CPG Promotions Group, one of the largest providers of rebate services to the tech industry, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November.  Despite all the holiday season retail coverage, it seems this story has, until now, pretty much slipped through the cracks.  CPG handled rebates for some huge names, including Costco, Home Depot, Samsung, Staples, Logitech, and Motorola.

The CPG Website makes no mention of the bankruptcy, nor does it offer information whether pending or future rebates will be paid.

The good news is that in most cases if a rebate provider goes out of business the manufacturer or retailer promising the rebate still is liable for the payout.  However, most companies outsource rebates because they aren't equipped to process the claims.  Getting your rebate from the business that promised it could take months, according to the Yahoo! blog, unless there is a threat of a class-action lawsuit or negative publicity.  The rebate amounts rarely would be enough to pursue an individual lawsuit, but if a law firm could pursue a number of claims in a class-action, the up-front cost to the individual consumers could be more reasonable, and a judgment might be quite valuable, particularly if consumers can show fraud by the manufacturers or retailers in their continuing to offer the rebates after CPG's bankruptcy, and without making reasonable alternative arrangements for payout.

If you are owed a rebate from CPG that you haven't received, you're advised to take your claim back to the source to receive compensation. Some vendors, such as Canon, have already made alternative arrangements for paying rebates owed by CPG. The Yahoo! blog offers a link to a list of retailers that process rebates with CPG. If you are affected and the company is not responsive, you might explore your recovery options with an attorney.