You probably could have gotten that rebate validated with 2 calls to Parago speaking to a person. The biggest problem with rebates are if the company goes titsup.com/just all around doesn't provide the funds to the fulfillment service, or the fulfillment service being world class crooks. Believe it or not, Parago is better than the others.
In the future, buy items such as maxtor products at staples. The staples rebate center is VERY nice to customers, and easy to get ahold of a person. In such an event, especially when you sent it insured mail, one phone call lasting less than 6-7 minutes from the time you pick up the phone and it would have been validated. No muss or fuss...well...one phone call anyway.
You will however still wait 3 months on average to receive a maxtor rebate once it's validated, though someone I know did recently get 2 maxtor rebates with 2 months ( 7 weeks ) of parago showing online that it was received/validated. About 9 weeks total time from the date it was mailed from their home. Maxtor pays, they ain't going nowhere, they just don't pay quickly.
Now maxell....if you ever buy a 50 or 100 pk of maxell cdrs at staples that are handled by parago, you'll have your rebate inside of 3-4 weeks from the date you mail your submission. Also bought one of those scanners and the USB hub on black friday at staples, 1 week after I mailed them they showed up as valid, and only 1 week later the status changed to fulfilling reward and the checks are in the mail.
You should follow rebate tracking threads here, in the archive, and over at FW. Some rebates you can bet the farm on, some ( hival/iomagic/digital research ) I wouldn't bet on without a few followup phone calls. It varies in large part from manufacturer to manufacturer and fulfillment center.
Avoid any rebate handled by TCA, which is most compusa rebates, like the PLAGUE!
Ya need to learn which companies and fulfillment centers you can trust, and which ones you can bet on having problems.