Justin Czerniawski pays $575 for premium resume help from TopResume, but he's unhappy with the results. When TopResume refuses a refund, he turns to a consumer advocate for help.
Q: I paid $575 through Affirm for TopResume’s “executive tier” resume service, but what I received was a poorly reformatted version of my original CV and a generic cover letter. Despite multiple requests for a refund, TopResume insists their no-refund policy applies -- even though they assigned me an inexperienced writer and admitted fault by offering reassignment.
Affirm sided with TopResume, claiming the company’s terms protect them.
I’ve found dozens of similar complaints online, and TopResume has an “F” BBB rating. After months of calls and emails, a manager promised a refund but later ghosted me. Now I’m stuck paying a loan for services I never fully received. How do I escape this loop and get my money back? -- Justin Czerniawski, Roswell, Georgia
A: TopResume should have honored your refund request the moment it failed to deliver the premium service you paid for. But if it didn't, the company should have given you the refund a representative promised you after you complained.
There were a few things that troubled me about your case. TopResume is one of the largest resume-writing services, but as you note, the reviews are problematic. Researching the company before you make a purchasing decision is always a good idea.
Also, I think you already have a great resume. In fact, it was so impressive that TopResume's writers couldn't really improve on it. Finally, I'm not sure if I would have financed a purchase like this. Not all debt is bad, but I'm not sure if this qualifies as "good" debt. When I asked you about this, you said you used Affirm because of the zero percent interest but would have had no problem covering the cost.
“No refund” policies should not shield a company from providing substandard or undelivered services. There are consumer laws that protect consumers from businesses that do that. It looks like TopResume acknowledged a problem with their work by reassigning your resume to another writer.
Affirm, as your financier, also bears responsibility: Federal regulations require buy-now-pay-later providers to investigate disputes fairly, not blindly defer to a merchant’s terms.
You did everything right by documenting every interaction. Your paper trail was key to making your case. Next step: Escalate to TopResume’s executives using the contacts on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. By the way, I also publish executive contacts for Affirm, in case you want to appeal the review.
There were a few problems with the correspondence. First, a representative called you to offer a refund, so you didn't get the promise in writing. Always get that in writing, just in case the company tries to ghost you. And second, it looks like you turned down TopResume's offer to fix your resume, saying you had lost confidence in the company's ability to deliver its product.
During a dispute process, a company like Affirm will ask TopResume to show that it tried to deliver the product you ordered. Your refusal might have weakened your case and helped TopResume win the dispute.
Still, you shouldn't be left with a resume you can't use. I contacted TopResume on your behalf.
"TopResume stands by the resume they developed, feeling it was a strong asset that effectively captured the complexity of Justin Czerniawski's background," a representative told me. "While resume feedback can be subjective, the team believes the version provided would significantly support his job search. However, they understand that Justin felt the document didn’t meet his expectations, and as a result, they are proceeding with the requested reimbursement."
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (https://elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at https://elliottadvocacy.org/help/