Words escape me regarding Catera...

However I did get heartburn from just thinking about eating Dominos....

My impression of these people, having seen their offices, met some in person, spoken to several over the phone... is that they are a sales and marketing top-heavy entity, bent of producing numbers over anything else.

They have not, for example, decided to spend a whole lot of time or resources on QC and IT. Although it's strange to me since the Lexington, MA facility is located smack dab in the center of all things tech in the North East! An IT guy can be had here with relative ease. They just don't want to spend the money to get good ones I guess.

Some there may have good intentions (I think the head CS dude does, even though he told me my shopping patterns are not normal lol) but even he is caught up in the game they have going, and everyone needs to impress the next person or be careful what is said or something. As well, in this part of the country--primarily, in this part of New England, it's all about what you do for work, ie, whether you do X or Y tells people what kind of money you make (another example of this is how a friend of mine from Cali once described how the first thing a single girl will ask a single guy in a bar is what kind of car does he drive. Well in MA, the first thing asked is usually what do you do for work or where do you work? If it is a known or high-end scene, you have a date!)

Anyway, I find that two things may be going on and I have said them all along...

1) they are in fact totally inept and the right hand has no freaking idea what the left hand is doing. Sales is pushing new gigs and new promos and signing on new airline malls and all that crap, and CS is fielding gazillions of calls from upset customers--some of whom they have successfully convinced the problems are their own, not Cartera's.

2) the company has seized on a new conundrum in the age of confusion and uncertainty... People want to shop, want to buy and want to score big, but because of such understood issues with security and the down economy, companies can literally make up excuses to botch things up and then hide behind them. So if you make an order and don't get your miles, you call in to find out more and security reasons is what stops you from getting the chance to chew out the CSR, while economic reasons is what makes it possible for the company to actually tell you it's ok that they do not have enough resources to help you faster. ie, my email from Petra where she actually tells me she/her staff is overwhelmed from all the issues with AA/Verizon, PC, DL and the UA MoM promo. (see the email below)

So I'm sitting here like... ok you are admitting you cannot handle it? Why then is your own company feeding you so many new deals to work on and push? Oh wait! that's cuz that's the whole idea! You are just trying to make money and we are supposed to sit back and wait. And if we get pissed off you can use security as a reason to no longer have to hear us complain.

Genius. The new freakin' game!

This company makes bank. I have stood in the parking lot. I have seen the vehicles people who work there drive. I saw what a marketing gal I met in the lobby was wearing and no she didn't shop at Target. They have signed every major airline and done two of them in the last couple weeks (as far as we customers see. They did it much earlier than that behind the scenes for sure)

Case in point: They just do not want to pay out and because they are a monopoly and backed by all the major airlines who are blinded by this stuff, they feel they don't have to. It is thus up to us to take 'em out!

(I will tell you that there is a Raytheon facility a few miles away from this location. Maybe we can LITERALLY take em out if anyone here knows an insider lol kidding)

******************************************

From: Customer Care <[email protected]>
To: <MM>
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: AA/Verizon - for wife & self - Wells Fargo Case 000XXXXXXX]

Hello MM,

I just looked into your wife's account, and you are correct, for some reason she did not get processed for the first 2500 bonus miles. I have just sent her account to be credited, so she should see those miles within the week.

The second set of bonus miles do take some time to be credited, which is why we asked in our initial email to allow 45 days from the date the merchant confirmed the purchase with us. We appreciate your patience.

As for your Delta and Priority Club orders, could you please send in an email request with all of the information regarding those orders so they will create a case in our Customer Support case management tool? As soon as I receive that I will be sure to get you credited the bonus miles for those as well.

We sincerely apologize for these delays; as you can imagine, these issues have created quite a high volume of inquiries and overwhelmed our staff. We apologize for the inconvenience that any of this has caused, and we are taking steps to rectify the situation on a daily basis by adding resources and improving processes. We hope these measures will improve the quality of customer service that we bring to our members going forward.

Thanks for your patience.

Petra
Customer Care Representative

I think we should vote with our wallet and stick to shopping malls run by amex membership rewards/chase ultimate rewards or those which actually give you cash.

agreed 100%

• We need to spread this info
• show people how to do it
• promote this concept and the other ways
• keep doing that
• reach out to newbies and briefly tell them why

that way it will continue

This site has problems and everyone knows that. Your time is better spent to try and figure out how to exploit this rather than keep crying over the 83k+ miles you feel was yours. Use some creative thinking and try different things.

Actually MM's time is very much appreciated addressing Cartera's Glitter-gate snafu, as those of us that are due to be the recipient's of their inevitable forthcoming settlement will attest. :)

Chase Ultimate Rewards mall is run by Cartera.

I wish you all luck but that still does not stop you or anyone else from looking for ways to exploit their flawed system. ;)

Such as Incentive Networks, which operates the BA, BD and VS shopping portals. I primarily use the VS shopping site and every inquiry has been resolved promptly and very professionally.

Ahem - we do not exploit. We is capitalists and we is entitled to make a profit. Do what you do with the indulgence given you by Bank of America.:p

Just keep it legal.

You mean to say Luke's father is actually Darth Vader?

The problem is that they don't honor legitimate offers at all. Say for example 500 miles for signing up/downloading the toolbar/spending a certain amount. I have had to fight with them for every single promo and it takes months to see the miles.

thanks

and yes, some of us are among the many who have pushed further with the Carterians. We shall see if that helps us. My real goal is to change them or have some people fired for stupidity. It's a war of attrition and guess what: I know I can outlast 'em!

legal or legit? lol:D and by whose standards?

agreed. I am STILL waiting on a mere 140 miles from some best buy sale that was for software I bought there for my mother about 12 weeks ago now. 140 miles and they cant even get THAT right?

This is why, even if it may not earn me 'extra' miles, I may elect to shop at NO affiliate mall. Just go direct to the store and forgo any mileage earnings and the accompanying headaches. That may seem counter productive but in the end, it merely shows that these systems do not work.

After exhausting all communication efforts with Cartera's customer relations, I'm looking into small-claims court for actual and statutory damages -- not for the erroneous AA/Delta offer, but for a refund that Cartera agreed to send for a returned product and shipping costs. I haven't received the refund. I've followed up clearly, giving Cartera many chances (and reminders). Cartera is delinquent by months and shows no sign of following through, despite agreements and demands. I can't just reverse charges by credit card, because Cartera owes additionally for return-shipping of the product.

Since "actual" damages are smaller than court filing fees, it's only worth my time and expense to travel to Massachusetts (from hundreds of miles) if I'll recover statutory damages, which are justified. How do I calculate statutory damages? Any guidelines?

Also, anyone know of consumer-protection laws I can draw on? Other tips for recovering refund? All Cartera's promises have been broken.

I plan on sending a final demand letter to the Cartera point person I'm dealing with, and Cartera's CEO, and then serve the former. Other steps to call attention for a resolution?

All I really want is the refund, with delivery tracking.

EDIT: Well, well! After posting this, Cartera called to say they're now overnighting the refund. I'll leave this post up, unedited, until it reaches me. Cartera's credibility doesn't exist, so my court intentions remain unless I see the check tomorrow. Remember, it's been months of back-and-forth. Maybe it helped that I left voice messages this afternoon for the executives supervising the guy running "customer service."

EDIT #2: Check received!

I live 25 miles from their offices.
I will gladly help you in any way I can. I can go there, bring something to their front office, notate who took it from me, or even consider the thought of keying someone's car lol

As well, should you visit, we can meet up for beers and at least make your stay in my home state all the better.

One other idea that actually might have value is that we have another BOS DO, but this time we actually have it based on the concept of visiting these folk all together.

So you are aware, the Lexington, MA Aloft hotel is less than .5 mile from Cartera and both locations are on a highway that is about 25 minutes from Logan Airport.

I will gladly meet people.

MM