this company and to manufacture companies that I was told to call as per the computer company I purchased the computer.

This system I purchased from them cost a pretty penny to the tune of $7300.00 plus.

This is not including cards that I had to get from other sources (which if you are wondering these extra cards did not cause a thing, hence the system didn't work before I got the cards. The first three things to go were: Hard drive Power supply, and the Computer case Shell Fell apart --amazing.) The computer system has not worked properly since day one. [I have to wonder why you did not return it as soon as you discovered it had problems. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

Seriously faulty and defective and very unstable -- ( notepad would not run in this computer most of the time -- basically RESET worked if it worked and that was about it ) ....and now they say my warrenty is up - I ask:HOW DO YOU LOSE A WARRANTY ON A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER SYSTEM, A System that has been DEFECTIVE SINCE THE DAY IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BOX -- HOW???? However, they claim after this so called fix they are doing as I write (which has been going on since beginning of Jan97, That they will not honor another RMA if i get it back STILL DEFECTIVE -- yet it took a year to get there a attention for them to even issue a complete system return.

In the beginning until now and still, I made phone call after phone call, to sales, tech support all i got was the run arround.. most of the time voice mail of which no one returned my calls. [Did you buy on a credit card? If so, you could have refused the charges and asked the card company to do battle on your behalf. --SL, 14 February 1997]

Durning the first eleven months, I had to hire in house professional tech support guy to perform their ridculous task procedures; as per the this computer company and we (I and the my tech) had to repeatedly perform these task over and over and over again for nine/ten month, complying with every thing they ask and being very patience for those months UNTIL enough was enough. They would not even issue a Task Number for ref. (I was told: "we do not issue task number," "youcan't run a business with one computer." "from my heart I know you right but there is nothing I can do, I have to do what my company tell me." "...." Then, ten months later finally i was issued a RMA # the beginning of many RMA #'s to be issued hence .

My expenses range == around 2800.00 plus for cost and expense to trouble shoot a problem that did not belong to me. Not to mention I have had to put a business venture on hold for eighteen months and I have had to post pone my education / school all of which I puchased the computer to used for. [I empathize strongly with you, here! -SL, 14 Feb 1997]

Any way, it is such a long story (much much much more) because of the time involved ( Aug/Sept 95 to NOW 1997 = Feb 14/97 and still going.) that I will not bog you with more details. [I get the gist of it. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

I am in desperate need of any helpful info you can offer... HOW TOO's, What to do's, Where to look, Web sites to turn to, Keywords to use in searches (how to find out as much as I can.) Other sources to turn to: people, organization, email adress to write to. How to form class action suit and get others with the same problem I have to join in. I am not an expert when it comes to seaching around on the net so any helpful information - clues - links - sites - names to write.... WOULD REALLy be a big help and so much appreciated. I would like satisfaction and results solved -- I saw you post in the computer newsgroup and so I visited your site and pages.

[I do not know where else on the Web there are pages related to your problems that I have not already listed at

	http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

Thanks again for taking the time to read this.

PS

By the way I just bought a Iomega Zip 100 and I found out by calling Iomega that there was a sales promotions -- we'll see if I get my rebate... also I have installed the imoega but have only begun to read the help files- so i haven't actually use it or tried to use it... I have 30 days to return it as the store I got it from... Any way I called tech to ask a simple question if I needed two tools and two software programs for two seperate computers and this guy wanted to charge me $14.?? to answer a question related to buying more software if needed or not. [Too familiar a refrain. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

I'll give Iomega 25 days to return the rebate they have promised or I am returning the disk drive to the store from hence I got it... And If I had know Iomega was such a problem I would have never purchased their product to begin with... ( not like they are the only ones existing ) AND Since I have really majorly been screwed over by another computer company... I have been burned (but still plan to really fight back) so therefore It will not be so easy for a nother company to burn me again. [Old Pennsylvania Dutch saying:

"Too soon old, too late smart!"

[Identity withheld by request. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please do not include my name if you plan to post this or a portion of it. [I can not afford the time to edit portions out of what I receive. By and large, at this site you see what I have been sent, with the fewest number of changes possible. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

thanks much ( I have not spell checked this so please over look any mis-spellings)

[np --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

and Please Email [;) --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

HELP.

[Anonymous friend,

We are in the same boat with so many other computer users exactly because similar problems to those you have been experiencing have been around for too long, largely going uncorrected. The American consumer and people from around the world who have been buying American products have been taking it on the chin. This is true, IMHO, simply because the people in positions of authority to ensure that such events do not take place are asleep at the wheel or are looking in other directions.

I can not say whether the ongoing neglect of such problems is purposeful or not, on the part of authorities. Certainly, it seems to me, we are at the mercy of computer manufacturers and vendors, as things now stand. I guess that we shall remain in this situation until some lawyer/lawyers with enough gumption to face all of these related problems comes/come along.

On 5 July 1995 I FAXed a letter to Leading Edge Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts (I heard today that they are now out of business). In my letter, I threatened to bill them for something like 32 days of downtime, with interest, and for other costs, if they were not to fix my computer by C.O.B., Friday 7 July 1995.

I sent copies of my letter to the Massachusetts State Attorney General, the Boston Better Business Bureau, the United States Postmaster General, the Federal Trade Commission, and the local technical representatives for Leading Edge.

My computer was fixed on the afternoon of 7 July 1995.

Short of taking prompt and extremely forceful action such as I have just outlined, consumers stand little chance against obstinate companies such as those you are now encountering. One must get their attention. They know that most people can not afford to hire lawyers in order to right the wrongs, and the situation continues to worsen, it seems to me.

In my opinion as a lay person and not as a lawyer (I am not one), you should find out whether or not your credit card company can help you, even at this late date -- if you used a credit card. You should ask your homeowner's insurance company agent whether there is any possible help for you to recover any of your loses from your home policy, if you have one. In my (nonprofessional) opinion, such fraud entails theft.

You should consider submitting details of your problems to your state attorney general and to every authority who you think might actually be able to help you. Perhaps you should also hire an attorney.

I hope that some of this helps. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

02/0 7/9 7

 Mr. Stephen A. Langford
 9140 North Shadow Mountain Dr.
 Tucson Arizona 85737-6732 

I just visited your web page and wanted to leave a comment with you. I noticed that your email address is not listed, . . .

[There are many "pages" at my iomega-related Web site. My email address is plastered all over the site, for instance in the letterhead to the letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, right at the start of the site'e Home Page at

	http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

. . . and the "click here to leave a comment" link doesn't work, . . .

[I have even visited my Web site and clicked on the email link mentioned where I say:

"3. If you would like also to send me a copy of what you send to Ms. Kearsley, then please do so! You can either email it to me at s@TheRiver.com or FAX it to me at 520.297.0448 (also our voice phone number)."

{See, I am really not hiding from you! :)) The underscored part of that quote is the hotlink I used to send mail to myself, which worked.}

to send myself an email message. Therefore, without more-specific information from you, I can not probe this potential problem. However, I suspect that you gave up too quickly or that you were experiencing a problem with your browser.

One such problem can occur due to the use of a JAVA Applet that runs for the ICE chat tool (which you can find just above the first occurrence of "Do you" at that Home Page). One must click outside the chat tool to get things working correctly. This might account for the problems you experienced with email hotlinks, but does not account for your failing to find my address elsewhere. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

. . . so I decided to use old fashioned paper and toner. [At least THAT worked! ;) --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

The problems that you have had obtaining support for Iomega products is certainly nothing new or isolated to the Iomega corporation. [Agreed. But it is too common a problem and should no longer go ignored, IMHO. --SL, 14 Feb 1997] I believe that Iomega and many other companies are simply following Microsoft's lead. [You may be correct. --SL, 14 Feb 1997] Since Microsoft is a very large and powerful company in the computer industry, it casts a very long shadow. The simple fact that most Microsoft products are unsupported but still sell very well into both business and home markets, makes Iomega confident that they too can ignore their customers. [This may be true! But it does not make it right, ethical, moral, or even legal. I believe that a strong argument can be made that manufacturers and vendors have an implicit duty to ensure that the products that they sell work as advertised. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

The fact is that Iomega actually offers some on-line support via email and in the form of updated drivers puts them ahead of Microsoft which offers neither. [I am not sure that this is absolutely true. Microsoft does offer lots of free stuff, I think. --SL, 14 Feb 1997] Although Iomega's tech support lines are generally clogged, if you want to wait, you can eventually talk to a technician for free. A quick answer from a Microsoft tech about your new WindowsNT workstation software will cost you a cool $195.00 -- conveniently added to your phone bill. [This sounds as though you speak from very sad experience. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

My point here is that companies like Iomega will always try to get away with whatever the market leaders, like Microsoft are doing. [There are lots of rich criminals. That does not make criminality venerable. In my humble opinion, companies like Microsoft and Iomega should be setting impeccable standards of excellence in all arenas of user support. They and many others like them can afford to do so. That they continue to choose not to may, in fact, be criminal. However, such things must be tested in courts of law, until definitive case law is been established, I guess. Or, maybe a lawyer needs simply to pinpoint where existing laws are being broken and go after some culprits with fullest possible vigor!

Why have so many companies been allowed to get away with such stuff for so long?

At least you can put up a "I hate Iomega" web page - you could try that with Microsoft, but I would suggest that you retain a very good lawyer first. [Your suggestion that iomega does not have good lawyers is slanderous!

This did not start out to be an " I hate iomega" site. Instead, it is a site that has as a main purpose the discussion of important issues related to the abominable user support too often experienced by consumers of computer products. I hope that this site and my contributions to these discussions go far beyond mere statements of hate, though I believe that strong hatred is well deserved and quite appropriate, at times. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

Sincerely,

[Signature. --SL, 14 Feb 1997] James Booth

[Davison/Flint, Michigan. --SL, 14 Feb 1997]

X-Originally-To: <s@TheRiver.com>
From: "Terry Sutherland" <terrysutherland@zoo.co.uk>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: Iomega Customer Service
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 21:43:51 -0000
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal 

I am somewhat surprised at your page dealing with problems with Iomega in the US. I live in the Northwest of England and have recently (2 months ago) become an Iomega user after purchasing my Computer.

I am a proud and happy owner of a Zip Drive (Parallel) and an internal Ditto 2GB tape backup.

These items seem to be more expensive in the UK (Zip = £179 and Ditto = £129) and there is no rebate system.

However, I have had to call Iomega Cust Svcs only once due to a lack of passthrough facilities when using an HP Deskjet 820Cxi. They suggested installing a second parallel port and I found the sourcing of such an item infinitely more difficult than the customer service side.

As I said I am very pleased with my products and my company have now purchased an additional Zip drive for use at work.

Perhaps Iomega (USA) should look at the Iomega (UK) operation for inspiration - or maybe I just haven't had the hassles that their US customers have.

I feel Microsoft are a much worse company than any of the others I have come across !!!

Good luck with resolving your battles !

 

****************************************************************************
*
Terry Sutherland                                   
terrysutherland@zoo.co.uk
****************************************************************************
*

"No matter how much money a man can make his wife can always spend it faster"
       - Anon 

Well, maybe Europeans are simply more civilized. ;)

Maybe it is getting so crowded here that we'll all move to U.K.! Sigh.

Thanks for your kind wishes and for writing. --SL, 15 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 19:20:33 -0800
From: Kent Pomerinke <kentgp@lewiston.com>
To: s@TheRiver.com
CC: mail@mail-gw.fsr.net
Subject: Bernoulli disks
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

We do not have Java capabilities, so that is why we E-mailed you privately. What it is, is that our bernoulli drive has gone out again, only this time we are not going to fix it. Instead we are going to sell the four-150 meg disks for the Bernoulli drive. We were wondering if you have any contacts with anyone who might be interested. If you do know of someone please have them E-mail us at this location.

We are not happy with Iomega and there customer service either, and when I buy our next computer it will have no Iomega equipment on it.

Sincerely Yours;

Kent G. Pomerinke

P.S. An interesting note, at one point while my wife was trying to contact Iomega, the answering machine answered with this replay on tuesday at 2:00PM pacific standard time, and that was that they were open monday through friday 9:00AM to 5:00PM mountain time and to please call back during regular business hours.

[Hi, Kent, :))

I am pleased to provide this free advertising for your disks. However, I do not have time to ask all my email contacts whether or not they need your disks. I suggest that you advertise on various newsgroups.

Thank you for sharing your story and your views! --SL, 16 Feb 1997]

X-Sender: pz@mail.aros.net
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 07:32:56 -0700
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Patrick Zwick <pz@aros.net>
Subject: Crooks at Iomega
Cc: comments@iomega.com

X-Sender: pz@mail.aros.net
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 1997 07:49:51 -0700
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Patrick Zwick <pz@aros.net>
Cc: comments@iomega.com

[Hi, Patrick! :))

It must hurt for you to know that people even in Utah can treat others the way you have been treated.

Please feel free to provide a link to this site at your own. Note also the related sites at

	http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/related.htm

Thanks for writing! --SL, 16 Feb 1997]

Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 13:53:14 -0500
From: "Donald E. Wheeler" <donald_e_wheeler@ccmail.orl.mmc.com>
Organization: Procurement
To: s@theriver.com
Subject: Iomega Rebate
X-Url: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

I read you letter and I have a different complaint that I feel Iomega is getting away with.

This is the rebate promised hundreds of new users with their inviting promotion. I have stayed on them after they pursued the following history.

After 6 months of not hearing I called them about the rebate. Answer: They never received it.

A month later I called back and after leaving all the information they requested and they had no record of my claim.

Another month later I call and they can't find my calls or any record. Finally they find it and the supervisor says he will submit it.

2 weeks later I called and they denied my rebate offer.

After asking why they replied although I faxed my copy of the receipt showing the rebate coupon offers I did not send in the IPC labels. Can you imagine that! There are only one to box and it was already sent in June.

Called again and this time they said were going to honor my rebate per the manager.

I received a call from Iomega (surprise) to say that they would send my rebate and it would take 3 weeks to recieve my stuff and rebate check of $70 dollars.

It will be four weeks this Wednesday.

I am wondering if you have a number for the CEO of Iomega so I can call him direct.

I am also planning to send a letter to the Utah State Attorney.

I called the Florida State Attorney and they have no jurisdiction. Seems to me if this is a national fraud attempt to fleece all its customers out of the rebate they sure have made a tidy profit just by saying they never received the rebate information.

I would appreciate your comments since you seem to have had some less the reputable customer service.

Can I be the only one who did not get the rebate?

Sincerely

Donald E. Wheeler

Please reply to commtech@pig.net

Thanks

[Hi, Donald! :))

As you can see by searching for the word "rebate" at this and related pages of correspondence at this site, you are by no means the only person having such problems.

I think that it is sad that the AG of Florida claims no jurisdiction, and I wonder why such state AGs do not demand of iomega that they show why they should be allowed to do business in each state, when they treat customers as they do.

I wonder whether U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno also claims that she has no jurisdiction over iomega corporation! All I know for certain, along those lines, is that she has not bothered to respond to my letter.

No guarantee, but you might be able to reach iomega ceo kim edwards at 800-777-6004. That seems to be the main number for iomega. If you discover his actual extension, I shall be please to post it at this site, should you want to share it.

Yes, the rebate problems seem to me quite directly to indicate consumer fraud, but I am not an attorney, so know not exactly what to do about all this. Were I an attorney, though, I think that I would be considering whether or not lawsuits against state attorneys general, holding them personally liable for not doing their jobs, is not in order. At the same time, I would consider suing Janet Reno, as she seems to be doing nothing useful about all this.

Of course, things may be happening about which I know nothing, in these regards.

Donald, I sense from your letter that you would learn a lot by spending more time delving into the meat of my site.

Thanks for writing! -- SL, 18 Feb 1997]

From: "George Dummigan" <dummigan@nanaimo.ark.com>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: Iomega rebate offer.
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 23:07:46 -0800
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal

I must admit that I have had very little trouble with my Iomega Zip drive so I have not had to use their support line. The beef I have is with their marketing method using rebate offers that they do not honor.

I purchased my Zip drive in Sept. 1996 and have not received the rebate yet. I have Emailed and phoned them to no avail. "The check is in the mail". Where have I heard that before.

I have ask several of my co-workers and friends and I have yet to find anyone who has received a rebate. To add insult to injury they are still offering rebates. I would be glad to join your suit if it becomes necessary. At this point I am most interested in getting my rebate, but if the way they have handled the rebate offer is any indication of how they run the support line I imagine it is pretty poor.

Have you thought of trying to put a petition together and send it to Iomega? If you set up a page where people could add their name it might be an eye opener for Iomega. I am ready to boycott them.

George A. Dummigan

[Hi, George! :))

Your story is all too typical of those sent to this site.

Frankly, I don't think a petition is the way to go. This site and several others like it have many letters posted, which detail ongoing problems that iomega customers have with iomega. I think that it is quite probable that iomega monitors such Web sites rather closely. Certainly, the existence of this site has been brought to their attention quite directly.

If these and other such complaints are not enough to shame iomega into treating its customers more humanely, my reading is that they simply do not care what their customers have to say about them. My opinion now is that only strong legal action will get their attention. One hope is that they do not go out of business and "skip town" before those with valid complaints gain satisfaction.

Another reason why I shy away from providing a mechanism for signing a petition at this site is that it is too easy for people to think that they have really made a difference by signing such a petition. It seems to me that much more powerful is a personally-signed letter of which copies are sent to various authorities together with requests for action by those authorities against iomega. Mail sent by USPS is even better than email is, I think. However, I understand that we all have time constraints.

If you disagree with my reasoning and nonetheless decide to start a petition of the kind you suggest, I shall be pleased to provide a link to it.

Please feel free to share your feelings about boycotting iomega! If we were to have a lawyer, we could collect funds for putting ads promoting the "iomega Boycott" in various newspapers around the world. As it is, all I can do is to suggest that such action might be quite appropriate.

Thanks for writing! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 00:42:59 -0800
From: Maestro <kkcoral@lynx.bc.ca>
Reply-To: kkcoral@lynx.bc.ca
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega Scam

Thanks.

[Maestro! :))

I didn't, but thanks to you, I do! :))

Thanks for this great suggestion, Maestro! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

To: s@theriver.com
Subject: Re: iomega ripp off
References: <199702180234.TAA05380@pantano.theriver.com>
X-Juno-Line-Breaks: 2-4,70-74
From: blumn@juno.com (Noreen  T Sankovich)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 10:28:24 EST

[Something went wrong somewhere, as this is the first I have seen of your story. I am breaking up what you sent into smaller paragraphs, for readability. --SL, 18 Feb 1997] On 10/5/96 I purchased 1 Iomega zip drive and a box of 6 discs from my local Sam's Wholesale Club. I was sucked in by the rebate offer in the display. We were in the process of putting a new computer system together, so we didn't use the zip right away, but we carefully put together all of the proper paperwork for the rebate. I mailed the envelope and marked my calendar for the approximate date of check return, and we also picked the carry case as our free item, and qualified for another free zip disc.

Since the form said it would take 6-8 weeks I forgot about it for a couple of months. When the date came up on my calendar I started to check the mail each day for a couple of weeks and nothing. I called iomega and was told to be patient, that they were slowly processing all of the rebates and that the case was on backorder, but that it would be soon.

Several more weeks passed and I called again. Same story, and on and on, until 2/17/97. Mind you, each one of these calls were time consuming due to the length of time I was placed on hold, and the gaps in time between questions by the person from iomega. On the 17th I had had enough, and I wanted answers from someone in charge.

I was slowly passed over to Rebecca, who informed me that the carry cases are still on backorder because they have yet to be manufactured, at which point I stated that they are available in every store across the country, and she said that they were not available to the promotion deal yet, only their dealers. Then I was told that there was no rebate in my name, that there never was one, and that they were not responsible for lost mail. [Excuse after excuse after excuse! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

I was about to be dismissed like an old thrown out tissue (during flu season), when I demanded to speak to her supervisor and she told me she was it, of course I didn't believe her so I told her that I wanted to talk to the person that signed her checks, she reluctantly told me the name Kimberly Diamond. When I asked her what state she was in I was informed that they were based in Missouri. Then she promptly hung up on me.

Of course I was furious, so I accessed their homepage and sent an e-mail to Kimberly Diamond, but it was returned with the statement that there was no such person there. So I did some web searching and found out that I wasn't alone in my problem. I learned that Kim Edwards was the president so I sent e-mail to him directly and to whoever else's name I could find at iomega. [This sounds like a good beginning! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

This morning I received form e-mail stating that I had to follow another format in order to sent any information to iomega. What is the use of their homepage e-mail? I will pursue those avenues later today. Since the 17th was a holiday, my Attorney Generals Office was closed, and I will be contacting them today. [Good! :)) --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

The point is that I purchased their product from a reputable store based on a Rebate Offer advertised nationwide. I followed their instruction, sent in the necessary paperwork and I should have had my rebate, etc several months ago.

In my 40 years, I have never been a victim of the US Postal service, until IOMEGA. How convenient for them that my first encounter with lost mail happened with my rebate form, even though my registration made it, and so did my order for my free case. I guess the mail must have special powers to split at will.

If these were all mailed at the same time, then this sounds like a smoking gun to me! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

I smell a scam, a corporate marketing ploy to erase the competition with promises of rebates that are random instead of automatic. So I wonder who cashed my rebate check, or what account it was funneled into???? Of course, since we had to send the original of everything with the rebate slip, they got us at the start and we didn't even know what hit us. So I think we ought to hit back. [Welcome to The Club! :)) --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

I have started sending e-mail to each store that carried iomega products and relaying my story and telling them where to access others. We can boycott iomega, but by informing the stores that display their rebate forms and displays, we could possible stop the spread to other trusting honest hard working Americans. [Good for you, Noreen! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

How sad for everyone that we were had. It's hard enough making choices of computer items, but when we have to question the validity of each offer before us, what's a person to do?

They have not only ripped us off for our rebates, but also for our trust in the corporate system. Shame on Iomega. Tell everyone, write everyone, including radio and TV shows about computers across the nation. Write to the stores, and corporate heads holding them responsible for the rebate offers they advertise in their stores if the companies back out of them. It's all false advertising, fraudulent marketing tactics, and immoral. They must be stopped.

Noreen Sankovich
blumn@juno.com

[Bravo, Noreen! :))

I have my hands more than full enough keeping up with this Web site, right now. But your suggestions make good sense, and I hope that people who can spare some time can follow all of your suggestions.

I suggest that you might want to make those suggestions also at various newsgroups, such as

	comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage
	comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc
	comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems
	comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
	comp.sys.mac.hardware.storage
	comp.sys.mac.hardware.misc
	comp.sys.mac.misc
	law.listserv.net-lawyers
	law.school.admin
	law.school.corps
	law.school.legal-prof
	misc.legal.computing

both at such newsgroups and in any other correspondence you may have. I see that there is another letter from you... --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

To: s@theriver.com
Subject: RE: Rebate Ripp Off
X-Juno-Line-Breaks: 0-1,5-6,15
From: blumn@juno.com (Noreen  T Sankovich)
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 11:06:56 EST

I spoke to my PA Attny Gen. Office and I suggested mail fraud, they gave me the # for Fed Mail Fraud, 1-800-654-8896, who in turn told me that there are 6 complaints against Iomega so far, and they gave me another # 1-800-372-8347 in Memphis, I left a message and am awaiting their call.

[GREAT, Noreen!

When I told them about how they split their information, some to be charted as received, like the cases orders or registration, from the rebates that were mysteriously lost in the postal system, they too were concerned about how Iomega can achieve such a thing, and blame the postal service, when obviously they are lying.

Anyway, I'm sure you've hear all this before. [NOPE! --SL, 18 Feb 1997] But just in case you didn't look at this angle, there it is. I also got a different name for the Utah Attny Gen Office Francine A. Giani is the current director listed in 1997 books. Please let me know if this is new or important info. Thanks, Noreen

[Noreen! You are WONDERFUL!

I am posting the following information today:

STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL OFFICES

http://www.imran.com/Consumers/AG_List.html

where I am surprised to find

Utah Division of Consumer Protection
Department of Commerce
160 E. 3rd South
P.O. Box 45802
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0802
(801) 530-6601

	Beth E. Kearsley
	Complaint Analyst
	Consumer Rights
	Office of the Attorney General
	State of Utah
	160 East 300 South
	Box 140872
	Salt Lake City
	Utah 84114-0872 

The important point here is that you have indeed provided some new information, which I shall try to apportion to other parts of this site as time permits. For now, I need to get this posted to the Web and to tell you and other recent contributors that their letters are now posted.

Thanks very much for your keen perceptions, righteous indignation, and strong actions, Noreen! Glad to count you among the many who are willing to fight when fight is called for. I do hope that your on-target actions will inspire still others to follow suit. --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

X-Sender: jays@randomc.com
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 15:50:33 -0500
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Jay Stewart <jays@randomc.com>
Subject: Iomega

I just happened to stumble across your webpage today after following a link from the "bug report". I too was highly displeased with Iomega.

Last year I bought a Backup800 from them. It worked for several weeks, then quit. I sent it off to them for repair, and it was gone for 4 months. Every time that I called, I was informed that it would ship "in several days". When I finally did get the drive back, it had the original problem fixed, but had developed yet another one!

At the same time, I was looking for a Windows NT version of the tape software. At Iomega's web site, it said "coming soon". I kept calling and calling and I was told the same thing. When I finally gave up was when I called and was informed that tech support would cost me! (In addition to the long distance charges!) I eventually sold the drive at a greatly reduced price to an enemy of mine. ["A man's greatness is measured by that of his enemies."E; --SL, Feb 1997]

Still, today there is no NT software. I work for MCI and we bought 6 of the Backpack3200's from them. In order to use these, we have to put a special Win95 machine on our network, as they *still* do not have NT specific software.

I personally will never buy from them again, and in any area where my opinion is asked, I will not give Iomega any recommendation for purchases. I feel they sold me an inferior product backed by even more inferior service.

My $.02

Joseph Stewart / MCI LAN support / http://www.randomc.com/~jays
(personal)mailto:jays@randomc.com
(work)mailto:joseph.stewart@exchange.mci.com
work phone(770)284-4872 / pager(800)724-3624 pin#1562205

Thank you for making your credentials so clear, by sharing for whom you work. This adds some real impact to your letter.

Perhaps your story will dissuade at least one other person from buying anything else from iomega. The longer this goes on, the more inclined I become to do everything I can to put these people out of business forever. I certainly did not start out with that goal when I started this site.

Thanks for writing! --SL, 18 Feb 1997]

X-Sender: kkcoral@pop.lynx.bc.ca
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 23:58:33 -0800
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
From: Maestro <kkcoral@lynx.bc.ca>
Subject: Re: Iomega Scam

[Thanks again, Maestro! :))

I hope we'll bring these folk up to snuff yet. --SL, 19 Feb 1997]

Comments: Authenticated sender is <pjk@fiber.net>
From: "Pete Kadish" <pjk@fiber.net>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 13:15:55 -0700
Subject: Another Iomega Complaint (Jazz Support or Lack Thereof)
X-Confirm-Reading-To: "Pete Kadish" <pjk@fiber.net>
X-pmrqc: 1
Return-receipt-to: "Pete Kadish" <pjk@fiber.net>
Priority: normal

Thanks for sharing your complaint to iomega! I have added Peggy Nelson's name and phone number to the Home Page. Every little bit helps!

Do I gather correctly that you are a police officer in Utah? Maybe you can find something real to cite iomega for.

Thanks for letting us know that you have done customer support for both WordPerfect and Novell, Pete. However, so far as what customers expect in customer service is expected, I think that companies owe their run-of-the-mill customers enough start-up support to get them going quickly. If they can not get going, they should easily be able to get their money back. Things just don't work that way any longer, most of the time, it seems -- and I think that's a shame.

I give up. There are just too many good points in your letter, and I don't have time to speak to them all. --SL, 20 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 01:06:38 -0500
From: Robert Mikesell <Mikesell@nauticom.net>
Reply-To: stu960085@gcc.edu
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Adobe

[Hi, Robert! :))

Thanks for sharing this nice story about your support from Adobe. It is good to hear that there are still companies out there that contrast so strongly with iomega in terms of customer support! --SL, 22 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 08:40:05 -0500
From: "Jeffrey P. LaPlante" <jpl6332@ritvax.isc.rit.edu>
Subject: Iomega Service
To: support@iomega.com
Cc: roysrus@vivanet.com, drn8937@ritvax.isc.rit.edu,
   "Philip C. LaPlante" <pclap@worldnet.att.net>, s@TheRiver.com
Reply-to: jpl6332@ritvax.isc.rit.edu

Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 09:51:37 -0800
From: quigan@vcol.net (Tom Quigan)
Organization: Edwards Realty Associates
To: S@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega rebate

-Tom

Thanks for your kind words! You are far from alone in having problems with iomega. You (and others) will find your letter at the above hotlink. Thanks for writing! --SL, 22 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 11:01:59 -0800
From: "James C. Mueller" <mueller@mueller.seanet.com>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Thanks for the Site, can we sue?

Jim Mueller

[Hi, Jim! :))

I closely empathize with your feelings, but I like the old saying that goes something like "You can sue anybody for anything, but can you collect?".

Do you know a lawyer who is ready to tackle a class-action lawsuit in these regards? Are you able to document what it has cost you, personally, in losses, due to iomega's negligence or whatever you want to call it?

So far, all I get is run-arounds on all fronts.

Thanks for writing! --SL, 22 Feb 1997]

Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 19:55:05 -0800
From: user <asiod@asu.uswest.net>
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
Subject: Re: Iomega
References: <199701231437.HAA11363@pantano.theriver.com>

[Hi, Carlos! :))

I guess I'll add a synopsis of this info to the, under the

passing it along without corroboration; I can make no guarantees that this number or information is correct.

If any reader verifies this information, please tell me.

Thanks for writing, Carlos! --SL, 22 Feb 1997]

From: "DSMITH" <oneway@ix.netcom.com>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: ZIP 100 Installation problems
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 20:16:38 -0700
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal

I recently purchased an external Zip 100 to backup financial records for my sign company. I was hoping this product would solve the problem of recording work on my home computer.

I purchased two SCSI's (from iomega) and installed one on the office computer without a hitch. When I attempted to install the second on my home computer, I kept getting the message that it could not find the tool disk in the drive.

Can it be that iomega constructed their software in such a manner as to render it incapable of performing a second install? This would be both diabolical and deceitful.

When I called their tech line, I was told to have my Visa, MC, AMEX or Discover card available to spend $14.95 (unless my device was found to be defective (by whose standards?)) in which case the call would be free.

The information I gathered at your website has been extremely valuable to me. I feel that the only way to deal with unresponsive suppliers is not buy from them. And make sure to tell others to do the same.

I will gather my receipts from CompUSA and return all the products I purchased and discuss this matter with the local store manager. If consumers bitch loud enough to the re-sellers, they will refuse to carry iomegas products, leaving them without a distribution network.

Thanks for not shrugging your shoulders and thinking that you cannot make a difference.

Regards, Larry Smith

[Hi, Larry! :))

You are welcome, Larry, BUT!

I want to be absolutely sure that when you got that message " . . . that it could not find the tool disk in the drive . . . " that you actually did have the zip-tools disk in the drive that you were trying to install. I do not mean to insult you, but it is very easy to ignore the obvious. You do not actually say that you had the zip-tools disk in the drive. (Please forgive me for being nitpicky [not in my dictionary] here. I want to be absolutely sure of what you experienced.) Also, you say:

I confess to having sometimes had such thoughts about iomega as well as about other companies. Such thoughts at times seem to be well justified. Still, I must ask:

Also, I wonder whether or not you could use your hardware redundancy to take the drive giving you problems to the other computer, so that you can discover whether or not it works directly in place of the one that installed OK. (I do not see why that test should not work, but I must stress that I am not an expert technician for iomega products; I do not know whether there are any tests to ensure that the drive first installed not be replaced by a different drive, without a new installation-procedure being demanded by the system.) If the second drive fails to work smoothly in place of the one that installed OK, that might well indicate that the second drive itself is bad.

Along the same lines, although you do not say whether or not you purchased iomega-SCSI-interface cards for each of your new SCSI drives, the problem on the machine at home might well lie in whatever is your SCSI-interface card in the home system. You might well take advantage of your hardware redundancies to find out whether the problem is actually with your SCSI interface.

IMHO, you should do such tests ASAP, so that you can go against the vendor for replacement part/s, if such move/s is/are indicated. (Ain't English fun?)

Also, I hope that all of your purchasing has been by charge card, because card companies can refuse to pay vendors until things are set straight. Most card companies bend over backwards to see their customers' sides of such disputes, I think. I have found them to be very helpful, through the years.

Although boycotting iomega may be a good idea in the first place, as a person who relies on yourself to install new computer equipment, you owe it to yourself to be sure that you have tried all of the obvious things that you can do for yourself, before giving up and calling a company (any company) for technical support or returning purchases to vendors.

I hope that some of my suggestions help you get your system up and running.

Should I be billing iomega for technical assistance that they should have given you free in the first place?

Thanks for writing, Larry! --SL, 23 Feb 1997]

X-Authentication-Warning: pobox.ee.mtu.edu: Host bumbletown.me.mtu.edu claimed to be CHUCKY
From: Charlie Vincent <crvincen@mtu.edu>
To: "'s@TheRiver.com'" <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: Iomega
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 02:19:40 -0500

[Hi, Charles! :))

Thank you for joining the iomega Boycott!

Unhappily, iomega is not the only place one typically waits long on the phone for tech support. If that were people's only gripe about iomega, I'd quickly set this project aside! It is their uncaring attitude I would change. It shows up in too many different ways, including those you have mentioned.

I hope that people will soon start telling me about how much iomega seems to care, these days, but I am not holding my breath! Thanks for writing. --SL, 24 Feb 1997]

Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 00:40:47 -0500
From: Scott <c-link@ix.netcom.com>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: iomega
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm

[Hi, Scott! :))

Thanks for your informative letter!

I am particularly interested both in your memory of good support fro