There is plenty of criticism here of United First Financial, Ufirst Financial, UFF,  Money Merge Account, MMA, or whatever Google likes…

One of the arguments UFF supporters always seem to throw out is the “money back guarantee” that UFF gives.  I’ve been critical of this guarantee here, because I think it’s next to impossible for anyone to get their money back. UFF has a cleverly-written “guarantee” that means you won’t get your money back. They say:

“You must exactly and timely follow the instructions and prompts that will be regularly provided to you by the software…”

Pay a credit card bill earlier or later than the program instructs you, even by a day or two, and it looks like you’ve voided your guarantee. The beauty of this is that the software instructs users to make lots of unncessary and time-consuming shuffles of money. I’d be willing to bet it’s almost impossible for anyone to follow the dates to the letter.

Here’s what one UFF customer had to say about his experience trying to get a refund from Ufirst:

I have been battling it out with UFF for over a year now with letters to the Utah BBB, Attorney Generals Office, Florida BBB (where I live and was another sucker for this scam) and Florida AG. I am so sorry that I got involved with these people and realized only a month into this program that I had been had. When the economy went south my local bank took my HELOC away and my business dried up. I was dead in the water with this MMA and was being stonewalled when I began asking for my money back. The clincher for me signing up with UFF was my agent telling me ,after questioning him about refunds for the program if the “guaranteed savings” in their contract did not materialize, “Yes, you can get your money back. LIE!!! The company says that he should not have told me that and that in spite of the fact that he was representing UFF, they will not honor his statement. Is there anyone else out there with similar experiences and have you been succesful in getting a refund? I know that I am not the only one looking for their money back. Any advice from anyone on this matter?

Buyer beware!

7 Comments

  1. Ingrid 07/22/2009 at 5:51 pm - Reply

    If you’d purchased this on your credit card contact your Credit Card Issuer. There’s a little known law in the US called Federal Regulation Z (Claim & Defense). It allows consumers to charge a purchase back beyond the 30 (or 60) day timeframe limit that your Credit Card Issuer (will no doubt remind you of) state on their disclosure materials.

    The transaction must occur in your home, state, or within 100 miles. The charge-back clock will start ticking from the day you contact your Credit Card Issuer> You have to act like you know what you’re talking about because the #1 game with these Credit card Issuing Institutions (banks and credit unions) is to not charge back purchases due to the high costs involved in doing so. I say, WTF!!…You pay enough interest and annual fees, let them do the ONE job they’re suppose to do…and that’s is to provide EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

  2. JoeTaxpayer 07/23/2009 at 11:04 am - Reply

    Ingrid – I’m sure a MMA buyer can tell us for sure, but I am guessing the transaction occurs in Utah, and most buyers are outside of that 100 mile radius. Just another way UFirst skirts any laws that might go against them.

  3. Bill 07/23/2009 at 5:24 pm - Reply

    JoeTaxpayer / Ingrid – just more food for thought on the “location” issue – if there is a “point of origin” (I can’t remember the exact right word, but basically, if there is a “store” or “location” in the state) – then the company must charge sales tax.

    Case in point – I used to be able to order from L.L. Bean, and not pay sales tax, since they were based in Maine. However, they later opened a store in Maryland (an outlet in Columbia), so now I have to pay sales tax.

    Since every distributor is basically an independent business, then they must charge sales tax wherever there is a distributor.

    I vaguely remember reading something about how a law got passed that no matter where something was sold on the internet, sales tax must be charged, thereby bypassing the above requirement – but I am not sure if it passed, nor how it works.

    I offer this as information that may spur additional discussion.

  4. Jane the Plumber 11/27/2009 at 2:57 pm - Reply

    UMMM – yes…the MMA is a HUGE rip-off…..there is not money back guarantee . only a 3- day right of recission..no one will ever be able to get their money back unless they have financed the software. Just quit making payments..they have no collections in place other than a simple phone call from UFirst..they will not pursue anything else..no harm done to your credit nor any legal threat. dont keep paying because they are going under fast…they continue to fire people in their main Utah office. A company that is so poorly managed and such a rip-off (as the majority of MLM’s are)..just a matter of time

  5. Maurice 12/01/2009 at 2:59 pm - Reply

    I am another who got burned by not reading the contract closely for the MMA from United First Financial. I trusted the man selling it to be telling me the truth when he assured me of a “money-back guarantee if not completely satisfied.” So I decided to give it a try to see how it works. It does nothing that I don’t normally do myself in budgeting and paying off. It’s been a huge diappointment to me. When I contacted the regional sales manager (who sold this to me) and asked about a refund, his reply was simply “The company will do what it says it will do.” Stupid me for not reading the contract closely. I doubt ANYONE has ever received a refund. And I doubt anyone ever will. I smell SCAM!!!!!

  6. Ming WANG 11/24/2010 at 12:30 pm - Reply

    I was charged By United first financial back to Aug this year,After days I request to refund my $3500 sweating money,But they refuse.My wellsfargo bank file a claim,took last 2 months to try to get money back to me,but failed.Still they are trying.Those MMA is a smart reason to cheat and rob my money.I don’t know what to do ?can anybody contribute a smart advice to get money back.I’m exhausted now.Those UFF lier will go to hell one day if they continue doing business this way: they didn’t tell me 3 days cancellation policy,I didn’t sign any paper,but money just took by them.Who can dig out these social bugs?

  7. Terry 12/12/2010 at 11:38 am - Reply

    I can not even access the MMA website any longer and can not contack these clowns by phone. Are they out of business? The state of Utah needs to bring charges on them if they are still in business.

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