The University Prep Center

Review: Purchased product & reviewed it. Mailed product back to business 1/9/13. Received email confirming their receipt of product on 1/14/13. They stated in email that the refund should be approved in 5-7 business days.Sent email 2/6/13 asking status of refund, they responded that day that refund would be 6-8 weeks from date package received.It has now been 14 weeks since my last correspondence & I have yet to see a refund.I truly hope you can help resolve this.Therefore I am placing this complaint. [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded the price of the product,ASAP

Business

Response:

This customer has been approved for a refund. Please allow 48 hours from today in order to see the funds posted to the credit card we have on file. UPC

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Thank you for your assistance.

Regards,

Review: I purchased UPC course on October 6 2012,with the agreement of full refund (minus SH) if we do not find the material benificial. After reviewing the materials it was apparent it is not a good match for my daughter's needs . The materials was returned to UPC. UPC kept on sending e-mails with excuses for the delaying of the refund. On Jan 9th 2013 I recieved an e-mail that I will get my refund at the end of the month. On January 30th I got this from UPC "we apologize for the long wait for your refund. It looks like there was a delay in the approval process of the refund. I have gone a head and expedited that process and gotten an approval for you return. You will see your refund check through US Banks bill pay service in 10-14 Days". On Feb 18 I got " The credit department is still behind and will be mailing you a check on Feb 28th" . On March 7th I got The company is currently being restructured and is under new management.Despite several attempts since March 7th 2013 to contact UPC by phone and e-mails, I did not get any one to respondDesired Settlement: I am requesting refund of $285.00 to be credit immediatly to my credit card.

Business

Response:

You have been approved for a refund, and it will be sent no later than Friday of this week. Due to the fact that it has been more than 120 days, your refund will be sent via certified funds priority mail.

UPC

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], The business did not specify the amount of refund expected, the refund should be in the amount of $284 ,

I find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me if the amount is correct . I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Review: It's been three weeks since the notice came I would receive a refund by mail. With some of the complaints and the YEAR it has taken me to get this far, I fear this may have fallen between the cracks or been pushed..... Sorry.

Can you help me at this point?Desired Settlement: follow through with their promise to pay.

Business

Response:

Your refund was sent earlier this week. We sent you an email stating it had been sent. Check # [redacted].

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Sirs, (sent via website as well)

I have contacted you twice regarding the University Prep Center and my refund. Your attention in this matter has led to two contacts from the company.

Each time, the company has reported a refund being sent. I did finally receive it. The refund check is for $185.00, not the amount noted below, cut and pasted from receipt.

See attachment for document in entirety.

UPC SAT/ACT [redacted] $285.00 X 1 = $285.00

UPC [redacted] $0.00 X 1 = $0.00

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Product Total $285.00

Shipping (USPS) $14.95

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Grand Total $299.95

I find this incredibly suspect and I am very unhappy.

If they didn't want to refund the shipping, I could understand. However, after a year - a year of trying to get a refund, I actually want the entire amount. Even if that doesn't seem reasonable, at least the final $100.

Review: I ordered via phone the ACT prep program with a 30 day money back guarantee. I was not impressed with the product and decided to return. I contacted the company to verify I would follow all the correct procedure in returning it. They told me what to do and I returned the product well within the 30 days. I have contacted the company via email and phone too many times to count. They do not return phone calls, and every once in a while I will receive an email stating I will have my refund my June 30th or within 5-7 days. But no refund!Desired Settlement: I just want the refund of my $285 dollars.

Business

Response:

Your refund was sent out October 13th. If it has not cashed yet, we will stop payment on it now and issue another this week.

CPC

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

They have still not received a check, but will again wait to hear from them.

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I have been trying to respond to the complaint which is closed, as I have received a check from the University Prep Center.

Review: To Whom It May Concern,I would like to register a complaint regarding the business called Prepme4less.com or Universityprepcenter.com. They advertise on the websites associated with High School students working through their High School Counselors who put them onto websites like Naviance or College Board or Fast Web the college scholarship website. These websites are endorsing this product. I was called on the phone by the company after registering through one of the sites for my son who is applying for colleges. This company sells SAT/ACT software to help prepare for the tests. I was told on the phone that this product was 100% refundable for ANY reason. That they were sending it me a trial basis. Upon receipt, my son was not interested in the product. So we began the long and arduous process of trying to return the product. When you call the number listed on the website for customer service - no matter the time of day or night. All there they have is an answering service. I have left numerous messages - never get a call back. When I send emails to the [email protected] I get a reply to some of them and to some of them I never hear back. A Mr. [redacted] has responded and promised to refund my $185.00 but to date I have not recieved it. I began contacting them on July 27. I have not gotten my money back even after they promised to send a check to my home. Now they will not return my emails.Interstingly enough, if I contact them through the same 800 number or website and say that I want to BUY their product, I get a call back within one day! When I tell them that I really want a refund they are rude and pushy and say it is not their department and hang up on me.Can you help me get my refund? And tell others that this company is not honest in their policy regarding refunds and trials of their product. As to if the product is actually any good. I do not know. But they clearly are not giving me a "refund for ANY reason". Sincerely,[redacted]Desired Settlement: All I want is the refund of $185.00 for their product. I sent them the package to their return center via registered mail. The package remained unclaimed and has now been sent back to me. I will gladly resend it, but do not want to do so until I am sure that they will not claim they never got it and refuse to refund me. I wanted to send it registered mail so I would have a record to protect myself.All I want is a refund. And to let others know about this poor customer service.

Business

Response:

This customer has already been refunded. Check #[redacted]

Customer Care

Review: In October 2012 I ordered their product for helping enroll in colleges for my son. Due to financial problems and a pending divorce, I couldn't keep the $300 product. So, I called to request a RMA number and subsequently returned the product at my own expense. I have been constantly guaranteed a refund of $300, but have not received it after 9 months.Desired Settlement: I would like to $300 back. They solicit their product to high school students, then take advantage of the parents. Poor marketing.

Business

Response:

The customer has been issued a refund and the check will leave the refund department on 7/26/13. $285.00 will be the total amount of the refund. Thanks for your patience, and please let us know if your student needs any scholarship assistance for free.

UPC

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

I am concerned this is just another one of their lies, as I have had the same message for the last 6 months and no check has been received. I have proof of emails where this was supposed to happen, the last one was a check on 6/30/13 by certified mail which I never received.

What other actions can be taken if this is another one of their lies?

Regards,

Consumer

Response:

As of today, August 8th, I have not received the promised refund check. This about the 5th time it has been promised and still not successful in receiving a refund. I'd like my complaint with the Revdex.com to be reopened and the company contacted again.

Best,

Review: On April 11, 2013 I received a phone call from University Prep Center wanting to sell a SAT Prep program. The caller was very convincing of the fact that my son’s SAT scores would go up by several hundred points if we purchased the software. We also would have scholarship resources available and there would be no further cost of the program, just the initial total amount of $202.64. I went ahead & purchased the program (who doesn’t want to help their kid excel?) and my Discover Card was immediately billed.

One month later, on May 15th, my Discover Card was billed $39.95. I tried calling the following day, but when you call the phone number they provide there is an automatic holding system that within about 5 minutes sends you to Voice Mail. I did not get a returned call that day. So then I sent an email and complained about the charge and on May 17th they credited back the $39.95. I told them I had not been told there was a monthly charge for the program.

At this time I decided I wanted to return the order. I was getting an uneasy feeling about this company and after researching them online found they were less than stellar in their honesty and customer service. So on May 17th I requested to return the items. On May 20th the company sent me the following response:

“Hello, We have cancelled the continuing education program per your request. Your RMA to return the package is [redacted]. Please place this number on the outside of the package when you ship it back to us.”

On May 31st I received another message that told me that per return policy my son must create an online account and complete the online assessment. I had him do it within a few days. Then I received the following message:

“Your refund has been approved. Please send all the materials in their original condition to the address on file. Once our return department has confirmed the status, your refund will be processed. Please allow 6-8 weeks for your funds to be disbursed. Please make sure to write your RMA # on the outside of the box. Thanks.”

I requested the address to where to return the product, but they did not reply back, so I sent it to the address on the CD cover. That shipment was marked by USPS as an “undeliverable address” and it ended up being returned to me. I again requested the address and someone responded with a different address, so I sent it to that one. THAT return shipment was delivered to them on June 20th. Finally I received a call back from a Customer Service Rep and she said the address I had been given was not the correct address for returns. (I have all emails saved proving that’s where a person told me to send the package)

She did not follow up, so I have called several times in the past week (always the same outcome, voice mail with no returned call) I have emailed them several times in the past week. I think now they are avoiding me. My last email to them warned them that I was going to contact the Revdex.com and file a complaint.

EXPECTED RESOLUTION: I would like a refund in the amount of $187.69.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund in the amount of $187.69 credited to my Discover Card. (the card they billed for the purchase)

Business

Response:

This customer charged back through her credit card company, and we did not fight the dispute. She obtained her refund through our merchant processor, so she has obtained her funds even though she did not follow our return policy.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me if UPC continues to not dispute the credit card reversal by Discover Card . I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

If the company would have followed up in a professional manner we would not have this problem and I would have not had to involve my credit card company. I suggest they improve their customer service communication and not lie to their customers. They will save themselves a lot of grief in future.

Regards,