Warning: Mobile Device Protection Association (MDPA) is a Scam

First off sorry but this is going to be long.

I bought my phone from Wire Fly back when the DX came out. I was offered insurance from this company through them and not knowing it wasn’t the same insurance that Version offered I bought it since I was a new Version customer.

So over the past weekend I lost my phone while riding my bike on some trails here. I make a claim knowing it’s a long weekend and I won’t hear from them until Tuesday. No big deal but I can’t be without a phone so I head over to my local VZ store and buy one outright figuring when I get my replacement phone I will just sell it and recoup some of my money. The guy at the store cuts me a sweet deal and I continue enjoying my weekend of golf and what not.

I wasn’t prepared for what follows. This is a copy and paste from my contact with this company.

Lost my phone last night. I need my phone replaced please. Thank You.

On 05/31/2011 @ 9:02 AM MDP wrote:Please provide details as to the how and where the loss of your cell phone occurred. Once this information is received, it will be forwarded to your Account Manager for processing.

On 06/01/2011 @ 6:37 PM you wrote:I lost the phone while riding my bicycle on some bike paths in xxxxxx.I had the phone in the pocket of my cargo pants. Once I noticed it was gone I tried to use the App Plan B to find it's GPS location on my PC. Going to that location I could not find it.

On 06/02/2011 @ 9:05 AM MDP wrote:We’re sorry to hear about your phone. You provided information on how and where your phone was lost, but please provide details as to WHEN the loss of your cell phone occurred. Once this information is received, it will be forwarded to your Account Manager for processing.

On 06/02/2011 @ 3:12 PM you wrote:It was lost 5/28/2011 around 10PMish. Not to be a jerk here but this information wasn't asked for in the first response or I would've provided it then.

On 06/02/2011 @ 3:13 PM MDP wrote:The additional information you have provided was received and has been forwarded to your Account Manager for processing. Please allow 24 hours for a reply.

On 06/03/2011 @ 1:33 PM MDP wrote: I'm sorry to inform you that your Request for Service (RFS) has been denied. A letter with further details has been forwarded to you via your email address of record.

(Reason of denial of claim)

This letter is in reference to the above captioned request for service (RFS). The loss was reported to our office on May 29, 2011.

As stated in your Request for Service: “I lost the phone while riding my bicycle on some bike paths in xxxxxx. I had the phone in the pocket of my cargo pants. Once I noticed it was gone.”

Therefore, the following exclusion applies to this request for service:

“UNSECURED AND NEGLIGENT LOSS”

MDPA requires that reasonable care and control be exercised at all times. Based on the above listed exclusion, we cannot consider this Request for Service for payment.

Should you have any questions, edited as not to give their contact info…

We regret any inconvenience you may have been caused.

Sincerely,

On 06/03/2011 @ 2:18 PM you wrote:You can't be real on this! How is having a phone in my pants pocket be "unsecured and negligent"? Just how do I carry my phone would you suggest? OK you guys got my first 90 bucks but I promise you you will not get another dollar out of my pocket! And you can bet I will not recommend your "service" to anyone I know. But I really want to know how I am to carry my phone?

On 06/03/2011 @ 2:48 PM MDP wrote:In accord with your request the MDPA Membership has been cancelled. A full refun of your Member Fee is forthcoming.

On 06/03/2011 @ 3:48 PM you wrote:You people take the cake! I don't see anywhere where I asked for cancellation of my contract and asked for a refund, which BTW is spelled wrong in your canned message!!! I want a phone with the insurance I paid for! My have brought this to the attention of my states attorney general office. I've printed all of this for their information. I ask again, where am I to carry my phone so as not to be "unsecured and negligent"?

I haven’t heard a thing out of them since. Of course after the fact I did a search on this company and this is SOP for them. Just do a search about them and the complaints are all over the web. One of the posts even had a person claiming to have once worked for them and this is how they handle every claim.

A few things here. First since I told them right off the bat I lost the phone why was even any need for these days of back and forth crap and just told at the start that I wasn’t getting a replacement because I lost it? Second why keep asking for more details with a 24 hour delay in each response? This company makes you log in to their web site to see if they have responded instead of sending you an email to tell to log for their response. They knew good and well they were not going to replace my phone and all they did was delay and drag it out.

So anyway that is my warning about this company. If anyone is insured by this company I would ask for that refund NOW because you will not be getting a replacement phone if/when you make a claim.

At this point I’m just going to laugh it off and make their life hell by posting this all over the web starting with my blog and any other web site like My 3 Cents that I feel like.

Oh lest you think this isn’t covered here is a copy and paste of the terms which they sent me with the denial email.

What is included? The entire phone and original electronic accessories provided in the phone box, not including aftermarket accessories purchased. The protected device and original accessories are covered up to the repair or replacement value or up the limit of liability, with no deductible. If a covered device cannot be repaired, MDPA will replace with the same or similar model if the same model is unavailable, at no additional cost, to the member up to the limit of liability depending on your membership plan. A police report may be requested for a lost or stolen cell phone.

What is excluded? The loss, real or perceived of data, time, financial opportunity, or any other consequence arising from the loss of the use of the wireless device, normal wear and tear, inventory shortage, dishonest or malicious acts, cosmetic damage (ex. marring, scratching), negligent loss (editor: their loop hole), liquid damage, pervasive corrosion, loss or unexplained disappearance or voluntary surrender to a third party, loss in a body of water, theft from an unattended premises or vehicle not reasonably secured, in transit either through postal or courier services, or incidences occurring outside the US or Canada are not included with this service.

(emphasis added)

There so much double talk here it makes my head spin. And before someone says you should have read the terms before you bought it, if you go read it it has more of the same double talk and isn’t even the same terms that I posted above. And while I’m at it Wire Fly can kiss my ass too for dealing with such a company!!!

fasthair

UPDATE: So today (6/10/2011) I get a check in the mail from these clowns for $35.00 and not the $69.99 I paid them for this headache. I don’t know about you but that is not a full refund that they stated I would be getting. Needless to say I have not and will not cash this check until I get a replacement phone and am done dealing with this company. Of course by then I’m sure the check will bounce anyway.

Oh yeah and our local police have nothing better to do than come to me to file a “lost phone” police report. Please spare me from going in to just how stupid that is.

One other note Verizon has already blocked the ESN of the phone so if someone did find it and try to activate it it won’t and it is  Verizon who will know if and when that ever happens not this joke of a company!

Filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau too. They’ve been a member since 3/2010 and have 119 complaints files against them in that time.

Here is the latest email from these clowns.

We would be happy to further review this matter of your lost/stolen phone. Your case has been forwarded to our Fraud Protection Unit. In order to expedite your request we require you get a police report and forward it to us by fax xxx-xxx-xxxx or email us @xxxx.com. Once this is received we will be able to flag the ESN/IMEI number of that phone so if someone is using your phone, or tries to activate it, we will be notified. At that time the phone will be confiscated and the person holding the phone will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. All police information must be received within 30 days of this notification.

We are here to assist you the quickest way possible. We appreciate your assistance with this matter and if you have any additional questions, please contact Fraud Protection Unit’s liaison, xxx-xxx-xxxx or email at xxxx.com

Best regards,
MDPA Membership Committee