S.M.I.L.E. Using Money Wisely

Unsavory BBB business practice from my first contact with you...a lady came to me for assistance with her first caseworker at an agency that was doing nothing about her situation. An appeal was filed on her behalf and I was made her representative payee.Her appeal was approved and now Smiles is her payee without any notification by you or social security...how after considerable out of pocket expenses has your agency become her payee?... is my description of unsavory BBBusiness practices.

I think it's kind of ironic that this company is called smile payee services because I haven't smiled since they have been in charge of my finances. It has literally been an emotional roller coaster trying to talk to these people about my finances. I am not allowed to know the balance of my account or any monthly budget plan in detail. Bills are paid only and if they decide to pay them on time. My spectrum account was delinquent for 2 months when I contacted them and told them that they really needed to pay my Internet bill that had been sent to them since the beginning of me having this bill, they chose to pay the past due balance of $161 not once but twice and then sent another check for $71.04 an amount that doesn't even equal my monthly bill in the amount roughly of $400. You will pay smile payee services for their negligence in managing your finances because they will promptly take their money out before you get funds to feed you and your family or pay any bills. If they do not pay your bill on time and you occur a late fee they will not refund the late fee due to their negligence of not paying the bill. Their negligence in paying your bills does not concern them in any way your weekly allotment will change because you won't know whether they're paying your bill or not. You will never have an accounting of your money and if you ask they will tell you that you need to ask somebody else. They will make your financial problems worse and it will affect your mental health because of the way they talk to you when you bring anything to their attention. Do not try to change your bills because then they will still pay the amount that it was which is not the amount that's due.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 SMILE Payee Services (SMILE) appreciates the opportunity to respond to the complaint from MrCharles W***, which is as we understand, he “was not able to spend $to buy food for Thanksgiving because when he went to the ATM on Wednesday, November 22,
to get $and it was not there.” Based upon the attached documents, and information given below, the allegation and complaint by MrW*** toward SMILE Payee Services is baseless, without merit, and not true Attached are the SMILE deposit transactions to the personalized reloadable debit ending in #***, issued by SMILE to MrW***, documenting that he has consistently received Wednesday Weekly Allotments every Wednesday, as he is programmed to receive, according to 2) Debit Card transactions to #*** W*** Charles Wednesday Weekly Allotments 08-30-thru 11-30- From November 1st thru November 22nd, SMILE deposited a total of $on the reloadable debit card SMILE issued to MrW*** ending in #***, which gave him the money to buy the $worth of food he alleges in his complaint he was not able to buy, according to the attached 1) $Debit Card deposits to #*** W*** Charles Wednesday Weekly Allotments 11-01-thru 11-22-17, MrW*** got $on Wednesday, November 22, According to the attached deposit ledger, on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, SMILE programmed the $Wednesday Weekly Allotment for MrW*** that was added to his debit card ending in #*** at 12:pm EDT/11:am CDT, as per the attached 3) Debit Card SMILE deposits ending #*** W*** Charles Wednesday Weekly Allotments 08-30-thru 11-30-document MrW***, unbeknownst to SMILE, created his own dilemma in that he contacted the reloadable debit card company and had several additional personalized debit cards issued to him, and as such SMILE did not have any of the card account numbers in his funding profile. One such debit card ending in #*** From the attached ledger, 4) Debit Card ending #*** W*** Charles Self Telephone Transferred Wednesday Weekly Allotments 11-17-thru 12-06-17, debit card ending in #***, MrW*** called the card issuing debit card company to have them transfer the programmed Wednesday Weekly Allotments SMILE processed to debit card ending in #***, to be transferred to the debit card he had issued to him ending in #*** Wednesday, November 22, 2017, the substance of the complaint filed by MrW***, SMILE had his programmed $Wednesday Weekly Allotment added to the debit card ending in #***. However, MrW*** waited until 11:am EDT/10:CDT to transfer the $to his debit card ending in #*** MrW*** did not transfer the $until Saturday, November 25, 2017, knowing that SMILE had the money processed to the debit card ending in #***, as he had transferred funds the previous week, which would have given him the money he filed the complaint against SMILE stating that he did not receive his regular $Wednesday Weekly Allotment on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, which of course, is not true SMILE Payee Services has substantiated with the attached documents, and information gave above, support in our belief that the allegation and complaint by MrW*** toward SMILE Payee Services is baseless, without merit, and not true As always, if there are any questions, or any additional information is needed, please do not hesitate to contact us Lawrence LS*** *** SMILE Payee Services ** *** *** Cleveland, OH *** (216) 254-Tell us why here

Greetings Michael, I must apologize for the extended delay in responding to your numerous emails, as we have our entire office out sick at the same time with the flu bug that has been going around. As such, longer than normal response times have been created to both email and telephone messages....

SMILE cannot, and will not advance money to you before we receive it on deposit. As for any “fees” accessed to your rapid! debit card, would have resulted from using the card at an ATM machine, which from previous communications, and the attached document, you were instructed to take the rapid! card inside the bank, as the ATM will cost you money. As a one-time courtesy, we will request rapid! to refund the February ATM, which, once again, are beyond the control of SMILE. We are again requesting that you have your monthly bills sent to SMILE so that we can pay them promptly, by having each Vendor change the billing address to: All monthly bills should have the billing address changed to: Michael [redacted] c/o SMILE Payee Services PO Box 93139 Cleveland, OH 44101-5139 (216) [redacted] Thank you for choosing SMILE! As of Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Greetings [redacted] I must apologize for the extended delay in responding to your numerous emails, as we have our entire office out sick at the same time with the flu bug that has been going around. As such, longer than normal response times have been created to both email and telephone messages....

SMILE cannot, and will not advance money to you before we receive it on deposit. As for any “fees” accessed to your rapid! debit card, would have resulted from using the card at an ATM machine, which from previous communications, and the attached document, you were instructed to take the rapid! card inside the bank, as the ATM will cost you money. As a one-time courtesy, we will request rapid! to refund the February ATM, which, once again, are beyond the control of SMILE. We are again requesting that you have your monthly bills sent to SMILE so that we can pay them promptly, by having each Vendor change the billing address to: All monthly bills should have the billing address changed to: [redacted] c/o SMILE Payee Services [redacted] Thank you for choosing SMILE! As of Tuesday, February 28, 2017

In addition, we were successful in getting the rapid! debit card company to credit Mr. S[redacted] $19.75 in ATM transaction fees, which was added back to his rapid! debit car

Tuesday, December 12, 2017    SMILE Payee Services (SMILE) appreciates the opportunity to respond to the complaint from Mr. [redacted], which is as we understand, he “was not able to spend $40.00 to buy food for Thanksgiving because when he went to the ATM on Wednesday, November 22,...

2017 to get $40.00 and it was not there.”   Based upon the attached documents, and information given below, the allegation and complaint by Mr. W[redacted] toward SMILE Payee Services is baseless, without merit, and not true.   Attached are the SMILE deposit transactions to the personalized reloadable debit ending in #[redacted], issued by SMILE to Mr. W[redacted], documenting that he has consistently received Wednesday Weekly Allotments every Wednesday, as he is programmed to receive, according to 2) Debit Card transactions to #[redacted] Wednesday Weekly Allotments 08-30-17 thru 11-30-17.   From November 1st thru November 22nd, SMILE deposited a total of $438.01 on the reloadable debit card SMILE issued to Mr. W[redacted] ending in #[redacted], which gave him the money to buy the $40.00 worth of food he alleges in his complaint he was not able to buy, according to the attached 1) $438.01 Debit Card deposits to #[redacted] W[redacted] Wednesday Weekly Allotments 11-01-17 thru 11-22-17, Mr. W[redacted] got $62.67 on Wednesday, November 22, 2017.   According to the attached deposit ledger, on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, SMILE programmed the $62.67 Wednesday Weekly Allotment for Mr. W[redacted] that was added to his debit card ending in #[redacted] at 12:32 pm EDT/11:32 am CDT, as per the attached 3) Debit Card SMILE deposits ending #[redacted] W[redacted] Wednesday Weekly Allotments 08-30-17 thru 11-30-17 document.   Mr. W[redacted], unbeknownst to SMILE, created his own dilemma in that he contacted the reloadable debit card company and had several additional personalized debit cards issued to him, and as such SMILE did not have any of the card account numbers in his funding profile.  One such debit card ending in #[redacted]   From the attached ledger, 4) Debit Card ending #[redacted] W[redacted] Self Telephone Transferred Wednesday Weekly Allotments 11-17-17 thru 12-06-17, debit card ending in #[redacted], Mr. W[redacted] called the card issuing debit card company to have them transfer the programmed Wednesday Weekly Allotments SMILE processed to debit card ending in #[redacted], to be transferred to the debit card he had issued to him ending in #[redacted].   Wednesday, November 22, 2017, the substance of the complaint filed by Mr. W[redacted], SMILE had his programmed $62.67 Wednesday Weekly Allotment added to the debit card ending in #[redacted].  However, Mr. W[redacted] waited until 11:05 am EDT/10:05 CDT to transfer the $62.67 to his debit card ending in #[redacted].   Mr. W[redacted] did not transfer the $62.67 until Saturday, November 25, 2017, knowing that SMILE had the money processed to the debit card ending in #[redacted], as he had transferred funds the previous week, which would have given him the money he filed the complaint against SMILE stating that he did not receive his regular $62.67 Wednesday Weekly Allotment on Wednesday, November 22, 2017, which of course, is not true.   SMILE Payee Services has substantiated with the attached documents, and information gave above, support in our belief that the allegation and complaint by Mr. W[redacted] toward SMILE Payee Services is baseless, without merit, and not true.   As always, if there are any questions, or any additional information is needed, please do not hesitate to contact us.   Lawrence L. S[redacted] SMILE Payee Services [redacted] Cleveland, OH  [redacted] (216) 254-2612 Tell us why here...