ComplaintsforSmartAsset

• Initial Complaint

  03/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  It goes without saying that this company is horrible. They don't provide reasonable value for their services, and I certainly feel that their sales people are lowlifes. But specifically, i was told I would receive a $150 refund as I ended my contract with them. Despite patience with them, and multiple requests I have not received it.

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  Hello- 
  We initiated the refund of $150 on 3/26/24. Per Stripe, it may take 5 to ****************************** your account. Attached is a screenshot of Stripe showing that we initiated the refund in addition to the acquirer reference number, which can help you trace the refund with your financial institution. If you have any further questions, please contact ****************************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  To Whom It May ********* am writing to file a formal complaint against Smart Asset due to their failure to process a promised refund, despite multiple assurances and a clear lapse in the agreed-upon timeframe. This complaint is being filed after unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issue directly with Smart Asset.Nature of the Complaint: Refund Not Processed Date of Incident: 2/25/2024 Transaction or Promise of Refund]Explanation: I engaged with Smart Asset for lead generation services which resulted in a transaction amounting to $1240 per month. After one week I decided not use them before any leads where processed. They did not provide any services, the only thing they did was to create a profile for me which essentially consist of copy and pasting my picture next to my name, and adding my years of experience in the industry. I was promised a refund on [2/29/24]. Despite this promise and after more than two weeks, the refund has not been processed, nor have I received any communication from Smart Asset regarding delays or issues.I did receive a pressure tactic call from someone that said I went through the onboarding process, but he agreed to process my refund on 03/14/2024.The original communication with Smart Asset was professional, but by the last call with someone who's name I didn't write down it became high pressure campaign for them to try to keep me on board. Originally I did not think it was a shady company and I planned on using them in the future, but that thought has completely changed.

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  Hello- 
  We initiated the refund of $1,240 on 3/14/24. Per Stripe, it may take 5 to ****************************** your account. Attached is a screenshot of Stripe showing that we initiated the refund in addition to the acquirer reference number, which can help you trace the refund with your financial institution. If you have any further questions, please contact ****************************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I filled out my information on SmartAssets website expecting to receive an email with some financial advisors in my area. Instead I have been bombarded with multiple spam calls every day since then.

  Business response

  12/29/2023

  Hello, At the end of the survey you took on 11/15/23, we provided you with your matches and also emailed them to you. During the survey, when you provided your email address to us, you consented to receive your financial advisor results by email as well as marketing communications. In addition, during the survey, you provided your phone number and gave consent to receive marketing calls/texts from SmartAsset and your advisor match(es). If consumers do not provide their phone number and consent to receive contact, they are not matched with an advisor(s). SmartAsset will only contact you initially by phone to attempt to verify your contact information, to see if you would like to be connected in real-time to your match(es), or potentially at a later date to see if you want to be re-matched. Otherwise, phone contact will come from your advisor match(es), which are third parties to which you consented to receive contact. On 11/15/23, after you completed the survey and received your match results and retirement readiness report by email, you unsubscribed from SmartAssets mailing list, and we honored that request. As of today, we have removed your information from the SmartAsset database.

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am an advisor. In December of 2020, I entered into an agreement with SmartAsset for lead generation services, beginning January 2021. Per the agreement, I pre-funded my initial budget of $1000, on 1/15/21, and began receiving leads. Per the billing outline, I was then charged on the 1st of each of the following months a "renewal fee" for any leads received in the prior month, in order to refill my budget to $1000. According to the agreement, "in the event that Advisor chooses to stop receiving new matched leads and informs SmartAsset of such decision in writing, any remaining pre-payment balance will be refunded to Advisor."On May 1, 2023 I was billed $496 by SmartAsset, as expected, to refill my budget to $1000 after receiving several leads in April. I then emailed my SmartAsset account manager on 5/1/23 to let him know that I would be discontinuing the service effective immediately. He advised that the cancellation would be processed at the end of the month.I asked SmartAsset on 6/8/23 as to when the refund for the initial $1000 pre-payment would be issued. After responding to my inquiry initially, the SmartAsset team stopped responding once I sent them copies of the Billing Guide and the Agreement that describe the $1000 refund I am owed.As of 6/12/23, I still have not received a refund of my initial $1000 pre-payment.

  Business response

  06/15/2023

  Hi ****************, 
  An account representative will contact you shortly; if they have not already. We have initiated the refund of your escrow balance. If you have any further questions regarding your account, please contact ****************************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My RIA ******** used Smart Asset for customer lead services twice. We ran into serious issues during the 2nd period. I ultimately ended our relationship and I believe they act in a fraudulent manner. Initially when false leads were sent, it was simple to dispute them and have them replaced. However, during the 2nd service period, the company clearly changed its practices and actually resent prior leads I had already received. When I disputed this, they actually defended the practice. Additionally, multiple leads I contacted, stated in writing that they never visited Smart Asset's site after I reached out to them. I shared this info with Smart Asset and despite the evidence, it took a fight to be credited for false leads. The pattern kept repeating itself and the more I dealt with them, the more I felt scammed. Smart Asset at one time may have provided a reasonable benefit to customers, but after my last experience with them, I felt like my ******** was being cheated. I was told any remaining balance would be taken out of money already held in escrow, which turned out to be completely false as we received a bill, thus. I filed a dispute with our bank. In addition, I was still sent leads for two weeks after I suspended the service. Smart Asset has turned into a scam and their lead verification is very easy to trick and completely unreliable. I would recommend customers stay away from them!

  Business response

  06/02/2023

  We do see in our records that, over time, you did submit various invalid lead requests. Some were approved, and we did confirm that the leads were invalid, and at that time, we processed a credit. When we found leads to be valid and not eligible for credit, we shared the criteria with you that leads need to have met to be found invalid and for a refund to be approved. 

  Those parameters which need to be submitted within 90 days include the following:
  1) Wrong Number 
  2) Invalid Number 
  3) The Lead is a Financial Advisor (verified via BrokerCheck)
  4) Tech Error (Lead is outside of your preselected radius, outside of your tier bracket, and breakdown of pause)
  5) Duplicate Lead 
  
  Please disregard the final bill that you received and we consider this matter closed.  We provided the services to you that were described in our Platform Participation Agreement (PPA).
  
  We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.  
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I investigated financial advice through smartasset and almost immediately got phishing texts telling me that accounts that I do not hold have been frozen or with links to fraudulent websites.

  Business response

  05/02/2023

  SmartAsset has placed a designation of do not contact for your information.  There will be no further contact from SmartAsset.

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I spoke with them on the phone once in 2019 to learn more about their services. I decided it wasn't a good fit and didn't purse any business with them. In June of 2022, I started receiving tons of marketing emails. I unsubscribed but the emails kept coming. I had to email them asking for them to stop emailing me and ended up marking them as SPAM and blocking their email. The very next day I start getting cold calls from them. I asked them to remove me from their call list and the calls stopped for a little while. Now in November of 2022, they started relentlessly calling me again and leaving long voicemails every time. It's the 15th of November and I have already received 5 cold calls from them including one on Veterans day. After the 3rd call last week I emailed them asking the to please stop again but have gotten no response and 2 more cold calls trying to sell me their crummy leads.

  Business response

  11/23/2022

  Hi *****, 
  
  We apologize that you are receiving unwanted contact. We have assigned you a Do Not Contact designation in our ****************. You should not receive any additional messages. If you have any further questions, please reach out to ***************************************. 
  

  Customer response

  11/29/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Started Smartadvisor in September, they charged me $1560 for a month's budget for 12 leads. They charged me again $480 for 4 leads on a receipt they sent me on 10/3/2022, that I already paid for. The account manager has a phone that won't take calls, I emailed him and am waiting for him to contact. I want my $1560 refunded on my card and am upset that the contacts given don't respond at all! I am done with this and want to cancel any further contacts.

  Business response

  10/20/2022

  Hi ******, thank you for your feedback. An account representative will be reaching out to you shortly, if they have not already, to help clarify the billing process. Following that conversation, if you have any further questions regarding your account, please reach out to **************************************** Thank you again.

• Initial Complaint

  10/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My complaint is similar to other advisors that tried to use SmartAsset for investment leads. The leads they provided were most old, non-responsive and most of the data that was submitted seemed to be made up. Part of their invalid lead systems says the leads will be invalidated if they send you the same lead in 3 months (which they did). I can't imagine how many times they send out one contact if they have it written in their clauses they can't send "you" the same lead in 3 months..They do no work to guarantee the lead is valid and provided the phone number rings (not necessarily picked up) they will deny your claim of a bad lead. Very suspect practices and highly recommend no other advisor use their services.

  Business response

  10/20/2022

  Hi, *****. Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry your experience with the platform did not meet expectations. If you feel you have any discrepancies remaining on your account, please reach out to *************************************** for further assistance.
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Smart Asset has harrassed our company with solicitation emails and phone calls for many years now. A few months ago I requested by phone that all phone calls to our company cease as we have no interest in their service. We then requested after an onslaught of emails (without the appropriate unsubscribe capability) to stop sending emails. I copied the *** and other executives after multiple requests. I received response from the *** that we would be removed from all future correspondence. Unfortunately we continue to get unsolicited and frustrating emails from this company and only want it to stop.

  Business response

  09/27/2022

  We are sorry that you received communications after requesting to be removed from our mailing lists. We have assigned a do not contact designation to your contact information in our system. If you have any additional questions, please reach out to *******************************. 

*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. ↩