SmartFax.com, SmartFax, Toll Free Services Total Scam of a Company, Free Trial Bogus, No Local Numbers Lecanto Florida

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, 2008.

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.

Maureen
watertown, Massachusetts
U.S.A.