eFax Sucks
eFax uses sleezy business practices to get you to stay on as a customer. I signed up for a free trial, only to find out that canceling your free account is a headache.
1st, I had to dig up my eFax phone number.
2nd, I had to find a phone number to call. Oh, great – its long distance so I’ll have to pay.
3rd, when you finally press the right buttons, your told you must go to www.efax.com/cancel
Ok, so I fire up my browser and navigate to the URL. I bet some people don’t make it this far, but I’ll be damned if they are gonna charge me a dime.
Now comes the fun. You have to chat with a live operator in order to cancel your account. If they say you must remain a customer until the end of your trial period, DON’T GIVE UP!
Here is the transcript from my chat session: (numbers have been changed to protect my ass)
Please wait for a site operator to respond.You are currently number 10 of 10 in the queue. Thank you for your patience.
All operators are currently assisting others. You are currently number 10 of 11 in the queue. Thanks for your patience. An operator will be with you shortly.
You are now chatting with ‘Gary G.’
Gary G.: Hello, jason. Welcome to j2 Global Communication Online Support. I am Gary, your online live Support Representative. How may I assist you?
Jason OConnell: Hello Gary, I would like to cancel my eFax account.
Gary G.: I am sorry to hear that you wish to cancel. Could you please provide me your eFax number and the PIN for verification?
Jason OConnell: My eFax # is:
Jason OConnell: 1-866-491-xxxx
Jason OConnell: I do not recall ever creating a PIN…
Gary G.: Could you please give me the last 4 digits of your credit card, the ZIP code and your contact email address?
Jason OConnell: I could have used 1 of several credit cards. I think I used the one that ends in xxxx
Jason OConnell: ZIP = xxxxx
Jason OConnell: Email: xxxxx@xxxxx.com
Gary G.: Could you please provide me the correct credit card number?
Jason OConnell: The last 4 digits? It could be xxxx
Gary G.: Thank you for the information. Please give me a moment while I quickly check your account. In the meanwhile, may I ask why you are canceling your fax account?
Jason OConnell: There is no local # for my area, and I don’t want the 866 #.
Gary G.: I will be right with you.
Jason OConnell: ok
Gary G.: If you wish I can change your 866 number and give you some another number?
Jason OConnell: no thank you. just cancel please.
Gary G.: Jason, I have checked your account in our records and have found that you have signed up for the eFax service, wherein the first 30 days there is no monthly fee charged($12.95), plus the one time activation fee of $12.95 has also been waived off.
Gary G.: You have also been provided a gift usage balance of $5.00 with which you can send upto 50 pages of fax for free.
Gary G.: During this period as you do not have to pay any monthly fee. Receiving faxes as it is free of any charge. You need to contact us once at the end of this period to let us know whether you wish to continue or not. There is certainly no obligation to stay back with the service if you do not wish to.
Jason OConnell: Gary, please cancel my account. I’m not interested, thanks.
Gary G.: You can contact us back at the end of your trial period.
Jason OConnell: when is that
Gary G.: You will next be charged on 2/12/2005.
Gary G.: You can contact us back a day before this date to make sure you are not charged.
Jason OConnell: I’m not going to have access to a PC during the month of February. I do not have a use for my account. Please cancel it for me.
Gary G.: If however, you still feel that you do not have any use for our services by the end of the free trial period, then your request will be processed immediately without any delay and no further obligation to stay back. You can contact us back and get your account cancelled.
Jason OConnell: I don’t understand why I cannot cancel today?
Gary G.: Since you have signed in for a 30 day free trial.
Jason OConnell: I’ve never done business with a company that makes you call back the day before your trial ends to cancel.
Jason OConnell: If I can’t get to a computer on 2/11/05, then how can I cancel?
Gary G.: You can contact us at 1-323-817-3205,(Monday to Friday, 5AM to 8PM Pacific time). This way you will also not need a PC.
Jason OConnell: I called that number earlier today, and they directed me to www.efax.com/cancel. What combination of keypresses do I use to reach a live operator?
Gary G.: You need not press any option and wait for the representaive to take your call.
Jason OConnell: Ok. Where does it state as part of my user agreement that I cannot cancel until the end of my trial?
Gary G.: Alright, I respect your decision and will cancel your account right away.
Gary G.: We are sorry that you have decided to leave eFax, but if your faxing needs do change in the future, we would be more than
Gary G.: happy to have you back. Thank you for being with us and for using our service.
Gary G.: Have a fabulous and prosperous New Year.
Jason OConnell: thanks
Gary G.: I’m sorry for the delay. I’ll be right with you.
Gary G.: Thank you for contacting j2 Global’s online support, I hope you found our session helpful. Good bye and have a nice day!
Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.
Bottom line here is don’t take that crap. It took a long time to cancel, but there is no way in hell I’m going to get charged for a service I don’t use. Oh, and the line about me not being around in February was a lie.
EFax Plus service sucks. Consumers Beware. They charged my account without asking. The customer service people were BEYOND rude at me for stating that. I have to go through legal routes to get my bank charges back from EFax. EFax and all its stock holders and employees are people without hearts. They take from the unknowing. They don’t tell you they take out your money until you call and complain. Annual Subscription to a online fax service!?!? Especially one that costs $139.99. That is unheard of!!
EFax J2.com Sucks
EFax J2.com Stinks
EFax.com J2.com Sucks
EFax J2.com Stinks
Stay Away From EFax. They take your money illegally!
EFax is the biggest scam ever!
I was able to do it without a lot of complications. After Googling “cancel efax” I heard the same story repeated. I called them out on it, and it worked. This is how it went down:
(Kevin is at eFax, I’m “No 2-month offers”)
————–
{Kevin B.} Hello and Welcome to j2 Global online support. I am Kevin, your online Live Support Representative. How are you doing today?
{No 2-Month Offers} Hello, I would like to cancel my account; no free extensions, no problems, just a simple cancelation. Thanks.
{Kevin B.} I am sorry to hear that you wish to cancel. Could you please provide me with your Fax number and PIN for verification purpose?
{No 2-Month Offers} 186×8122x5x/1×3x – I know you have a script to adhere to, but please DO NOT MAKE OTHER OFFERS, please just cancel my account. Thanks.
{Kevin B.} Thank you for the information. Please give me a moment while I quickly check your account in our records.
{Kevin B.} Thank you for waiting. I have just located and verified your account.
{Kevin B.} You can keep the number as a backup or use it to send occasional faxes, you can avail a one-time offer on this account. You can keep this account at a nominal rate of $6.95 (non-refundable) for the next 90 days instead of paying $12.95 every month. Thereafter, if you wish to continue with the service, you will be charged the regular monthly fee of $12.95 per month.
{No 2-Month Offers} No, but thank you. I would like to completely eliminate my account, no questions asked.
{Kevin B.} All right Raymond, I will cancel your number immediately.
This is the affirmative confirmation that your account has just been cancelled and all your account information has automatically been deleted by our system.
{Kevin B.} I’m sorry that you are leaving eFax. At eFax, we are continuously improving our products and services. Please do consider us if your faxing needs should change in the future.
{Kevin B.} Is there anything else you would like to have assistance with?
{No 2-Month Offers} Excellent! Thank you for making this easier than I was told it would be. Have a great day, and do consider the ethics of working for a corporation who makes it nearly impossible for the average user to cancel.
{Kevin B.} I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to you.
{Kevin B.} Raymond, we would appreciate if you could spare a minute in filling the survey form as it would give us your valuable feedback which would help us to improve our services. Here is the link where you can fill the Survey. http://www.endusersurvey.com/default.asp?project_code=j2cxlc&code=7255
{Kevin B.} Thank you for contacting j2 Global Online Support. I hope you found our assistance helpful.
It was indeed a pleasure assisting you!
{Kevin B.} Good-bye and take care!
I cancelled my account and I kept receiving spam from eFax. I tried clicking on their remove link as well, and it said I would not receive more email from them. But sure enough the spam kept coming.
Here is a segment from the most recent spam they sent me:
From: “eFax”
Date: 9 August 2006 14:31:26 GMT-07:00
To: x@yahoo.com
Subject: Get your COMPLIMENTARY Subscription to Computer Shopper!
Get your COMPLIMENTARY one-year subscription to Computer Shopper!
http://a388.g.akamai.net/7/388/1603/0001/www.freebizmag.com/Efaxcomputershop02welcome.htm
Looking for a magazine that gives you the most informed buying
advice, recommended upgrades, and help with shopping for today’s
latest technology? Computer Shopper provides dollar-wise deals
and every issue features direct buying deals on all kinds of
hardware, software, and more!
That’s 12 full issues! Best of all there’s NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
and there’s NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED to accept your subscription.
I also have had problems trying to cancel my E-Fax account. Here is a copy of my correspondence with the Company.
Judy
To Whom it May Concern
July 26, 2006
This is the 2nd E-Mail requesting you to cancel my account. My first request was approx. two months ago but I still see that you are deducting $18.00 per month off my Visa.
I have called Visa and have asked that from this day forward that they do not process any payments from your organization.
I have tried phoning the two phone numbers provided on line and have not been able to speak to anyone about this matter.
I have also gone to www/efax.com cancellation and have not been able to input my request.
I trust that this matter will be taken care at your end.
Judy
I just got off the phone from efax call center and a customer service dude named Keith. He was nice and professional and had the script down pat. I just told him I was done because I was broke because it was Christmas and he only tried once to keep me by giving me 3 months for $6.95, but when I told him I didn’t even have that in the bank, that ended it! It took maybe 5 minutes from start to finish and I was out of there. It took me 10 times longer going the terms of use looking for a way to cancel, that it did to cancel it. Thats what is hidden!
Ugh. Never dealt with such blatant unethical tactics. Here is my transcript:
Too Costly
{me} Hi I’d like to cancel my account. what information do you need from me?
The session has been accepted.
{Megan F.} Hello, [me]. Welcome to j2 Global online support. I am Megan, your online Live Support Representative. How may I assist you?
{me} I’d like to cancel my account. What information do you need from me?
{Megan F.} I’m sorry to hear that you wish to cancel. Could you please provide me your Fax number and PIN for verification?
{me} Sure the fax number is xxxxxxxxxx and the pin number is xxxx
{Megan F.} Thank you for providing your information. Please give me a moment while I go through your records. In the meantime, please type the number corresponding to your reason for cancellation:
1) Moving to another provider
2) Bought a Fax machine
3) Business or role changed
4) Short term project completed
5) Financial reasons
6) Problems with Faxing or Billing
7) Dissatisfied with Quality of service
{me} 3
{Megan F.} I understand that currently you do not use the service very often. In the current situation, we will waive off the monthly fee for the next two months. You can use the fax service without the monthly fee for the next two billing cycles. Please feel free to contact us at any time. This way you will be able to keep your fax number, which will enable you to send and receive faxes with your number.
{Megan F.} Your eFax account will be credited with $33.90 so that you may utilize our services without being billed our monthly fee for the next two billing cycles.
{me} thank you for the gesture, but i prefer that you cancel my account today and provide me with the confirmation number
{Megan F.} Since you will not be charged any monthly fee for the next two months you may keep the account till then. If at all you find that you need our services during this period, then you will still have the account. If however, you still feel that you do not have any use for our services by the end of the two months credit period, then you can always contact us back anytime. Would you be interested in taking advantage of the above offer at this time?
{me} cancel my account today or else this transcript is going on my blog and i’m calling the better business bureau
{Megan F.} 2m3
{Megan F.} I do understand that you are not using the service much. I suggest you to use the service for another 2 months as you will not be charged any monthly fee for this period.
{Megan F.} As a goodwill gesture for our further association, I would also provide you with an additional gift usage balance of $10.00 with which you can send up to 100 pages of faxes for free (per page per minute within US & Canada).
{Megan F.} All you need to do is to just contact us once at the end of your next billing period. There is certainly no obligation to stay back with our service. Since we are available here 24 x 7, you will have no problem in contacting us. We will process your request immediately without any further delay.
{me} Megan, cancel this account now or I will raise hell. Send me the confirmation number now.
{Megan F.} Okay. I will cancel your account immediately.
{Megan F.} I’m sorry that you are leaving eFax. At eFax, we are continuously improving our products and services. Please do consider us if your faxing needs should change in the future.
{Megan F.} Is there anything else, I can assist you with?
{me} confirmation number, please
{Megan F.} Yes, here is your confirmation number 003-927-834.
{me} thanks
{Megan F.} It was my pleasure assisting you.
{Megan F.} Thank you for contacting j2 Global Online Support, I hope you found our session helpful.
Good-bye and take care!
Here’s mine: My suggestion as a replacement? Maxmail. They’ve been great so far. Muuuuuch cheaper than efax.
Welcome to chat.
Too Costly
The session has been accepted.
{Zak Brown} hello?
{Simson H.} Hello, Zak. Welcome to j2 Global online support. I am Simson, your Online Live Support Representative. How are you doing today?
{Zak Brown} I’m good, I’d like to cancel my efax subscription
{Simson H.} I am sorry to hear that you wish to cancel. Could you please provide me with your Fax number and PIN for verification?
{Zak Brown} sure
{Zak Brown} XXX-XXX-XXXX
{Zak Brown} pin: XXXX
{Zak Brown} that all?
{Simson H.} Thank you for providing your information. Please give me a moment while I go through your records. In the meantime, please type the number corresponding to your reason for cancellation:
1) Moving to another provider
2) Bought a Fax machine
3) Business or role changed
4) Short term project completed
5) Financial reasons
6) Problems with Faxing or Billing
7) Dissatisfied with Quality of service
{Zak Brown} 1
{Zak Brown} and 7
{Simson H.} Thank you for waiting. I have just located and verified your account.
{Simson H.} May I know the exact issue you are facing so that I may help you with the same?
{Zak Brown} No, please cancel my account.
{Simson H.} I am sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.
{Simson H.} Zak, I understand that you may not have much use for your eFax account at this time, and cannot justify the expense. In the current scenario, I will waive off the monthly fee for your eFax account for the next two months. Please feel free to contact us back as per your convenience. This way, you can use your eFax account during this time at zero monthly fees. I will credit your eFax account with $33.90 which will cover for the monthly fee for the next two billing cycles.
{Simson H.} If you find any use for your eFax account during this time, then you will still have the account, else you can always contact us back anytime before this period ends to let us know about it. We are here to assist you anytime you wish to contact us back.
Will this be fine with you?
{Zak Brown} No, please cancel my account. If you do not cancel my account immediately I will instruct my credit card company to refuse any payments to efax.
{Zak Brown} May I please have a confirmation number?
{Simson H.} I can cancel your account but as you have already paid for the month I suggest you to go for the above offer so that you can derive maximum value for the money you have spent for our services.
{Simson H.} Please be assured you won’t be charged any monthly fee for the next two billing cycle and as a good will gesture, I would also provide you with an additional gift usage balance of $10.00 with which you can send up to 100 pages of faxes per page per minute within US and Canada for free along with the monthly credit.
{Simson H.} During this two months credit period, you can keep this service active and if you use it once in these two months we will be more than happy that we were able to serve you. Please feel free to contact us anytime as we are available 24×7.
{Zak Brown} NO
{Zak Brown} CANCEL MY ACCOUNT NOW
{Simson H.} All right , I respect your decision and will cancel your number immediately
{Simson H.} I’m sorry that you are leaving eFax. At eFax, we are continuously improving our products and services. Please do consider us if your faxing needs should change in the future.
{Simson H.} Is there anything else you would like to have assistance with?
{Zak Brown} Can I have a confirmation number please?
{Simson H.} The confirmation number for cancelation of your account is 3943642.
Does anyone else think efax spams users of their free service to get them to cancel?
I’ve gotten these vulgar voice mails that all sound the same and sound like they are calling from a phone bank, accusing me of calling them and bothering them at home and not having a real job. They all follow the same script it seems.
they have been trying to kick me off of the free service for years now, but I like to get my faxes to my inbox every once in a while so the free service works great when I need to give out a fax number.
Faxing is critical to my business, and our eFax Developer account has worked well for over a year until recently. We have regular service interuptions and their customer support is non-existent. I have tried and tried to get throught to someone to fix these issues and all I get is the run-around. We cant easily switch to another company becasue we have developed code to work with efax Developer, but we are now moving as quickly as possible to get away from EFax. If you are considering an account, think again and go elsewhere