Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/21/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Dec3,2022 I spotted a ad speaking of how one can further your real estate career using **. Being a new agent, i was curious and signed up for the free webinar on 12/04. It was a vast webinar speaking of many facets
  and somewhat confusing. One salient feature of it was the how one can brand oneself through Real estate books to create value. The gentleman leading it wanted us to check these books out and there was a sign up fee of $7.00 for it. He multiple times told, how he was out to give value and if one was not happy with it, one can cancel anytime even the $7.00 would be refunded! The central theme was this is "No risk trial!"
  
  Based on that narrative, i gave my credit card. Though i was super busy and would have checked out the books when free. The company gave the feeling, this is no commitment thing! We are here for you!
  Lo and Behold. 2 months down, i became aware, i had been billed $149.00 two times! ( $298.00)!!
  
  I had never gone on any of their websites/ taken any coaching calls, even had'nt opened any of the books.
  Not one way in **** did i agree to allow $298.00 to be billed to me. To honor such a coaching one has to make their life free. Two months they kept on billing me!-- Just as i had gone on their zoom call!
  
  If one is billing $149.00( month)- a large sum of money. One has to take explicit permission. This is not $10.00 music that you are billing. Basically i have been "defrauded of my monies". And even more sadder despite explicitly telling authority.. They are indifferent! and keeping " Deceitfully acquired Monies" as part of terms and conditions!
  
  There is not even the slightest remorse, or making things right! SHOCKED at such a approach of a company- that is speaking of changing people lives! Mine changed- only for the Darker!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2023

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We are sorry to hear about your negative experience with our company and we would like to address your concerns.

  Upon reviewing your account, we see that you signed up for our trial membership during the free webinar on 12/04. The sign-up fee for the program was $7.00, and you were informed that it was a "No risk trial" and you could cancel within 30 days for a full refund of the $7. However, we understand that you were  charged $149.00 per month for the following two months, resulting in a total charge of $298.00 because you were not able to cancel the trial.
  

  We apologize for any confusion, and we want to assure you that we take this matter very seriously. However, we must also inform you that our company has a clear cancellation and refund policy, which is stated on our website and in our terms and conditions. Unfortunately, based on this policy, we are unable to provide a refund for your charges.
  

  We understand your frustration and we want to make it right. As such, we would like to offer you a credit of $298.00 towards any of our future programs or services, as a gesture of goodwill. We hope that this resolution will help alleviate any concerns you may have and demonstrate our commitment to providing excellent customer service.
  

  We appreciate your feedback and value your business. If you have any further concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/27/2023

  We apologize for any confusion or frustration caused by the billing process. Please note that our billing policies are clearly stated on our website and in our Terms of Service, which you agreed to when signing up for our services.
  We understand that you did not intend to sign up for the $149.00 package, however, it is clearly stated on the checkout page and in your confirmation email that this is a recurring subscription that will renew automatically after the trial period. We have also sent tried to contact you during the trial but we did not receive a response from you.

  
  While we understand your concerns, we must also remind you that our policies do not allow for refunds in this situation. However, as a gesture of goodwill, we have offered a $298 credit towards future services. This offer still stands if you choose to take advantage of it. We hope that you can understand our position and we remain committed to providing quality services to our valued customers.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/27/2023

  
  
  

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

  
  

   Complaint: ********

  
  

  I am rejecting this response because:

  Very Respectfully:-    I have ' No email" that states that i would be charged $149.00. I have attached two emails- One that was used to sign up & second the first

  email, from your side.  Dates 12-05-2022 and 12-06-2022. None of them is stated $149.00 will be the charge. To the best of my recollection neither was it on sign up page either!

   

  And i also want to bring to the notice- how the central theme of the sign seminar was " No commitment"! -- A offer even to refund the $7.00! 

  There was no explicit or strong mention that $149.00 billing will start asap!

  Forget about the $7.00 i am in $300 hole!

  To bill $149.00 a month you have to take Permission- Be VERY UPFRONT!--- As it is a LOT OF MONEY!

  Please refund ASAP the Full amount.. I could still consider your product.  But never the way you are doing it. Without " ethics"!!

   

   

  
  

  Regards,

  
  

  ******** ****

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/07/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Signed up for 30 day trial January 2023. I never used the service and reluctantly ordered the "free" ten books offered in the trial. A women from the company called me to push getting the free books. I explained to her that I never used the service and want to cancel. On 1/31/23 I had an unauthorized charge for $158.21 from Authorify when over-drafted checking account. When I called to resolved I was told they couldn't do ANYTHING!? I never used the services and cancelled them within the trial period over the phone. I also asked to speak with mangegment and received an email stating they were not going to refund. The company is scamming people by offering "free" trails only to charge your account after 30 days.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/09/2023

  I am sorry to hear that you are not satisfied with your recent purchase with Authorify and would like to request a refund. Please allow me to bring to your attention the Terms of Use for our company, which clearly states that "All sales are final unless otherwise agreed to in writing, or other mutually agreed formats. Except when required by law, Authorify shall be under no obligation to issue refunds under any circumstances."
  Additionally, it is standard for all subscriptions with Authorify to auto-renew unless canceled prior to the billing date. I understand that this may not have been what you were hoping for, and the team would be more than happy to assist you with any concerns or questions you may have.
  We value your feedback and would like the opportunity to resolve the issue directly with you. As a member of Authorify, you have access to a range of features and resources that can help you achieve your goals and maximize the value of your subscription. Our goal is to provide our members with valuable services and benefits, and we encourage you to take advantage of all that we have to offer.
  Please note that this decision regarding a refund is final and we will not be considering any other request or appeal. Our terms of use are clear and we will abide by them in all circumstances.
  If you have any further questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are always here to help and want to ensure that you are fully satisfied with your membership.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/09/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased an annual membership Order Number: 69233 and paid $997 to Authorify By Smarter Agents in 09/25/2020. This charge was for the online backend lead generation plus 10 free books each year. I was also charged a $7.00 shipping charge for the books that never arrived. My membership was renewed automatically the following year and I was again charged another $997 on 09/25/2021. I still had not received any books from my membership order. Of course, I complained. I was offered an additional number of books as a concession to their oversight. Authorify By Smarter Agents has never sent one book! Unacceptable!!
  
  Before my auto-renewal for 9-21-2022 went into effect, I began contacting Authorify By Smarter Agents to cancel the auto-renew. Customer service and the billing departments do not respond by voicemail or email. I was not able to establish communication of my cancelation of service due to their poor customer service. I was charged $997 again in September 2022. After I was charged, I contacted everyone who I had ever communicated with and finally was able to speak to Sr. Marketing Consultant, *****. He advised me to speak to the Billing dept as they were the only group that could process the auto-renew cancelation. Again, no response from the Billing department in response to my multiple phone messages and emails.
  
  To resolve this issue, I demand Authorify By Smarter Agents to do as originally contracted and mail the books to me. I would like a credit applied to my credit card account on the most recent 2022 charge of $997.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/09/2023

  I'm sorry to hear about the issues you've experienced with your annual membership and the alleged lack of response from us. It is important for us to fulfill our obligations under a contract and to provide good customer service.
  It is true that your subscription renewed each year as per the contract you have signed. Since you have already disputed the recent charge with your bank, your subscription will not be renewing this year anymore and we need to wait for the outcome of the dispute. Usually, dispute cases can take around 60 to 90 days depending on the bank policies. During this time, we would not be able to charge and/or refund any amount.

  Normally, once we receive a dispute from the bank, our members should not be able to do anything with the subscription although I can see that ***** has helped you order your 40 books last Friday. It should be printed and shipped today so you should be receiving that within the week unless you wanted to make some changes.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/22/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Date of transactions
  August 2022 - November 2022
  Paid $600 - This was not authorized as I was never told this service was subscription based.
  I was told this company creates personalized books as advertising for real estate agents.
  There was never a phone call with this company about how to use their services.
  When I called to dispute the charges there was no manager or resolution department to speak with. I received an email many days later from the company denying my refund with no explanation as to why. The email was from a ******* ***** *********************.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/22/2022

  Hello, ****!

  
  We have read over your complaint, and we would like to apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you. We value our members so much, so it's sad that you feel this way.

  When you signed up for the trial subscription in July, it did show on the check out page (where you entered your credit card information) that it will renew to a monthly subscription after 30 days. During this 30 day trial, one of our onboarding representative contacted you through emails, calls and text messages. We did not receive a response from you thinking that you are already good to go. We also did not receive a request to cancel during the trial hence it rolled over to a monthly subscription just like any other trial subscription out there. This has also been explained to you during the time you called in to cancel this month. You were also advised that our Refund Manager will contact you either by phone or email within 10 business days. I understand that 10 days might have been too long for you. You did receive an email from her denying the refund and that is the final decision she made regardless what you do next.

  
  We've determined that the most effective way to resolve this issue would be to try and utilize the program. We can give you 5 months worth of free membership and guide you how to effectively use the program. We certainly hope that you find this to be an acceptable solution. If you do, please give us a call and we'll take care of this for you.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/07/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I subscribed to a service which I received nothing in return except a few books. I was emailed by Authorify that they were not able to auto deduct my renewal from my account. I emailed them to let them know that I was cancelling my membership and they didn't answer me back until they ALREADY DID DEBIT MY ACCOUNT AND THEN I ENDURED HORRIFIC HURRICANE IAN where I lost my home and am currenly unable to SELL ANY REAL ESTATE due to the destruction in my area. I spoke with one of their reps finally yesterday and told him what I just explained and he said that under the circumstances, they would more than likely give me my refund and cancel my membership as requested. I just now received an email from some heartless woman stating THEY WILL NOT BE ISSUING ME A REFUND!! THIS IS COMPLETELY SHAMEFUL BEHAVIOR THAT ANY COMPANY COULD BE THIS HEARTLESS BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO FOLLOW THEIR PROTOCOL TO CANCEL BY PHONE INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINAL EMAIL I HAD SENT AHEAD OF TIME, I HAD NO CELL SERVICE OR INTERNET FROM THE HURRICANE! I NEED THAT REFUND AND I WOULD HOPE IF AUTHORIFY DOESN'T WANT BAD PUBLICITY ABOUT THIS THAT THEY WILL TE-EVALUATE THIS SITUATION AND BE HUMAN BEINGS!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/19/2022

  This is to acknowledge the receipt of this complaint from ******** *****.

  Based on our records, she signed up for a Premium Trial membership on August 24, 2022. During this trial membership, she was able to receive the 10 free books that came with it. As per our Terms of Use, all trial memberships are going to roll over a monthly subscription if not canceled before the 30 days are over. She did sent an email to cancel on the day of the renewal but only after the charge has already taken place. We have looked into this and our policy does not allow one in this case. Still, after careful consideration, we have refunded the renewal charge back into the original form of payment.