AT&T Door-to-Door Sales Promises That Didn’t Hold Up
The AT&T "Gift Card Scam" – How One Door-to-Door Rep Cost Us $2,100
Investigative Report: An Unethical Sales Practice and Broken Promises
A Short Introduction
Many Americans assume AT&T, one of the oldest telecom companies in the country, is trustworthy and reputable. However, our experience with their door-to-door sales practices has revealed a disturbing pattern of misrepresentation, contract manipulation, and unfulfilled promises that cost us over $2,100. Due to this, we have discovered that there are nearly 50,000 complaints with the BBB, which we will show later.
How It Happened
On June 13, 2025, an AT&T door-to-door sales representative, Jacob A. Ellis, came to our home offering:
1) Two phones with $200 gift cards for each.
2) A gift card to pay off our current phone ($699.52).
3) A gift card for switching our Internet ($350).
4) No contracts and the lowest available rates, including a military discount.
Following his instructions, we paid off our phone, turned it in at an AT&T store, and activated new services. However, when it came time to receive the promised gift cards, AT&T refused to honor their commitments, giving conflicting reasons and shifting blame to us.
Evidence of Misrepresentation
1) Screenshots of account balances, receipts for phone payoffs, and email/chat records.
2) Speed tests showing promised fiber Internet speeds were not delivered.
3) Over 44,000 complaints on the Better Business Bureau website documenting similar experiences.
Legal Considerations
While we are expressing our personal experience, it’s important to note the following legal points:
False Advertising & Misrepresentation: Promises of gift cards and free phones that were not honored may constitute deceptive business practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC).
Breach of Contract: Written or verbal agreements that were not fulfilled can be actionable under contract law.
Unfair Trade Practices: State consumer protection laws often prohibit tactics that mislead or coerce customers.
We have filed complaints with the FTC, BBB, and our state Attorney General’s office. We encourage consumers to document all interactions and hold companies accountable.
Lessons Learned
1) Always verify offers directly through the official company channels.
2) Be cautious with door-to-door sales reps, even from well-known companies.
3) Keep records of all communications, receipts, and screenshots.
AT&T’s handling of new customer promises reveals a disturbing lack of integrity, ethics, and accountability. Our experience shows that even long-standing companies can engage in deceptive practices when sales goals take priority over honesty.
Conclusion:
Consumers must remain vigilant when signing contracts or accepting promotions. Companies like AT&T must be held accountable for false advertising, misrepresentation, and breach of promises.
And as Paul Harvey would say, the "Rest of the Story" is below, including documents and videos.
An Investigative Consumer Report on Alleged Misrepresentation, Unfulfilled Promotions, and a $2,100 Customer Loss
Disclaimer:
This article documents my personal experience as a consumer. All statements are based on records, communications, and events as I experienced them. This is not a claim of criminal guilt, but a consumer report submitted for public awareness and regulatory review.
Background: Why This Matters
AT&T is one of the largest telecommunications providers in the United States. With that size comes influence—and responsibility. Consumers reasonably expect that advertised offers, especially those made during in-home sales presentations, will be honored as described.
This report documents my experience transitioning from Spectrum to AT&T after a door-to-door sales presentation that included specific promotional promises that were later disputed or denied.
The total financial impact, based on my records, is approximately $2,100+, excluding time spent attempting resolution, documentation, filing complaints, and making documentation videos.
Timeline of Events
June 13, 2025 – Initial Door-to-Door Offer - (See Video Proof Below)
At approximately 5:33 PM, an AT&T door-to-door sales representative identified as Jacob A. Ellis visited my home.
At the time:
1) I was satisfied with my existing provider (Spectrum)
2) I had no plans to switch services
The representative presented an offer that included:
1) Two free new phones
2) Promotional gift cards per phone activation
3) A phone payoff credit (up to $800)
4) A $350 internet-switch promotional gift card
5) Military-related pricing considerations
6) Statements suggesting minimal or no long-term contractual obligation
Based on these representations, I agreed to switch services.
What Was Promised vs. What Occurred
Phone Payoff Promotion
1) I was instructed to pay off my existing phone and turn it in at a local AT&T store
2) I paid $699.52 to satisfy the balance
3) I followed instructions exactly as provided
Result:
AT&T later declined to issue the corresponding payoff credit, citing reasons that were not disclosed at the time of sale.
Gift Card Promotions
1) I was told promotional gift cards would arrive approximately 45 days after activation
2) Some gift cards were received (totaling $350 for Internet)
3) Others associated with phone activation and payoff were denied or disputed
Key Issue:
AT&T later stated that additional steps were required—steps never disclosed during the sales presentation.
Attempts to Resolve the Issue
Over the following weeks, I:
1) Contacted AT&T via phone and online chat
2) Repeatedly explained the situation to multiple representatives
3) Submitted proof of payment and device turn-in
4) Requested review of recorded calls (AT&T records its calls)
Despite these efforts:
1) I received inconsistent explanations
2) No full resolution was provided
3) Responsibility was repeatedly shifted back to me as the customer
Financial Breakdown (Approximate)
| Item | Amount |
| Phone payoff paid | $699.52 |
| Promotional phone credits | $400–$500 |
| Value of Phone Turned In | $1,000.00 |
| Total Estimated Impact | $2,100.00 |
Figures based on promotional representations and documented payments.
Consumer Protection Concerns Raised
This case raises several issues relevant to consumer protection agencies:
1) Alleged misrepresentation during door-to-door sales
2) Failure to clearly disclose promotional requirements
3) Inconsistent post-sale explanations
4) Denial of advertised incentives after customer compliance
5) Potential pattern, based on publicly available complaint volumes
Evidence Available
I have retained:
1) Screenshots of promotional materials
2) Proof of payment and payoff
3) Store receipts
4) Chat transcripts
5) Call logs and partial recordings
6) Speed test results and service documentation
7) Sensitive personal information has been redacted.
Why This Report Is Being Published
The purpose of this report is:
1) To document a consumer experience
2) To encourage transparency
3) To inform other consumers before they commit to similar offers
4) To support regulatory review if patterns are identified
I am also submitting this matter to:
1) The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
2) State consumer protection authorities
3) The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
4) Other appropriate oversight entities
Closing Thoughts
Promotions should not rely on undisclosed conditions that only appear after a customer is fully committed. When companies rely on independent or contracted sales representatives, accountability must still rest with the company itself.
Consumers deserve:
1) Clear terms
2) Honest representations
3) Fair resolution when disputes arise
This report reflects my experience. Others are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence and keep thorough records when engaging in door-to-door or promotional sales offers.
Below is the additional information in images, texts, and videos. Yes, I do vent a bit in all my research results, and it is my free speech to do so, and I do this in hopes to bring these people to light, and so you know not to deal with them in the future...
The AT&T Gift Card Scam –
A Comedy of Lies, Broken Contracts, and
One Seriously Shady Door to Door Sales Rep!
If you have found the Jacob A. Ellis, AT&T Gift Card Scam first, then you are missing the big story, and you can catch up at this BLOG POST HERE. That write up is where you will find all the complaints, and scams AT&T has pulled on other people, totaling nearly 50,000 complaints at the BBB.
Here we will cover more about Mr. Jake Ellis, and reveal him to the world, as with today's technology, it is near impossible to hide from anyone, so, it is not like I am some super sleuth. I am sharing with my readers what has happened to us, and to inform you to protect your self from any door to door sales rep in the future.
It is not my hobby to expose people, however, when you misrepresent the company you work for, by lying about the offers and how they work, and then ignore me when I message you, then that, in my humble opinion, makes you a low life scammer, as you were only looking for a commission, and not looking out for the company, or the new customer.
So, lets start on June 13, 2025 at 5:33 PM, when Mr. Jacob A. Ellis knocked on my door, and got my doggy all stirred up, and "Disturbed My Peace", just like the song says that is playing in the background of the video below. Lets see that evidence in the "AT&T Rip Off Monkey Business" video below from the Head Ape himself...
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You will need an EXTRACTOR, like 7 Zip to Unzip the file.
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It will be in a ZIP File.
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Click HERE to download my Favorite - 7 Zip |
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Like the song - Letting Go Of The Bullshit - in the Video?
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I am an easy guy to get along with, and I do try to make friends with people who I think are hard working, and legit. It is also no surprise, that I am often wrong and I misjudge people for being good, when if fact, they often turn out to be just the exact opposite.
I told Mr. Jake Ellis I was perfectly happy with my Spectrum, so, he had to figure out a plan to get in my house, and wow me with all those AT&T Gift Cards.
He told me I would get:
Here are the message between Jake and myself, while he knew that I had not figured out he had misled me, and make false claims about what I was going to receive, and how I was going to receive them.
As you can see from those images above, the Internet Up Speed has only been about half, and he said it would be about the same up and down. I do not consider half the upload speed to be about he same, would you?
As you can also see, we had him and his co working buddy Thomas over one night for some nice Philippines treats. We don't just offer that to anyone. He also said he would love to try some of the Philippines BBQ Treats next time we had them, and as you can see, we invited them, and not once did they ever reply, as they just ignored us, like the rest of the low life scammers on this blog site. So sad people are that way, and sad how people, and companies treat others.
Just look at these tasty treats my wife made just for him and Thomas, which they came over on June 19th for those treats...
A few weeks later, on July 2, 2025, we offered to have them over for those Awesome Philippine BBQ Treats, however, Jake did not even have the decency to reply back with any kind of answer. I barely got an answer out of him a little over a month later on the 4th of August about the AT&T Gift Cards.
I have been in door to door sales, and sold just about everything under the sun seems like, and I have never treated my clients and customers like that, however, this was back several years ago when the world was a better place, when common Cents, curtesy, and human decency was much more prevalent.
Hum, so, what does that say about Mr. Jake? Yep, just as I was thinking too, as he has been Caught being Misleading, Defrauding, and saying what ever he needed to get me to let him in the house, and slam that transfer to AT&T Services. So sad when you have to be a Low Life Serial Scammer & Liar just to make a sale...
Thing is, we are also generous people, so, we fixed enough for all of us, and then, they just never show up. Hum... That's OK, just that much more for us! Actually, it was not hard to find a few people to come on over and join us, as they know, when that grill fires up, it is a massive blessing to the Taste Buds!
To be honest, since Jake is only going to be 25 this year, since he was born in February of 2021, he has not had much time to get life figured out and grab that bull by the horns. However, since he used to be a T-Mobile Store Manager in Indianapolis, IN. Just wondering why he would give that up, for a door to door gig with AT&T working out in the weather? Odd, eh...
So, at the time of this write up, he is currently renting a home in TN from a family, C & S W, that owns a portfolio of 150+ homes, which I am extremely proud of them. They started their LLC back in 1995, called W Enterprises. W is for their last name, and I am not putting them in this report, as they are not part of this issue with Jake.
They own homes in the TN cities of:
Smyrna, TN — 46 homes
La Vergne, TN — 31 homes
Lascassas, TN — 12 homes
Murfreesboro, TN — 10 homes
Gatlinburg, TN — 3 homes
Auburntown, TN — 2 homes
Loudon, TN — 2 homes
Lynchburg, TN — 1 home
They use the corporate address for their address, which is fine, as they could be living in any of those homes, and it is sure nice to have choices.
Mr. Jacob A. Ellis lives that one of their homes located at:
286 Old Nashville Hwy, La Vergne, TN 37086
Google Map Locator Link: CLICK HERE
At the current time, Jake is staying here in Evansville, IN, but, since he is working door to door, he could be anywhere by now, as he was in FL with Thomas before moving up here to work in Evansville.
I think he is renting a pretty nice home. Below are the pics if they disappear from the above link from Zillow.
OK, I will stop there with this write up at this time, and you can check back, as there may be future updates. Just remember my friend, if you have any door to door sales rep show up trying to sell you something, especially if it is the Non-American AT&T, just tell them you are not interested in getting ripped off and scammed, and tell them to hit the road, just like I do with all the ones that show up at my door, "Disturbing My Peace".
Have a Blessed and Prosperous Day!!!