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DS Services of America

DS Services of America review: Over billing & customer service 28

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1:32 pm EDT
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I have been a customer of sparkletts water for almost 9 years. Twice they have billed me for a payment that they did not receive from a year ago. There billing always reflects a past due amount and when you bring the account to what you think is a zero balance per their customer service, they still show a past due balance.
Their customer service reps are idiots and do not know how to resolve billing issues.
It gets better, when you try to close the account they will not take back unopened bottles of water, stating that the fda ruling does not allow it, there is no such ruling. Then they charge you again for cooler rental, the unused bottles of water and then a bottle deposit! Even after you've closed the account.
This company is a rip off and should be put out of business.

28 comments
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anbicat
San Diego, US
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Nov 05, 2009 12:09 am EST

This company is a RIPOFF! I left for deployment and asked them to not deliver water to my address. Well apparently, the whole time I was gone I was getting water. I received a phone call today from a collection agency that I owe $300.00! I called them and, of course got the run around. I was told that they couldn't find any record of me ever cancelling the water drop offs. Then, I was told they will get back to me in 72 hrs. THEY EVEN ASKED ME WHERE WERE THE BOTTLES OF WATER. HELL IF I KNOW IDIOTS! This is the worst company ever!

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EddieRKA
Los Angeles, US
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Jan 29, 2010 2:21 pm EST
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My name is Tommy Kearney. I work for a class action lawfirm in downtown Los Angeles. Many consumers have been victims to these very same sparkletts business practices. If anyone is interested in participating in this case, contact me at ttomk40@gmail.com, or call me at Ringler Kearney Alvarez LLP, at [protected]. I hope to hear from you.

-Tommy Kearney

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BDogg
Phoenix, US
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Feb 15, 2010 11:35 am EST

I just had 3 months of hell with Sparklets water myself. I was a long time HAPPY OPremiumWaters customer until Sparklets bought them out and began over billing me (and some of my neighbors too).

Not only did their water taste "fishy" compared to OPremiumWaters, but for 3 months I had to call and get $30 back off my bill, each time I was told the problem is fixed or that this was a different problem and once fixed there will be no problems. 3rd strike and you are out Sparklets!

I canceled my account with them and thankfully they waived my cancellation fee after this 3 month of over billing hell.

I agree this company is a RIP OFF and should be put out of business. Problem is these days there is no such thing as monopolies and they are likely too big to fail now.

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Happy 6000
US
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Aug 02, 2010 11:00 pm EDT

I was wondering if anyone has had problems with black flies in there 5 gallon unopened sparkllet water bottles? Sparkllets is the only company that delivers to my area so I will have to purchase and carry the water bottles from in town if I don't use Sparkllets, but the bugs in the water are just gross. Sparkletts has been nice and picked up the buggy water and replaced them with other bottles, but I just don't feel good about drinking the water anymore. Anyone else had this problem? Thanks!

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One-Million
Queen Creek, US
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Sep 26, 2011 12:47 am EDT

I am having the same problem with billing. I have been a long time user of OPREMIUM WATERS, and Never had a problem. Ever since Sparkletts has taken over my billing has been a nightmare. I have everything documented and they catch up finally with my accounting and then I automatically send in $65.00 direct from my online backing for their basic plan that I took of $50.99 plus the ever present ENERGY SURCHARGE of $2.39. I should be a constant credit to my account and every month they have me owing something. Their home office in Atlanta has an aragant attitude. I have asked for a route manager to come see me. They say there is no need. Not a good comment to me the customer. Next I will be calling the news media to give them the attention that I want them to give me on my account. I have documents and e-mails that they have sent. Also names. Not very professional customer service. They do not want to talk to the customer. Phone numbers are hard to find. Website works half and half. Very frustrating. Call me SPARKLETTS! [protected]

Willie Stark

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a batra
Las Vegas, US
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Jun 18, 2012 12:13 pm EDT

these guys have made discontinuing service a nightmare. even after the service has been discontinued and they have picked up their cooler and bottles, they continue to send bill for the cooler and " made up balance of a bottle " . what is the name and address and phone no of the CEO of this company.a batra

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Reubee Parks
US
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Mar 10, 2015 1:25 pm EDT

In 2015, it has not gotten any better. I've gone back over the past 2 years of my bank statements. I have consistently paid Sparkletts every single month. The most time in between payments was 12 days overdue 2 years ago. Today I just received a bill for $106! And when I called to find out why I've been charged soo much when I've paid them without fail, the idiotic customer service rep and her, even more idiotic supervisor say it's my fault for a late payment 2 years ago! SERIOUSLY! I'm glad I read this blog, so that I can make sure to empty all current water bottles, since I've discontinued service. That way, they pick up EVERYTHING from my house all at once! I'm sure they'll still find a way to try and charge me more. RIPOFF Corporation indeed!

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Sparkletts sucks
Huntington Beach, US
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Apr 15, 2015 9:39 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I called Sparkletts Water for the past two months, in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings and I was put on hold by the phone recording for hours on end and no one came on the phone. I am trying to get my refunds of $48.00 from the empty bottles that they charged me as deposits. It has been over 4 months and no refunds or live person to talk to. These crooks should be put out of business or someone should file a class action suite to get ride of them. There is no customer service at all. We are better off getting a Britter filter and use the tap water, which is better monitored by the water district selling the water than these so call bottle water companies. Never will I get bottle water from these crooks again!

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acrescentia80
Dallas, US
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May 12, 2015 4:08 pm EDT
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I am very upset with Sparkletts! The nightmare began when my first brand new cooler, stopped working. They delivered an old scratched up model as the replacement. After a few months it began to make a loud noise, and then one evening it started to smoke. I immediately unplugged the cooler. I called customer service to report the cooler. It took them over a month to have it replaced! Each time I would call to get the replacement status, I would get an excuse. The excuses were the driver had an accident, the driver is ill, and the driver is unavailable. That was the last straw, I called customer service AGAIN. The last rep I spoke to was kind, and apologized for the inconvenience. She lowered my rate, gave me a free month, and scheduled to have my cooler replaced. They delivered another older model cooler. A month ago I tried to log in my account, to pay my $50.00 payment. I tried to log in, and it showed I was no longer a customer. I was thinking to myself this has to be an error. I thought maybe the website was down. I called customer service, each time I called they were experiencing high call volume. I couldn't stay on the phone all day while at work. Their customer service closed by the time I got out of work. Late last month I received a collection letter with Sparkletts on the letter, that I had a balance of $400.00 due! I was very shocked! They sent my account to collections, I went from a balance of $50.00 to $400.00! I called the collection agency, and they told me Sparkletts is charging me for 13 bottles and the cooler. I couldn't believe it! My account plan was 1 cooler, rack, and 6 bottles. How are they going to charge me for 13bottles that I don't have?!? The collection agency told me I need to drop of the cooler and bottles in a city far from where I live. Absolutely ridiculous! Has anyone ever experienced this with this company? Is there anything I can do? They are the worst water service ever! Crooks!

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Samuel Trevino
US
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Feb 28, 2017 1:24 pm EST

We need some type of class action suit started. They won't even allow, the delivery person to pick up the thier equipment.

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Rona M.
El Monte, US
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Jun 03, 2015 12:05 pm EDT

HORRIBLE, horrible service. First of all, I signed up for spring water when I joined through Costco last October. I received spring water for my first delivery, but then I noticed that I was getting purified. I saw my delivery person and asked him about it, and he said that they were doing away with spring water and switching to purified and that most of the customers preferred the taste. I really should have known then and there that I was dealing with some shadiness.

Fast forward to last month. All of sudden, I didn't receive any water. I thought maybe I didn't put out my water bottles in time, but when the second delivery date came and nothing was there, I gave them a call. Apparently there was an issue with my card, but I never received any notice to rectify the situation. They just stopped my service, and then charged me double to "make up" for it. No notification whatsoever. The customer representative said that they could have water delivered to me the following day (this was last Tuesday; Wednesday is the normal delivery day).

So Wednesday rolled around, no water. Being so completely fed up with this company, I called the next day to cancel my service, and made sure to express how completely dissatisfied I am with them. I told the rep how I've been receiving purified when I signed up for spring water, and she said that they have always had spring water and there were no plans to get rid of it. And it turns out they've been charging me for spring water this whole time, which is more expensive!

And the kicker? 2 hours after my phone call, they dropped off water.

So I called them again to have them pick this water up and to make sure I get refunded my money for the cancelled service and the overcharge. They told me to put my bottle rack outside alongside the unused bottles of water. I woke up today to find that they picked up the bottle rack… but left 3 more bottles of water. Purified.

I immediately called them because I just want this nightmare to be over. When I called, it said I reached the "E-town testing service" and proceeded to invite me to do different surveys. But when I called the same number from my husband's phone, it sent me to Sparkletts. So apparently, they blacklisted my number so I can't call.

I think I'm a fairly reasonable person, but their ineptitude and unethical practices has infuriated me beyond belief. They really should be put out of business.

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Christina Whalen
US
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Aug 26, 2015 4:07 pm EDT

I have called and called and waited and waited to get a customer service person on the phone to change my address - I never get anyone on the phone and now they have locked my account and keep charging me a monthly fee and I'm stuck with the cooler and empty bottles at my new place. This company is BS, I am doing everything I can to let people know about these crooks - I really hope they go out of business! How do I get this resolved? I mean seriously, they keep charging me every month and I am getting no water delivery.

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Beca345
US
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Oct 20, 2015 6:42 pm EDT

The Sparkletts company has given us nothing but a difficult time since beginning service. It takes at least 30 minutes to reach anyone through the customer service line. Our driver gave us his personal number, which I thought was nice, but he never answered or returned calls. We signed up for the Costco plan in February. We received water in Fevruary, March, and April. Come May and we didn't recieve any water. The driver never called us back and the customer service "scheduled" a drop off that never came on 2 separate occasions! By the 3rd time I called customer service after the water never showed I decided to cancel. I made sure the person canceling our service sent me an email verifying I cancelled service and that we would be credited the month of May. So glad I did because now we received a collections notice for a past due amount! I tried calling Sparkletts and was on hold for 40 minutes and talked to 2 different reps before they told me I had to deal with the collections agency directly. They transferred me and the first person I spoke to named Rachel at the Collections Bureu of America hung up on me when I questioned why I couldn't deal with Sparkletts directly. The second rep Kiana I spoke to was much nicer, but now I have to fax a copy of my email showing the cancellation and credit. Such a rediculous ordeal and waste of time! I will tell everyone I know NOT to ever sign up for Sparkletts water!

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Murillos
US
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Dec 09, 2015 4:14 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have spend hours and hours each months on the phone ( after being on hold for long long long time ) trying to get the billing corrected. They charge for extra bottles that THEY CLAIM was delivered. Since November 2014 they have been missbilling our accounts. I have explained to them how they can deliver extra bottles if my plan is to have 3 bottles a months for both, ocations? They are not helpful at all. They just want to collect. Well my husband is Vietnam Veteran and is disabled. On November 2, 2015 my husband called to disguss the missbilling and over charging, they took advantage of his hearing dissability and speach they carged 207.77 on payment on file. That caused us to be negative in account other payments very NSF plux overdraft fees. Finally we had enough! He decided to cancel service on one of the locations. They told him November 23rd they will show up and pick up one of the units. Well 4 times they failed to show up or call. Then we received another bill on November 21st for services we cancelled and they had not even picked it up yet. My husband and I have had it with them. Since December 3rd, we have called 11 times. Only two times they answered after hours and hung up on us. I spend over 2 hours this morning on the phone and got hung up on. I am very upset and feel they collected funds fraudulently and extra stress is not healthy for my husband. I hope they will be put out of busines.

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Nathaniel Carpenter
US
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Dec 22, 2015 2:49 pm EST

I was there was a 0 star option. If you call their customer service, they have you push whatever number coincides with your issue. No matter what number you press you get directed to "billing", then they have to transfer you. I sat on hold for 55 minutes before hanging up and dialing again. Then sat on hold for 20 minutes. Hung up and called back the next day, hold for another 20 minutes. I called back and asked for a manager, I was on hold for 15 more minutes. I called back and asked to cancel my account, she said "I can't do that, I'll have to transfer you", and I've been on hod for 45 more minutes. I have been on hold for over 2 and half hours over the last 2 days. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY, HEED THE WARNINGS!

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Murillos
US
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Dec 22, 2015 3:04 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I am almost tempted to call the bank and dispute 207.77 we were told to pay or else it will effect my credit.!?! They are scams.

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TamiFitz2
US
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Jan 08, 2016 7:40 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Their customer service is terrible. I have called 5 times to get a billing error fixed and I've been on hold for 10 hours. No one can help. No one can tell you where to go for help. They do hang up on you if you ask reasonable questions. They owe me a refund when I stopped service and for electronic transfer they claim they never got. I have sent 2 emails with no response. DO NOT USE THEM FOR WATER! DON'T DO IT. You will regret it. I may show up at one of their locations and see if I can get any resolution.

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Uria Pelletier
US
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Jan 17, 2016 5:30 am EST

I still have an open collection on my account from Sparklett's service we discontinued back in 2012. The tower and 4 bottles were picked up by the driver on March 21st, 2012 while we were loading our trailer for the move back to Maine from Arizona. One year later a collection popped up on my credit report! They miraculously have no record of my cancellation of service, OR the equipment and bottles being picked up!
I will never pay it for the simple principle of the situation. What's right is right and what is wrong is wrong. They are apparently a disorganized company, or they have dishonest route drivers selling equipment on the side.

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Nyeparker
Corona, California, US
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Aug 20, 2021 8:32 pm EDT

Same exact situation I am in.. smh 717$ they’re stating I owe totally ridiculous

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Rex Lewis
US
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Apr 23, 2016 11:07 pm EDT

I've been over billed for the cooler rental. They say they have been billing me 14.99 a month for the rental when it;s offered for $1.99 a month on their web site! The also put my supply on Replenish without asking me so they can just bill me for whatever they want too.

It's not right this company needs to be regulated. SInce their billing tactics are so shady I don't trust the water quality anymore. I will find a new service!

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Heather Richman
US
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Feb 25, 2019 2:31 pm EST

My business has been a customer of Sparkletts water since 2010 for water delivery to our office. On February 8th, 2019 we received an email from A.G. ADJUSTMENTS, LTD. stating "Your account has been turned over to us for immediate collection. The above balance is long past due. We have been instructed to obtain payment at once. Your remittance to this office is expected in order to avoid unnecessary action."

Apparently, we had owed on some invoices but we're never notified. By no means had we'd be told that we hadn't paid for the service or were late. They keep emailing me the same invoices and I told them that we had never seen them and that our payments were always on autopay through their website. If we had been notified we would have gladly paid the amount as we had for 8.5 years. What we think happened is that our credit card number changed and we were not told that it needed updating. Which I see others reporting here on Yelp.

Sparkletts is just terrible all around. If I could give them no stars I would. Consumers and business beware! We have filed with the BBB and trying to end this harassment. Ugh.

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Jp63
Los Angeles, California, US
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Jul 06, 2021 10:59 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

The most disorganized company (PRIMO) - with failed deliveries, erroneous billings - with customer service in Florida. I’m guessing they don't pay their workers a living wage. Unfortunately PRIMO must have the Sparkletts distributorship in the Southern California area - no option to switch to a new distributor. Going to try arrorhead …

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Bad water
Anaheim, US
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Jan 23, 2021 12:43 am EST

I have not received my water delivery for approximately five weeks now. Every time I call Sparketts customer service, I am told the water is scheduled to be delivered within a day. I attempted to order a special delivery, but I was met with the same results. I have been a loyal customer for three year. I guess loyalty to Sparketts does not mean the company is loyal to their customers. Good luck assuming business under your new name.

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Scott Wilks
US
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Aug 20, 2021 7:25 pm EDT
Replying to comment of Bad water

Wilks Aug 20, 2021 Verified customer
@catcusbud Hello, i’m Scott with Culligan Water of Phoenix. I would be happy to help you keep hydrated with our water delivery program. No contract, no delivery fees and no HASSLE. Feel free to contact me to get starting with us . [protected]

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Wolf53
US
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Jul 26, 2021 7:17 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My son gave us Sparkletts Water for a year as a Christmas gift, We took over in January 2021 and have had multiple problems. They have no problem notifying my email about deliveries, but I can't go online to change my order or find out about my bill as stated on their communications. It takes at least 2 hours to talk to someone about a problem and then after telling my story to the person that answers, they can't solve any problem and transfer me to a manager. The call doesn't get transferred, I get hung up on. Their water is over priced and nothing special, so I am cancelling this service, therefore alleviating the frustration associated with Sparkletts

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Scott Wilks
US
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Aug 20, 2021 7:26 pm EDT
Replying to comment of Wolf53

Wilks Aug 20, 2021 Verified customer
@catcusbud Hello, i’m Scott with Culligan Water of Phoenix. I would be happy to help you keep hydrated with our water delivery program. No contract, no delivery fees and no HASSLE. Feel free to contact me to get starting with us . [protected]

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catcusbud
Casa Grande, Arizona, US
Send a message
Aug 02, 2021 8:12 pm EDT

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Again I have been overcharged. I receive one bottle when they deliver. I have had to use automated system several times to get delivery. How difficult can it be to schedule every two weeks, evidently difficult. One month two times next month one or none. And try calling- what a joke. I am now writing this while on hold, so far this time, 35 minutes. I have made more than a dozen calls to them with none being less than 30-60 minutes. The delivery person, Tim is great. He’s courteous, kind, helpful. They don’t deserve such a great employee. This last time he stopped I wasn’t even on his schedule, just thought he would check on delivery. Well, I had him take cooler back as I cannot depend on their service at all. Now again charging me again when no delivery. Absolutely unacceptable customer “service?” They say outstanding service. Out where. I have also e-mailed several times with no response. I am recently widowed and can’t afford to pay for what I do not have. Your company should be ashamed. Already now43 min on hold, unreal. No matter which of their phone numbers are called, always on hold. Only once did I get help and phone disconnected.
Disgusting. Casa Grande AZ

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Scott Wilks
US
Send a message
Aug 20, 2021 7:24 pm EDT
Replying to comment of catcusbud

Hello, i’m Scott with Culligan Water of Phoenix. I would be happy to help you keep hydrated with our water delivery program. No contract, no delivery fees and no HASSLE. Feel free to contact me to get starting with us . [protected]

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