BoostAddict

just out of curiosity ... why do they think that you received a referral email 4-5 days later? that just seems strange to me. it's not like they have access to your inbox.

and there has not been any "referral code"/"invite" email sent to me by you or ING, ever... except for the one time I sent myself one of my own referral links for a test ...and if that was confusing things then I have no idea how their system works at all ... so I doubt that affected anything.

BoostAddict,

ING definitely needs to give you the bonus!!

I got an email saying that someone had signed up, and sure enough, when I checked the 2 links I posted, one of them had been used. So I removed it, thinking it was the one you used. I got my $10 bonus for it.
I have never had any problems with anyone else using my direct links (and I have used up all but one of them).

The only possible explanation I can think of is that someone else tried to apply with the same link at exactly the same time as you, and ING direct's computer system didn't "deactivate" the link in time. if that ends up being the reason for what happened, then we should let other people know about it on the message board so they know to stay away from the direct links!!

but either way, they need to give you the bonus!!

Thanks for the support and explanation.

Firs off, your name seems to indicate that you are female. I know that I referred to you as "he" several times. Please understand that I didn't know your gender and that "he" is actually neutral when identifying an unknown gender in literature. 

http://dictionary.re...com/search?q=HE  Just wanted to clarify and avoid any offense or seeming stupidity. 

Thanks for your time. Please take the time to look at these questions, and reply, as well. I will be talking with ING later and I would like to learn more from you before I do.

How many of your referrals would you say have been used by direct links?

How have you confirmed that other people who have used your direct links have not had problems with receiving the sign up bonus? Did they tell you this, prove this to you or is a lack of complaint the reason that you are considering as evidence of no problems? I ask this because even your receiving commission is not really indicative that they are receiving a sign up bonus.

Also, when you receive a referral commission, do you receive it immediately after they sign up, or in what time period?

Is there any ways that you could see any identifying information of mine that would indicate that I signed up with you? Like:
Part of my name, initials, some portion of my account info, email, ... etc ... anything?... Or ... did you just get the auto notification email in very close timing to when I told you that I signed up....along with the 10$ commission?

Your theory about how their system may be confused/flawed is definitely possible and logical.

However, the thing that "stumped" me ... AND contradicts this theory ... was the allegation that I was essentially lying. The allegation ... as explained ... implies that I know that I signed up without a referral link, and then since I got a referral link in my email 4-5 days later (whic they claim although I DID NOT receive this email) I am trying to claim that as justification for sign up bonus. They may also be implying, that I signed up 2 times ... as if I signed up once without a referral link, and then I tried to sign up again with one. Either one of these allegations implies that whatever exchanges that I made with you did result in me getting a referral link from you. What compounds this complex set of errors, is that they allege that they know that I got an email sent to me ... with a referral link ... 4-5 days after I signed up ... when the FACT is ... that I have never received such an email in my inbox. I know that I, parenthetically, explained that already ... but it is so ridiculous that I just wanted to clarify.

I agree about letting people know, that is why I made my post in public instead of only in private to you. We should definitely keep people updated. I also agree, that they need to give me a sign up bonus ... regardless.

Thanks again. All should work out well. It's a ridiculous PITA though.     

Take care. Peace.

hey,

that's ok about 'he'! I knew what you meant.

let's see ... questions ...

How many of your referrals would you say have been used by direct links?
- almost all of them. I think I sent emails to 3 people and then figured out that direct links worked better.

How have you confirmed that other people who have used your direct links have not had problems with receiving the sign up bonus?
- you're right, I haven't had anyone tell me "I got my bonus"
- I don't see any complaints posted on the forums where I post my direct links.
- I guess it's mostly my faith in public forums - if someone did have trouble with it they would want to let others know
- for example, when I tried to post direct links to my virtual bank account on this forum, within a couple of hours one of the moderators was like 'aaaa!! don't do that with virtual bank - they actually check to make sure the same person signs up who received the email!!' But there are lots of people advertising direct links to ING direct, and everyone seems to be fine with it.

Also, when you receive a referral commission, do you receive it immediately after they sign up, or in what time period?
- I receive a notification email about the $10 bonus, and then a couple of days later I see the bonus deposited in my account.

Is there any ways that you could see any identifying information of mine that would indicate that I signed up with you? Like:
Part of my name, initials, some portion of my account info, email, ... etc ... anything?
- no. I get an email that says "you received a $10 bonus from ING direct" but it doesn't have any personal info in it.
- I got exactly 2 emails in the days after I posted the 2 direct links on our thread. That can only mean that you used one and hoozh used the other. He is another user on this site and he told me he used the other link, so I took it down.


just out of curiosity ... why do they think that you received a referral email 4-5 days later? that just seems strange to me. it's not like they have access to your inbox.

Thanks for answering my questions so thoroughly and quickly. 

About this email BS, yeah ... that's what I said.

The lady said she was looking at something in their "system" that shows that I was sent one, I suppose. I have no idea how that really works, especially since you sent your referrals to yourself, I signed up with one of yours posted in public on the date that they acknowledged that I signed up and I received no email from you or them about a referral for me to sign up with.

I suppose one theory may work accurately, which is to say that whatever "referral code" that they match with my "fraudulent" sign up was shown to be sent to my email address 4-5 days later.

This is difficult to understand to be possible though, for several reasons. Their system would have to be very erroneous or their representative is.

I mean, I signed up with the referral link, which should have the code submitted immediately ... on the one and only time I have ever signed up with ING ... and there has not been any "referral code"/"invite" email sent to me by you or ING, ever... except for the one time I sent myself one of my own referral links for a test ...and if that was confusing things then I have no idea how their system works at all ... so I doubt that affected anything.

I suppose the woman simply thought that I was plain lying. I didn't really press her for more information about how "the system" works because she was already being conclusive to the point where I would not "sway" her decision without gathering more info and contacting somebody else .... while making her "passive accusation" that I was attempting to "beat the system"  . Whatever "the system" showed her to the best of her ability lead her to believe she was giving the right info and doing the right thing. That is all that I know. 

Take care.

Hello again. I am providing more info now. It was not originally explained to my by the CS rep that I would need to explain. I figured that CS, would handle CS, but I guess I will have to do more. This is not spite or antagonism, I am just explaining my thoughts.

Situation is:

I learned about your referral program and thought it was "neat".

I decided that I would sign up with another person's referral link.

I called CS to ask questions, first. We (CS and I) got half of my account set up over the phone and I was told that I would be able to use a referral link to sign up later, online, and finish.

I waited for some time, just out of courtesy to my referral (so they would get referring commission) and to get questions answered. I had also been told that I would not be able to refer anybody else for up to 250$ commission if I didn't sign up with a referral, so I was extra careful to wait for a referral link before I signed up. Otherwise, I would have signed up, completely, on the phone the first time I called.

So, I went to this message board: http://ibankdesign.c...topic=400&st=15  .

I registered at that message board as "BoostAddict" . I made some posts. I met "tmmycat". He helped answer my questions.

I noticed that MANY people were posting their referral links on the forum as a direct link, bypassing having to get somebody's email and then send them the link through the email. This is just a matter of fast service and convenience. This way, you see that somebody is offering a referral and instead of having to contact them with a request, wait for a response with a link in your email, then either sit around and wait for that email or sign up at your earliest convenience after waiting to receive it ... you can skip all of that time delay and just click the link that is already offered and sign up immediately.

One of my questions, before signing up, was "how are you (they) posting the links directly for faster service?" They explained that they send themself referrals via email and then they copy and paste the email to the message board. Apparently, this was working fine for them. They were receiving sign ups, commissions and everything was fine.

So, "tmmycat" had an available/unused link posted and I signed up with it. He has now edited his post to remove that link since I already signed up with it, as you can see if you read the forum.

I would not have signed up without the link. I did sign up with the referral link that was provided to me in that thread, from tmmycat, on that forum. He posted it, just like he would send it to me in an email. Same thing, different electronic interface exchange. I did this on the 14th of April just before 1:49 pm EST . I know this because I saved the confirmation email that was automatically sent to me by the ING system.

I was told that I would receive my 25$ credit to my account in about 30 days. It has now been about 2 months, and there is no 25$ credit in my account .

I called ING CS and spoke to a female rep. I explained that I would like my credit of 25$ added .

She asked me if I received my referral link via email. I said that I thought so (because I did think so at that time to the best of my memory-it has been about 2 months) but I couldn't find it. She told me that I could tell her my email address and she could check things out with it. I gave her this email address. She then told me that I did not receive an emailed referral until 4-5 days AFTER I signed up (which is incorrect) and that I would not be eligible to receive the 25$ that I should be eligible for.

I understand that she was serving me with the best of her knowledge to what the ING system is telling her, but she then passively accused me of trying to "beat the system", by saying that I "cannot beat the system". I said that I DO NOT  "beat" systems, I use them appropriately to the best of my knowledge. She said that she had done all that she could. We hung up with our best regards.

I got confused and researched a bit more, starting to wonder if I had signed up through a link on the message board . I checked it out, and yes ... obviously, I did: http://ibankdesign.c...topic=400&st=15  .

Still, he posted it, just like he would send it to me in an email. Same thing, different electronic interface exchange. HE WORKED FOR YOU, TO MARKET YOUR SERVICES. I SIGNED UP BECAUSE OF HIS WORK, WITH YOUR REFERRAL SYSTEM. I WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE SYSTEM IN REAL TIME AND IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A CONFIRMATION EMAIL FOR MY SIGN UP. HE SHOULD RECEIVE HIS COMMISSIONS, I SHOULD RECEIVE MY SIGN UP BONUS. IF WE ARE NOT REWARDED, THEN ING IS NOT KEEPING THEIR PROMISES OR FULFILLING CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS. (The caps and boldening is not "yelling", it is simply to draw attention to critical points. )

In addition to this, there was NO email received by me sereval days later. He did not send me ANY email, NOR DID THE ING SYSTEM. I already got the link from him on the message board, he didn't need to send anything. I had already signed up and apparently he can tell that from more than the post that I made which told him that I signed up. I have no email from ING about this either. The ING SYSTEM IS FLAWED IF IT IS SAYING THAT I RECEIVED MY REFERRAL EMAIL SEVERAL DAYS AFTER I SIGNED UP. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. 1) I WOULD NOT SIGN UP WITHOUT THE REFERRAL LINK. 2) I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY TYPE OF REFERRAL EMAIL AT ALL AFTER I SIGNED UP.

Still, I am being accused of fraud, essentially, and ING is not fulfilling their word to credit my 25$ sign up bonus.

In addition to this, it is my stong held opinion that I am working too much to get the customer service that I deserve as a customer. I called CS back to humbly, calmly, rationally and tactfully explain. CS is telling me to send emails to "sales" and to "ombudsman" "executives" because they cannot help me. When I say that I would like to speak with somebody on the phone and handle this simple confusion in real time then I am denied that service. This is very impersonal and is not of great caliber service. Even PayPal will solve any problems, over the phone, quickly. I FEEL LIKE I AM WORKING AS MY OWN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FOR ING AND THIS IS NOT APPEALING.

There is no rational, ethical or contractual reason why I should not be credited the 25$ and why my referrer, who WORKED FOR YOU TO GET YOU MY BUSINESS, should not be cedited commissions for my sign up if he has not been.

I am now growing rational concern of letting ING handle my personal and business money in the future.

It is apparently your unequivocal obligation to credit my account with 25$ in the very near future if you would like to honor your word, rationale, ethics and any contractual obligations. I realize this is only 25$, but the principle of the situation in itself is very important to me and to the reputability of your business.

I explain this in my utmost respect.

Please keep me updated, expediently. You may call if you would like to, at....... . Thank you for your time, for your service, for supporting your reputation as a rational, ethical, honest and efficient business.

My sincere best. -.......

glad I can help!

2b: You can send them to the same e-mail address. This strategy definitely works - I have successfully gotten 5 referral bonuses so far from various different people who used my direct links - and I sent all of my referral emails to my own email address.

I know it works because ING sends me an email whenever someone signs up using a link that I generated, and then the bonus is deposited in my account the next day. I guess they just check the identity of the people who apply, to make sure those are unique.

glad I can help!

2b: You can send them to the same e-mail address. This strategy definitely works - I have successfully gotten 5 referral bonuses so far from various different people who used my direct links - and I sent all of my referral emails to my own email address.

I know it works because ING sends me an email whenever someone signs up using a link that I generated, and then the bonus is deposited in my account the next day. I guess they just check the identity of the people who apply, to make sure those are unique.