Recently many retailers have started offering discounts in the form of mail-in rebates, particularly in computers and other home electronics products. While the deals sound great, consumers should exercise caution when purchasing items with mail-in rebates, because your refund may come much later, or in some cases, not at all.

Rebate coupons are great for retailers because they get the advertising (and often, sales) benefit of promising lower prices for high end items, even though you'll pay the full price at the register. While the store might print an extra receipt for you and provide the forms necessary for the rebate, the customer has to take it from there, and many of them don't. Rebate forms end up getting tossed on the counter and in the rush of everyday life, they don't seem a high priority and may get forgotten. At least one quarter to one half of rebates are never sent in.

Those rebates that are sent in, are often paid out long after the timeframes given in the form, so don't count on the money coming in at a specified time. In addition, many consumers have had problems with rebates that aren't paid at all, or even worse, the rebate checks bounce, so that not only do you not get your rebate, but you get the fine associated with cashing a bad check. Rebate forms may be rejected if the instructions aren't followed exactly, and forms are getting more and more complicated.

People are starting to fight back, though. New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who has gained fame looking out for the little guy in bringing cases against mutual funds participating in market timing schemes and other costly games, as well as other similar fights, settled with Samsung Electronics America in 2004 a case involving nonpayment of rebates. Some state legislatures are starting to look into making laws to crack down on rebate fraud. Finally, some retailers are starting to limit their use of rebates because they are afraid of getting a bad name from angry consumers who are making their complaints public.

If you have a problem getting a rebate for a product you have purchased, report the problem to the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state's Attorney General. See if you can find a website or blog started by someone who had a similar problem with the company and post your complaint. Word travels fast and public exposure can often spur companies and retailers to action.