Wondering why you didn't get the $3.50 rebate for your Vastech USB hub you bought in May? Well, it's because Vastech took all the rebate slips and threw them in the garbage, unopened.

As Dean Takahashi writes, "In all of my years of reporting, I have never encountered such outrageous behavior against consumers," and while the amount of money at stake here is small, the principle is a large one. 1,300 people went to the trouble of sending in their mail-in rebate forms to this small Silicon Valley firm, and in response Vastech simply chose to ignore them. Possibly worse, all of those rebates contained at least some personal information: Names, addresses, and probably portions of credit card numbers on any receipts included in the envelope.

Takahashi tracked down the CEO of the company and he offered both excuses and an apology. If you've been waiting for your rebate, feel free to send a complaint to support@vastechinc.com and demand your money directly.

Vastech isn't the first company to completely blow it when it comes to rebates. In fact, many consumers have been burned so often by not getting the money they've been promised that they simply ignore any offered rebates or refuse to buy from companies that offer them. A few retailers have listened. Two years ago, Best Buy announced it would phase out its internal rebate system, though it still seems to offer them in some capacity and via third-party sellers. Still, rebates show no sign of slowing down. They're just too profitable for the vendors who use them to sell their gear.

Got a gripe about the rebate process? Feel free to air your dirty laundry here. 

LINK: Unopened rebate requests found in San Jose dumpster