Scott Burke
1/5
On 9/3/2021 Sociallutions Media Group was paid $13,650.00 to set up our advertising accounts with Facebook, Instagram, Shopify, Klaviyo, a full funnel strategy. $6250.00 was paid in ADVANCE and I was promised in writing a 2 week on boarding process, development of ads, and organic postings. The $6250.00 included the following services:
• $3000.00 Ad Spend Monthly
• $2500.00 Account set up and management fee first month/$1200 management fee after -Full Funnel Strategy
• $750.00 Social Media Management fee for entry level start up package organic content posting and management
In addition to set up paid and sponsored advertising would be executed by SMG on both Facebook/Instagram platforms using multiple ad sets. SMG was supposed to provide analytics to me on a monthly basis or upon request.
Under the terms of agreement, I was to have the ability to approve or deny all content before it becomes posted live on platform and request any changes.
On 10/2/2021 SMG without my authority billed my credit card another $2100.00 for ad management.
On 10/23/21 SMG billed my credit card $3150.00 for Facebook and Instagram paid ads. I was never provided data or ads so I have no idea if my money was actually used for my ads.
On 11/3/2021 SMG without my authority billed my credit card another $2150.00 for ad management
Total Amount paid to SMG= $13,650.00 in two months time
Almost immediately after the contract was signed problems started to develop. Josh the owner of SMG tried to encourage me to let SMG change my Shopify website to a custom built website from his brother for an additional $4500.00 which I declined. After two weeks had long past and the set up was not complete Josh said they were struggling with the integration of Shopify, Facebook, Instagram and other applications. Josh admitted not being “friendly” with Shopify, Facebook, Instagram and other Shopify Integration apps and encouraged be again to let his brother take over development of a new website.
On 10/12/2021 a notice of default was sent to Josh the Owner of SMG Sociallutions Media Group noting that Facebook, Instagram and other platforms were not properly installed, ads were being run without my consent or approval, and I had not been provided any data.
I submitted written complaints almost daily to Josh and other staff members up until 11/17/2021 when I received a phone call from Facebook regarding the advertising account. The same day I also received a email from Klaviyo support. What I found was that Josh and his staff had never properly integrated Facebook and Instagram and was using their “in-house” advertising account to run improper ads on Facebook. Ad’s that I NEVER approved or were even given an opportunity to see. I also found out from Facebook that SMG was not an approved advertising agency and had in fact been given several cease-and-desist orders from Facebook regarding using their clients money to purchase ads for their own company.
On 11/19/2021 – SMG was fired, and I had hired another agency to fill the services and complete the full funnel strategy.
In addition to the loss of $13,650.00 it cost me an additional $10,000.00 to hire another agency to fix all the problems that SMG caused.
I am writing this review now 3/6/2022 after receiving threats from a debt collection company located in Dallas, who claims Josh SMG has a default judgement against me for $5150.00 but cannot provide any proof of such judgement. The collection company, Southwest Recovery has called family members and lied saying they were trying to track me down regarding another completely unrelated matter. Southwest Recovery even threatened to evict my wife from our home and that they planned to call our mortgage bank, US Bank and advise them of the judgement.
SMG has not once owned up to the fact that they were unable to perform the services outlined in the contract and proposal for which they were paid $13,650.00.
Hopefully this post will save someone from this company.
