Cellular Distribution Strategies

Review: HelloTotem. com promises cash for cell phones. I sent my Iphone 4S to HelloTotem.com on 10/29/13 with the written promise from the company that they would purchase my phone for $95.00. According to their website, my device was received and I should expect payment within 2 weeks. As of 3/5/14, I have not received payment. Also, I have contacted the company via e-mail at least 5 times asking for payment or for someone to contact me. I have had no response from the company.Desired Settlement: I would like either my cell phone returned or the $95 I was promised for my phone

Review: Cellular Distribution Strategies aka Totem in an online company that buys phones and electronic devices. I completed an online agreement with the company, and they quoted me $250 for my Apple iPhone 5 32 GB AT&T device. I shipped my electronic device to the company, however, they have failed to process our agreement and they have kept my iPhone. I have submitted several tickets via the company's online support system, however, they have failed to provide an updated status of my request and will not honor our agreement or return my electronic device. In addition, they have provided me with a support telephone number that is not activated or in service. Therefore, I cannot contact them directly without going to their office/store. The company is basically committing fraud by not honoring their agreement and I have become a victim of their online scam of stealing electronic devices.Desired Settlement: I would like the company to honor the agreement of paying approximately $250 or have my Apple iPhone 5 32 GB AT&T device returned back to me. If the device is returned, the serial number should match the one I had sent to them. Lastly, the device needs to be in the same condition as the one that was sent.

Review: I was provided a quote of $125 in return for me sending my IPhone 4 to Totem. Once I sent my phone, they revised the quote down to $50. Their email with the revised quote advised me I could accept the new quote or cancel the transaction and have my phone returned. I have tried to cancel the transaction, however the links to cancel the transaction have not worked. In addition, they will no return my emails asking for my phone back, and their phone number is not a working number I do not know if this business is a scam and I have been ripped off, or they are simply ignoring me. I even looked at my account on their website and it says I have accepted their new, lower offer, which I have not. Regardless, I do not want to deal with this company as they have lied, misrepresented themselves, and now have stolen my phone.Desired Settlement: I wish them to either provide me with my quoted price of $125, or send my phone back to my address. They can pay me via paypal at [redacted]@gmail.com. The address where my phone should be shipped is:

Business

Response:

Paypal payment was sent 11/26/13. This has been resolved.

Review: The company sent me a pre-paid box for me to mail my iPhone 4s. I was promised a check of $172 once I mailed it in. It has been more than three weeks since I mailed it in and I have not received a check or heard any communication. Even worse, I never received any email communication or acknowledgement of my phone being sent in.Desired Settlement: I want to be paid for the iPhone 4S that I mailed them. This is fraudulent behavior.

Business

Response:

Emailed customer awaiting response on payment method.

Review: Complaint number [redacted] was created previously. When the business received the complaint, they contacted me by e-mail asked if I would consider the complaint resolved if they sent a payment in the amount they had originally offered, and I agreed. That was 4/18/2013. To date, I have yet to receive that payment, and have received no response to my multiple e-mails sent asking them to confirm the status.Desired Settlement: Request a check in the amount of US$250.00 as promised.

Review: I sent my cell phone in on 9/1/2012, they have recieved my phone a week later then they said they have sent my payment out on 10/5/2012 @ 7:19PM EST. I havnt yet recieved anything. So I have contact the company over 8 eight time in the past 5 months to get my phone returned to me, and they are saying that a customer service will get in contact with in and they never do, I have emailed several times with no response. I ask for the numver the number they have is disconnected. I just want my phone back and they havnt done thing.Desired Settlement: I want my phone back

Review: I arranged with the company through their website to sell my cell phone (iPhone). Company sent us an envelope to mail the phone to them, which I did. I was notified the phone was received by them and in the condition I stated. Payment for the phone was never made and repeated requests for return of the phone or payment have gone unanswered.Desired Settlement: I would like my phone returned or payment made.

Review: CDS is a company that purchases old phones from consumers through their online portal. I was quoted $215 for my iPhone 4s to which I agreed. CDS then sent me a prepaid mailer and was very communicative with emails and tracking information. I was informed, via email, that they had received the phone on 10/29/13. Their website indicates it should take no more than 48 hours to inspect the phone and mail a refund as requested. I checked the website every few days to determine if the order ticket had been updated and my payment processed. On 10/30/13 I emailed CDS and did not receive a reply in over 24 hours. I placed a call to the 800 number listed in their business listing but it was disconnected. I then research the business name and was able to locate the phone number of [redacted], listed as CEO. I called his number, heard what seems to be a personal voicemail greeting, and left a message with my name and callback number.Desired Settlement: I would like the $215 payment that was quoted to me, or my phone shipped overnight back to me at CDS' charge

Business

Response:

Payment has been sent. We believe this issue to be resolved.

Review: I sent my [redacted] to this company in late October, their website states it was received on 11/07/13. Since then, I have not received payment of the $165 I was quoted for the device. I have submitted help "tickets" on the website which have not been answered, I have emailed Mr. [redacted] which have not been answered. The company's listed phone number is disconnected. This company has held my property for nearly two months and refuses to communicate with me.Desired Settlement: I wish to be paid $165 or have my device returned to me in a timely fashion.

Review: I shipped my phone to HelloTotem in San Diego October 28. My FedEx Tracking confirmed receipt on November 7 2013. Their service had offered me an estimated $165.00 for my like-new IPhone 4S. They advertised with reputable credentials that this was a 4-5 day process and I would receive payment by check or PayPal. I have contacted HelloTotem multiple times, requesting "Tracking Status" on their website, which won't acknowledge my email address. I have opened "Tickets" with their Support Dept. which have gone unanswered, "Unassigned to a Support Representative," and then marked, "Closed," without me hearing anything from anyone. It is now December 10, 2013, over a month without any type of communication from HelloTotem/Cellular Distribution Strategies, and this website and others have shown a horrible history of customer service and claims opened against them, including the San Diego Police Dept.Desired Settlement: I want either the $165.00 promised sent to me via PayPal- or my original IPhone 4S sent back to me in the condition it was shipped to them.

Review: August 16 2012 on or around this date I sent two Motorola Razor cell phone in boxes sent to me from website totem.com . I still have ID slips provided by them. Upon not reviving a check in which their site quoted me $45.00 per phone. I proceeded to call, never a answer or return call. Always too busy . Leave a message and no one calls. Than the number was disconnected at [redacted].My totem.com order numbers are [redacted] and [redacted]. I also retained FedEx tracking numbers. I called and left more than 20 messages over close to year. Thanks for help [redacted]Desired Settlement: Either my phones or money $88.00 and people warned about this scam.

Review: I got a quote from Totem to buy my used iPhone 4s for $145 in Nov. 2013, at which time they shipped me a pre-paid box to send in my phone for analysis before issuing payment. I sent in my phone and Totem confirmed they received it on Dec. 17th. This same email said they would be inspecting the phone and as long as everything checked out (which there is no reason it wouldn't) they would be sending the check to me within 48 hours. Since this time I have not heard anything from Totem and their online portal shows that my payment has not yet been processed. I sent an email to inquire about this on January 24th and received an automated email saying they would respond to me within 48 business hours but I never heard anything. I then sent a second email to the company's main email address and cc'd the head of the company ([redacted]) but have still heard nothing in three days. At this point, given that they are ignoring me entirely, I am concerned this whole thing is just a scam and they have no intention of ever issuing the payment I was promised. For reference, the order number I was given is [redacted].Desired Settlement: I would like a response right away from the company and then payment issued overnight.

Review: I sent in a used iPhone to this company who quoted me $250 for the device in October 2013. I kept track of the phone with the FedEx tracking number and know that it reached their facility. After 10 business days I began trying to contact the company through email and twitter. I opened a work ticket to get more information from them but I was completely ignored. Since then, they have deleted their twitter account and do not respond to any means of communication.Desired Settlement: I would like to be paid the quoted amount of $250 or have my iPhone 4S sent back to me

Review: I sent an iPhone 4s to this company with a quoted purchase price from them of $145. I sent the phone in their mailer which they tracked and confirmed receiving on 12/2/13. The website says most phones and payments will be processed and sent within 48 hours. I sent an email requesting a status update on 12/I1/13 with no reply. I then submitted a request for information through their website "ticket request" on 12/12/13 with no reply and then again on 1/2/14. I still have received no reply. I have yet to make contact with anyone at the company via email or through their website. There are no phone numbers listed. Everything is trackable through their website but I haven't had an update since 12/2/13 when it was confirmed that they received my phone. And I have not seen any payment. For reference this is in regard to order number [redacted].Desired Settlement: I would like to receive payment ($145) in a timely manner or receive my phone back in same good condition it was sent in.

Review: I was referred to this business after reading an online article about vendors who purchased used cell phones. I submitted two [redacted] devices to this business in or about October 31, 2013. The two devices were in mint condition and the company initially quoted a price for them of $430.00. Their records indicate the devices were received and processed by on November 8, 2013. I have yet to receive payment or the return of my phones.

I submitted two online inquiries through their “Submit A Ticket” feature on their website. Despite the company's assurance that I would receive a response to the inquiries within 48 business hours, I have received no such response. After waiting two months without a response from you, I completed online research regarding the company and learned that there are a large number of people who have not received payment from them, nor received any response to the customer inquiries. Many of these people have been waiting anywhere between 1 month and 1 year for a response, payment, or the return of their phones.

I am a business attorney in [redacted] I am well aware of the recourse available to me and to the countless other people out there who are victims of this company's unfair business practices. I am in the process of collecting information regarding all of the people who have made online complaints, and reaching out to those same people to coordinate action against the company. I have also consulted with an attorney who specializes in mass tort and class action litigation as we believe we may be able to initiate a class action lawsuit against this company to stop their unfair business practices and reimburse all of the people they have defrauded, and/or obtain the return of their cell phones.

I also intend to submit a complaint to the [redacted] and to [redacted], which is the federal government’s financial fraud enforcement task force.

I am not thrilled about the time and effort that will be needed to coordinate the legal action against the company and to submit the various complaints listed above. While I sympathize with the many other people who have been affected by this company's unfair business practices, at the moment, my greatest interest is in resolving my account. However, I do believe righteous claims exist and I am willing to pursue those claims through a class action suit if the company fails to resolve this matter.Desired Settlement: I want the company to send me payment in the amount of $430.00 (the original quote) or to return my cell phones in the same mint condition they were in when I sent them. If the company fails to do so, I will proceed with the coordination of a class action lawsuit and I will submit my complaints to the [redacted] and the federal government’s financial fraud enforcement task force.

Review: The company (Hello Totem) received my I-phone 4s phone Fedex on 10-3-2013 at 5:30pm. I email them and requesting payment for my phone. As of today 10-27-13 I have not been contacted by this company or received my agreed payment. I have the phone box which has the numbers to track my phone with my personal information still locked in my phone. I am enclosing a photo copy of another shipping box company sent me and a copy of the company's invoice with tracking#. The company agreed to pay me $175.00 fro my $500.00 I-phone 4s. If I don't receive my phone back or the $175.00 they agreed to pay me. I wish to press charges.Desired Settlement: Return my I-phone 4s or pay me the $175.00 they agreed to pay me.

Business

Response:

Email below was sent to the customer on 11/19/13 .. Please see attached.

Review: I sent 4 smart phones to this company to recieve a check for what they are worth . they responded back saying they do not accept 2 of them . but they will recycle them but then sent an email saying that the other 2 will be accepted for 70 dollars a piece . then a week later they sent me an e-mail saying they re-quoted the amount of the 2 cell phones as being 100 dollars each . that is now august 9th and we have not heard anything since I have tried 2 times to email the company they have not responded back to me at allDesired Settlement: I just want to receive the amount that they re-quoted and for them to be more honest about their service

Business

Response:

We have reissued the check and emailed the customer.

Review: I sent my Apple IPhone 4S 16GB to HelloTotem for agreed upon offer of $170.00 by check and they received it 11/11/2013, order #[redacted]. Their website says payment will be mailed out 48 hours after receiving it. I have emailed them twice as well as opened a customer service "ticket" and they have failed to respond over the last month. I have copies of emails and a copy of the phone being received by them, a screen-capture of the status of my order stating phone was received. They still are taking orders online, yet they will not send me payment nor answer my emails.Desired Settlement: I would like them to send me the check for $170 immediately.

Review: Sent my iPhone 4s to Totem because they quoted me $155 for it. It took weeks for them to receive it with the shipping label they provided, but it finally arrived on 11/14; at which time I was sent an automated email saying that I would be notified in 48 hours about payment. It has been 6 days, several emails, and a customer service line which is not in service. The website indicates that you should submit a ticket and wait for a response, but the form is set up so that it is impossible to submit (it says my email address is not valid) and they do not respond to emails despite providing us with a link to email them with. The customer service is non-existent, and honestly at this point it just feels like I'm being scammed.Desired Settlement: At this point I either want the $155 they quoted me for my iPhone 4s or I want them to send back my phone because it was in mint condition.

Business

Response:

Payment has been resent Monday Dec 15. We believe this 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 (waiting for the check to clear) and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Review: this is a fraudulent business that I wish I had researched before having this problem. Went to their website to sell my iPhone 4 to them. They offered $110 and sent a postage paid box with tracking ID. My tracking # is [redacted]. I received a follow-up email on 11/12/13 indicating the phone had been received and my $110 would be on its way within 48 hrs. It is now 11/27/13 and after several attempts to contact them (phone #'s are all fraudulent and there are at least two addresses listed), I am seeking your assistance. This firm is located in [redacted], CA and there are pages upon pages of people who have had the same experience. How does an outfit like this stay in business?Desired Settlement: I want either my $110 or my phone returned IMMEDIATELY at their expense.

Business

Response:

Payment was reissued today. 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,