Introduction
EssayShark is an online writing service that connects students and other clients to freelance writers who will write essays and other academic papers for a fee. While the company aims to offer a helpful service, some have accused EssayShark of engaging in unethical business practices and have described their experiences using the site as an “EssayShark scam.” This article aims to provide an in-depth look at the key allegations against EssayShark and analyze both sides of the debate in a fair and balanced manner.
Plagiarism Allegations
One of the most common complaints leveled against EssayShark is that the essays they provide are plagiarized or of low quality. Customers claim they have received pre-written or copied work that is essentially plagiarized when turned in to their professors. EssayShark acknowledges that some writers in the past have submitted plagiarized work, which is a violation of their terms of service. They maintain strict policies against plagiarism and say only a small percentage of orders result in issues.
On the one hand, it is understandable how students using such a service could perceive it as an “EssayShark scam” if they are caught plagiarizing and suffer academic consequences. The potential ramifications could include failing grades, expulsion from school, and even legal penalties. EssayShark is providing a product, so plagiarized work reflects poorly on their brand and business model.
EssayShark argues that with hundreds of thousands of orders processed, the instances of proven plagiarism are statistically quite low. They have systems and checks in place to detect copied content, but acknowledge some plagiarized work may still slip through on rare occasions due to human error. The vast majority of writers aim to do original work. Ultimately, the onus is still on the student to check their paper for potential plagiarism issues before submission.
Late or Missing Delivery Complaints
Another frequent complaint is that EssayShark misses assigned deadlines or fails to deliver orders completely. Customers allege this amounts to an “EssayShark scam” where they do not receive the product they paid for after the due date despite paying in full and on time.
According to EssayShark, 95% of orders are delivered before the specified deadline. They acknowledge occasional delays can happen for various reasons such as writers becoming unexpectedly unavailable. In these cases, they offer extensions, refunds or rescheduling to make it right by the customer. While frustrating for students needing work by a certain date, EssayShark says late deliveries represent a tiny percentage of their numerous orders.
It is difficult to independently verify exactly how many orders are late or missing. Looking at reviews sites, it does seem a minority of customers consistently report timing issues. For a paid service, any failure to meet commitments is problematic even if limited to a small number. Yet few businesses could maintain perfect on-time delivery records considering the enormous volume. Overall, more communication on expected delays could help manage customer expectations.
Subpar Quality Allegations
Dissatisfied customers also assert the writing quality provided by EssayShark is subpar and does not match the grade expectations for which they paid. They argue this essentially amounts to an “EssayShark scam” where students are sold superior work but receive mediocre or deficient papers.
It is inevitable that subjective assessments of quality will vary between writers and customers. EssayShark argues that they clearly communicate the grading tiers (e.g. standard, high quality, excellence etc.) and provide samples so customers know what to expect. Defining and maintaining consistent standards across thousands of freelance writers is challenging. While the aim is above-average work, not all orders will satisfy all customers.
EssayShark also notes that factors outside a writer’s control like unclear instructions or unreasonable deadlines can impact quality. The revision process aims to fix any identified issues. But discerning vague dissatisfaction complaints from valid critiques is difficult. Overall, quality largely depends on matching the right writer to the specific needs of each project.
Refund Policy Criticism
Another allegation is that EssayShark has restrictive refund policies that make it difficult for customers to get their money back, even if orders are plagiarized, low quality or missed deadlines. Buyers claim this amounts to consumers being “scammed” out of their payments in problematic transactions.
EssayShark maintains that in cases where the writer has clearly failed to meet obligations, they do provide full refunds and even additional credits. Their overall terms are designed to promote high accountability since last-minute refund requests can be detrimental to writers who have already expended time and effort. Major revisions also usually incur additional charges rather than full refunds.
Most companies have policies limiting refunds after work commences to prevent potential abuse. Given the nature of academic custom writing with high stakes for students, a more flexible approach could help address customer concern over “scams.” Greater transparency over dispute resolution may also reassure users. Overall, both parties would benefit from a balanced process considering circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
Verdict – Caveat Emptor
After weighing both perspectives, there does not appear to be clear evidence of EssayShark running an outright “scam.” The service also does not seem completely problem-free given the variety of genuine complaints from users. While plagiarism, missed deadlines and insufficient quality may affect only a minority, the implications for students can be severe.
Ultimately, custom writing services like EssayShark operate in a gray area that is controversial but not strictly illegal. As with any commercial transaction, the motto of “caveat emptor” or “buyer beware” applies. While aiming to resolve issues, the onus is also on students to carefully manage risks like checking work thoroughly and adhering to academic policies. Greater oversight could help such companies better police standards while balancing entrepreneurship. Overall, academic integrity has to remain the priority on both sides to avoid any semblance of “scams” thriving in this controversial space between education and business.
Conclusion
While many have accused EssayShark of essentially running an “EssayShark scam,” the service does not appear to be an outright fraudulent operation upon closer examination. The policy approach could be improved to better address the concerns raised by dissatisfied consumers. Students also have responsibilities when using these types of writing services. To build greater trust, all parties must prioritize open communication to achieve fair, transparent and compliant practices that do not compromise academic quality or ethics.
Andrew Stroud