Jordan Butler

Before COVID-19, as a side gig I did surveys and on occasion wall offerings with PrizeRebel.com. They were efficient and responsive. About two months ago, they restructured all their content and tiered-membership levels. With so many privacy blockers, vpns, and tracking limitations has reduced my ability to even get a survey to ask me one question let alone finish it, that's with all those settings turned 'off'. They have also withheld rewards from offer wall completions for three weeks, claiming that a 298 point hold is needed to protect my seven-year old account from scams. Finding any answers with their support is like skating uphill. They still remain one of the better sources for easy side-gig cash but they drank the Kool-Aid, giving off the typical corporate cutback thirst for more profit.

Shopify advertises its Shopify Balance account (a built-in banking system with virtual/physical cards) with promises of various rewards, no annual or ATM fees, and funds from sales available the next business day. However, what they fail to inform you is that your first payout takes five business days. After that, the deposit then takes an additional one to three business days to show up in the Balance account. Our previous payout account for another Shopify store deposits money the next day.
If you have sufficient cash flow to wait a week to get paid, Shopify Balance might be for you. If you are not a fan of companies holding your funds for multiple business days while claiming a transaction takes this long—and potentially accruing interest on your profits—then this is not your best option.

History of Failure: Samsung Refrigerator and a Broken Promise of Support

In 2020, I purchased a 36" Standard Depth 3-Door Samsung Refrigerator, a unit I found to be huge, modern, and efficient. Unfortunately, its performance quickly deteriorated.

By May 2022, I began to notice significant issues: a build-up of ice in the cooling vents and a large, recurring ice sheet under the deli drawer that would freeze the drawer in place. The refrigerator's temperature slowly rose, causing a gallon of milk to spoil just two days after purchase.

When I contacted Samsung Support online, I learned that I was a mere two weeks outside of my warranty coverage, and therefore, responsible for the repair cost. On June 20, Samsung sent a local technician who, after a brief explanation of the problem, confidently stated he "already knew what the issue was" and claimed that 9 out of 10 Samsung units he's fixed were faulty temperature sensors. He then replaced the sensor on site. The repair cost was $325, a steep price for a sensor I later found online for as little as $12.00.

The unit functioned properly for almost exactly one year. In May 2023, the same symptoms reappeared—the ice buildup, the warmth, and the ice sheet. This time, however, the consequences were far more severe.

On May 28, I was hospitalized for three days with awful cramps, diarrhea, and a fever. My tests confirmed I had Campylobacter bacteria, which is typically caused by spoiled food. As I do not eat poultry, the conclusion was clear: the malfunctioning Samsung refrigerator was the direct cause of my serious illness.

Upon returning home, I immediately sought a repair through Samsung Support. This time, the website claimed, "there are no certified technicians available in your area." When I called support directly, I was instructed to schedule a third-party repair through a store like Lowe's or Home Depot and then apply for a non-guaranteed refund from Samsung.

This pattern of non-support changed on June 18, 2023. I was about to contact Lowe's when I decided to check Samsung's website one last time. Miraculously, a technician was now listed as available. This sudden availability made perfect sense: the one-year warranty on the newly installed sensor had just expired. It raised a serious question as to whether Samsung intentionally delayed its support in order to avoid a warranty claim.

Samsung is aware of this faulty technology, yet they continue to manufacture these units with them knowing full well of the failure of it.

Seeking a more streamlined alternative to my payment processor, I transitioned to Authorize.net. Regrettably, this decision introduced a new set of operational challenges and frustrations.
Prospective users of Authorize.net are strongly cautioned to undertake a thorough examination of all contractual terms and conditions. They do not advertise that they automatically sign you up for a payment processor. Authorize.net did not disclose to me about any RISK holds, RISK hold requirements [documents] nor was I given directions to set up the payment processor account that was with a third party processor. In my experience, their policies were notably intricate and laden with fine print. It is paramount to recognize that Authorize.net functions as a payment gateway, rather than a direct payment processor. Post-account approval, a disconcerting incident occurred wherein a customer transaction was processed despite the system ostensibly remaining in "TEST" mode—an early indicator of potential systemic issues. Subsequently, upon transitioning to "LIVE" operations and processing a legitimate payment, the whereabouts of the transacted funds became a point of significant concern. There was a conspicuous lack of clarity regarding Authorize.net's utilization of third party processor for merchant account services. Although this third-party processor is presented as an independent entity, it functions more akin to an internal department, further complicated by restricted customer support availability (weekdays, Pacific Time). It was also concerning to discover the emails that were now being sent from Authorize.net employees were from a '@VISA.com' email domain.
My attempts to resolve these issues necessitated three separate interactions with their merchant support. The most recent engagement was particularly unsatisfactory: I was provided with information I had strong reasons to believe was inaccurate. Upon requesting clarification and while the support agent was ostensibly verifying the details, the call was abruptly terminated. Prior to this disconnection, I was informed that the Risk Department required a comprehensive review of my account to assign a risk assessment. A final effort to remediate this challenging vendor relationship and navigate the initial period of operational friction involved an attempt to utilize their online chat support; however, this communication channel also proved inconclusive as my message was apparently cut short. On 6/6/25, I was assured via phone that my first payout was scheduled and will be received within three business days. Yet, just ten minutes later, I received an email from the RISK assessment department that my funds were now frozen as this department conducted a review. They requested several documents, two I had already submitted during the initial application. This sudden review, coming a full week after the transaction, 06/09/25 I was emailed to let me know it will take 1 to 2 business days to review these documents, only to contradict themselves two hours later by emailing requesting that a document show certain customer information. on 6/10/2025 I was then given a max of four days to get a response and on 6/13/2025 my merchant account was now closed without any reason or purpose. The same day Authorize.net referred my portal account to a new third-party from which I stopped and had the entire account closed and reverted back to my original payment processor. I highly suggest looking into whom they assigned you as your merchant account holder ASAP.

My engagement with Dun & Bradstreet commenced approximately two years ago, primarily driven by the assertion that a D&B number was a prerequisite for an SBA loan application. Despite this extended period, the precise function and value proposition of this organization remain remarkably opaque. A particularly concerning experience involves one of my businesses, which has been essentially dormant since its inception. Nevertheless, Dun & Bradstreet's reporting indicated a decline in this entity's "Delinquency" and "Failure" scores. Frustratingly, their 'business credit report' offers no substantive information or clarification for these changes. This lack of transparency creates the distinct impression that the reporting mechanism serves more as a pretext to encourage subscription purchases from their extensive, and seemingly ever-expanding, portfolio of services.

Navigating the Dun & Bradstreet website has been an exercise in frustration. The user interface appears intentionally convoluted, seemingly designed not for user clarity, but rather to reinforce the necessity of their various paid offerings. The 'free' credit report provides virtually no actionable information; critical details pertaining to one's own company are deliberately obscured, thereby compelling users towards a paid subscription to access meaningful data. After two years, my experience with Dun & Bradstreet can only be characterized as a significant investment of time with no discernible return. The platform's utility has proven elusive,

If you've royally f’d up your banking chances at every other banking option, then VARO might still be better for no one. Offering the bare bones: checking, savings, and a secured ‘credit’ card for those of you with credit scores that resemble a dumpster fire. But don't be fooled. VARO conveniently forgets to mention their habit of holding onto your funds, concocting flimsy excuses for delays while they rake in the interest. They get away with it because they’re not a ‘real bank’.

And watch out—their security protocols are more like a paranoid surveillance system, freezing your account for four days based on their own vague suspicions, regardless of what their terms of service actually say. Dealing with their disputes is like playing Russian roulette; one transaction gets approved, another, identical one, gets the boot, with some ludicrous excuse about duplicate charges that never happened.

Want to climb the ladder and get a line of credit, cash advance, or overdraft protection? Good luck. You’ll need a cool $2,000 in monthly direct deposits just to get on their waiting list—and last I checked, I was number 298,411 in line. So, if you enjoy wasting hours of your life arguing with customer support reps who blatantly lie to your face, VARO is your personal circle of banking hell. Enjoy!

Hassle-free and drama free. Had trialed site to site, all coming with ridiculous fees or stipulations. gettnship was effortless, transparent and lacked the extra steps I was being thrown at. Make sure you understand their payment structure and how much you’re going to need so you’re not under or over paying.

The Shopify Community platform, while positioned as a primary support resource, presents numerous challenges in terms of effectiveness. Users frequently report encountering difficulties in navigating the platform's complex structure, which often hinders rather than facilitates issue resolution. The predominant reliance on message boards further exacerbates this problem, as interactions are frequently characterized by a lack of personalized attention and meaningful engagement from designated 'Shopify Experts'. This, in turn, often necessitates users resorting to alternative means such as independent research to address their concerns. Moreover, despite a nominal recognition system for active contributors, there appears to be limited evidence of genuine appreciation or substantive action in response to user feedback and concerns. This raises questions regarding the platform's overall commitment to fostering a truly supportive and collaborative community environment.
In light of these observations, those seeking timely and effective assistance with Shopify-related issues may be advised to explore alternative resources, such as online communities or independent forums. While the Shopify Community platform may offer some value in specific circumstances, it is essential to approach it with realistic expectations and a proactive problem-solving mindset.

The plan was to have a fun activity for a friend's birthday party by filling out a mock police report. However, when I tried to download the necessary PDF, I was prompted to subscribe to a service. They offered a free trial, so I cautiously entered my information, paying close attention to any fine print or clauses. The only clause I noticed was that I wouldn't be charged until after the trial period. But upon submission, my card was immediately charged not just $1.75 but an additional $1.25 by PDFiller. When I reached out to support for a refund, I was directed to a clause buried deep in the 24-page user agreement, stating that by submitting a new ePayment account, I agreed to a small test charge, which would be refunded within ten days. It may seem like a small amount, but it's the principle that matters. Regardless of the software's quality, I promptly canceled the trial and closed my account, opting to stick with Acrobat. Deceptive practices like this are unacceptable

If you’re a new business looking for your first banking accounts, novo is not a bad choice but their transparencies are not 100% visible. Once the honeymoon phase is over (first three months ish), Novo demonstrated poor business ethics and often seemed illegal. On several occasions they blamed network issues for delayed transactions to be cleared. I’ve had over 1000 instant transfers from PayPal or Venmo, never has an instant transfer needed to take 8 days. Pending transactions with companies like Uber have always been retuned within a day or at most two. Not fourteen. novo’s escuses never made sense, their support are bots or just bad copy and pasters. You also have to basically do their work. Their dashboard is hard to follow as they lay things out with by vendor not transaction. Was it a good foot in the door? Yes. But there’s not
Even a phone number to call. You have to go around corners and it’s just a lot of Bs.

If you’re a person who has never sold or with little experience selling on a platform, Mercari may be for you. I have been a member for four or five years with maybe forty sales. Certain things would sell on Mercari vs Facebook or eBay. They do have many ‘hidden’ fees (I mean ‘hidden’ because although they don’t hide it from you, they don’t disclose it outside the fine print) that stack up when looking at your actual profit. Don’t forget you also have to pay extra to get your funds off their system. With my experience, their support lacks logic and I personally believe they mess around with your settings, IE my most recent sale had me pay shipping although every listing I have placed that responsibility on the buyer. Another time the return address was changed on a return label, as this is my opinion. Just make sure if you’re going to use them know that they take 10% seller fee, 2.9% + $0.50 for payment processing, and $3 if you want to move your funds off their system, which is the one of the highest fees for this type of transaction.

This first part is less a subjective review and more a suggestion for you to observe on your own time: the BIG COMMECRCE community. It is nothing more then a false facade to give you the feeling like your input matters. For years, users have complained about many different , SIMPLE things that could make their lives better. I have yet to come across an 'idea' that has been implemented. dozens of users vote on an idea that results with nothing. For example, the addition of a 'undo' feature in page builder has been suggested 22 times since 2017 and agreed upon by 121 users. At what point do you realize that they're not listening? THey have a 'moderator' who closes threads as soon as she can because their analytics would show poor quality in thir support ```

Oh, where do I even begin with BigCommerce. How about their app store? It's truly a work of art, a masterpiece in the world of modern-day scams. Let me enlighten you about this magical wonderland of "abilities and features" that should've been included in our oh-so-generous BigCommerce subscription.
First off, who doesn't love being billed for things that should have been part of the package in the first place? It's like the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae of disappointment. I mean, what's the point of having a subscription if you can't spend more money on apps that should've been included in the basic plan?
And let's not forget about BigCommerce's page builder – a tool so advanced that it lacks an 'undo' feature. It's like going back in time to the days of Microsoft Paint from 1998, except even Paint had an 'undo' button. But hey, who needs to undo mistakes when you can just start from scratch every time you mess up, right? Connecting to platforms is so easy and straightforward; it only requires five different processes. Who needs simplicity when you can have complexity, confusion, and a touch of chaos? And brace yourself for the thrilling bonus – duplicate accounts! Cause that's what happened with Google, and now our company is suspended because BigCommerce made a duplicate account without our knowledge and that goes against Google policy. But here's the icing on this already sumptuous cake – BigCommerce's ingenious plan to withhold essential features from its users only to sell them back in their app marketplace. I found their marketplace to be 50x more annoying then Shopifys, not to mention NOTHING was cheap.

They have been a great source of pocket income the past year or two. I have received several emails thanking me for my particiaption as researchers had given me high raitings. Which is surprising to the current situation I have with them. On February 13th, 2023 I particpiated in a 80 minute study. It went well, normally as they do for me. The following day, the recruiter for the study stated I would receive the incentive payment in one to two business days. After day four, I messaged them simply inquiring if there was a hold up or an issue on my end. February 16th I recieved a response from the research recruiter describing that the payments were being approved and would be paid out that week. Since the 16th, I have messaged the recruiter five times. I have yet to receive a response. I messaged User Agreements where they told me that payment was up to the reasearcher. If I had a brand in which housed a platform of users that were lying to my members or ignorign them, I would take a bigger stance that how User Interviews has taken. As of today, the 24th of February, I have just accepted that this agreement has been breached and that the incentive pay is being kept and not paid out, in other words it was stolen from me. If this changes, I will modifty this review, but it is unfortunate one has to the lengths of writing a review like this after countless positive experiences but that is the only card left to play.

On a trip from NYC to Raleigh I had vegan noticing odd behavior from several passengers like text alerts going off in tandem as tho they were all on a group text, odd sounds that kept repeating. I then noticed passengers near me who were in the aisle to begin doing weird stretches with their legs, which I eventually peaked at to see they were passing objects up the aisle. I had said something to the man sitting next to me who to my surprise, turned to the aisle and said ‘he knows’.. this man was part of this ring. It got real quiet and I began to worry. Telling the man I had no desire for trouble, he instructs me that I needed to get off the bus because someone onboard was ‘packin’. I agree and he escorts me to the front of the bus where, on the floor next to the driver sat an opened tote bag where a pair of my shoes were. THE BUS DRIVER WAS INVOLVED. I eventually got off the bus and contacted 911. There’s nothing much I could have reported as I removed myself from the bus and the only tangible proof I had was the video content onboard the bus. Greyhound has yet to even give me a call. Countless times I’ve attempted to find my carry on, the one the driver told me to bring onboard and where my shoes were that I saw in the drivers tote. You may or may not beleive any of this so rather then wishing you to beleive me I am going to offer tips to help prevent this from happening. One is don’t travel alone. If you have to, board the bus last so people can’t sit around you in a strategic way to optimize robberies. Leave anything you can’t carry on your lap in the storage under the bus. Take everything with you when you leave the bus or go to the bathroom. The more a passenger talks to you, the more likely they’re trying to gain your trust and that’s someone you want to not trust. Trust no one really except yourself. Finally, don’t ride greyhound. They are a perfect breeding ground for an illegal theft ring that involves a complex system of members who have back stories, fake accents, and even employee help. I mean, when 12 different people get off at a stop in a town with a population of MAYBE 150, carrying no suitcases or personal belongings…

This was a decent bank that had too many scammy offers that never fulfilled their ends. Recently, the VARO bank app would fail to load and for days, transfers and transactions were down. I lost a night at a hotel for that. What they are primarily bad at is disputes. I filed a dispute on 11/11/22 for a charge on 11/9/22. The original dispute report had 01/06/23 the date in which the dispute would be completed. On 1/3/23 I got an ‘update’ email from Varo informing me the expected date the dispute would be completed by was 03/10/23. On 2/4/23 I contacted Varo on 2/4/23 requesting why this dispute was taking so long, I was disconnected and then received an email saying my dispute will take 90 days and no date was given when it would be completed. It was as though they reset the date of my dispute to prolong so they don’t have to pay. They have violated FTC regulations, one requires institutions to mail customers a letter indicating a dispute had been started and the other requires institutions to complete disputes within two billing cycles or 90 days. As it is now been after 90 days and three billing cycles, Varo takes no action or responsibility. Use them if you’ve never needed to file a dispute. Otherwise, use Chime or alike

I have never signed up for your services. this moring i have a $30 charge thats unexplainable. So I try using my bd and ssn to see if I have login info, and it gives me my personal email address as a user name to login with. upon logging in, however, it then tells me that the user name Experian JUST told me to use, is invalid and doesnt exist. This didn't involve a password yet therefor it was not an incorrect combo of user name and password. they literally do not have the username I was given as a legit user name. that makes no sense. this charge makes no sense.

12/03/2022 UPDATE: this review was written on the EXPERIAN support ticket's help page, how the hell it ended up as a review on Trustpilot is really effed up. sketchiest thing I've seen in a long time

I haven't actually signed up for Forward, nor will I be doing so in the future. This review is on their video advertising: the fact that the woman who's acting as 'the doctor' is as nervous as a freshman's first presentation should set the mood for that this company offers. I mean, if you can't hire an acting professional who can't remember lines and says "umm" a lot, then maybe you shouldn't run some scammy business with such horrible sales points. People, most of your healthcare providers do ALL of these things already within your apps/online portals.

NOTICE: each five star review has the same amount of words, reviews per user, and format.
Simple scammy

Been using them fine for over a year. Had to file my first insurance claim. My buyer had requested a refund from the platform we used for our transaction. My buyer got refunded immediately. As the item was damaged in transit I couldn't win my appeal. As he got paid, he didn't need me anymore and the platform closed conversations between the two of us. Shippo's insurance department creates a system of small fine prints that NEVER get you to get a claim approved. For starters, they require the involvement of your buyer which is nothing that your buyer ever agreed upon so legally, that's a breach of their own contracting. Then they added on random requirements for my first emailed list of requirements did not have a repair estimate nor have I ever heard of such a requirement nor is it in their own policies or terms of the agreement. Lastly, they told me basically 'tough ****' when I stated my buyer was not cooperating. Do yourself a favor and find anyone else when dealing with shopping insurance.