Thumbtack

In the beginning of this year, I really loved using this site for getting my company so much business. The past two months have been the most horrible experience for me. I have noticed an increase in customer scams, faulty accounts and freudulant activity. Tonight I have witnessed someone request two wedding planning requests along with a graduation party Planning request. I didn't realize it was the same person, so I bided on two of these request. Soon after I realized it was for the same person. But for some reason this person was getting married twice this year and throwing herself a graduation party. Absolute scam and fraudulent account. So I reported it. After twenty minutes on the phone, I soon realized thumbtack support was not going to close that account and save us pros our valuable time and money. Instead we are wasting our money on fake accounts. This has happened so many times in the past two months. I have spent more money the past two months on this account and haven't gotten as much work. The only thing I have gotten is scam accounts. I can seat here all night and write a book on every scam account I have dealt with, within the past two months. But it's not about that. It's about the fact that thumbtack support isn't doing their job wth filtering out the freudlant accounts. They aren't holding up to their end with quality customer service. Thank you Jessie T with thumbtack support for showing me that you guys are absolutely fine with these freudulent accounts. With you justifying these accounts and not refunding us for the ones that are scams, has shown me that I should bring my business elsewhere. And save my money from Thumbtack scams.

Yours truly with Carismas

Description of Complaint:
I was scammed by a contractor that I hired through Thumbtack for a patio extension, total cost $11,400. The contractor started the job, then over the week requested all the amount in full for material. While digging the contractor hit my water line for my sprinkler system. Never to show up again or respond to emails/texts. On 11/15/2021 I reached out to Thumbtack Trust and Safety and started communicating with "Helen" as you can never get a direct email or number to reach an actual person. Good luck trying to use the app to "schedule" a call as all time slots are booked. I was asked to provide proof of contract, proof of payment, proof of communication emails/texts, proof of damage/pictures. I provided all back promptly. On 11/17 I received an email to fill out a link on total cost I would like reimbursed for the damage/repair and the quotes to support the amount within 60 days, 1/17/2021. During the Holidays, COVID hit my household and affected us for a 6 week time frame which caused a delay in having a contractor visit on site. I had delays finding a contractor as many are booked out for on site quotes for 8 weeks or more due to limitations of staff due to Omnicrom spike during that time. I was able to get one contractor to visit on site and provide quote for the cement to be demolished to repair water line and rebuild cost would be $40,593.75. I submitted the estimate and explained the delay on 1/27 which was 10 days pasted the 1/17 deadline. I was immediately denied for the Thumbtack Guarantee because I was past 60 days but offered a "possibility" of $1,000 money back guarantee. I asked for management to reach out to me as I feel there should be exceptions and extensions due to COVID. I am not asking for $40K reimbursement but at least want to be fair and $1K is not fair. Per the fine print for Guarantee, I provided everything requested. Estimated quotes are not in the fine print and I feel is another way to delay reimbursement.

Thumbtack is a scam for business owners. Quotes are free to send but if someone replies, even if they have not read all of Thumbtacks rules and regulations, or if someone has something misclassified, such as needing a printer, not a designer.

You are charged $20-35.00 for every 100.00 in a quote you sent, so something you charge $300.00, you get charged $75.00 if someone replies to your quote, NOT if someone hires you. (A lot of users looking for professionals, this service is free, they do not read the lengthy rules, then YOU as a registered pro are charged just for someone saying, I'll save your info and get back to you when I know what I need, or if someone needs a printer and not a designer not understanding the difference, you have to file a claim with customer service, and it isn't really refunded to you.

All of this is VERY unclear on their website. After lots of emails and customer service chats, I was told I would be refunded a couple mischarges. Then after more time talking to customer service, to find out they didnt mean I would be refunded the money to the money to the bank account from which it came, they indicated my money would be credited to my thumbtack account and told me in the fine print they do not refund money to bank accounts.

Next, I went to my account and removed my credit card, just wanting to use the money that was credited to my account, I then got a message saying I could not send quotes unless I had a credit card linked to my account. You know, Ill take the loss, so that I dont give you one more dime I work really hard for!

For 100.00 on Facebook, I can run ads for weeks, probably gaining at least 5-10 new customers for what they are charging. Hire a local designer/advertisement pro and get some real advertising for yourself!

I have since read many reviews from other areas of service, home contractors, hair stylist. Same issues. Home contractors look like they have it rough based on some of the bids change but the average proposal cost 500.00?!

Ill join a class action with anyone else that feels like this service is a scam! I'm also filing complaints with BBB and FCC is possible!

I have hired off Thumbtack twice and both times they damaged my home! The first "professional" threatened to "beat me within an inch of my life" because I left him negative feedback! I responded to him appropriately considering he threatened violence in open forum and Thumbtack kicked me off the site! I lost money too!

I opened another account and hired painters! They ended up not being professional painters, had no plan, no reliability, never showed up consistently, and were all Meth Addicts! I can say that with all certainty from what I saw and experienced with them after 30 years working the streets of Las Vegas! After 19 days these Methheads couldn't finish the exterior of my 400 sqft shop yet they had paint all over the shop, and different walls on the exterior of the house now! Nothing Finished! Paint Everywhere so I fired them and gave them half the labor minus the $260 I gave him upfront for "his utilities bills at his house!" (MORE THAN LIKELY METH
MONEY!)

I was left over the barrel with any other painter that came along by them knowing I needed them to finish the job!

I gave Thumbtack two opportunities and after being threatened with violence by the First "Thumbtack Pro" and having Thumbtack block me over responding to him I opened a second account to give them another opportunity! I got the Meth Addicts next that knew nothing about exterior painting! They had no plan, no management, no schedule, no idea what they were doing and wanted me to buy paint before they had prepped the entire job! Two Red Flags! The #1 was their appearance and TEETH! Then the "Owner" asked for a draw on the job to pay his utilities! Red Flag #2! The last and final straw was 19 days and no completion of anything and paint slung on every wall, in my landscaping rocks and no one showing up on time!

After 19 days I fired them!

I had one painter before the Methheads set up an appointment and never showed or called! So really 3 Negative Experiences with Thumbtack!

STAY AWAY FROM THUMBTACK!

I love how there isn't any place to review this stupid company.

Thumbtack is a total and complete rip off to professionals. Please do not sign up to be a professional on this site. You will lose more money than you make.

Here's what's wrong with this company:

First of all when a pro signs up with thumbtack they are told you get a refund if a customer doesn't look at your quote within 48 hours. The problem with that is the customer requests a quote from pros, the customer looks at them and never hire a professional. They never had the intention to hire a professional. Most of the customers are on Thumbtack just getting free quotes from professionals and never hire anyone. For all we know it could be someone that Thumbtack hires to sign up as a customer and look at pros quotes but never get back to them. That seems like a full proof way to get money from professionals.

Here are a couple things Thumbtack SHOULD do but won't because they are complete scammers:

1. Thumbtack should, at the very least, tell customers the professional is paying to quote them. I did a test run and signed up for Thumbtack as a customer looking for a quote and NO WHERE did it tell the me that the professional will be paying to send you a quote. (I didn't view the quotes sent me to me because I'm not that kind of person). Therefore, all of the customers that sign up with thumbtack have NO IDEA we are putting money out there. At least let them know before sending us a request so if they have some morals they can hold off on requesting a quote until they are truly ready to hire someone.

2. If the customer is actually SERIOUS and ready to hire a pro, they should put some of their money into their request. That will tell the pros that the customer is actually serious if they are willing to pay for a quote. Then, when they actually hire a pro off Thumbtack they will get their money back.

3. THUMBTACK should be the one to follow up with the customer. I'm sure Thumbtack has data that tells them which customer hired someone and which customer is leaving pros in the dust. If Thumbtack contacted the customer, pros can find out why the customer did not hire any of the pros that quoted them or maybe help them make the right decision.

4. Thumbtack should refund a pro's money even if the customer looks at the quote and never answers within 48 hours. Thumbtack should refund a pro's money if the customer hires someone other than themselves. That way the refunded money can be used for another quote in the future. It all sounds like Thumbtack doesn't actually want to help out professionals, but to take everyone's money.

Please change the unfair ways toward professionals and maybe more professionals will sign up for Thumbtack or maybe you will get less reviews like this one.