EDitor's Comment: Rip-off Report Investigation: Rip-off Report Investigation is complete: We note that with over 35 million registered members, there are only a mere 15 Rip-off Reports filed on the Company, which is an outstanding record. We commend the Company for asking us to look into these Reports with a sincere effort by the Company to satisfy any customer that might have fallen through the cracks. Not too sure what the problem could be with a money back guarantee?! With 35 million customers, and hundreds of customer service people working at the Company, we would think they would have a lot more complaints, but they don't. We all know how customer service people can be, remember they are human too :-) .
Investigation shows many of the comments made about the Company are ludicrous and were more than likely posted by competitors and should not be taken seriously. ALL BUSINESSES WILL GET COMPLAINTS, BUT HOW THOSE BUSINESSES HANDLE THOSE COMPLAINTS SEPARATES GOOD BUSINESS FROM BAD BUSINESS. As a matter of policy, when Rip-off Report is retained by a business to investigate independently and to publish our findings, we use every bit of information at our disposal to determine the truthfulness of the complaints against the company or individual... there are no guarantees as to the final outcome. Our final investigation shows that the company has demonstrated excellent customer satisfaction and has reasonably addressed all outstanding complaints. Anyone may contact me [email protected] with any questions or information. ..Also, the company has set up a special email address for those who may have a special refund request (although the regular refund procedures seem to be exemplary). The address is: [email protected] CLICK HERE to read more about the company "Setting the record straight"READ BELOW COMMENTS FROM SMS.ac REGUARDING THE POSTING BELOW...
SMS.ac maintains its focus upon the consumer and permits you to invite your friends and family, through our invitation program
to join SMS.ac so long as you've either selected to import your address book automatically or have manually imported your friends singularly so that you'll be "always connected. Importing your friends is not a requirement to join SMS.ac and you can choose to upload your address book in the future, if you wish. Prior to importation of any contact lists or address books, multiple screens clarify that initiations will be sent, on your behalf, to those email addresses imported. This action is entirely voluntary, and if your friends and/or family join SMS.ac, certain free text privileges are applicable. No invitations can be sent out, without the registrant first providing SMS.ac with a legitimate email account AND that account's corresponding password By providing these, the new member is entitled to communicate with the invited member via daily allowances of free text messaging it's a win-win scenario. The registrant is able to invite all, some, or none of the contacts in their address book to sign-up at SMS.ac=====================
NOW TO THE ORIGIONAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED =====================
< - - complaint letter
Dear SMS.AC Customer Service
I wanted to let you know what a wonderful experience I have had in the first few min after activation of my account through your "awesome" sms.ac network. I received a message from a trusted friend (not-spam) and thought I would provide and enter tons of valuable demographic information into your network to be better connected to my friend. Then after my subscription was activated my inbox was filled in a matter of seconds with delivery notices and mailer demon replies to messages that I never even sent!!!
The message is as follows:
___________________________________________________________
Hey
[email protected],
My Name has invited you to sign up, so that you can send FREE SMS (text messages) to each other:Click here to accept your invitation now.
New mobile email address for My First Name:
[email protected]* Please note this for your records. This new email address is effective immediately.
By sending emails to
[email protected], your friend will receive your emails on his/her mobile phone. You will get your own FREE spam-free mobile email address too when you accept your invitation.
Your friend is waiting to hear from you. Have fun at the world's most popular mobile community - SMS.ac!
- my full name, and your friends at SMS.ac
_____________________________________________________________
< - - comment
They even had the balls to "sign the message as if I were sent from me (or at least with my permission)
When filling out the sign up forms there was a box were I could put email addresses of my friends but I kept the box blank
< - - end comment
< - - resume complaint letter
the "Non-Spam" sms.ac is using outright Bait and switch viral marketing. operating this sort of business practice in CA is risky to say the least. If your company and "higher-ups" (not necessarily you the customer service agent) do not change your strategy your business will flare up like a fast match strike and then just as quickly fizzle out into darkness. If I were you, the customer service agent I would be looking for a new job. this companies policy is un-ethical, intrusive, and more than likely illegal.
I want a written apology emailed to myemailaddress-at-blabla.com and to every person on my contact list that you illegally sent messages impersonating me and my ethical reputation. If this is not taken care of in a timely manner expect legal recourse not to mention reporting your activities to FOX, CNBC, CBS, ABC, hell I'll even break the story to PAX tv too if I half too.
< - - end complaint letter
What things can we do to get them to stop?
They are using illegal methods
1.) Impersonating me
2.) Intruding into my private email address list
3.) false claims about "friendly email from" and "Non-Spam"
I am so angry I can barly keep my eye from twitching
Jim
Long Beach, California
U.S.A.