I was looking for an affordable online fax service. The SmartFax.com site advertised a free trial to receive a local fax number.
I went through the sign up process that included my billing information. At the end I was given an alert that they couldn't create my number and to please call a toll free number.
I called the number, they told me they weren't smartfax. I called again, same number, same recorded answer, same on hold, person picks up and then I am disconnected.
As this is happening, i receive my Welcome to smartfax email. Then I receive the invoice that says i will be billed on October 25.
I log into my smartfax account and there is no fax number assigned to me. I initiate a live chat for help as I am unable to get ANY customer service on the telephone.
Live chat assured me they are not a scam, but whoops, they are out of local fax numbers and she/he would be happy to upgrade my account to a toll free (more expensive) account because they have PLENTY of those numbers.
After about an hour of my time wasted I have been assured that my account is cancelled and I will not be billed. We'll see.
I strongly believe this company is a huge ripoff/scam and I am surprised I haven't seen more reports about them.
In the chat, I asked for confirmation that my account had been canceled. She/he said they would email it. Of course, I never received anything.
I am pasting the transcript of my chat with support below.
10:02: 34 Welcome to Live Chat Support. You are currently in our Support Queue. An agent will be with you shortly. Thank you very much.
10:03: 34 livechat: Hello! I am Sonny, I saw your chat request. Thank you for contacting us.
10:03: 44 Sonny: Welcome to Live Chat Support! How may I help you today?
10:03: 49 Sonny: Hi Me.
10:04: 46 me: Hi sonny. I tried to sign up for smart fax, put in all my billing info and received a message that says my number is not available and to call the toll free. I called the toll free and they say they aren't smart fax. I received the invoice for $6.95 in my email and it says my card will be debited. Is smart fax a scam???
10:05: 49 Sonny: Definitely not, Me.
10:06: 44 Sonny: We have been in the Internet and Telecommunications technology business since 1994.
10:07: 25 me: why are the people in customer support on the toll free number telling me they aren't smart fax? That's when i get through. Otherwise i just get hung up on.
10:07: 32 me: are you able to help me?
10:07: 49 Sonny: Yes, I'm.
10:08: 14 Sonny: 877-SMART15 (877-762-7815)
10:08: 19 Sonny: That's our hotline.
10:08: 22 me: yeah, that's the number i'm calling.
10:08: 37 me: i pressed 3 and they say they aren't smart fax
10:08: 44 me: toll free services
10:08: 58 me: or i get disconnected.
10:09: 19 Sonny: That's us, Me.
10:09: 49 Sonny: Extension 3 is for billing.
10:10: 04 me: that's what i'm worried about!
10:10: 04 Sonny: Do you have an inquiry about your bill?
10:10: 32 me: Yeah, i put my credit card in, wasn't assigned a fax number and received a message that i will be billed. This concerns me.
10:11: 14 Sonny: I see. So, you were not given a fax number, is that correct?
10:11: 18 me: yes
10:11: 39 Sonny: May I have your username, please?
10:11: 44 me: xxxxxx
10:12: 13 me: and i also thought i signed up for a 30 day trial.
10:15: 34 Sonny: I was able to pull up your account.
10:15: 48 me: ok
10:17: 04 Sonny: I have already emailed the system administrators to replenish the number pool list. The reason why you do not have a local fax number is because we have ran out of local numbers. I apologize for the inconvenience.
10:17: 18 me: what do i do?
10:17: 34 Sonny: This is the link where they ususally get the local numbers: www.smartfax.com/numbers/local
10:17: 59 Sonny: Perhaps you would like to upgrade your plan to a tollfree account.
10:18: 06 me: it is a scam!
10:18: 13 me: can you please cancel my account.
10:18: 39 Sonny: Me, it's not a scam.
10:19: 14 Sonny: You may get a tollfree number.
10:19: 29 Sonny: All I need to do is to upgrade your plan to Smartfax Tollfree.
10:19: 53 me: Really, signing up for a free 30 day trial that sends me an invoice that says I'm going to be billed much sooner without giving me a number and then offering me a more expensive service? Sort of sounds like a scam to me.
10:19: 54 Sonny: You may select a tollfree number from this link: http://www.smarfax.com/numbers
10:20: 13 me: i don't want to pay for a toll free number. I just want a plain old fax number.
10:20: 56 me: i've also been first in line with customer service for over 12 minutes.
10:21: 29 Sonny: The free trial account is under the Smartfax Local. You will get a local fax number for it. However, since we have ran out of local fax number the only option that I can provide you is to switch your plan to tollfree and get a tollfree number to get you started.
10:21: 48 me: can you cancel me?
10:22: 54 Sonny: Yes, I can. But I need to verify the name on your credit card, the last 4 digits of your card and the billing address.
10:23: 30 me: Me xxxxx, xxxxx, xxxx xxxxx, xxxxx, MA xxxxxx
10:25: 09 Sonny: Thank you very much. Please hold while I close your account.
10:27: 07 Sonny: Thank you for patiently waiting.
10:27: 32 Sonny: I have verified your billing information and closed your account.
10:27: 34 me: will i receive an email verifying that my account has been closed?
10:29: 47 Sonny: I can send you an email confirmation.
10:29: 52 me: please do.
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