What is Tamara Smart?

Tamara Smart is a paid monthly membership, **AED 19/month** in the UAE. Benefits include processing-fee waivers (up to 1%), cashback, exclusive deals and one consolidated monthly statement due on the 1st. New members usually get a **free first month**, and Tamara says it will notify you before the trial ends. The fee starts from your second statement. It renews automatically every month until you cancel in the app, so check your statements if you don't remember signing up.

Can I get a refund for Tamara Smart fees?

According to Tamara's Smart terms, **all payments are non-refundable** and there are no pro-rata refunds if you cancel mid-month. The exception worth pushing is a membership that was switched on **without your explicit consent**. Tamara's own terms say a free trial needs your explicit consent before it starts, and several reviewers report being enrolled at checkout without knowing. Email customer.care@tamara.co, say you never knowingly subscribed, and ask for every Smart charge back. Keep checkout screenshots if you have them.

When will I receive my refund?

For **installment orders**, Tamara starts the refund once the **store updates your order status**. If the refund is no more than what you still owe, your payment plan is reduced. If it's more, the remaining installments are cancelled and the extra goes back to your card. The money can take **up to 21 working days** to show, depending on your bank. In KSA, if the card refund fails it goes to your Tamara wallet, and you can move it to your bank. You can track it with the 'Refund status' widget on the order page.

Why am I being asked to make payments for a canceled order?

This usually means the **merchant hasn't updated the order status** with Tamara yet, so Tamara still treats the order as active. The refund or plan change starts as soon as the store updates it. If it's been a while and fewer than **120 days** have passed since you ordered, raise a claim: My Purchases (or Transactions for Smart members) → select the order → **Get help from Tamara** → upload receipts and messages with the store. Claims can take up to 21 days.

I want to return/cancel my order

With Tamara, you ask the **store**, not Tamara, to cancel or return the order. Once the store approves it and tells Tamara, your payment plan is adjusted automatically and you'll get an SMS. If you've already made payments, the refund is started within about 24 hours of the status update. If you chose a **wallet refund** from the store, you still owe Tamara the pending installments for that order, so pick a refund to your payment account where you can.

How to raise a claim for an issue with your order?

Log in to Tamara, go to **My Purchases** (or **Transactions** if you're a Smart member), select the order, scroll down and tap **Get help from Tamara**. Pick the issue, fill in the details and upload evidence such as receipts, photos or messages with the store, then submit. Make sure your account has a working email, because updates come by email. Tamara contacts the store to investigate, which can take up to 21 days. If Buyer Protection rules in your favour, Tamara refunds the purchase price.

What happens if I miss one of my payments?

Tamara advertises **no late fees** on its current Saudi site. It sends reminders by push notification and SMS. But **repeated delays can get your account suspended** and hurt your credit score. Older merchant pages and some reviewers mention late fees, so check your own plan in the app. Don't stop paying because of an order dispute. Raise a claim instead, so the late payments aren't held against you.

Is Tamara free to use?

**Pay in 3 is always fee-free** (0% APR). Longer plans (4, 6, 9, 12 or 24 months) can carry an APR, which Tamara's calculator works out using SAMA's method. Some reviewers say they were charged admin or processing fees at checkout they didn't expect. **Tamara Smart** is a separate paid membership at AED 19 a month after the free trial, so if you see a monthly charge you didn't expect, check More → Membership in the app.

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a Tamara Refund for Unwanted Smart Fees.

Here's what Tamara actually owes you, what their policy quietly says, and how to escalate if they ignore the request.

Last verified today against Tamara’s own Terms · UK, US, and EU rights covered below

The short answer

Tamara Smart membership fees (AED 19 a month) are non-refundable under Tamara's Smart terms, and cancelling mid-cycle doesn't get you a pro-rata refund. You keep the benefits until the billing period ends. Pay Later installment orders work differently: you ask the store to cancel or accept a return, and once the store updates the order Tamara reduces your plan or refunds what you've paid (card refunds can take up to 21 working days to show). If a store won't update a cancelled or returned order, raise a 'Get help from Tamara' claim within 120 days of ordering. Claims can take up to 21 days, and successful Buyer Protection claims are refunded by Tamara.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

30 seconds to set up. yoink emails Tamara, cites the policy, escalates if ignored, and surfaces the win when the money lands.

Get yoink (App Store) →

What Tamara actually says

“All payments are non-refundable and will not be refunded on a pro-rata basis for any cancellation initiated during the Subscription term.”
, verbatim from Tamara’s terms

Pro-rata refund: noStatutory cooling-off: 14 days in UK + EU on new subs

How long does a Tamara refund take?

Most merchants agree to a straightforward refund within 1 to 3 working days of a well-written email request. Once agreed, the money itself takes another 3 to 5 working days to land, that part is card-network processing and no merchant can skip it. If nothing has arrived 10 working days after a written “refund approved”, reply on the same thread asking for the ARN (acquirer reference number), which your bank can trace.

What you can claim

The law where you live is the strongest hook, lead with it when you contact the company.

Worldwide

Card-issuer chargeback
Visa/Mastercard chargeback works everywhere they do.
Open a chargeback for “subscription not cancelled” or “services not as described”, your bank initiates, Tamara has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where Tamara is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described”, applies to services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

Rights in other regions (United States, United Kingdom, European Union)

United States

Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
Dispute any credit-card charge in writing within 60 days.
For US credit-card payments, the FCBA gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a Tamara charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.

United Kingdom

Citizens Advice + Trading Standards
For repeated bad-faith refusals.
Free escalation lane: file with Citizens Advice (08082231133), they pass it to Trading Standards. Slow (8-12 weeks) but creates a paper trail Tamara can’t ignore.

European Union

ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If Tamara is based in another EU country, your local European Consumer Centre will mediate the dispute for free. List of national contacts at commission.europa.eu.

The 4-step refund email

Email the right address
Use customer.care@tamara.co, the route yoink has verified actually gets read for Tamara.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request, [your account email]

Send this body

Hi Tamara team,

I'm requesting a refund of the recent charge on my subscription, account [your account email].

I'm exercising my statutory right under the consumer-protection law of my jurisdiction to cancel by written notice. Please confirm by reply that the refund will be processed to my original payment method.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, escalate via the regional route above, a card-issuer chargeback works in every market.

Refund FAQ for Tamara

Open the **Tamara app**, tap **More**, then **Membership**, go to Tamara Smart and tap **Cancel membership**. You have to clear your **total outstanding payments** first, and that includes the current month's Smart fee. After you cancel, your Smart benefits last until the next billing cycle and you'll still get unified monthly statements. If the button fails or is greyed out, email **customer.care@tamara.co** from the email on your account with your registered phone number. Take a screenshot of the cancellation screen in case you're billed again.