Home | Tell a Friend | Donations | Resources | Blog

5/1/2007 - Dexter writes:
On March 28th I signed up for the SMC 30 day money back program. Upon receipt of my package I found that I could buy most of the items I researched [] cheaper than my dealer cost would be. I therefore went thru all of the proper channels to return my startup kit which consisted of a couple of catalogs. I was instructed to insure the catalog junk for $100 which by the way cost an additional $12, which was more than they were worth. I then sent a letter also as instructed canceling my membership. I did all of this by certified mail with a return receipt. Both receipts clearly indicate that they received everything within the initial 30 period. However today I discovered that they have now charged my card another months fees. When I talked to the member cancellation department I was told that they have to forward everything to various departments and that actual cancelation will take another 2-4 weeks and that eventually I should get a refund. It only took 1 department to sign me up and take my money but to cancel you membership it takes multiple calls along with multiple letters and still no sign of cancellation. ADVICE #1: DON'T GET SCAMMED BY THESE PEOPLE ADVICE #2 If you already have cancel your card so that they can't keep charging you.

4/11/2007 - Denis writes:
During the phone call where I was planning to sign up as a member the operator got my credit card information before revealling all the costs associated with the SMC membership. When told the costs I immediately told the operator that I was not interested in proceeding at any level of membership. I was put on "hold" and then the phone call dropped off and I was disconected. I only realized that a membership had been charged to my credit card when I got a kit and emails. Immediately I started the process needed to cancel. After doing what I thought required I got another letter from SMC concerning the cancellation of a membership that should have never been. I have had to send another registered letter from Canada, cost $13, with proof of return for the kit and a copy of the initial letter of cancellation. Cancelling an SMC membership is an ORDEAL, to say the least. I suspected, because of my experience with SMC, that my cancellation is not an isolated case. An investigation of the SMC policy and frequency of cancellation is likely over due. It might be important that the proper authorities know how many members, that would have started the cancellation process, and then gave up due to the difficulty of doing so and now are paying for what they would have not had to pay if the cancellation process were more reasonable. Long recorded phone messages, different address to send letters and kit, a difficult website to use when canceling, no actual person to talk to, no direct email address or access until after much hassle, no fax number until after much hassle. And the list goes on. Again the business practices of SMC are in question. I am still fighting the fight but in the meantime feel more people should know what is going on. Without prejudice, Denis

4/6/2007 - Julie writes:
i returned my startup kit and they still are charging me daily fees of $30-40.00..they keep you on hold for hours so you cant contact them..they had NO autherization to take any money from my account and they keep doing it anyway..i wish i would have known this so called company was such a scam, they realy need to be shut down

4/2/2007 - Sherry writes:
On February 28, 2007, my "business coach" convinced me to sign up for the Gift Card Redemption website. On March 1, I cancelled this service before it even got started; or so I thought. I was told my VISA would be credited within 3-4 business days. It is now April 2. My VISA has not been credited, I have had to return merchandise shipped to me and I cannot get anyone in authority to talk with me regarding this situation. I have filed complaints with my credit card company, Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's Consumer Affairs Department.

4/2/2007 - Daniel writes:
I got this package in the mail from SMC and did not like it at all. I have sent like 3 cancellation letters with shipping receipts and they tell me they did not get anything. I am laughing because they are crazy. I have made copies of everything I sent and I hope they charge me again because I will jump on any class action suit against them.

3/21/2007 - Johnathan writes:
I Ordered The Product And To Be Honest SMC Is A Complete Scam Because They Are Trying To Make You Buy There Services Such As Websites,Catalogs And That Is A Good Way To Get In Debt.Before You Start Any Home-Based Business Be Sure To Check With The Better Business Bureau Or Federal Trade Commission.There Is No Such Thing As Get Rich Quick!The Truth Is If It Sounds Too Good To Be True It Usually Is.I've Never Met Anyone Who Got Rich Quick And The People That Tried To Get Rich Quick Usually Ended Up Poor.Take My Advice.Check With Your Local Better Business Bureau.

3/15/2007 - Jeff writes:
SMC seems to be nothing more than a scam. They seem to be primarily interested in selling service to thier vendors then they do about the success of them. I would be interested in joining a class action suit. I have a database collection of 1000's of customers that SMC sold commerce sites to dating back 5 or so years ago. That are no longer in business now. I am sure that most of them would feel that the $1000's of dollars they put into SMC websites would feel that they were victims of false advertising when it comes to SMC statement that they want people to be successful. This is my email to SMC from a member. []

3/14/2007 - Janis writes:
My story contains all of the SMC transgressions related by each of the other defrauded people on your Informertial Scams.com site. The only additional complaint I have is that I told them that I am 70 year old quadruple bypass patient and too ill to do sales outside my home. They continued to assure me that it would not require any outside sales. Three times they promised me that for a couple of hundred dollars more that I would have a web-site that customers could order directly from. Then they told me that they still required the customers to purchase gift cards in order to pay for products. Each time I paid they said that the customer must still pay with gift cards. Just as with the other scamees, my web site was not operational until after the 30-day deadline for refund. Anther cohort of SMC by the name of Doba Dropship contacted me and said they could set up a website with a guaranteed driven number of website traffic customers ("for just a few hundred dollars"). After three months and hundreds of hours of work adding products to the site, there was not even one inquiry on that site! I notified both SMC and Doba Dropship not to charge my bank account or credit cards ever again. Guess what, they did! I was forced to close my bank account and have my credit cards reissued. They continue to send bills and SMC threatens to send ongoing charges to collections. Rarely could I reach them or have them call back. If I did get to speak to anyone, over 50% of the time they did not speak English well enough to understand me or make me understand. This was done while all along they knew that the only income I had was social security and I desperately needed a way to make ends meet. My failing health was also not taken into consideration. These people are rude, greedy and mean spirited. Count me in on a class action suit too!

3/13/2007 - Diane writes:
Hi, I have found many sites with reports and complaints about SMC. Sadly like all of you even after checking with the BB i still got scammed. Their infomercial in itself in filled with lies! Never mind their bussiness practices once they have you. I see sooo many people saying they want to join into a class action suit. I have feelers out right now to start one. I also see many blaming Tom Bossley, BUT I have a feeling he does not know what has become of this comapny. As i understand it he knew Linda levines father who was probobly a credible man and started this company with good intentions and probobly helped many. Sadly his daughter has turned into one big switch & bait shill operation.You ALL should start by writing to Tom Bosley. let him know that his Name, SWEET FACE AND THE TRUST WE HAVE IN HIM IS BEING DEMOLISHED! The address to write to him is [] Tell him what this company has done to you and is doing to so many.Tell him how it is ruining every good thought you ever had about him. Maybe then they will lose his support! Let's face it, seeing him the "father " we all grew up and trusted sure was a big part in hooking us.Let's let him know WHAT THE REAL DEAL IS at that horrible scam of a company! I hope this is allowed through contact me []. I would love to get a list started of those intersted in the suit and to start the writing campaign to Tom Bosley.Be sure when you write him that you include all sites you know about with the complaints so that he can look them up for himself! Every one is complaining and i know it is hard to get some thing rolling, well I think I am just the person to do it. If I am going to go for broke it will NOT be paying the scam artists at SMC, It will be making sure others don't get scammed by them!

3/1/2007 - Carolyn writes:
I joined SMC on Feb 1 and they didn't bother to mail my kit until 7 or 8 days later-- verified by the UPS tracking info. There's a money-back guarantee, but only for the first 30 days. So here I was all ready to sell (I am a successful salesperson by profession), but didn't have my product or tools for half of the 'trial' period. This left a bad taste in my mouth, so as soon as I received the package, I called the customer service # I'd used to sign up in order to cancel. Transfered to a "hotline" which was just recorded directions of the hoops one has to jump through to receive what they're promised- money back if not completely satisfied. I meticulously wrote all info, which included two addresses-- one of which to send the kit back, and the other to send the letter requeesting a refund along w/ a copy of the receipt for return shipping for the kit. The recording included spellings of street names AND cities, so it was as if someone wanted to be sure the process was carried out without a hitch. Then I called the hotline again to proof what I'd written. So I get to the post office with the kit and my notes with instructions and addresses to find out that the ZIP code on the return label (as well as the one on the recorded instructions)was BOGUS; just so all of you that want to return their CRAP know, you will want to send the kit back to ZIP code 92335 NOT 92355 (note that the recorded voice did not make '5' sound like '3', though I'm sure their hope is that people will think they wrote the wrong ZIP or misread their handwriting). Even the guy at the post office was disgusted at their obviously scandalous behavior... I have just arisen to take my stand, but SMC won't get any more money out of me because I used a pre-paid debit card, which is tapped out and will not be re-loaded. They have messed with the wrong woman. Do NOT fall for their bu11$h!t scam. By the way, the recorded info suggests insuring the kit for $100; I would also suggest having the kit packaged so they won't refuse delivery (the postal guy's idea), AND have it signed for. Now I have a paper trail for the kit having been received before the deadline. I kept a copy of the letter too, and paid to have it signed for. By the time my 1st payment of $100 (which is what I paid, less s & h) is refunded (if that happens), I'll be out about half of it due to this paper trail I've paid to create. But I don't care! It's the principle of it that is driving me now.

2/27/2007 - Michael writes:
i havce tried twice to start my own home business through smc.i have been unsucessful both times.if you follow the instructions provided by your business coach it will end up costing you thousands of dollars and you will never get your business off the ground.smc is the business and we are there bait.someone should investigate this business and they will see i am right.please dont waste your time and money on smc they are not a reputable business. tom bosley you should be ashamed of yourself!!

2/21/2007 - Martin writes:
I signed up for the smc progam in early dec 06. After waiting 15 days for the kit i decided to cancell my membership based on the customer service that I had received prior to receiving the kit. The sales lady was vey patient when pitching the program, when I called her back to cancell, she told me she doesn't handle that and I should call the cs dept which i did. After listening to 5 minutes of gerbal talk i did what they said by sending the package and the letter back..I had to use 2 seperate addresses. After noticing another charge on my bank account, i called and was told that it takes a month for a refund. After another month my card was charged again. I called Jackie Terrill in cs and she told me it would be refunded. That was 3 weeks ago!! I still have not been issued a refund..I am so pissed that I fell for this, especially since I have a lot of sales experience..I would not refer this company to anyone!

2/18/2007 - Ginger writes:
I am a single mother of two small children. I received an ad postcard from S M C which gave the impression that for the $3??.?? amount they asked to join their membership and sell their products, you would also have a website to sell those products. I called the 1-800 # that was given on the S M C postcard and asked if this was true, and was told yes. So, I saved the amount needed to purchase. Imagine the disappointment when I found that I'd been dupped! Even after talking to one of their reps over the phone. I called and tried to talk with a coach several times and was unable to catch them, the person I was able to talk to was very snippy and short while conversing which proves bad business communications, then the time was up for the free coaching. I'm ashamed to know that I was naive enough to trust Mr. Cummingham's endorsement, as he is a perfect, and ideal spokesperson to think to trust what is being said, unfortunately I will never trust any product that the man endorses. I'm very disappointed, and if there is ever any legal action taken by the public to have our money returned, I would appreciate being placed on the list. I still have the kit, and would be more than happy to trade it for our families money. You may come along and say why didn't you return it for your money back, well... I was trying to build a website myself, as I did not have the $2,000. asking price to have one built. I wasn't able to get through to a coach, and time waits for no one, even if they are doing the best they know to take care of things. I finally just got tired of worrying with S M C and sat it on a shelf. But you know what? I feel very taken advantage of by S M C and Mr. Cunningham, and I want our money back asap! I feel unfairly lied to and stolen from! A small citizen taken advantage of by a big Corporation and a big spokesperson. (Shame on you all!)

2/7/2007 - Susana writes:
I was called during Christmas and the sales rep promised me he would give me the package at $300.00. After talking with him for an hour because he was trying to sell everything else to me. He said I could cancel at anytime. After I said I would do it for $300.00 he started taping and said that it was going to cost me 39.95 per month for 12 months and I just stated as long as it comes to 300.00 and no more. He said the website was free. Well, needless to say he lied, you cannot cancel and there is no where in writing that says you are obligated to pay $479.95 when they send the bill. But and when I tried to cancel, they said it was not an option because I was suppose to do it 30 days. Well, the bill says membership renewal fees and if I don't want to renew, I shouldn't have to pay especially if I didn't even use their package, logon to their website or anything. The just keep charging for both SMC and EMC charges and BofA says they can't stop the payments. I reported them to the Better Business Bureau and they said they couldn't handle it and forwarded to another Better Business Bureau with no address. What a scam. Someone at BBB knows someone at SMC.

1/29/2007 - Jamie writes:
i have made a payment of 39.95 for smc payment and membership and they said that all the mony i would have to spend and when i start talking to my couch he wants me to spend up to 3000 dollers on a website to sell the products and i tod him i could not aford it and he said you have to invest money to make money and i siad well when i sign up the rep said the 479 dollers was all i hade to spend and now you guys are changeing your minds and i told him that not rite and i wanted a refund and everything canceled and he said ok and told me i hade to send the kit back and insure it for a 100 dollers and that not rite ether thay should pay for it if they want it back not me

1/26/2007 - Dave writes:
I was in one of SMC's infomercials...they told me to just make up a story and wanted to even put a fake check in a mailbox for me to pull out like it was being sent to me by selling the products. The infomercials are made up. They just tell you to say something that isn't true. I have seen and been in one of their infomericals so I can tell you it is fake.

1/24/2007 - Cindy writes:
Well they got 3 payments from me, I stopped payment..... I know they have ways around that if they want to but I will also switch my checking account. A small inconvenience but an easy solution as if there is a class action suit we can easily get this off of our credit report. They totally tried to "Coach" (coz that is all the coaches do) me into a website, I said NO, I can make my own... they said they recorded that, I said I could not afford thier site, however a 29.99 payment was also taken out of my bank, I disputed it but they said they have me on recording...... I said may I hear it, of course the answer was no... I did get very atimate over the phone with them and said I will get my 29 back and stop payment... as of yesterday investigation is in progress and my bank will return that plus , since they have had this problem before, they said "Go for all the money they took from you" .. hey why not, an eye for an eye right? All you folks said is true, and when I saw the catalouge, I totally thought of the 99 cent store and all of thier polyresin junk. I tried to sell on [], now I owe them 100.00... which I will pay because it's not thier fault. Got a couple of emails too from SMC members saying they didn't need another member on []... I understand now tho I thought it was quite rude at the time...... Anyway.. I was manipulated into joining and stolen from on a website.. they cancelled the website which admits thier wrong.. here is an email after waiting 2 months for that refund I never got... will end this with the email so if a suit gets started, I'm in... Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 11:08 AM []

1/9/2007 - Kristen writes:
I joined SMC shortly after having my baby. I didn't like the membership kit and returned it (as directed) within 2 weeks of purchasing the program. SMC continues to take money out of my account, and they claim they never received my membership kit or cancellation letter. On another note, they keep sending me reminders to sign up for the program. Something is definitely wrong, and I reported them to the Attorney General's Office. Does anyone know what else can be done? They say I owe the remainder of the money.

1/3/2007 - BJ writes:
My story is the same as all the others. I tried SMC. It is a huge scam. Luckily, in speaking to my bank, they agreed to block all transactions when I showed all my copies of the cancellation letters. I also recorded phone conversations. Please join me in filling out this form: []

12/18/2006 - Gina writes:
I had purchased the SMC membership kit on Nov. 28, 2006, upon contacting the Counselor who was suppose to guide me, he immediately proceeded to belittle me & try to sell me additional packages. I immediately contacted an SMC representative stating that I was no longer interested & requested the procedure of returning SMC's kit to them. I followed SMC's return/cancellation procedure to the letter within 30 days as SMC stated. I mailed SMC's kit along with a separate cancellation letter to them on Nov. 8, 2006 and SMC rec'd both the SMC kit & letter on Nov. 11, 2006. I have called SMC (since that arrival date) a numerous amount of times, speaking to many SMC representatives and a supervisor by the name of Maria. I was told by some representatives that SMC was behind in returning refunds and they didn't know when it will be sent to me. When I finally spoke to the supervisor Maria, she told me to send an additional fax to the cancellation dept along with the ltr & UPS tracking details, which I did on Dec. 15, 2006. I have yet, to hear from anyone from SMC or receive my refund. I will NOT accept this fraudulent and unprofessional behavior by SMC. I will take it further. Please let the public know that SMC is a FRAUD.

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7