| WordSmart |
| WordSmart -- deceitful telemarketing practices |
| 10th of Aug, 2011 by karinminna |
In April I received a cold call from a WordSmart telemarketer. She told me that WordSmart had a table at my daughter's high school college and career day and that she had expressed interest in their product. The telemarketers probably used this line with everyone. She lied to me. My daughter had never seen the product. THIS IS IMPORTANT. If you get a cold call from WordSmart, PASS ON IT. Once they have your credit card they will change your card every month for their subscription service plus shipping and handling to the tune of $62.68. There is no chance of getting a refund past the 30 days. After reading the complaints from the other people who took the time to write and submit one, I called our bank and cancelled my credit card. I sent back the unwanted/ unused CDs by certified mail requesting a refund which I will probably never see. After the way that the customer service people treated me, it is completely apparent that they don't care if their customers are dissatified with their telemarketing services or customer service in general. When I referenced the scam complaints re: other people who had be duped into their subscription service her response was that people who write complaints have nothing better to do. Wow. I think she truly enjoyed the process of telling me that I wouldn't get a refund. When I called back to make sure that no additional CDs would be shipped she had me repeat my customer # four times probably just for fun. THESE PEOPLE ARE TRULY HORRIBLE --- DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. WORDSMART IS A SCAM. If they really cared about their customer service they would review their telemarketing procedures to find out why so many people are signing up for a subscription with monthly charges being made to their credit cards without knowing it.
Lady customer service rep -- since you say you read these online complaints, people who take the time to write and post complaints online are people who genuinely care about other people and want to share their experience in the hopes of helping others avoid an unfortunate situation rather than that we are a bunch of freaks with too much time on our hands. You probably tell people that to shut them up.
Given how many postings there are re: WordScam -- oops, WordSmart, I really think a class action suit should be filed. I am definitely writing and calling the BBB, FTC telemarketing dept., FCC Consumer Complaints and State of California, Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, PO Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244-2550.
If you've been scammed into WordSmarts' subscription service please call and write and be heard. Not because you have "too much time on your hands" but because you care about other people and what them to be spared having to do business with a company that is out right deceitful in their telemarketing practices. |
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I work in the WordSmart customer service department and am very sorry to hear that krinminna has been unhappy with her WordSmart experience. As krinminna states in her complaint she ordered the WordSmart product in on 4/11/11 for a 30 day trial. The first time we were contacted by krinminna after her order date was 8/09/11, almost five months after she had originally ordered WordSmart. She called on 8/09/11 to say she wanted to stop her continuity shipments and return what she had received. We explained that we would be happy to stop future billings but anything sent up to that date was not refundable per our policy. We reminded her that she was informed of the future billings at the time of order verbally, and the information was in writing multiple times in her first shipment as well. In addition to being informed verbally and in writing, we put our name and 800# on her credit card statement every month along with our charge so we could make sure that if she had any questions or issues we could be contacted easily.
Despite this information krinminna was unhappy. She stated that we did not inform her other items would be billed and shipped at the time of order. Here at WordSmart we want to make sure everything is explained correctly to our customers so we record a confirmation of our sales calls. We pulled the recording of krinminnas original sales call per her concern. This sales call recording verified that krinminna was very clearly told other products would be billed and shipped after her trial had expired, and that she only needed to call during her 30 day trial to stop these charges/shipments. Krinminna agreed to this on recording. There is nothing the sales representative or WordSmart did wrong.
That first day krinminna called us, 8/9/11, she contacted us three different times. This makes it clear we are very easy to get a hold of and that she could have easily canceled previously had she only called. The fact that she waited several months to call us is not something we have control over. We are like any business in that we have a return policy, and we believe that we have the right to uphold this return policy. Our policy states that the only product sent for a 30 day trial is the initial shipment. After that we can stop shipments at any time but the follow up shipments are not refundable.
To clarify for current/future customers, it is true that most WordSmart orders are set up as continuity accounts. This is because most of our customers prefer to pay for the WordSmart series in increments verses all at once. If anyone ever wants to cancel these billings/shipments, whether it be during their 30 day trial or after, we are happy to do this for them. We only need to be contacted at 1-800-641-9673 and our customer service department will be happy to stop future billings if needed. |
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During the audio-recorded transaction, I asked if I could receive the initial set without the subscription service. A former WordSmart employee posted that if you don't want the subscription service or a continuity account -- say I DO NOT WANT THE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE. Eventhough I asked the telemarketer if I could get the first set without the additional ones being sent, she did not alert me of this option. It's on the recording.
WordSmart’s telemarketing practices are deceitful and misleading. The caller will begin the conversation by saying that WordSmart was at a college day at your son’s or daughter’s high school and that your child stopped by their table and this is a follow up call. The caller will tell you that high school that your child attends endorses them. I checked our high school principal of 20+ years and she said, “I have checked in with everyone I can think of and no one knows of this group”.
Before you purchase anything from WordSmart, please read reviews at these websites:
· download.cnet.com: 13 out of 17 user reviews gave them a “terrible” rating (1 star)
· ripoffconsumer.com: 29 scathing reviews their products and services
· complaintsboard.com: 14 unfavorable reviews
· pissedconsumer.com: more reviews by dissatisfied customers
· bbb.com: 20% of the 256 complaints are unresolved and most of the complaints are about problems with products and services.
After my horrific customer service interaction with WordSmart and reading some reviews, I canceled my credit card and signed up at donotcall.gov to be added to the National Do Not Call List. Unfortunately I’m out $375. Worse yet, I feel incredibly stupid for having been duped by WordSmart. I thought I was too smart to be scammed.
What I learned from this $375 lesson is to research before buying and use a single purchase, one use credit card for phone or website purchases if I’m not sure of the company or institution. If I had signed up at donotcall.gov, I would never have received a cold call from WordSmart and I wouldn’t have lost the money. Hindsight is 20/20. |
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| I would like to cancel my order with wordsmart this is my conformation # 056537. I call the 18006419673 twice and was on hold for approx 25 - 30 both time. I also called the caller id # 404 891 5531, first it said disconnected the second time some lady answered stating it was a hotel resort my credit union rep called and she got a disconnected #. This is the second email today that I have sent. Yuor customer service is very poor. This is my conformation # 056537 please canc el imeditley do not send me any products now or in the future and please refund all moneies you have received from me thank you. |
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Response from WordSmart -
To karinminna, again I am sorry you are unhappy. But the fact is you were told very clearly in your sales call that you had to contact us during your trial to stop the future billings. You were also reminded of this with the literature included in your first shipment. In addition to these notifications of future billings you received products at your home for several months, along with charges that included our name and phone number on your credit card, and never called us. It’s unclear why you feel we do not have the right to a return policy like any other business does, but I respectfully disagree. As was previously mentioned, you contacted us several times in one day with ease, those contacts could have come months earlier and the charges would have been stopped at your first contact, as they were in August.
In response to Mr. Owens, I’m sorry to hear you had trouble contacting our business. You are located in the East cost and we are in the West coast, perhaps the three hour time difference contributed to the difficulty you had in contacting us, since our hours are 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific Standard Time. My records show that you ordered on 8/17/11 at 5:22 PM PST and canceled your order on 8/18/11 at 10:26 AM PST. Hopefully your issue is now resolved.
Our contact phone number is stated repeatedly throughout our product literature and on the company website, but if anyone has any questions about our product or their order they can contact WordSmart customer service at 1-800-641-9673. |
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My credit card was charged $57.90 which I did not authorize WORD SMART to be charged to my account. I was rushed into buying their product even though I told the salesperson that my children are in elementary school. I was called numerous times to buy their product and I bought Grade School one Pay CD for $189.95.
I received another package, Volume E from WORD SMART with a DVD and a bill charging me 57.90 for it. I was shocked because first of all I did not order this new DVD and second I did not authorize WORD SMART to use my credit card. It would be another 8 more years for my older child to go to the college. I have no use for their DVD, Volume E which is for college level and I never use it. Why should I order Volume E ? When I called their customer service department, they were so rude. I was told that I had been informed from the beginning that I had 30 days to cancel or If I failed to do so. I would automatically receive additional DVD's. I told the salesperson I was NEVER and I mean NEVER was told about any automatic future shipments.
I am the victim of WORD SMART scam, please help me. If you look into the following link http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/wordsmart-c138757.html, you could see that other people like me also got scammed by WORD SMART. I am enclosing a copy of the original charge slip showing the correct amount of $189.95, Grade School one pay CD for which I ordered, attached receipt. I received the WORD SMART explanation through American Express, Track & Confirmation receipt, user name and password to use the CDs. These things are for the CDs that I ordered. Let WORD SMART shows the record for the second CD that they sent. As you can see the second invoice, Order Date is on 4/16/2011 and Invoice Date is on 6/1/2011. If I ordered Volume E on 4/16/2011 which I never did, why should I pay $7.95 additional shipping charge to have them ship it on 6/1/11. I would have gotten everything together if I wanted it.
WORD SMART IS A SCAM NEVER, NEVER ORDER THEIR PRODUCT!!!
WE NEED TO FILE CLASS ACTION SUIT |
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| I would like to cancel my order with wordsmart this is my conformation # 012271. Someone's call me today. first i gave him my bank account number but i changed my mine after talking to him for a while but he did not do what i ask him to .I had call 18006419673 for many times but no one was there to answer my call. I also called 404 891 5531 but it's say disconnected.. My conformation number is 012271, Please cancel its immediately and do not send me any product. And please refund all money you have received from me. Thank you. |
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this early morning around 3:40am. My cCard was charged $57.90 by wordsmart without my permission. they are like a thief. I will call them tonight. any one has a better solution.
Avoid wordscam!!! |
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| I'm a high school student in my Junior year. I typically buy study books online with my parents credit card (after getting permission and notifying them of course), so my mother was not surprised when she received a call from WordSmart's customer service, which stated that I had bought a SAT study plan for $180. The telemarketer was able to repeat my name, address, phone number, and school--information she thought that I had given them. The telemarketer also wanted to talk to me, but she told him to just leave his number. She was angry that I did not tell her, especially for something so expensive and confronted me about it when I returned home. I had no idea what she was talking about. After a few minutes of incoherent arguing, I finally got the gist of it. I told her that I had never heard of WordSmart before, never visited their website, never contacted them--nothing. In fact, it would make no sense for me to order the SAT study plan in the first place, because I just took mine! So she gave me the number they left behind, which of course I called and was of course told that it was out of their business hours. So I searched them up and this was the first thing that popped up. I am very angry that this happened not only to me, but to so many others. However, the thing that infuriates me the most is that I never even gave them my contact information--I did not ever hear of them before this and obviously did not give them permission to charge such an absurd amount for something I do not need! How on earth were they able to find all this information about me? Is it even legal? Nevertheless, I do not intend to just stand by and watch them bait me, and so many others, out of our money. I intend to take this to the court, if necessary. I'm sorry to hear that so many of you have encountered such troubles and I hope that no one will fail for their scams again. |
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