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Business Profile

Entertainment

Philo, Inc.

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Entertainment.

Important information

  • Customer Complaint:
    Philo came to BBB’s attention in March 2018. A review of complaints was done in September 2024. Complaints on file state concerns with subscription charges.

    BBB recommends users to review the Philo Free Trial Offer Terms and Conditions and Philo Terms of Service Agreement (please see Subscriptions, Auto-Renewal and Cancellation & Free Trials) prior to using Philo's free trial or signing up for their membership service. 

    For additional support, please visit Help Center.

Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 109 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 33 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Sort by

Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/09/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Billed $29.68 on 11/07/2024 called to figure out why we were billed. Found account under *********************** and I assume a kid in the house bought a subscription without permission. I asked for a pro rated refund and they said it's been over 2 days so they cannot issue a refund. We canceled the account together and I was assured I would not be billed again. 12/07/2024 we get another bill for $29.68 and they won't refund that one now. I cancelled the account, I should not have been billed. I googled it and saw it's a common issue. I'd like my money back! The account is under ***********************.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/10/2024

    Hello,

    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, ******** ******.

    After reviewing our records, we were not able to locate an account that charged our customer on 12/7/24.  

    We have reached out to the customer directly in order to gain additional information and work on finding a resolution.

    If you require any additional details or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/09/2024

    Type:Billing Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I was charged but did not subscribe

    Business Response

    Date: 12/10/2024

    Hello,

    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, ******* *******.

    After reviewing our records, we were not able to locate an account or contacts from the customer. We have reached out to the customer directly in order to find a resolution. 

    If you require any additional details or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/06/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I called to cancel subscription and was told it was canceled n would not be charged agaub but the next month was charged again. When I spoke to a supervisor he told me he had no record of my phone call.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/10/2024

    Hello,

    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, *** *****.

    After reviewing our records, we can confirm that the customer contacted support on 10/6/24, 10/9/24, and 12/6/24. The initial contact appears to have been related to issues creating an account. Upon further investigation, we found that payments were made through ******, which we have limited access to.

    We can confirm that a refund for the most recent charge was initiated by ******. As a gesture of goodwill, we have also refunded the remaining charges as a one-time courtesy.

    If you require any additional details or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/06/2024

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I sign up with philo. There *** will not save new shows, I have lost 2 Shows. I called them They will not give me a refund

    Business Response

    Date: 12/09/2024

    Good afternoon,

    We just wanted to let you know that we have reached out directly to our customer regarding this complaint and believe we have come to a resolution. 

    Sincerely,
    AR

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/03/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I noticed and unauthorized charge of $29.96 on November 24th 24th for Philo company I've never heard of. I contacted cash app please told me to contact the merchant which I did and they proceeded to tell me that because I couldn't give them the email of whoever on the Earth it was who signed up without my consent or knowledge but I was not allowed to cancel or get my money back again I told them the last four of my card number told them the dates the amount my name but since some thief use their email which I have no way of knowing they say they cannot verify the account while they serve verified taking $29.96 from me but lord only knows how many more charges I will have from them and like another person I saw on here I keep my cash app card LOCKED..mind you it was locked when this happened this is very worrisome thank you and hopefully you can help me and anybody else from being scammed the answers the guy gave me just didn't make sense

    Business Response

    Date: 12/04/2024

    Hello,
    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, ********* *********.

    Based on the email provided, it looks like a Philo account was created on 11/17/24, by someone who has access to the email address and payment information. We can confirm that when the account was created, we sent a secure sign in link which was activated.

    If the customer believes that this is a fraudulent charge, which they mentioned during a conversation with one of our chat support agents, we recommend that they contact their financial institution regarding the fraudulent activity.

    If you need any additional information or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.
    Best regards,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/30/2024

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    My banking info was stolen and used to purchase a few streaming services. Philo is the only one that wouldn't issue me refund. They used an email address that's not mine. I had my card that was used cancelled by my bank. They won't refund $28. I told them my banking info was stolen and used to purchase fraudulent servers but they said that doesn't matter and they don't issue refund. They can cancel the service but can't refund. I need that $28 back. I'm unemployed and that charge contributed to putting my bank account in negative.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/03/2024

    Hello,

    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, ****** *******.

    After thoroughly reviewing our system, heres what weve confirmed:
    -A trial account was created on 11/12/2024
    -On 11/21/2024, a payment was processed for the monthly subscription.
    Due to little usage on the account and as a sign of good faith, we have refunded the charge as a one-time courtesy.

    If you need any additional information or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/29/2024

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    Im very upset I havent dealt with philo for 14 years when I finally got it on Nov 28 I saw there were to many commercials now when I signed up it said only ad supported for *** not for any other shows I spoke to the *** about it to cancel because it was not like that 14 years ago and I was not satisfied he told me that I used it mind you it was the same day and telling me that I cannot get a courtesy credit at this time? Then was so mean he canceled the subscription but I still will not receive the refund . I think that was horrible to do that to a senior just horrible. I still want my money back I cant use the service now Im out of 28 dollars.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/29/2024

    Hello,

    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, Akiotiashi Rain.

    After thoroughly reviewing our system, heres what weve confirmed:
    - The customer restarted their account on 11/26/2024 with our free content package.
    - On 11/28/2024, they added a payment method and upgraded to the Core plan for $28 (plus tax).
    - The customer later contacted support to request a refund due to dissatisfaction with the number of ads.

    Our support team explained that Philo is an ad-supported service and highlighted features such as the *** function, which allows users to fast-forward through ads during playback. It appears there may have been some confusion about how our live TV streaming service operates. Given our no-refund policy and the customers continued use of the service since payment, a refund is not possible in this case.

    If you need any additional information or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/29/2024

     
    Complaint: 22617114

    I am rejecting this response because:

    Sincerely,

    Akiotiashi Rain

    Thats a lie I havent even had it  for 24 hours they cancelled my account after I explained it to the rep ** a senior every company I dealt with has a refund policy there the only ones that claim this and your talking about recording ** disabled they shouldnt be able to get away with this ! And they have it here stating that I payed for it and didnt even start using it so basically there going to keep 28 dollars that I cant even use the service wow?

     

    Business Response

    Date: 12/03/2024

    Hello,

    Following up regarding the rejection from our customer, Akiotiashi Rain, wed like to provide some additional context.

    This customer has used ******************** numerous times in the past, and we completely understand that ads can sometimes be frustrating. However, its important to note that we incur costs to provide access to content regardless of the accounts level of use. As outlined in our Terms of Service, which customers agree to during the signup process, Philo has a no-refund policy. You can review the terms here: *******************************************.
    The customer still has access to their ******************** account, which is set to cancel at the end of their current billing cycle.

    If you need any further information or assistance, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/04/2024

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    Sincerely,

    Akiotiashi Rain

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/26/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    On November 20th i was charged 28 dollars for a cable service i canceled. That same day i emailed them told them and requested a refund. I emailed on a different email so the next day I sent them the correct email. The 24th they contacted me saying they can't cuz it's been over 2 days. I emailed day one and day 2. Of course they didn't reply for days ,then they can say this how convenient

    Business Response

    Date: 11/27/2024

    Hello,

    Were reaching out regarding the recent complaint from our customer, ******** *****.

    After a thorough review of our system, weve confirmed the following:

    - The customer canceled their account after the ***** trial period had expired, at which point the subscription transitioned to a paid account.
    - We received an initial email from the customer requesting cancellation; however, the email provided was not associated with the paid account.
    -     Our support team promptly reached out to the customer to request additional account details. A few days later, we were able to locate the correct account with the updated email information provided.

    While Philo maintains a no-refund policy, we have made a one-time courtesy refund in the amount of $28 as a gesture of goodwill.

    If you require further assistance or additional information, please dont hesitate to reach out.

    Best regards,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/25/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I paid them on the 10th of November, on the 22 I called because they cut off my service and refused to refund the money for what I didn't get through the 10th

    Business Response

    Date: 11/26/2024

    Good evening,

    We are following up on the complaint from our customer Susan Furgenson.

    After investigating the complaint and account details, we were able to get a hold of our customer and work with them directly.

    If theres anything else we can help with or provide, just let us know.

    Sincerely,
    HF

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/01/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I subscribed for a free trial of Philo TV in August, but I was not satisfied so I cancelled it prior to the trial period end date. They have charged me $28 a month for August, September and October. I have proof that I cancelled the subscription and that they have continued to take this money out of my account each month when I never should have been charged. They claim they didn't take the money out of my account, but ****** as a third party ****** was taking it out on their behalf, and it was not them who was taking money out of my account and they will not refund my money. The bank statements clearly show that it was taken out by them and for them. I was told by the bank that I can file a dispute through them if they are not willing to accept responsibility and refund the money and they will take it from their. I fully intend to do that since the company has now informed me that I will not be getting a refund from them, but I also want to file a formal complaint because in my opinion they stole this money from my account, and if they will do it to me then they will do it to others also.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/05/2024

    Hello,

    We are following up on the complaint from our customer ***** ******** who mentioned being charged after cancelling their Philo account.

    After further investigation, we were able to find out what happened.
    On 8/10/24, we noticed that two separate accounts were created within minutes of each other. The first account was created with the customer's email address on an Android device using Chrome, directly through ************************. Shortly after, another account was created with their phone number while attempting to log into the Philo app. Since the phone number wasnt added to the initial account, this action generated a new account, which was billed by ******. The customer cancelled one but not the other.

    We reached out to the customer to work on a resolution and provide clarity to the events that transpired.

    If theres anything else we can help with or provide, just let us know.

    Sincerely,
    HF

Philo, Inc. is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.

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