Dear Readers,
(Last Updated May 21st, 2012 @ 5:35 pm EST) RC 5.0
For this week’s “Scam Watch” feature. I thought I would tell you a little about the Internet service called JustAnswer.com
JustAnswer.com is a Question/Answer site where you can go to ask any kind of question to a so called “Expert” Which is supposed to answer your question.On their homepage they claim their service works this way:
But for most users it is more like this: Ask a question, Make a user account, write a bit more about your problem, contact with the “Expert” then you choose what you want to pay him for his services. Like $10, $20 or $30 dollars USD, and they claim you will get much faster and better help if you pay more. Anyways, the next step, you pay, you wait, you wait more and then you wait a little more. Then you check your bank account and you might see that they have “taken out more money” than you actually agreed to pay for a service you never even received.
On their site there is a complaint section, I have copied some of the post from the section (This complaint section has since been removed):
“I needed some advice on a wound my cat received by a raccoon. I needed the information immediately and this seemed like a good option. I asked the question and was asked how much I would pay- I chose 13.00. It directed me immediately to Paypal where I paid the amt. in full using my bank acct. Received the receipt and waited. About an hour later I got an email that I had a response. I went to retrieve and it asked me to pay… I contacted customer service and they said I had not paid. Checked Paypal and it was received by them- also deducted from my bank acct. I sent them the receipt and went back and forth with about 20 emails. Got no where but the run around. I asked for a phone number – I called, no one answers… so left a message. 2 days later and have gotten nowhere. I am really ticked off- not even just the money- but the principal and the time I have taken on this! Ridiculous… DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY- YOU WILL BE SORRY!”
“I clicked the $10.00 box that I am willing to pay for recommendation of a simple drawing software program.
They charged me for $175.00.
I sent them an email and claimed a refund. No response yet. I was in touch with their ‘Expert’ waiting for further advice because the first was not fully usable. I am waiting for both responses. 08 / May/ 2009″
“i did not accept any answer’s i received so they told me i would receive all my money back in my account in four days but instead the took twice as much more out and made my account over drawn by $148.00.”
“I submitted a question to Justanswer and paid £6.30. I was told the money would only be taken from me if I accepted an answer. I haven’t had any answers at all but the money has been taken.”
Also important to note that if you decide you want to exit their site. You end up getting this message:
WAIT! Your question has not been posted yet. This is what you get by placing a fully refundable deposit into your JustAnswer account:
* Experts are reassured that you are serious and are willing to reward them for a helpful answer.
* You will be able to preview and “Accept” your answer before deciding to pay for it.
* Deposits are fully refundable for any reason until you are happy. Satisfaction guaranteed!
Thank you,
JustAnswer
JustAnswer also tells you that if you are not satisfied with your experts answer. You do not need to pay, but how can this be when you need to pay to get in contact with the said “expert” ?
I would highly recommend you stay away from this site. Now I am not saying that they only scam people. JustAnswer.com may help around 25% or so of people. But when someone loose $100 USD when they only choose to pay $6 USD something is very wrong !
From the comments I have read throughout the net it seems like around 50% actually get what they are told to they will get. It also seems like they have had some inside scamming themselves, people who claimed to be experts and were noting of the sort.
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Now the link I am about to share with you all is 100% legit and is in fact on the JustAnswer.com website. Via the link we have provided for you. So you all can see how counter productive and really silly it seems. HELL…..I maybe DEAD wrong but you just need to click on the link and read the proceeding text to DECIDE FOR YOURSELF……
JustAnswer.com Promo Link “The Shockingly Simple JustAnswer® Promise” – http://ww2.justanswer.com/shockingly-simple-justanswer-promise
**Link Discovered By Nico
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JustAnswer.com HELP And REFUND Section “Blackbelt Support” Quality. Access. Compassion – http://ww2.justanswer.com/help/topics/143
**Link Discovered By Nico
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JustAnswer.com REFUND Link – http://www.justanswer.com/refund/refund.aspx
Verification Status: Confirmed as a SAFE LINK. Confirmed via (CSW) readership as useful. But you must be registered to see page.
**JustAnswer REFUND LINK Provided By Commenter Ethan
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JustAnswer.com Customer Service E-Mail Address – cs@justanswer.com
Verification Status: As yet still unconfirmed via (CSW) readership.
**E-mail Address Provided By Commenter Ethan
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JustAnswer.com Non-Corporate Customer Service Phone Numbers -
Toll-Free: 888-587-8220 and 888-567-8220
Canadian Toll-Free Number: 1-888-587-8220
Intl: 650-385-2899
Verification Status Of Non-highlighted JustAnswer.com Customer Service Numbers: Confirmed by (CSW) readership.
Verification Status Of RED Highlighted JustAnswer.com Toll Free Customer Service Number: Confirmed via (CSW) readership and Scam Watch Team.
Verification Status Of Orange Highlighted JustAnswer.com Canadian Toll-Free Service Number: Confirmed via (CSW) readership and Scam Watch Team.
*Non-Corporate Customer Service Numbers Provided By Commenter Ethan
**Second Toll Free Number Customer Service Number Provided By Commenter Plain Jane
***Canadian Toll-Free Number Provided By Commenter Daniel
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JustAnswer.com Direct Corporate Phone Numbers: 1-415-929-9923
Verification Status: Confirmed via (CSW) readership and Scam Watch Team.
The 1-415-929-9923 corporate phone numbers above have been confirmed by both our “Scam Watch Team” and (CSW’s) readership. On a number of occasions. But please feel free to comment below if you have indeed called one or both of the above numbers and let us know if they are indeed helpful. In solving any issues you came across.
*Phone Numbers Provided By Commenter James Fox
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If you guys have any question regarding this or any similar subject. Please don’t hesitate to comment or e-mail us @ computer.savvy@hotmail.com
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An Important Editorial Side Note: We will now be posting all of the approved e-mails about this subject. Approved meaning the writer has giving us permission to post it.
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DISCLAIMER: The Computer Savvy Weblog has no control over the ads Google decides to display on our blog/site. Due to the fact The Computer Savvy Weblog is using the free version of WordPress. Sorry for any inconvenience or possible misunderstandings this may of caused.
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Later Dayz,
Post Written By Nico
And
Scam Watch Feature Created By Remy “Se7en”
I have never even used this service and had a $38.00 charge on my credit card. I have currently logged over 1.5 hours of hold time to get an answer from them without success. I am writing them off as fraudulent as well as unauthorized users of credit cards. At least that’s what I am telling the BBB>
Dear Bobby Beam
Call you bank and they will be able to stop the payments, I hope they come back to you, JA that is, seems more people are having Customer support issues atm..
-Nico
They must have got your credit details somehow – it may be best to change them – see your bank .
iwould like for your co. to cancel what ever it is you are boing for me, to in clude any ferther bank deductions on my acount you have ben deducting around $39.00 from my bank acnt for the last four month pleas stop i dont want your service any more quit or i will turn this over to the state attourny general;s office thanks fo nothing can;t see where you helped or did anything for me.
Hi Keith,
My name is Ethan and I am the Customer Service Supervisor for JA. I’m extremely sorry for any frustration we may have caused you. I have issued a refund for 3 subscription payments of $38 each. The funds are made available to your bank the next business day. However, the bank may take 3-5 business days to release the funds back to your account depending on their policy.
It looks like you accepted a free trial offer to try our unlimited subscription program. At the end of the trial, the subscription bills automatically to avoid disruptions in service. It is evident that you did not intend to continue with the subscription after the trial ended, so as a courtesy, I have turned the subscription billing off and you will not receive any further recurring charges.
The initial $39 charge was the amount you paid to the Expert when you clicked the Accept button indicating that you were satisfied with the answer.
Again, please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. I hope that I’ve been able to resolve this issue to your satisfaction. Please contact me if there is anything else I can help you with.
Regards,
Ethan
Customer Service Supervisor, JA
Dear Ethan
Thanks for coming and setting things straight with Keith, I’m sure he will appreciate it, glad to see your still around !
-Nico
Nico, I know every company has its issues and the ones that work through them survive. It is how they do it that sets them apart from the rest. Both CSW and JA have showed true professionalism in their responses showing me the web that Erin and Danny spoke of.
Thank you,
Mike Couch
Dear Ethan,
Kudos to you bud. For doing a great job catching up with our readership.
Is there any other links or numbers ? That we should post here for our readership.
Later Dayz,
Remy “Se7en”
Thank you Ethan for showing the JA that I know.. I am proud to be associated with your organization and will continue to strive for quality with every answer I give.
Mike Couch
DrSpark1
I did post a complaint about JA taking money from my account. I am now happy to report that they have refunded my money. Thank you, JA.
Sheila Halliwell
Breeta
Dear Sheila H Alliwell
Great news, glad you filled us in ! ;D
-Nico
Just lucky you noticed it Sheila . Imagine the thousands that haven’t and are still being ripped off !
Just Answer is sneaky!!! It’s a total scam!!! I had ONE question, used it, and after getting my answer, they ask you to leave a tip for the person who gave you your advice!! Awkward!! Then, months later I realize that even though I signed up for the 5 question package for $38.00, they are still charging my card!!! Not to mention additional service fees!!!!! I go online, and it says that I am “unlimited” which is NOT what I signed up for!!! So I have had a reoccurring charge now that I haven’t noticed until it put my bank account in the negative. I try to call them, and of course they keep you on hold for an extremely long time, no one will answer. They are scammers!! So if anyone is interested in using them, make sure you read ALL the tiny tiny small print at the bottom of the page, because that’s the only way I can think of that I suddenly got changed to “unlimited” questions every month. UGH!!!!!!
That is exactly my point. Shady way of doing business, and if it were blamed on a software glitch, then I say it smacks of negligence.
Dear hmlawver
Give customer support a call! they will refund everything, and then you can go onwards without ever giving JA another thought ! ;D
-Nico
Hey Nico,
Ok, while I still don’t like the title of the post, I applaud you for replying to each post personally. You guys do take an interest in all the people that follow the blog.
Bryan
Dear Bryan
Thanks bud, glad you dropped by ;D !
-Nico
Dear Bryan,
We do indeed. :)
Later Dayz,
Remy “Se7en” (Editor-In-Chief -CSW-)
trying to cancel my account unable to work my way through the complex cancelling online instructions but will now insruct my bank to cancel any future payments the advice i was given was totally useless
tc
Dear tc
GIve customer support a call, and ask them nicly to cancell your account for you, they will do it no problems ;D
-Nico
Dear Readers
Will be gone from Wednesday May 16th, 2012 till Monday May 21st, 2012, will answer any unanswered comments then ;D ! Stay frosty ;D
-Nico
What to do when Justanawers posts a question that defames and brings your business into disrepute?
Dear Campbell Scott,
What do you mean ? Could you elaborate a little bit more. As I’m interested in what JA could have done to directly impact you (and your business). I’m sure our readership would also be interested in learning what you mean.
Later Dayz,
Remy “Se7en”