Cellular Distribution Strategies

Review: I sent in 2 iphones with the understanding that I would receive compensation for the value of each phone. To date I have not received any payment. They have had my phones for weeks, I have made repeated attempt to "create a ticket for resolution" and still nothing to date has been communicated to me. Please find below the only communication I have received from Totem.

Sincerely,

J. [redacted]

Apple iPhone 4s 16GB (Sprint)Order: [redacted] Payment Type: Check

Condition: Good

Quote: $155.00

Current Status...

Status information is pending.

The Totem™ Process

Original Quote Provided 10/21/2013 @ 11:25PM EST

Pre-Paid Shipping Box Sent 10/22/2013 @ 12:20PM EST

Device Received by Totem™ 11/7/2013 @ 1:49PM EST

Payment Sent

Apple iPhone 4s 16GB (Sprint)Order: P130920

Payment Type: Check

Condition: Mint

Quote: $165.00

Current Status...

Status information is pending.

The Totem™ Process

Original Quote Provided 10/21/2013 @ 11:22PM EST

Pre-Paid Shipping Box Sent 10/22/2013 @ 12:20PM EST

Device Received by Totem™ 11/7/2013 @ 1:47PM EST

Payment SentDesired Settlement: All I am looking for is a check in the amount of $320 for the 2 phones ( $155.00 and $165.00 respectively). I would appreciate anything you can do to help resolve the non-payment issue.

Business

Response:

Payment has been sent 12/10/13 for $320. Emailed customer and we believe this to be resolved.

Review: I sent in 2 [redacted] to the company to sell, they have not sent a check, or the item back. they have not responded to inquiries. it has been 2 monthsDesired Settlement: NA

Review: On 9/30/2013 @ 6:02 PM EST I received a quote from Totem for $125 for my good condition iPhone 4 via the Internet. [redacted]

On 10/1/2013 @ 11:52AM EST they sent me a prepaid shipping box.

On 10/8/2013 I dropped the box into a USPS postal box as instructed by Tote,

On about 10/14 I tracked the [redacted] tracking #s on the form on they label they sent me. The tracking number does not exist on [redacted]. I called the phone number on the label they sent me ([redacted]). It does not work. The Totem order # they gave me is [redacted].

On 10/16/2013 @ 5:33PM EST the Totem website says they received my device and to wait 2-4 business days.

On 10/22/2013 I emailed Totem and and filed a "ticket" as instructed by their website and have received no response. A response was promised in 48 hours.

I am worried this website is a scam. I learned of this website from and article in the [redacted]. I hope you can help me get the money I was promised. Thank you.Desired Settlement: I would like to receive the $125 promised me in return for my iPhone.

Business

Response:

We believe this payment crossed in the mail as consumer had placed this complaint, however our records show this check was sent 10/30/13.

Review: I have sent my iphone 4s to this company hello totem [redacted] for a quoted $155.00 and its been almost a month now and still haven't received my payment. The received my phone on 11/12/2013 @ 5:22PM EST, I have filled a ticket complaint on their website and still no response. In addition, as advertised on their website it only takes as little as 1 week to complete the process from delivery to payment.Desired Settlement: I would like to receive my payment in cash, or to return my iphone 4s back.

Review: I went to hellototem.com and requested a quote for my used iPhone 5. I received my quote and mailed my iPhone 5 to them as per the instructions included in the mailer. I mailed my iPhone 5 to Totem and they stated they received it on May 31, 2013. On June 3, 2013 I received an email from them stating my iPhone was broken and they would not be able to offer the price I was originally quoted. They offered me a re-quoted price. I opened a ticket through the help page on their website wanting to know on what way my phone was broken. After weeks of no help, I opened another ticket stating I will contact the Revdex.com if I do not get a response. A representative from Totem responded to my ticket the following morning and explained to me that my phone was not broken, but was instead unable to be used on the issuing network because of a past due bill on the account. She suggested I contact the company and try to get the lock on the phone removed. After contacting the company and being unsuccessful with getting the lock removed, I told her I will except the revised quote I was offered. She told me she was transferring my ticket to the payments department and someone should be in contact with me shortly. This was on July 1, 2013. I have left several messages asking for an update on the status of my ticket but no one has responded. My final message was left on August 5. As per their commercial and website, you are supposed to receive your payment within three days. It also states on their website that they respond to tickets within 48 hours.Desired Settlement: I would like them to pay me the requoted price of $85 or return my iPhone 5 back to me at no cost to me.

Business

Response:

[redacted] payment issued 10/1/13. We believe this issue to be resolved.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory. I have received payment from the business. This complaint has been resolved.

Regards,

Review: I've sent my phone over a month ago I'm beginning to get impatient. I've used them in the past and it has never taken this long. I am getting upset as I was supposed to use the money to buy a plane ticket next week. I just want my device back or the payment I was promised. It's upsetting that I'm seeing other people with the same problem I have.Desired Settlement: I want my device or my payment.

Business

Response:

Check issued 10/1/13. We believe this issue to be resolved.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Review: I sent my old iPhone into HelloTotem after receiving a quote of $75 for the phone. I promptly received a box to ship the phone and everything seemed fine. My phone was received by them on November 11/12/13. I have not received any payment for the phone and it shows on their website my order is pending. I have submitted multiple tickets on their website asking what the problem was and they haven't even been responded to. There is also no contact information for this company, I have no way getting a hold of anyone concerning this issue.Desired Settlement: I would like my money for my phone ($75) and this company to be shutdown or fined, it's ridiculous that this can be allowed to happen. Searching online now reveals that this place is a scam and multiple complaints have been filed against this company. The people in charge of this company need to be investigated and punished accordingly.

Review: This company offers to purchase used cellphones. I submitted a request for a quote for an Apple iPhone 4 16GB. A quote was provided by the company on 10/21/2013 in the amount of $110.00. The company sent me a pre-paid shipping box on 10/22/2013. I shipped the phone to the company in the box, and it was received by the company on 11/8/2013.

I contacted the company via email and their website to inquire about the status of my payment on three separate dates: 12/12/2013, 1/4/2014 and 1/17/2014. I have received no reply from them from any of these enquiries.Desired Settlement: I would like the company to send me a check for $110.00 as agreed.

Review: This company quoted me a price of $285 for my iPhone that I sent them per the quote agreement. The company received my device over two weeks ago but has not paid me for the product they received. I have made numerous attempts to contact the company to resolve this issue but they will not respond. I also selected PayPal as my method of payment but the company defaulted my choice and changed the payment method to a paper check, which I have not received. This company advertised that the process would be fast but I am still awaiting payment for the device they received weeks after the fact.Desired Settlement: I wish to be compensated for the device that I sent this company as they originally quoted. I would prefer to be compensated via PayPal as I originally opted for but a check would still suffice. Either way, I want the amount due to me to be dispersed to me.

Business

Response:

Check has been reissued. We believe this issue to be resolved.

Review: I was supposed to receive a check for $175 for my [redacted]. They received it on 11/11/13 and will not return any emails I send.Desired Settlement: Check for $175

Review: I submitted a claim on "hello totem", which offers payment for old [redacted]. I was given a quote of $155 for my [redacted]. I sent the [redacted] in, it was received on 11/4/13, and I was told it would be assessed and I would be contacted WITHIN 48 HOURS regarding the original offer and then a check would be sent. I have heard NOTHING from this company since that date, despite trying to contact them on multiple occasions since then (including using their customer service feature on the website and sending [redacted] messages to the owner). I have since learned that many other people have had similar issues -- this is completely unacceptable.Desired Settlement: Please either send me the $155 I was quoted, or return my iPhone to me immediately.

Review: Totem received my iPhone 5 on 9/18/2013 to confirm device was in good condition for the $305 payment. I emailed Totem on 10/5/2013 to ask for information regarding my phone and/or payment for my phone. I also submitted a ticket on the same day which is the way they asked that customers inquire about issues. No response was received from the email or ticket so I added a comment to the ticket and resubmitted on 10/8/2013. I still have not received any response or payment. I am asking for payment to be made immediately in the amount of $305. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.Desired Settlement: I am asking for payment $305 for my iPhone 5 that was sent to them almost 2 months ago.

Business

Response:

We emailed customer and explained that a new check has been issued. We beleive this matter to be resolved.

Review: I received a quote from Totem to purchase my iPhone 4 for $110. On October 29th I mailed my iPhone 4 to Totem in a box provided by them, supposedly in exchange for a quoted $110, which was to be confirmed within 3 days of receipt of my phone (once they had an opportunity to confirm the condition of the phone). I emailed them on 11/15/14 to find out the status, and to date I have not heard from the company. I have called but the number is not functional. To date they have my phone and have not honored their end of the agreement, and they have not sent me my phone back. I want either the money that was quoted to me in exchange for my phone. It has been way too long.Desired Settlement: I want my $110.

Review: Hello Totem advertises if you send in your iPhone or other phones or Apple products, they will issue you an amount of money that they quote you. I received a quote for my iPhone for $220.00 and received a box that they sent me to send my phone back in. I sent it off and tracked it and saw that it arrived at Totem. I then tracked the payment process on hellototem.com, which was to be sent to me via check and saw that the check had been sent on June 21, 2013. I still have not received the check and went back to the website to track it again and when I put my email in, it says there are no transactions to track. I called the two numbers I found after searching and one number is not a working number ([redacted]) and the other connected me to a sweepstakes entry ([redacted]). I have emailed them and have not received any reply.Desired Settlement: I just want to either receive the money ($220) I was quoted or get my iPhone back.

Business

Response:

We apologize for the delay. We have printed the check on 7/10/2013 and it has been sent out.

Review: My order ([redacted]) was initiated on 3/13/2013 with a quote received online from Hello Totem (which also is registered under Cellular Distribution). I received the box on 3/14/2013. Per their website (which I can screen shot), our phones were received on 4/10/2013. A requote was emailed to us on 4/10/2013 but was sent to my spam box. I have since submitted several tickets (via their website), and several emails (to their listed email). I have received no resolution to the tickets or responses to emails, but they were all "closed" and I can no longer view them. I received an email on 6/21/2013 that a check was mailed for $30 less than the 2nd requote. To date, I have not received payment. IDesired Settlement: I am requesting payment for $308.70 (the original quote) to be sent immediately.

Business

Response:

We have researched this Order and show it as paid but the check has not been cashed. We are reaching out directly to the customer to resolve.

Review: This company is a fraud. They give you an online estimate for your used cell phone ($160 for my iPhone 4S) and after you send it in they send an email saying your phone is broken and they'll give $40. When I called the number from the email it said it hasn't been set up yet - you could not speak to a human. After reading the comments on Revdex.com I figured out they were a scam. I demanded my phone back and surprisingly got it, and it worked just fine. It seems that others were not as lucky.

Review: This company operates under the name Totem, and I am confident that despite the alternate name in your listing that it is the same company due to an address match corroborated by this site: [redacted]

In February I arranged to sell them my old iPhone for $150. I sent them the phone and they verified receipt. The case # for the sale was [redacted]. Initially, they claimed the phone was broken, without giving any details. After a couple of requests by me for details, my case was forwarded to a supervisor, [redacted], who e-mailed me on March 22 and told me he would approve the original quote of $150. April 4, I e-mailed Dan back because I had not received a check or any further update. I got no response.

On June 21, I received an e-mail telling me "Break out the bubbly. It's pay day! Your check for $150.00 is in the mail and your device is on its way to a new life."

On October 4, I e-mailed them to inquire about the status, as the check had not arrived. I also submitted a ticket through their website. I have gotten zero response, and the ticket I opened (Request #[redacted] is listed on their website as "awaiting assignment to a support agent" - a month later!

I have all of the e-mails and other correspondence with this company available for your review upon request.Desired Settlement: I would like the $150 they repeatedly offered me for the iPhone I sent them. I do not want the phone back, as it has been long since replaced. I would just like them to honor their agreement with me.

Review: Ipurchased a new IPhone from Apple and decided to sell my iPhone 4S, 16 gb. I obtained a quote from Totem's website (hellototem.com) for $215 for my used iPhone 4S. They mailed me a box for shipping to them with a prepaid label.

I shipped my phone for their order # [redacted] on Oct. 27. According to Fed Ex (tracking number [redacted]), the phone was picked up by Totem's agent. I have contacted FedEx and USPS several times. They have informed me that it is Totem's responsibility to account for the phone.

Totem does not have any phone contact on their web site. I opened two tickets online. #[redacted] was opened on 11/7. #[redacted] was opened on 11/12. On Totem's web site, both tickets display with status: Awaiting Assignment to Support Agent.Desired Settlement: I believe that Totem has my phone. They owe me $215 and I expect payment.

Review: Received a quote for $165 from them on 03/23/13, for sale of my used iPhone 4s. They sent a shipping box and I sent them my phone. They received my phone on 04/01/13. I still have not received my payment check. I have contacted them multiple times via chat customer service, only to be told someone is working on it, please be patient. I submitted a ticket which I was told was assigned to a person, yet surprisingly I find that today the ticket has been deleted with no record of it. Do not send your phone to this company. SCAM!!!Desired Settlement: I really just want my phone returned to me. They pretty much have stolen it at this point. I would love to be paid the $165 they owe me, but that probably wont happen either. If neither is possible, I would like to be included in any class action lawsuit that comes up.

Business

Response:

We researched this order and I have reissued the payment today 6/18/2013. Can you please change this complaint to resolved?

Review: no complying with agreement

they are not paying me for the phone I sent them. very difficult if not impossible to communicate with themDesired Settlement: my phone back or pay the agreed upon value of the phone