Divorce Source Defective software, rude customer service, basically no refund policy Allentown Pennsylvania
This company sells online legal documents. You pay about $300 for access to their online program, which asks you for all your personal information pertaining to your legal issue (mine was a divorce). The software is supposed to automatically update state-specific forms, which you can then print out and file at the courthouse.
Awesome, right? Yeah, in theory. In practice? Not quite.
The software didn't work; my information was not entered in the forms when I printed them out. I could have paid $15 at a dozen other websites to get these forms if I wanted blank forms, and saved myself roughly $285. I called the company to complain and ask for a refund. This was outside normal business hours, so I left a message. No one returned my call.
I called again, and I got the single worst customer service representative in the history of the world.Not only was he rude, but he was also a terrible liar.He told me that I would have to contact the refund department (naturally, no phone number was provided on the website for a refund department) about the issue. I asked him for the number, and he said I couldn't call them because they were all on vacation.
Wait, your entire refund department is all on vacation at the same time? Yep.I took down the address he provided, and mulled this.I called back and asked to speak to a manager or supervisor. He told me that all the managers and supervisors were also on vacation.
I said, Ok, let me get this straight, your entire refund department and all the managers and supervisors for your company are all on vacation at the same time? He said, Yes, don't people in your company take vacations? I said, Umm, yeah, but not all on the same day. So there's no one other than you that I can talk to? He snapped back, What did I just tell you? Do you speak the language? He hung up on me.
I think this agency is a scam, or at the very least, their refund policy is designed to rip people off. They were recommended by CNN and Forbes, so I felt safe giving them my information. However, the fact that they obviously do not have a legitimate customer service department, an incredibly rude representative, and no way for a customer to seek redress for issues like this made me feel very concerned about identity theft. They have ALL of my personal information. I can't even get anyone on the phone to ask about issues like identity theft and privacy.
I ended up canceling the credit card I used, disputing the charge, and enrolling in identity theft information. Discover card customer service is AWESOME, by the way. I asked for a 90 day fraud alert with the credit bureaus. I sent the single most insulting (but generally bad language-free LOL!) email I have ever concocted. I reported them to the FTC as well as every other online fraud agency that I can find. I am contacting the sites who back them (CNN, Forbes, and others) to ask that they pull their recommendations.
PLEASE, for your own safety and peace of mind, do NOT use Divorce Source. These people make a living by preying on people already undergoing financial hardships on account of things like divorces, child custody battles, etc., and then take your money in exchange for a defective product.
Valerie
West Monroe, Louisiana
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Valerie
West Monroe,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
UPDATE
#6Author of original report
Tue, May 29, 2007
So, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about this issue. I received a response from the BBB with this letter enclosed from Theodore Long III, President of Divorce Source, Inc.
First off we are not a scam. We have been in business for over 11 years with thousands of satisfied customers.
All personal information is secure and protected by state of the art technology through Verisign.
For all refunds outside of our standard policy, a written request by mail is required and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Any technical issues, as far as problems completing the documents, downloading or printing them, can be handled by our technical support department.
This customer seems to have had the initiative to get a refund rather than receive support using the service, which is why our customer service representative explained that a written request must be mailed.
At this point, we have not had any further contact with this customer to resolve the issue.
Pffffft. I don't entirely understand how the technical support department could have handled anything since 1. the customer service representative told me that everyone in the company was on vacation except for him 2. he told me that there was no one I could talk to except for him anyway and 3. he hung up on me, thereby circumventing that whole transferring me to another department thing. Im especially amused about how they have had no further contact with me; I guess four phone calls dont count as contact.
The letter from the BBB also states that if you remain more dissatisfied than satisfied, please write to us within 10 working days and provide a brief and specific explanation as to why the matter is unresolved. With this, we may be able to contact the firm again and request further consideration. We will then let you know of the firm's final position and update the file accordingly. If we do not receive your reply, we will assume that you are more satisfied than not, and we will close out the matter.
So I guess that means Ill have to write a rebuttal letter to the BBB. *sigh*
Valerie
West Monroe,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
UPDATE
#6Author of original report
Tue, May 29, 2007
So, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about this issue. I received a response from the BBB with this letter enclosed from Theodore Long III, President of Divorce Source, Inc.
First off we are not a scam. We have been in business for over 11 years with thousands of satisfied customers.
All personal information is secure and protected by state of the art technology through Verisign.
For all refunds outside of our standard policy, a written request by mail is required and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Any technical issues, as far as problems completing the documents, downloading or printing them, can be handled by our technical support department.
This customer seems to have had the initiative to get a refund rather than receive support using the service, which is why our customer service representative explained that a written request must be mailed.
At this point, we have not had any further contact with this customer to resolve the issue.
Pffffft. I don't entirely understand how the technical support department could have handled anything since 1. the customer service representative told me that everyone in the company was on vacation except for him 2. he told me that there was no one I could talk to except for him anyway and 3. he hung up on me, thereby circumventing that whole transferring me to another department thing. Im especially amused about how they have had no further contact with me; I guess four phone calls dont count as contact.
The letter from the BBB also states that if you remain more dissatisfied than satisfied, please write to us within 10 working days and provide a brief and specific explanation as to why the matter is unresolved. With this, we may be able to contact the firm again and request further consideration. We will then let you know of the firm's final position and update the file accordingly. If we do not receive your reply, we will assume that you are more satisfied than not, and we will close out the matter.
So I guess that means Ill have to write a rebuttal letter to the BBB. *sigh*
Valerie
West Monroe,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
UPDATE
#6Author of original report
Tue, May 29, 2007
So, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about this issue. I received a response from the BBB with this letter enclosed from Theodore Long III, President of Divorce Source, Inc.
First off we are not a scam. We have been in business for over 11 years with thousands of satisfied customers.
All personal information is secure and protected by state of the art technology through Verisign.
For all refunds outside of our standard policy, a written request by mail is required and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Any technical issues, as far as problems completing the documents, downloading or printing them, can be handled by our technical support department.
This customer seems to have had the initiative to get a refund rather than receive support using the service, which is why our customer service representative explained that a written request must be mailed.
At this point, we have not had any further contact with this customer to resolve the issue.
Pffffft. I don't entirely understand how the technical support department could have handled anything since 1. the customer service representative told me that everyone in the company was on vacation except for him 2. he told me that there was no one I could talk to except for him anyway and 3. he hung up on me, thereby circumventing that whole transferring me to another department thing. Im especially amused about how they have had no further contact with me; I guess four phone calls dont count as contact.
The letter from the BBB also states that if you remain more dissatisfied than satisfied, please write to us within 10 working days and provide a brief and specific explanation as to why the matter is unresolved. With this, we may be able to contact the firm again and request further consideration. We will then let you know of the firm's final position and update the file accordingly. If we do not receive your reply, we will assume that you are more satisfied than not, and we will close out the matter.
So I guess that means Ill have to write a rebuttal letter to the BBB. *sigh*
Valerie
West Monroe,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
UPDATE
#6Author of original report
Tue, May 29, 2007
So, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about this issue. I received a response from the BBB with this letter enclosed from Theodore Long III, President of Divorce Source, Inc.
First off we are not a scam. We have been in business for over 11 years with thousands of satisfied customers.
All personal information is secure and protected by state of the art technology through Verisign.
For all refunds outside of our standard policy, a written request by mail is required and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Any technical issues, as far as problems completing the documents, downloading or printing them, can be handled by our technical support department.
This customer seems to have had the initiative to get a refund rather than receive support using the service, which is why our customer service representative explained that a written request must be mailed.
At this point, we have not had any further contact with this customer to resolve the issue.
Pffffft. I don't entirely understand how the technical support department could have handled anything since 1. the customer service representative told me that everyone in the company was on vacation except for him 2. he told me that there was no one I could talk to except for him anyway and 3. he hung up on me, thereby circumventing that whole transferring me to another department thing. Im especially amused about how they have had no further contact with me; I guess four phone calls dont count as contact.
The letter from the BBB also states that if you remain more dissatisfied than satisfied, please write to us within 10 working days and provide a brief and specific explanation as to why the matter is unresolved. With this, we may be able to contact the firm again and request further consideration. We will then let you know of the firm's final position and update the file accordingly. If we do not receive your reply, we will assume that you are more satisfied than not, and we will close out the matter.
So I guess that means Ill have to write a rebuttal letter to the BBB. *sigh*
Valerie
West Monroe,Louisiana,
U.S.A.
Spoke to "Customer Service" again
#6Author of original report
Thu, May 03, 2007
I contacted Divorce Source's "customer service department" a few minutes ago. I spoke with Marcy, who was extremely friendly. But again, I was assured that everyone else in the entire company is on vacation, and there is no one available who can help me.
I told her that I had filed fraud reports with several online agencies, put fraud alerts on my credit report, and cancelled my credit card account. I explained that when I encounter a "customer service department" that insults customers, hangs up on them, and insists that there is no one else in the company who can assist me, I get very suspicious. In my experience (and granted, I have been VERY lucky), reputable companies have better customer service policies.
I'll call again tomorrow. Actually, I'll keep calling until I stop getting the run-around.
I probably would have eaten the $300 charge to my credit card and just chalked this up to "learning my lesson" about online shopping, but the fact that they will not let me file a complaint or even speak to any manager or supervisor makes me extremely suspicious and kinda queasy about these people having my personal information.