Tmobile rebate card doesnt work through Northlane

Hey T-Mobile: when getting the rebate you promised sucks at every step, that’s a terrible first impression for a new customer!

I signed up for new 5G service, $200 rebate was promised in 6-8 weeks, that’s the first ‘soft obstacle’, simply remembering you were owed this, checking the status, making sure an email isn’t tied up in your spam folder, etc.

9 weeks later, I get an email that 'your reward is here, only one more step' with a click through link.  Clicking that link goes to a Northlane page (Sunrise Bank) that doesn't work - it won't accept my information as valid.  On the page it says "if you are having issues, call Customer Service" with no contact number or link.  It's purposefully unhelpful.  Obstacle number 2.

So I call T-mobile's customer service, wait 45 minutes on hold (side note here to T-mobile: please upgrade your call center system to tell me how much longer I have to wait and (even better!) provide a call-back option).  Of course T-mobile can't help me because this is a Northlane issue.  To their credit, they get a Northlane representative on the phone and do a live handoff (as opposed to forwarding me to Northlane and then dropping me).  The Northlane person is able to help me, and while on the call, I get to my virtual pre-paid Mastercard debit card information (a graphic that looks like a credit card).  The rep tells me to take a screen shot of the card immediately, which I do.  Good thing, because as soon as I hang up, the app logs me off, saying I timed out, and I have no way to get back in.

As everyone who has ever used one knows, these pre-paid cards are designed to never give you your money, and to drain what money is on the card away via various fees.  I'll just call the very use of these cards, vs., say SENDING ME A CHECK, or SIMPLY CREDITING MY T-MOBILE ACCOUNT, as obstacle number 3.  For this card, every month you have this thing (and it's only good for 6 months) they charge you $3 against the remaining card value.

There is an option to ACH the funds to my checking account, for a $6.95 fee, and I decide I'm willing to eat the $7 to get most of the money.  Problem is, I can only do that with a verification text sent to my mobile.  The only mobile I have on record at T-mobile is the phone number of my 5G gateway, which cannot accept texts.  Obstacle number 4.

So I try to add the card to my Apple wallet.  Works great up until the last step, then terminates with Apple saying to contact the card company.  I try this multiple times over a two day period and it never works.  Obstacle 5.

Finally, I just buy myself an Amazon gift card, via my Amazon account, and pay for it with this card.  And that works.  I get the virtual Amazon card via email, and add it to my Amazon account as a credit.  Not cash exactly, but I'll have no problem spending that on Amazon.