Is Scentbird a Scam? 

If you’re thinking of using Scentbird, you need to know if it’s safe. Is Scentbird a scam? 

Below, we explain whether Scentbird is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this platform. 

What Is Scentbird?

Scentbird is a company that offers monthly perfume subscriptions. 

When you subscribe to Scentbird, you get a travel-sized bottle of a fragrance every month, which gives you a chance to try out a fragrance before deciding if you like it enough to buy a larger bottle.

Once subscribed, you can start a “queue” of scents you would like to receive from Scentbird or you can get a curated “Fragrance of the Month.”

In addition to perfume, Scentbird also offers other lifestyle and beauty products, such as skincare, makeup, and scented candles. 

Is Scentbird a Scam?

No, Scentbird is not a scam. It’s a legitimate perfume subscription service. 

Third-party publications like Cosmopolitan and InStyle have reviewed Scentbird.

Cosmopolitan’s review was mostly favorable, with the reviewer concluding that “Scentbird is worth the try if you enjoy wearing different scents regularly or are serious about finding your “signature scent”.” 

InStyle also reviewed Scentbird favorably. Among the cons listed was that there are no returns or exchanges available for subscription orders and that the same fragrances have additional premium costs. 

User reviews of Scentbird are more mixed: 

• 3.9 out of 5.0 stars (from 12,355 reviews) on Trustpilot.
• 2.1 out of 5.0 stars (from 987 reviews) on Sitejabber.
• 1.7 out of 5.0 stars (from 979 reviews) on Pissed Consumer.  
• 1.05 out of 5.0 stars (from 115 reviews) on Better Business Bureau. 

On Pissed Consumer, people complain about lower-quality products (e.g., adding designer perfumes to their queue but receiving unknown or cheaper scents instead), poor customer service, and feeling “nickel-and-dimed” for premium scents or add-ons, which made the subscription pricier than they thought it would be.

Many reviewers also reported difficulty cancelling subscriptions. In some instances, customers said they were charged even after cancelling their subscription. This was a pattern across many review sites, including Better Business Bureau. 

As per one Scentbird customer: “They have not canceled my membership after I’ve asked numerous times. They keep charging me and refuse to answer to support emails.”

On the other hand, a minority of people report positive experiences with Scentbird.

For example, one reviewer said: “Just like the tin says. They deliver what they say. Products are nice, though your mileage may vary. They are scents, after all, so it’s a process of refining what you like and do not like. One minor complaint is that they sometimes forget to include the little info card telling you about the scent. Rest is pretty positive, though.”

On online forums like Reddit, users also report mixed experiences with Scentbird. Some people really like the subscription service, while others don’t think it’s worth it. 

Scentbird is not Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited. Scentbird has received 398 total complaints on the BBB website in the last three years, 145 of which have been resolved in the past 12 months. (See our review of whether the BBB is a scam).

The company has one alert on the BBB website. 

The alert is ‘Pattern of Complaints’ and means that Scentbird receives so many customer complaints through the BBB that only about 20% are published, indicating a high volume of unresolved or recurring issues.

Scentbird Terms & conditions 

Before registering or subscribing to any service, it’s always a good idea to read the service’s terms & conditions. 

Here are some points you should be aware of from Scentbird’s terms & conditions:

• Product descriptions may not always be accurate or current.
• Delivery times are estimates, not guarantees.
• If your address is invalid and a package is returned, no refunds or credits are issued.
• Subscriptions auto-renew by default until you cancel. You must cancel by email (except for the candle subscription, which you can cancel online).
• If you choose a multi-month plan (3, 6, or 12 months), you cannot get a refund if you cancel early.
• No refunds are available on shipped subscription products, except in cases of defects or damage.
• Any reviews, photos, or comments you publish on Scentbird’s site or social media can be used, modified, and republished by Scentbird without compensation.

Scentbird security

In its privacy policy, Scentbird briefly describes its security.

It says it “uses reasonable administrative, physical and electronic security measures to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of Personal Information.”

It does not go into detail as to what these measures are. 

In 2020, Scentbird experienced a data breach that exposed the sensitive information for approximately 5.8 million Scentbird customers. 

Compromised data included names, email addresses, passwords, password strengths, genders, and dates of birth. 

Scentbird said that no credit or debit card details or government-issued ID numbers like Social Security numbers were exposed during the breach. 

Scentbird Privacy

Scentbird explains the kind of data it collects, for what purposes, and with whom it shares it in its privacy policy.

It collects the following personal information:

• Contact information: Name, physical address, email address, and phone number.
• Demographics: Age and gender.
• Account information: Username and password.
• Payment details: Credit card and payment card information (type, number, expiration date, and security code), bank account number, billing address, and other related information. 
• Purchasing history: Product purchases, subscription information, order numbers, identification of products, and quantities purchased. 
• Device & usage data: Including IP address.
• Marketing data: Survey responses, contact preferences, and responses to Scentbird’s marketing efforts.
• Inferences: Drawn from other information identified above. 

Scentbird collects this information directly from you (e.g., when you create an account, make purchases, fill forms, etc.), automatically (through cookies, web beacons, and analytics tools), and from third parties (such as social media platforms, ad networks, and marketing partners).

The company uses your data to process and deliver orders, provide customer support, send promotional emails and offers (if you’ve opted in), and improve products, services, and the website. It also uses it to prevent fraud and ensure security, as well as to comply with legal obligations.

It may de-identify and aggregate data for analytics and other internal uses.

Scentbird may share your information with service providers and vendors (e.g., advertising, payment processing, and analytics), affiliates and business partners (only if you opt in to their communications), legal authorities (when required), third parties during mergers, acquisitions, or bankruptcy, and marketing and analytics partners. 

It may share de-identified data freely.

If you take part in promotions, sweepstakes, surveys, or other events, your personal information may be shared with third parties with your consent. Scentbird advises reading the applicable rules or terms and conditions before participating in events. 

Scentbird stores your data on its servers, third-party data centers, and cloud storage. It retains your data for as long as needed for business or legal purposes.

The site does not honor “Do Not Track” browser signals. 

You can opt out of marketing emails and partner communications. 

Depending on where you reside, you may have the right to update, correct, or delete your personal information. 

So, Should You Use Scentbird?

Depends. 

If you’re interested in experimenting with fragrances and are okay with limited customer service, Scentbird might be worth a cautious try.

However, if you’re seeking reliable shipping, strong customer support, and robust privacy, you may want to consider alternatives. 

How to Use Scentbird Safely and Privately 

• Use a virtual credit card. These cards let you set spending limits or auto-expire after one charge. Alternatively, use a prepaid card for subscriptions instead of your main debit or credit card. 
• Start with the monthly Scentbird plan. Multi-month subscriptions lock you in and are non-refundable.
• Cancel via email. Email cancellations are required for most plans. Save the confirmation of the cancellation or follow up if you don’t receive an acknowledgement (multiple people report being charged by Scentbird even after canceling their subscription). 
• Create a dedicated email for Scentbird and similar subscriptions. Doing so helps limit marketing spam and reduces exposure if there’s another data breach (like the one in 2020 affecting 5.8M users).
• Use a strong, unique password. Avoid reusing passwords from other accounts and consider using a password manager to simplify creating strong passwords. 
• Opt out of marketing and partner emails. After signing up, go to your Scentbird account settings and uncheck the boxes for promotional emails and third-party communications.
• Manage tracking. Use a privacy-focused browser and block third-party trackers using anti-tracking extensions. Scentbird does not honor “Do Not Track” signals, so assume your browsing and purchase behavior could be shared. 
• Don’t sign in with social media accounts. Instead, sign up with your email.
• Verify orders. When you receive a fragrance, double-check it. If it’s wrong or damaged, contact support immediately and document it.
• Check your queue for “premium” fragrances. These require an extra fee. Being aware of this can help you avoid surprise upcharges.
• Don’t participate in Scentbird’s events. Events like surveys, sweepstakes, or promotions often involve sharing your data with third parties.
• Don’t post reviews or photos on the Scentbird platform. Scentbird’s terms allow the company to reuse, modify, and republish anything you submit without compensating you for it.
• Monitor your account. Check your bank statements monthly to ensure there are no surprise charges. If Scentbird ever mishandles billing, dispute the transaction with your bank or credit card company.
• Consider safer alternatives. If privacy, billing control, and product quality are top concerns, consider comparing Scentbird with alternative options.