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ECTACO PARTNER LUX SCAM REVIEW
This complaint has been filed with the United States FTC investigation division. The following is the initial complaint:
7/3/2013
Attention FTC Investigators,
This preliminary complaint details false advertisement and theft by deception perpetrated by Ectaco.com. I purchased the Ectaco Partner Lux in May 2013. This device promises real time language translation and language learning of the purchased desired language, in my case Thai. After 45 days of struggling with this unstable Ectaco software platform which would constantly crash and disable most learning applications and all internet functions. I asked Ectaco to assist me with fixing this product. After experiencing Ectaco very rarely answers their phone system, and prefers to hide by email, I was lucky enough to have them send me a link to reinstall their operating software and purchased language. These links did not correct the issues. Even when performing factory default initialization this would not fix the disabilities inherent with this device. And after performing this software reset my purchased language was factory defaulted to Spanish. Que pasa? Other problems of false claims are “real time” translation which only works if you use Google’s free non-proprietary software that has no relation to Ectaco’s technology claim. And this particular application can only be used with internet access. I can only imagine which other application are not theirs which they allude to as well. Can you imagine having these issues where there will never be internet access ever or customer service? This system needs to always factory reset to the purchased language for future issue, it does not. And not only is Ectaco’s learning language program archaic and has an illogical and random teaching structure it teaches incorrectly. Ectaco has not correctly researched the Thai language as they only sponsored the feminine mechanics of that language. This machine was made for a woman’s interaction. Incorrect teachings from a company that teaches incorrectly!
I now have absolutely no faith in this false, over-hyped and embellished product. Neither does Ectaco since they only offer 7 day money “guarantee”. In June, I did returned my Partner Lux back to Ectaco and they refused my refund and sent me back a device that still does not work correctly and the panel with the fake cosmetic screws is falling off.
I have email correspondences between Ectaco and myself if you should need them. I look forward in furthering your growing consumer based investigation of Ectaco.Fraud,
Todd H.
So to summarize, for those individuals pondering the purchase of this Ectaco language translation devices my best experienced advice is to RUN AWAY AND NEVER LOOK BACK! You are much better off with a six dollar English to new language pocket travel book that fits conveniently into your back pocket. Rest assured this six dollar investment will never crash and become inoperable, it will never require internet or non-proprietary software to work, it will never change to a different undesirable language while in operation and will probably remain functioning when wet. Please do not make the same mistake I made in pioneering the purchase of the Ectaco’s Partner Lux language translator. I am now an unlucky owner of a $400 paperweight that is still continuing to fall apart on its own. Does anyone play skeet?
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I ORDER FROM ECTACO COM AU { AGENT } I PAY $ 579.95 AUD LUX2 WE8 PARTNER BUT SEND TO ME DIFFRENT MODEL LUX2 ML8
AND I RECIVED INVOICE FOR THIS MODEL $ 400.00 AUD .TELL ME I MUST PAY TAX ! CUSTOM ! AND MONEY EX $ 179.95.AUD EXTRA !
HEYYY I am not USA citzen...! I CAN ORDER TO $ 1000.00 AUD NO TAXXXX I AM AUSTRALIAN .
P.S I USED paypal ! must REFUND ALL $ 579.95 AUD. LUCKY I AM
ECTACO COM RIP OFF PEOPLE !
I have had equally bad service from Ectaco, except I paid a lot more. The voice recognition capability is terrible with the inevitable result of terrible translation. The advertising is deceiving and does NOT tel the buyer that this device use an experimental FREE service from google which require you to be on-line to work. My 100$ tablet does this better than this 900$ paperweight I bought. Raised a dispute with Paypal and will see what happens...
join Ectaco SUCKS on facebook
Let’s cut to the chase. Here is a link to the New York Attorney General Office (Ectaco’s office is in New York) for anyone who is foolish enough to buy an Ectaco product.
http://www.ag.ny.gov/complaint-forms
This company knowingly sells products that don't work.
I purchased the Partner Lux2 translator for Thai-English (directly from Ectaco.com, not from Amazon). It arrived promtly but I immediately noticed less than stellar craftsmanship with the product. Hardware concerns soon became history as I quickly discovered that the product CAN'T PERFORM MOST of the translation functions that the company claims.
Photo Translator and C-Pen Scanning – Ectaco’s website claims these can translate to or from any language you purchase, but both the User Manual and subsequent emails from the company state that this feature only works with European languages. TOTALLY USELESS FOR ANY NON-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE!
Text Translation - Ectaco’s website and the User Manual claim you can type any text you want and have it translated right away to or from the language you purchase. The keyboard contains Thai characters but some language other than Thai (not sure what language it was) appears on the screen when you type. Ectaco also acknowledged via email that this feature only works with European languages. TOTALLY USELESS FOR ANY NON-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE!
Voice Translator - I can't say this doesn't work at all but it does a fairly poor job. An Ectaco rep told me that this feature simply uses Google voice translator. I PAID $300 TO USE FREE GOOGLE TRANSLATE?
After receiving the product, I emailed the company and left voice mail messages every day for about 2 weeks attempting to get the defective product replaced or returned. Finally, after threatening to place complaints with the New York Attorney General Office (Ectaco is in New York) the company finally agreed to give me a full refund but they have yet to give me a method to return the product as their return policy for defective products states.
Complaints have been placed with the state Attorney General Office in both New York and my home state and my credit card dispute is currently ongoing.
hi i got the itravl2 phone of them the first week it was fine then the Thai translates stooped working in the middle of Thai land i was stuffed any way i asked to send it back but ectoco told me i would be charged for posting it back to then and i had to pay to get it back 35 dolles each way well if thy was around the side street i would have gone and battered them but no im in uk so they sobed me off any way six months later it stopped working all together when we was in Thai land touring the usb charging port fell out of the phone so we could not charge it so i got in contact with ectaco throw paypal they give me number so i rang and i got throw to them ### holes in queen new York they was not help fall at all i had to pay to send it back 17.00 pounds from uk tracked about 26 dollers when they got it they told me it was not covered under warranty as the usb port was missing well was i pist yes i felt like getting on a plain and going over there with a rocket luncher any way i asked them to send it back 35 dollers i got my phone back but did you know you can claim your money back throw your back or credit card paypal only cover you up to 180 days so get your claims in and get your money back and i could of for gor dont. open any of there emails on your pc on phone i did big mistack they send with there email a virus that shuts down your pc and f**** up your phone i be leave that is a fed afence in its self witch holds a 10 years prison sentence
You are 100 % right about this company. They are frauds, scammers and cheats! Anybody who deals with them will be taken for a ride. If you are outside of tthe UNITED STATES...GOOD LUCK! They will not honor their warranty, and will ### about their service.I returned a phone, plus the return freight costs in late December, they have kept the phone and the 35 dollars.Totally untrustworthy, give American business a shocking name .
Kerry Richards Australia. contact justkrno2@yahoo.com.au
YES I AGREE AFTER WASTING ALOT OF TIME THINKING I WAS AT FAULT WITH MY PARTNER LUX 3 WHEN ONLY NOW READING THE ABOVE COMMENTS I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM S SITTING WITH A 500.00 DOLLAR PAD THAT DOESNT WORK . THERE MUST BE SOME COMSUMERS RIGHTS HERE AS YES THIS IS FLASE ADVERTISMENT .
Like everyone - i purchased the ectaco 500AL for a trip to China - the biggest waste of money EVER. ABSOLUTELY USELESS and also found their service to be about as useless as the product itself. COMPLETELY false advertising - works on a series of canned statements/questions ONLY - most of which have nothign to DO with the question or statement you wanted to make or ask. Can't believe the company is still in business. Google translate is a THOUSAND times better (except you can access google in China).