ComplaintsforMathnasium - Elmhurst

• Initial Complaint

  04/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Back in January I noticed that there were charges from Mathnasium totaling $1,754.50 that spanned from 9/28/21 to 5/1/22. My daughter was attending Mathnasium in Elmhurst but stopped going after 9/30/21 and the 9/1/21 charge would have the final session.The initial agreement for my daughter started on 2/1/21 but technically ended on July 31, 2021. This was arranged as dual payments from myself and the child's mother. Once after the term was up and unbeknownst to me, the mother decided to cease her payments. I discovered this from ******** (Mathnasium- Elmhurst Center Director). At the time, I told ******** that I would inquire about this concern. In the meantime I was able to have my daughter continue attending sessions without any obligations. However, we decided to discontinue going after September of that year. Additionally, we didn't schedule any appointments past September 2021. But as I recently discovered, the charges continued for another 8 months into the 2022 year although we had not scheduled nor had stepped foot inside that facility. When I called Mathnasium and spoke to ******** in January, I was assured by her that she would make this right and I would get all my money back. What happened instead, was a call from ******* informing me that they would not refund my money. She also mentioned that I had a signed agreement. I told her I had never signed on to another agreement and would like to see a copy of what she's referencing. I finally received a copy of this agreement from *************************** on 2/1/23 and looked at it, but have to question it's legitimacy. The agreement was for sessions with a start date of 9/1/21 and had a digital signature dated 8/26/21. How was the digital signature or consent acquired??? I have no record of going to Mathnasium on that date - the only date my daughter was there was on 8/3/21.

  Business response

  04/07/2023

  In January of 2023, ********************** reached out to request a refund for his tutoring membership at Mathnasium of Elmhurst  His daughter had become a customer in Feb 2021, enrolling for a 6 month membership for the price of $309 per month. Per the contract, it states that the membership will recur after the contract ends. This agreement was authorized on 2/4/21.  During this time period, we billed the enrollment fee to ********************** and to his ex-wife, both paying $154.50 per month.  This began in Feb 2021.  The 6-month agreement ended on 7/31/21 and the enrollment continued on an auto-recurring basis through August 2021, at which time the mother decided to discontinue paying for her half of the membership.  Desiring to keep his student enrolled, ********************** reached out to *******************************, Center Director of Mathnasium of Elmhurst, asking what options he might have that were close to the price he was paying (for half of the monthly membership).  ****************** offered a plan that allowed for fewer dates of attendance per month at the price of $200 per month.  ********************** agreed to this on August 26 and authorized his credit card to be charged.  This interaction transpired by phone.  The student attended 5 sessions in the month of September.  ********************** was charged $200 on the first of the month until June 1, 2022 in which time, ****************** inactivated their account without direction from ***********************  During the time period of 10/1/21 through 5/31, ****************** attempted to connect with ********************** multiple times to ask if she could help them schedule their appointments.  ********************** never replied to any correspondence.  As is our policy, the membership recurred monthly similar to a gym membership.  The gym charges you monthly regardless of your attendance.  We cancelled the account on 5/31 as a courtesy, not at the request of ***********************
  

  When ********************** reached out in January of 2023, ****************** did say she would see what could be done to assist this customer, however she does not have the ability to authorize a refund, so she passed the situation on to ***************************, Director of Operations.  ******* spoke with ********************** and explained what was detailed above.  She offered to honor the entirety of what was paid for, even though the sessions paid for technically do not roll over month to month.  ******* stated that the sessions could be used for regular tutoring ,test prep, SAT/ACT prep, or anything to help the student succeed in math. ********************** declined this offer.  
  

  Furthermore, it is curious that the customer was billed on 10/1/21, 11/1/21, 12/1/21, 1/1/22, 2/1/22, 3/1/22, 4/1/22, and 5/1/22 but did not reach out to discuss this matter until 14 months after the transactions he is disputing.  
  As stated above, we would welcome ************************** student back to our center to provide them with the services that they paid for.
  

  
  

  Customer response

  04/17/2023

   
  Complaint: 19890337
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did NOT agree to any extension or any terms on August 26, 2021.  

  Why am I being discriminated??

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  04/25/2023

  Our policy for all customers is for the charge to recur monthly until the agreement is terminated.  We reached out to you numerous times during your enrollment without a response.  We are extending you an opportunity to use the sessions you paid for as a professional courtesy, which is outside the terms of enrollment that we offer to our other customers at Mathnasium.

  For any business, there is a time frame in which refunds or credits can be issued.  What responsibility do you take as the consumer to dispute a charge you believe is incorrect? Why did you wait 15 months to raise this issue with us?

  As stated before, we would welcome the opportunity to provide your student with the excellent math instruction experience that we offer at Mathnasium of Elmhurst.  She may use the credit toward private sessions, test prep, homework help, SAT/ACT prep, or any other math related topic you would like.  

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