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FanStory Complaints Summary

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Our verdict: Engaging with FanStory at a 0% resolution rate requires careful navigation. Deep-dive into detailed customer experiences to uncover systemic issues. Critically assess their service descriptions against actual user feedback. When interacting, document every detail, as comprehensive records are vital in such scenarios. Exploring alternatives and understanding your consumer rights are crucial steps. If necessary, be prepared to seek external advice or intervention. In challenging service landscapes, informed decision-making and proactive steps are essential for protecting your interests.
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Newest FanStory reviews & complaints

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3:56 pm EST
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FanStory paid access to site not being provided

Fan Story has locked my father, a paid subscriber, out of accessing his account claiming his account had been restricted and for him to check his private message to see why. Unfortunately, private message doesn't work, so he has been restricted from using his account for 2 or 3 months according to him.

They need to either refund his money, or let him access his account. He is not getting what he paid for.

I have personally emailed them prior to filing this complaint.

Desired outcome: account access restored, and given extra time that he missed out on that he paid for

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4:32 am EST

FanStory Money taken from PayPal account for $9.95 PayPal transaction # 7UD03069XF663272A. On date of 08/16/21

Fanstory withdrew $9.95 Transaction #7UD03069XF663272A from PayPal account on 8/16/21. I did not authorize this charge.

Desired outcome: Return $9.95 to my account

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9:58 am EDT

FanStory Not refunding registration money within a week as promised. See below

I paid $69 dollars to enlist. It is stated on the site that within a week if you change your mind you can get a refund. I changed my mind within half an hour after exploring the site and finding it a complete mess.
On reading some reviews it seems that other people feel similar.
I have messaged them three times, the first within the first half hour.
I would very much like my money back, otherwise the site is a scam.
I have never come across such a bad site. Karen Steele

You will enjoy a 7-day worry free trial period following your purchase. If you are not satisfied, we will refund your purchase.

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Is FanStory legit?

Our verdict: Complaints Board's thorough examination reveals FanStory as a legitimate entity with notable strengths. Despite a 0% resolution rate on customer complaints, which invites a closer look, FanStory stands out for its commitment to quality and security. Clients considering FanStory should delve into its customer service record to gauge compatibility with their expectations.

FanStory earns 91% level of Trustworthiness

Perfect Trust Endorsement: FanStory achives 91% ligitmacy per Complaints Board. Highly recommended, yet always stay vigilant.

A long registered date for fanstory.com can be seen as a positive aspect for FanStory as it indicates a commitment to maintaining the website and its domain name for a long period of time. It also suggests that the company is organized and has taken steps to secure its online presence.

The age of FanStory's domain suggests that they have had sufficient time to establish a reputation as a reliable source of information and services. This can provide reassurance to potential customers seeking quality products or services.

Fanstory.com has a valid SSL certificate, which indicates that the website is secure and trustworthy. Look for the padlock icon in the browser and the "https" prefix in the URL to confirm that the website is using SSL.

Fanstory.com has been deemed safe to visit, as it is protected by a cloud-based cybersecurity solution that uses the Domain Name System (DNS) to help protect networks from online threats.

A trust mark has been identified for a fanstory.com, but it is important to verify the trust mark and its source to ensure that it is legitimate. Ensure that the trust mark is genuine by clicking on it and verifying its authenticity through the issuing organization's website.

Several positive reviews for FanStory have been found on various review sites. While this may be a good sign, it is important to approach these reviews with caution and consider the possibility of fake or biased reviews.

We looked up FanStory and found that the website is receiving a high amount of traffic. This could be a sign of a popular and trustworthy website, but it is still important to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of the site before sharing any personal or financial information

Fanstory.com appears to have online shopping features, it's important to know that the platform supports an extensive range of payment methods, making it convenient and easy to complete your transaction. The payment procedure on the website is also relatively simple and straightforward, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience for buyers.

However ComplaintsBoard has detected that:

  • While FanStory has a high level of trust, our investigation has revealed that the company's complaint resolution process is inadequate and ineffective. As a result, only 0% of 10 complaints are resolved. The support team may have poor customer service skills, lack of training, or not be well-equipped to handle customer complaints.
  • We have detected an internal review system on FanStory's website, which can be a positive feature for customers looking to make informed decisions about the company's offerings. However, we recommend that you take the time to research the reviews and verify their authenticity before trusting them entirely
ComplaintsBoard
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7:50 am EDT

FanStory re: final warning

Tom Enis the Administrator here at FanStory has again bannedme from this site.
This is the fifth time.
This time for Writing Generic Reviews.
That means that he feels I 'Cut and Paste.'
My reviews vary as to content
I have been nominated for the Reviewer of the Month many times.
I also include him in charge Piece with Acceditation.
I can't even respond as to this complaint while my many hundreds of fans await reviews.
I am 'World Reconized by two "Who's Who's."
Covington and Strathmores.
Richard Edward Smrkovsky

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11:17 am EDT
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FanStory Rigged contests/ranking/fraud

Fanstory.com advertises contests for cash on Facebook. This is the lure and hook, but only top ranked writers win. The ranking is arbitrary where reviews from top ranked raise a writer's rank and prestige. Nothing is based on merit or writing skills. One's work can only move to the first page for reviews if one pays for first page. Tom End..administrator states that one can boost work by reviewing..but I reviewed day and night and could not boost it. I had multiple blue ribbons and my rank dropped below 200. People were above me who could not write coherent sentences. If the top group does not read ones work, it will not live. Many in the group are sock puppets and one man is at least ten users. Tom controls the final contestants for contests..a conflict of interest. This whole site is an unholy scam. It was a nightmare ..

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nor84
, US
Jan 12, 2020 10:15 pm EST

You said "only top-ranked writers win." Well, I joined quite a while ago, but came in third in a Site contest that paid REAL money a month after I joined, when I was an unknown, unranked writer. I am not a top ranked writer, yet I have won $100 several times in those contests.

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SubsTantiated
, US
Apr 01, 2018 1:42 am EDT

Listen. This is a business not a charity. Every poet site that pays cash prizes makes money from dome method. Some charge membership fees, some push "books" with you poem published...and so on. You get to try out this site for free...you can read every rule...you have the responsibility of researching how poems are reviewed, what member dollars are, how you review to earn them and then spend them to either promote your own work or (with certain contests) pay for a contest entrance fee. Tom does not tolerate bullying on site. If you get a bad review you have options to rectify that. If it is bullying, report it to Tom, if it is constructive learn from it...or ignore it. Likewise, courtesy when reviewing is expected. There is a huge difference between saying "Your poetry stinks, you have no business being here" and, say, relating "Thanks for sharing your work--I have a few editorial observations, while your message was not clear to me I would welcome a dialogue ad poetic styles vary widely." Like life, you get back what you put in. No one need EVER spend one dollar more than the membership fee. EVER. You can indeed thrive by reviewing and promoting your work. If you want a "feel good - My poetry is awesome" site there are hundreds of them on the web... In one month on RACETrack have risen f r on level 350 to levelled 70. 0n merit. I rd not buy my way up...but I was, am, and will continue to be dedicated to the cart of poetry in my work posts and through my reviews.

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glendahiggins
, CA
May 06, 2016 2:46 pm EDT

sorry, but you are a bit misinformed. you make money by reviewing and put that money into promoting your stuff. the more people who review you and give you good stars, the higher up you climb

I know some of the reviewers are really bad, they can't write coherently and then there are the ones who don't even read anything and give strange comments. But it's unfortunate you didn't stay long enough to reap the helpful reviews. I found it a good experience

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7:30 pm EST
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FanStory Poetry reviewing and manipulation of vulnerable people

I joined Fanstory.com in September 2015 having already reached Legendary Poet status with poetry.com which I think is a good site. Fanstory.com is certainly not a good site. I have been writing poetry since 1975 and therefore consider myself experienced enough to judge a poor writer from an exceptional writer when writing reviews. Fanstory.com has a five star rating system but you virtually get death threats from members if you rate them below five even if their work should have been flushed down the toilet and thrown out with the trash. You are not allowed to be free when judging or reviewing a poem, members are your best friends when you give them five or six star reviews but want to virtually sue you or give you a bad review in return even if your poem has been rated exceptional by other members if you dare give them below a four. If the board which I think monitors reviews unfairly sees a bad review given by a member irrespective of whether it is deserved or not they close the account even when the member may have bought hundreds of dollars of member dollars for their poetry to be promoted higher which I think is a scam anyway poetry should get there on its own merits and not have to be paid for and there is often no explanation save a warning in your private message inbox like a naughty schoolchild to say that next time you are out. This website is a money making lottery, I have been sworn at, had death threats from many members who are that narrow minded about their work that they cannot see in the real world publishers would make them a laughing stock. I had to wait 25 years before I got my firdt poem published and I appear regularly on Classic FM and Radio Merseyside in England with my poetry because this is the real world and the real world just want the best. It is adog eat dog world out there but woe betide anybody even of status if they give anybody a poor review on this site they are shot down like Cher you shot me down bang bang and either have their account suspended or closed. You then have to bow and scrape to get back on the site which seems to be done automatically or quicker as member dollars appear in your account seconds after you purchase them but if you make a complaint to the board about an unfair review or being sworn at or given a death threat you have to wait days for a response which is often negative or if not agreed with your account is closed again no explanation which happened to me yesterday when I challenged the site owner Tom Ens who I called nothing but a poetry pimp and money launderer and manipulator of vulnerable people as I also suffer with bipolar disorder. They are all smiles when you give them money or buy member dollars from them but cannot or will not tolerate bad reviews where they are due or complaints to the board or they defend their actions when you challenge them. Fanstory is misleading and corrupt, its owners should be investigated by the FBI and their website closed. What I have disclosed above proves that is a scam and I am not the only one to have reported this about this site. PLease investigate this site and its corrupt money laundering pimp owners who wouldn't recognise a good poem from a toilet brush and remove it from the web until many other people are hurt either mentally or financially. THese are scam merchants who play on the vulnerable in our society and are a dishonest bunch of crooks, PLease investigate. from William Scriven 87A Milton Road WIDNES Cheshire UK WA8 7JR

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Rebekah Vasa
, AU
Oct 10, 2020 9:51 pm EDT

I'd like to add that no one at Fanstory uses their real names and those that I've said are fictitious. They also have a person their that doesn't come with the terms and conditions, lol. They've taken it upon themselves to be a sort of site policeperson, so be careful, she runs to Tom Ens at the slightest breach of conditions, and half the time, I think he acts on her complaints. Not keeping an eye out foreveryone concerning the site rules and regs. He closed two threads on the forum there because of the vitriol that these vultures dish out, then their friends come in and back them up. It got very vicious and myself and another member of my family were accused of sexual relations, and several members made insulting allegations. But Tom Ens didn't apologize, and because there people are 'drunk on their own cool aid' I loved that other complaint., they are never made to feel bad about what they've done. They are in complete denial, then they trot off and write vacuoous and innane poetry about you that is so transparent, it begggars belief. Too funny, and that is what it is, it is hilarious. Tom's business model isn't good, I think he relies on the revolving door of members coming and going at quite a rapid pace. Then again, can you call a vanity URL a business site, that's another question, lol. You are definitely vulnerable there, no matter what age or race. We were in our 30's and new to the site, but we learned the hard way how personally vicious this drunk and talentless writing community can be. That's my experience of Fanstory. But I'm robust and young, these people are majority elderly and vulnerable, with no stream of income any more and the money better spent.

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glendahiggins
, CA
May 06, 2016 2:40 pm EDT

I joined in 2013 and posted many poems, etc. I think, maybe because I never gave a review below "good", I didn't get into trouble. It's just my nature to be supportive and if I saw a really bad poem (and I did), I said "good" but gave advise for improvement. I don't like to dash people to the ground.

I received some good honest reviews with suggestions for improvement that really helped me and I received some really stupid ones that I ignored.

Overall, I found the experience good because of the copyright procedure. you can copyright for free with just a membership (saves allot of money and stands up in court). Also I met some good friends who joined me outside the site on other sites

This isn't a scam, but I think it's not for everyone. Thanks, though for telling me about poetry.com - checked it out - it's really good

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8:04 am EST
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FanStory - Biggest Scam ever

I agree with all the negative reviews of this place. I recently joined and to my dismay, I have spent 73.00 dollars for a year membership and a one time buy of membership dollars that only afforded me to promote to a very low position, two poems. The next day, they had already expired my promotion, despite the fact that it stated it would be up for 2-3...

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8:10 am EDT

FanStory An ugly, unwholesome little nightmare

Here's the dark side, the REAL story about Scamstory:

As an extensively published, well-known writer and magazine editor for decades, and a one-time ''Top Ranked Number One Author" on the Fanstory site, I can tell you with authority that Fanstory is NOT a legitimate writing site. It's a narcissistic little online reality show run by spiteful, cowardly, no-talent schoolyard bullies. With a few notable exceptions, most of the writing there is pure unpublishable garbage.

Fanstory's owner and Supreme Ruler For Life, Tom Ens, is a despotic, draconian internet scam-artist who rules his little fantasy kingdom through fear, intimidation, repression of intelligent thoughts and ideas, and the deliberate encouragement of competitive discord between members.

A big part of his well-developed strategy is to divide and rule, just like a dictatorship, keeping members in line under the constant threat of Big Brother watching. This maniac has gone so far as to imply that he monitors the private email accounts of members, in order to revoke their membership for violating his ''site terms'' and speaking out about his atrocities, even in private.

Fanstory is an Orwellian nightmare. It's owner works his malevolent internet con-game through obvious favoritism to a few no-talent cronies and the iron-fisted enforcement of all sorts of arbitrary little rules, regulations and ''site terms'' which are exclusively and entirely subject to his own personal interpretation and whims.

Like the Wizard of Oz, this creep has raked in a fortune by feeding the egos of lonely pensioners and the like, bleeding their Paypal accounts dry by charging them a fortune to ''promote'' their work on the site. The more money they spend, the higher they rise in ''rank'', despite the overall poor quality of their work.

It's nothing but a scam, feeding on peoples' vanity. It's a classic case of The Emperor's New Clothes, where the few intelligent members who know what a corrupt little farce it all is are bullied into silence under the constant threat of expulsion if they so much as make a peep.

He's gotten away with terrorizing his shivering minions like this from behind a curtain of anonymity for years. Most of the members don't even know that the draconian "Tom" who threatens them with expulsion for the most petty of infractions on a daily basis is a real person. In his narcissistic little fantasy bubble of illusory omnipotence, this money-hungry weirdo and his unfortunate subjects seem to have lost touch with the reality that there are real consequences in the real world outside of Fanstory, where unprincipled scam-artists like this can and will be held accountable for their crimes.

I, for one, am in the process of initiating a lawsuit against this abomination of a ''writer's site'' and its owner, Tom Ens for the many absurd outrages committed against me and my work during my time as a ''Top Ranked'' member there.

If you're looking for a real, legitimate writer's workshop online, avoid Fanstory like the Black Hole of Calcutta. Its advertising policy borders on criminally misleading, and the whole thing just stinks to high heaven. Through massive amounts of false advertising, they manage to make it look all pretty and innocent on the surface, but the reality is as dark and corrupt as it gets. An ugly, unwholesome little nightmare!

If your are serious about your writing, don't drink the Fanstory Kool Aid. This site is the absolute pits!

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nor84
, US
Jan 12, 2020 10:44 pm EST

Yes, it is a community. We review and learn from one another, we become friends with like-minded individuals. Reviewing earns member cents that are used to promote one's writing. There are no real-dollar charges except for annual membership, but there are site contests that pay $100 REAL dollars without charging an entry fee. There are also writing contests that are created by individual members or by the site which pay in member cents and are voted upon by the membership. Those contests charge an entry fee, but not real dollars. You earn Fanstory member 'money' by reviewing or winning the smaller contests, so it is never necessary to spend your own money except for membership.

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Don Helado
, US
Jan 20, 2022 9:25 am EST
Replying to comment of nor84

Nor84 is a known schill on that site.

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Don Ford
, US
Apr 20, 2016 1:55 am EDT

One thing, Mr. Disgruntled from who knows where, failed to mention was that contest voting is done for the most part by the voting membership itself. At best it is a great writing COMMUNITY. If you are considering joining, don't hesitate; I've been a member for years. It is so worn the small fee to join fully. Joining by the year is a good start rather than by the month. No one held a squirt gun to my head to join, and I thought it was ran like a well-oiled machine. Cheers, as a result of my time here, I've so advanced in my writing skills that I have since been named the Poet Laureate of my home town near Syracuse, NY.

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Darkesage
Whitehorse, CA
Nov 16, 2014 1:56 am EST

This complaint confuses me. Why would someone say these things and attempt to drive someone away from what seems to be a wonderful website. I am considering buying a membership but right now I'm in the lurker phase where I am just lurking in the background and seeing if the site is worth the money. And so far it seems like a good investment for an aspiring writer like myself. Also, I see little reason for you to complain seeing as you were once one the the top writers. I highly doubt Tom would want to get rid of a talented writer unless you had gone against the rules. It doesn't make sense seeing as the more talented writers, the more positive attention his site gets. I have read all the rules and have to admit they are very reasonable and wish you would at the very least keep your complaining civil. You are free to express your displeasure but keep it polite and friendly. While you may be frustrated, childish insults do nothing but take away from your credibility and frankly are childish. Things are rated number one for a reason and simply because you lucked out does not mean you should ruin it for the rest of us.

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chubakka
Orlando, US
Jun 01, 2014 3:25 am EDT

this must be some kind of joke really. i guess i'd give it a four for a satire rating since its a bit overdone but very entertaining. "Orwellian nightmare" lol

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chubakka
Orlando, US
May 31, 2014 8:39 pm EDT

i can see the money motive behind promoting of art on the site. after all, it is a business. but my first impression on reading this was that its overly exaggerated at best. i've never heard of tom abusing anyone in this manner. i was very surprised as to the comment made in this complaint. i always had fun on the site myslef and made some very good friends here. i dont this complaint is fair at all.

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Satisfied with Fanstory
, US
May 26, 2014 12:23 am EDT

I've been a member of Fanstory since 2007. It's definitely NOT a scam. Postings saying that it is one come from people who have broken site rules and therefore have lost their membership.

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LifeIsButADream
, TH
Oct 08, 2013 8:11 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Tom has been fair to me, always answers my queries and he openly admits that Fanartreview is an educational site for the public to learn. I do not feel he is draconian despot. I have been on site for close to two years.

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I hate Tom Ens
Los Altos Hills, US
Nov 27, 2012 7:07 pm EST

Tom Ens is a scam artist, and a fraud. Report Tom Ens the owner of Fanstory.com to BBB of New Jersey (Trenton, NJ) 1700 Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road Suite D-5 Trenton, NJ [protected] Phone: [protected] Fax: [protected] Email: info@trenton.bbb.org Web: www.trenton.bbb.org

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I hate Tom Ens
Los Altos Hills, US
Nov 27, 2012 7:04 pm EST

Tom Ens is the cowardly owner of Fanstory.com who scams members into paying to promote their work, allows harassment against people with disabilities, denies freedom of speech and has dispute policy for refunds or consumer advocate disputes other than himself..

Tom Ens of Fanstory.com is a thief, a fraud, a criminal and report him to the BBB of New Jersey (Trenton, NJ) 1700 Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road Suite D-5 Trenton, NJ [protected] Phone: [protected] Fax: [protected] Email: info@trenton.bbb.org Web: www.trenton.bbb.org

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9:47 am EDT
Featured review
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FanStory - Don't drink the Fanstory Kool Aid, or you will regret it

As an extensively published, well-known writer and magazine editor for decades, and a one-time ''Top Ranked Number One Author" on the Fanstory site, I can tell you with authority that Fanstory is NOT a legitimate writing site. It's a narcissistic little online reality show run by spiteful, cowardly, no-talent schoolyard bullies. With a few notable...

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6:12 pm EST

FanStory I think these are really just nothing more then creative ads

Every review I've found gives this site a 5/5 and extols the virtues of the free reviews you can get. But you only get them if you sign up, which costs money. And, more interestingly, most of the reviews have links to other reviews that create a loop effect, allowing you to go from one to the next to the next then back to the first. I think these are really just nothing more then creative ads.

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I hate Tom Ens
Los Altos Hills, US
Nov 27, 2012 7:08 pm EST

Tom Ens is a scam artist, and a fraud. Report Tom Ens the owner of Fanstory.com to BBB of New Jersey (Trenton, NJ) 1700 Whitehorse Hamilton Square Road Suite D-5 Trenton, NJ [protected] Phone: [protected] Fax: [protected] Email: info@trenton.bbb.org Web: www.trenton.bbb.org

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