ComplaintsforYelp Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I signed up for a Yelp account about a year ago. They asked me if I would like to advertise. They would call over and over and over, and I told them no several times. One day, a Yelp representative was so angry that I did not want to advertise, She hung up the phone on me during our conversation. A few months went by and now the phone calls have started again. However, this time they are emailing me calling me messaging me through my website and calling my place of work. This is unacceptable and I feel harassed. I do not answer any of the attempts to reach out as I have already stated I had told them I am not interested. I should not have to continuously declined their services. In addition to that I would also like to state that I 100% percent believe they took down every single review that my clients have left me for the soul fact that I would not advertise with them. I have done business with Yelp before as a manager at another business. when you pay for their services they will filter your good reviews at the top when you do not they will filter the bad reviews to the top. Yelp is a corrupt company and I feel like this is considered blackmail.

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi,
  
  We have placed your business on our internal Do Not Call list, and going forward you should receive no further sales communication unless you explicitly request otherwise.
  
  If you would like to update your email notification preferences, you can do so by following the instructions given here: *************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  I want to assure you with certainty that Yelp treats advertisers and non-advertisers exactly alike with respect to reviews. Advertising only buys ads and never higher ratings, removal of negative reviews or promotion of positive reviews.
  
  You'll find plenty of Yelp advertisers with negative reviews, and plenty of non-advertisers with five-star ratings across the board. Furthermore, there is zero relationship between the timing of when a review gets recommended and when a business decides to--or declines to--advertise. Reviews can be recommended or not recommended days, weeks, or even months after they were first posted, and a Yelp sales representative doesn't have any influence over when that might happen.
  
  Because our recommendation software is automated, the Yelp Support team cannot manually override the software to recommend or not recommend a review. Our recommendation software is automated precisely so that it can apply the same standards to every business and every review without being overridden by someone's personal preferences.
  
  That said, please note our recommendation software runs on a daily basis, so reviews that aren't currently recommended may be recommended in the future, and vice versa.
  
  We hope youll take the time to watch our video about the Recommendation Software: *********************************************************************************************************************** and read more about common misconceptions here: ****************************************************
  
  If you come across content that you feel may violate Yelp's Content Guidelines (************************************************), please let our moderators know by reporting it. You can do so by finding the content in question, clicking the flag icon on the website or the More Options/Overflow Menu (3 dots) on the app. You'll need to be logged into your account to report content.
  
  To learn more, please visit: *******************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards, 
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

  Customer response

  09/10/2024

  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.  This does not change my view of their rude customer service that I have experienced or their standards of which they do business.  I still find the manor of which they were contacting me repeatedly through any and all forms of contact they had access to was extremely inappropriate for a business.  I never want to hear from Yelp again. I do expect them to follow through with permanently removing me from their contact list as stated or I will be taking further action. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Yelp is withholding Minority positive Reviews! Ongoing issue I have been experiencing with Yelp. My complaint involves unauthorized charges, a lack of response from Yelps customer service, and problems with review ************ are the details of the situation:Activation and Charges:Approximately two years ago, I was offered a trial advertisement from Yelp with $150 in free credits for Christmas. I agreed to this offer.Despite my attempts to cancel the trial ad when my budget approached $150, Yelp did not deactivate my account. The *** no longer worked there and I did not have a number for a direct ***. I ***eatedly called and emailed Yelp requesting cancellation, but they failed to respond or take ********* a result, Yelp continued to charge my account, eventually accruing fees totaling approximately ~$700. I had to cancel my card through my bank to stop further charges.Dispute and Resolution:I filed several disputes with Yelp regarding these charges. Yelp responded only via email, stating that the charges were valid but did not offer a satisfactory resolution and no phone conversations! Last month, I attempted to negotiate the resolution of this issue. Despite the charges not being my responsibility, Yelp informed me that to resolve the issue and resume advertising, I would need to pay ~$1,300. They did not provide any explanation for the increase in *********** Posting Problems:Additionally, Yelp has ***eatedly removed my good reviews. I have attached screenshots and emails as proof of my attempts to cancel the service and my dissatisfaction with Yelp's handling of my account. ********************** will not respond as to why they are taking my reviews down.Yelp shows 0 Reviews but I have over (12) dozen reviews removed by yelp from the public and fellow realtors/clients.Request for Resolution:Yelp to honor their advertised ad budget of $150, as initially agreed ********* out overcharged false charges and not to overcharge. To publish my reviews online.

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi *****,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for ***** ********* - Integrated Assets Realty.
  
  Our records indicate you redeemed a $350 promotional ad credit on 12/20/22. To redeem this credit towards Yelp ads, you were required to sign up for our Cost Per Click (CPC) advertising campaign and put payment information on file. Our records indicate you signed up for an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) as well as a $30 monthly Verified License feature (or a $1 per day average) for total charges of up to $600 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent you after you signed up for this program.
  
  Your advertising program was a self-serve program, which means that ads can be turned off by the business at any time through the Yelp for Business Owners Account. If you only wanted to use your promotion, you would have needed to log in and end the programs once that credit was used. During your ad setup there were Q&As on the page explaining that you could stop your ads any time through the Yelp for Business Owners site. Your advertising program was billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you reach your billing threshold. Please note that your promotion was applied during these billing cycles.
  
  On 1/5/23, you lowered your CPC budget to $300 monthly (or a $10 per day average).
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 3/30/23. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  I want to assure you with certainty that Yelp treats advertisers and non-advertisers exactly alike with respect to reviews. Advertising only buys ads and never higher ratings, removal of negative reviews or promotion of positive reviews.
  
  You'll find plenty of Yelp advertisers with negative reviews, and plenty of non-advertisers with five-star ratings across the board. Furthermore, there is zero relationship between the timing of when a review gets recommended and when a business decides to--or declines to--advertise. Reviews can be recommended or not recommended days, weeks, or even months after they were first posted, and a Yelp sales representative doesn't have any influence over when that might happen.
  
  Because our recommendation software is automated, the Yelp Support team cannot manually override the software to recommend or not recommend a review. Our recommendation software is automated precisely so that it can apply the same standards to every business and every review without being overridden by someone's personal preferences.
  
  That said, please note our recommendation software runs on a daily basis, so reviews that aren't currently recommended may be recommended in the future, and vice versa.
  
  We hope youll take the time to watch our video about the Recommendation Software: ******************************************************************************************************************************** read more about common misconceptions here: ****************************************************
  
  If you come across content that you feel may violate Yelp's Content Guidelines (************************************************), please let our moderators know by reporting it. You can do so by finding the content in question, clicking the flag icon on the website or the More Options/Overflow Menu (3 dots) on the app. You'll need to be logged into your account to report content.
  
  To learn more, please visit: ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, Inc. 

  Customer response

  09/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 22252283
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  Yelp continues Misleading Practices and Failure to **************** Advertised

  
  Dear Dispute Resolution Specialist,

  
  I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with Yelps handling of my advertising account for ***** *******************************************. Yelps response to my complaint is inaccurate and dismissive of the real issues I've faced, including misleading advertising practices, lack of support, and unfair treatment of my business reviews.

  
  Key Points of Concern:

  
  Misrepresentation and Bait-and-Switch Tactics:

  
  Yelps representative assured me that I would not need to upgrade my account, and I was led to believe the promotional credit would suffice without additional charges. I would not have agreed to any terms had the costs been properly disclosed. The way this was presented constitutes a classic bait-and-switch, and I have evidence to support my claims.

  
  Lack of Customer Support and Unresponsive System:

  
  Yelps claim that the program is self-serve is misleading because I encountered multiple technical issues that prevented me from managing my ads. Despite reaching out via phone and email, I received no assistance. My documented attempts to contact Yelp for support went unanswered, forcing me to stop payments through my bank to prevent further unauthorized charges.
  Failure to Post Positive Reviews:

  
  I have seven clients who have repeatedly attempted to post positive reviews for my business, which have not been published. This practice unfairly suppresses positive feedback and appears to target minority-owned businesses. If Yelp cannot verify and support genuine reviews, it raises serious concerns about their commitment to fairness and transparency.

  
  Poor Ethical Standards and Harm to Small Businesses:

  
  Yelps practices have resulted in significant financial harm and stress, especially as a small business striving to compete. The inability to contact a human representative and reliance on automated systems is unacceptable for a company of Yelps stature, especially one that claims to support businesses.

  
  In addition to filing this complaint with the BBB, I have also contacted multiple organizations, including the ************************* the **************************, the ************************ (***), and other relevant consumer advocacy groups to seek assistance in holding Yelp accountable for their actions. Yelps practices have negatively impacted my business, and I am seeking a full investigation into their practices and a fair resolution that addresses the harm caused. Small businesses like mine rely on ethical and transparent services, and Yelps conduct falls far short of these standards.

  
  I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your assistance in resolving these issues.

  
  Sincerely,
  ***** ********
  Integrated Assets Realty
  

  Business response

  09/13/2024

  Hi *****,
  
  Thank you for your response. Were sorry to hear about your continued frustration.
  
  While our sales **** are able to walk you through the steps of the sign-up, our program is designed to be a self-service program. Sales **** do not have the ability to sign up for features. Signing up for advertising required you to click through each on-screen prompt as they appeared. These prompts displayed information which includes a full description of the promotion, cost per click estimate, daily average budget, monthly maximum budget and first expected billing date. All information is available to review in the final step of the advertising set up before you select to start advertising. This information was also sent in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email, which was sent to the email used to login to the ***, after you signed up for your program. We also provide multiple resources such as our Customer Success Team to assist you with any issues.
  
  Our decision not to refund will stand. You may reach out to our Customer Success Team at ************ or ****************************************** with any further questions.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

  Customer response

  09/13/2024

   
  Complaint: 22252283
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Your self service system would not allow me to cancel the service
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  09/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  After uploading new photos to our Free Yelp Listing in mid-August, I received tons f phone calls from Yelp sales ***resentatives. One spoke to me about their promotion of 2 free weeks and service of moving my ad (we were second on the results page for historic tours) to the top of the search results. Then the pacakge of $300 ad would alow mroe featues, i.e. to insert a logo and some more business features lke Wheelchair accessible (this should be free for all businesses under the The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In all the set up then I was told that the $300 would also be used to pay Yelp on a per click fee viewing of my add. The same ad we have had for years. I was told they had a %56 percent conversion rate. That did not happen. Their back end system business owner access showed 4k clicks and views in the first few minutes which then dropped down to 200. They are clearly gaming the back end processes to show views that never happened, and taking advantage. When I expalined this to the sale resp and asked to cancel the program she had me go back into my business acess and *****, sucessfully. She also asked me to call the **************** line to confirm. I did so but no one called me back for days. On the 3rd day a man named ****** called me and verified my cancellation request and we both saw that I was chagred $54.63 and that was it for the 2 weeks. A few days later Yelp chagred me $140.79. Didn't post because of the holiday. I have been calling for 3 days now, long hold periods every time I have to call. One *** told me that I was not the owner of the account and they could not help me. However, I am the owner of the business and they charged my credit card twice and solicited me for upgraded adversiting without me reaching out to them. Since August 10 2024, no one will have a supervisor call me back, Also, a *** found ****** and he has been asked to call me for 2 days and has not called me back. Worst Customer and professional experience ever.

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi ******,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for Wicked Delray Ghost Tours.
  
  Our records indicate on 7/26/24, you ran an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $570 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent when you signed up for this program. Your advertising program was also billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Additionally, you redeemed a Yelp Boost promotion of up to an additional $600 in free Yelp ad clicks be applied over 3 months. Please note that this promotion was for an additional ad budget of up to $100, $200, and $300 each respective month, and not a discount on the services you signed up for.
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 8/12/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, Inc.
  
  

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi ******,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for Wicked Delray Ghost Tours.
  
  Our records indicate on 7/26/24, you ran an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $570 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent when you signed up for this program. Your advertising program was also billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Additionally, you redeemed a Yelp Boost promotion of up to an additional $600 in free Yelp ad clicks be applied over 3 months. Please note that this promotion was for an additional ad budget of up to $100, $200, and $300 each respective month, and not a discount on the services you signed up for.
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 8/12/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, Inc.
  
  

  Customer response

  09/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 22248661
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This is completely untrue. First. No one from your company has returned my call in over two weeks. I have requested via email and phone to speak with a supervisor. That in itself shows the lack of response to address this issue. Second, the representative who established the solicitation and campaign, *************. ****, and I discussed and agreed that this campaign would never go over a $300 budget which was to run the course of one month. ***** stated that the conversion rate of sales averaged %56 percent. There was an additional free promotion of 2 weeks at no charge if I continued the following month. ***** additionally assured me over the phone and email that she would follow up with me in 2 weeks to see if this was converting and having a positive impact for the business. She failed to follow up with me in that time frame however I reached out to her stating that I wanted to cancel. The back end system is manipulating views and clicks. I observed this myself. This is a scam and a violation which the ************************ handles. I also have 37 emails between myself and **********;************** **** showing my immediate concern about the views and clicks. My desire was to address the issue with your business supervisor but your company refuses to contact me. I have never experience a company not calling someone back. ************** **** emailed me yesterday and stated that her manager asked me to call the **************** number again. We have also spoke over the phone. She is your employee and confused as to why no one has called me back and why the charges have been posted to my credit card.  
  She continues to apologize for the situation.  You seem to be looking at someone else's account and no speaking to your representative. 
  

  I demand you immediately issue a full credit and stop claiming that I purchased some multi package expensive advertising package.  This is a mom and pop seasonal company that doesn't make annual revenues to spend over $300 per month on fake views and clicks that do not convert. I presented you with the false Yelp Business stats in jpeg form and that also show no conversions at %56. Maybe the system is really broken or has a bug? When was the last time if was tested? Do you have a quality control team because it appears that you have no supervisors to call me back. 

  *********************

  Customer response

  09/10/2024

  From: Wicked Delray Ghost Tours <********************************>
  Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2024 10:18 AM
  To: ********** <*************************************>
  Subject: Re: You have a New Message from BBB Serving ***************** Area and ***************************, Complaint #********

   

  Complaint: ********

   

  Hi ***** Yelp, ****

   

  I am rejecting this response because: This is completely untrue. First. No one from your company has returned my call in over two weeks. I have requested via email and phone to speak with a supervisor. That in itself shows the lack of response to address this issue. Second, the representative who established the solicitation and campaign, *************. ****, and I discussed and agreed that this campaign would never go over a $300 budget which was to run the course of one month. ***** stated that the conversion rate of sales averaged %56 percent. There was an additional free upgraded promotion of 2 weeks, at no charge. ***** additionally assured me over the phone and email that she would follow up with me in 2 weeks to see if this was converting and having a positive impact for the business. She failed to follow up with me in that time frame, however, I reached out to her stating that I wanted to cancel. I also advised her of the Yelp back end analytics system manipulating views and clicks. See our email correspondence attached.  I observed this myself and as soon as the ad which she created activated. This is a scam and a violation which the ************************ handles. I also have 37 emails between ***** and myself showing my immediate concern about the views and clicks. My desire was to address the issue with your business supervisor but your company refuses to contact me. I have never experienced a company not calling someone back. ***** emailed me yesterday and stated that her manager asked me to call the **************** number again. She is your employee and is confused as to why no one has called me back and why the charges have been posted to my credit card. She again apologized for the situation.  

  You seem to be looking at someone else's account and not speaking to my representative, *****. She stated that no one reached out to her.

   

  According to *****, our phone calls between her and I, are recorded. I would like all recordings to be uploaded to this complaint because they will verify everything, I have stated in my email response.

  Additionally, you claim that this email 'Welcome To Yelp Advertising", on the selected date, detailed my Advertising package details. Sadly, it does not! See this attached email.

  See additional documents attached that show a $300 max budget package with free 2 week upgrades UPTRIAL14 that the sales representative and I agreed on. I have all 37 emails from Ms. ***** and my phone logs to show the date/time of correspondence.

   

  *************. ****, Yelp Inc. Yelp Burst Logo

  Senior Elite Account Executive

  ************ Yelp For Business Owners

   

  This morning 9/10/24 and at 9:49 AM EST, I completed a phone call with *************. ****, Yelp Inc. She clearly stated that I did not sign up for the packages that you, ***** Yelp, **** are claiming.

   

  She confirmed that my ad agreement was not to exceed a $300 budget for the month plus I was in a promotional Free Upgrade program for 2 weeks. That  Yelp promotion is titled UPTRIAL14.

  She also recalls our email and phone call in reference to the  fluctuation in the views concerning your system. This was communicated to everyone that I spoke with at Yelp when I called to request a supervisor.

  These are false positive views or purely fraudulent.

  Clearly Ms. ***** Yelp, ****, you do not have your facts correct pertaining to my account.

   

  It is extremely concerning that your company has been dismissive and further that you are trying to state that I signed up for several other increased prices of ad packages. Not true at all.

   

  Yelp is wasting everyone's time and this is an epic failure on their part.  On so many levels.

   

  I presented you with the false Yelp Business stats in jpeg form and that also show no conversions at %56. Is it possible that the system is  broken or has a bug? When was the last time it was tested? Do you have a quality control team? Clearly, you do not have any supervisors to call me back.

   

  I demand an apology and that you issue full credit to me. This has always been a small seasonal disabled veteran owned and operated that doesn't make annual huge revenues who can afford $300 per month in ads especially when they are fake views and clicks that do not convert. 

   

  Thank you, BBB, for being in this place to help victims of scammers like Yelp.

   

  Respectfully,

  ************

   

  *********************

   

   

   

  Business response

  09/11/2024

  Hi ******,
  
  Thank you for your response. Were sorry to hear about your continued frustration.
  
  We wanted to clarify that you had signed up for a $300 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $10 per day average). In addition, you redeemed a two week trial promotional credit for our Page ******* Package, normally a $180 monthly cost (or a $6 per day average). If you only wanted to use your trial, you would have needed to log in and end the programs once that trial was over. During your ad setup there were Q&As on the page explaining that you could stop your ads any time through the Yelp for Business Owners site and that you would continue to be charged for advertising services after the trial period.
  
  To reiterate, your program was billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, or whenever you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Yelp only records its sales representatives for quality assurance and training purposes. We are unable to assist you further in this matter.
  
  Our decision not to refund will stand. You may reach out to our Customer Success Team at ************ or ****************************************** with any further questions.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

  Customer response

  09/12/2024

  
  Complaint: 22248661
  
  I am rejecting this response because: *****, no one from your account management team will get on the phone when I call or call me back when I leave a message in over 3 weeks.  I am happy to se you realized that I did not sign up for the first program you claimed. You failed to apologize for your mistake. 
  
  Why have you not produced the audio recording of the call or any documents or screen images of the first or second program that you claim I signed up for?Because I never signed up for that. I, however, provided you with ample documentation. You have now are saying that I signed up for a 3rd program and that I never cancelled my first one. No matter the program, the ad service provided false positive results on views and clicks CPC. This is fraud. Irrespective of the flat out lie the ad representative talked about conversion rates per your analytics business stats.

  My initial email to cancel inside of two weeks (prior to 30 days) stated the same explanation mentioned. That email was received by my Yelp sales rep. *** directed me to log into the business account and cancel. I did so. *** also asked me to call Yelp ***************** which I did that day and spoke with ******. He confirmed that my cancellation was complete. He verbally assured me that I was only charged $54 for the 2-week time period. He assured me that no other charges were pending. Yelp was unauthorized to continue to charge my credit card.  
  

  My sales **** ***** sent ****************, a yelp financial department representative, several communications to contact me,but he has not called me back.

  
  Your service and this transaction were fraudulent, your failure to contact me directly speaks volumes. You were incorrect in your first BBB response as to the package that I purchased. You have now said I signed up for another ad package which is also false. Today, I demand that Yelp you credit my account in full in the next 5-7 business days or I will be moving forward with my report to the *** on Yelp Ad fraud and your attempt to defraud digital advertising customers for financial gain. Scammers like you use several methods to trick advertisers and bots in click fraud. A class action case is not to far from reality. You company has tons of complaint  for the same fraudulent CPC methods across many internet platforms and these people have lost monies using your service. The complaints also stipulate that No One ever Called them back. I can't image how many victims of Yelp are out there. Your audio recordings, complaints, business records are all subject to judge ordered subpoena going back 10 years if the time comes.  

  Are you going to continue to engage in unethical and criminal corporate behavior with no accountability? Is this how you would like to proceed *****?
  
  BBB, it is time to contact our nationwide news outlets and use this fraudulent Ad CPC experience as a gateway to shine a light on Yelps years of repeat fraudulent practices. 
  
  Sincerely,
  *********************

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I started my business in November and was called and emailed about "what yelp can do for my small business," no less than 20 times until I signed up on March 8th. I was supposed to receive a $300 credit. By April 1st I'd been charged $441.64. I was charged $32.22 per day.

  Business response

  09/06/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for CupBoard.
  
  Our records indicate on 3/8/24, you ran an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $570 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent when you signed up for this program. Your advertising program was also billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Additionally, you redeemed a Yelp Boost promotion of up to an additional $300 in free Yelp ad clicks be applied over 6 months. Please note that this promotion was for an additional ad budget of up to $50 each month for 6 months, and not a discount on the services you signed up for.
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 4/22/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

  Customer response

  09/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 22245749
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  It was very misleading. It was not explained well and cost me a lot of money in less than a month. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  09/13/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  Thank you for your response. Were sorry to hear about your continued frustration.
  
  While our sales **** are able to walk you through the steps of the sign-up, our program is designed to be a self-service program. Sales **** do not have the ability to sign up for features. Signing up for advertising required you to click through each on-screen prompt as they appeared. These prompts displayed information which includes a full description of the promotion, cost per click estimate, daily average budget, monthly maximum budget and first expected billing date. All information is available to review in the final step of the advertising set up before you select to start advertising. This information was also sent in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email, which was sent to the email used to login to the **** after you signed up for your program. We also provide multiple resources such as our Customer Success Team to assist you with any issues.
  
  Our decision not to refund will stand. You may reach out to our Customer Success Team at ************ or ****************************************** with any further questions.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

  Customer response

  09/14/2024

   
  Complaint: 22245749
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I can't click accept as this was unacceptable. It's bad business practice. It's predatory at best bordering on unethical. You can close the case if you think your companies behavior is in line with your best business practices. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We subscribe to Yelp business services. We pay over $300+ per month to have searchs relevant to our business shown in search results. Some customers who are finding us here choose to leave a review on Yelp. We work hard to fullfill our customers requests and we are focussed on customer service and it shows. Customers either leave a review, call or ask us how they can review us to help in return. Its an appreciation of the service you provide. Our reviews are systematically being deleted from view. We called and spoke to customer service and their answer was that their algorithm automatically deletes reviews it believes is fraudulent. I said you can call those customers and confirm those were valid reviews and we worked hard to earn them. I asked them to confirm they are valid and put them back up. They said they can't its permanent. Even if it is written algorithm code these are legitimately earned and we are being robbed of our hard work. The real reason here they don't admit is that when you have positive reviews you get more business, so when you subscribe to their monthly search result program they don't want you to get more business with your positive reviews. They want you to pay more to earn more business not earn business on your own merrits. They are deleting earned legitimate positive reviews intentionally. If code writers are producing an algorithm that atomatically deletes earned reviews it needs to be confirmed or validated as to why. They can't articulate any reason other than it's automatic due to our algorithm. These is responsibility evasion and is a corrupt system to generate more income based on paid subscriptions and not earned referrals based on positive reviews. This is a horrible way to conduct business. Yelp was founded on the referring business based on the merrits earned by reviews. Compare this to ****** or ******* reviews. This how you get business.It manipulation to spend more money with subscription service.

  Business response

  09/12/2024

  Hi,
  
  Thanks for writing in. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding the business listing for OfficeTek.
  
  Yelp engineered its automated recommendation software in an effort to provide consumers with the most helpful and reliable reviews and level the playing field for all businesses. Reviews that the software determines to be less reliable and useful, or which are written by users we just dont know enough about, are moved to a not currently recommended section and do not factor into a businesss overall Yelp star ratings.
  
  We hope youll take the time to learn more about Yelps recommendation software here: *****************************************************************
  
  You can also watch this video for an overview of how our recommendation software works: ***********************************************
  
  Regards,
  ******
  Yelp, ****

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding the security and privacy of my personal information on yelps platform. I created an account on ********************** on August 27, 2024, with the intention of boosting my business visibility. However, this morning, September 4, 2024, at 6:30 AM, I received a distressing text from someone who attempted to scam me. The texter specifically mentioned that they obtained my information from Yelp.I immediately contacted yelps support team to request the removal of my business and personal information from Yelp. To my shock and disappointment, I was informed that it is not possible to remove my information, and that my number and other details will remain on their site indefinitely.This situation is deeply concerning, as it exposes me to potential scams, harassment, and unsolicited marketing. It is also alarming that I am unable to control the presence of my own information on their platform. This feels like a violation of my rights to privacy, and I am questioning the legality of such a policy.

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi ****,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your business page. 
  
  Yelp is allowed to publish business names and publicly available information about businesses under the well-established fair use doctrine, as well as First Amendment principles. Generally speaking, this means that we can display business names and trademarks "for purposes of comparison, criticism, point of reference, or any other such purpose." ************************* v. **********************, 971 F.2d 302, 306 (9th Cir. 1992).
  
  Please note you can prevent users from sending you compliments or messages by blocking them. Keep in mind that this won't erase any previous messages or compliments you've received. The accounts you've blocked will still be able to add Reactions to your reviews, as well as view your account and public content (such as reviews and posts on Yelp Talk). You can learn more by visiting our ************** page here: *****************************************************************************************************
  
  We encourage you to review our Guidelines (*************************************************) and report any content that violates those guidelines by flagging it: ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  If you're concerned about your safety offline, please consider contacting the authorities.
  
  Regards,
  Lacey
  Yelp Inc.

  Customer response

  09/09/2024

   
  Complaint: 22239163
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  if my business information were truly public, Yelp would not need me to input it onto your platform for others to view. If it's so readily available, it would be accessible to you without my participation.
  
  It seems contradictory that while I am required to provide my business information to Yelp, I cannot easily remove it once it's there. Just as easily as I put it on your platform, I should be able to take it off.
  
  I do not wish to be contacted by anyone through Yelps platform being that I only received calls and messages from scammers and ****** representatives wanting me to spend more money on ****** ads. I hope you can accommodate this request and ensure that my preference is respected. I see now that it was a mistake to input my information onto your platform to boost my business. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****

  Business response

  09/11/2024

  Hi ****,
  
  Thank you for writing back. 
  
  We can confirm you've been placed on our Do Not Call list. 
  
  Although we cannot provide you with the resolution that you're seeking, we appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns.
  
  Regards,
  Lacey
  Yelp Inc.

  Customer response

  09/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 22239163
  
  I am rejecting this response because: being placed on your Do Not Call list does not resolve my issue. I am requesting that all of the information I provided be removed from your site and that no information related to me is presented on your platform. Please confirm that this request can be completed promptly.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****

  Business response

  09/16/2024

  Hi ****,
  
  Thank you for writing back. 
  
  You asked for your business to be removed from Yelp; however, we don't remove business information. While some business owners might prefer to keep a lower profile, this kind of information is publicly available and its use is protected under the law. More importantly, we believe that the public benefits from sharing their experiences with local businesses.
  
  Yelp is allowed to publish business names and publicly available information about businesses under the well-established fair use doctrine, as well as First Amendment principles. Generally speaking, this means that we can display business names and trademarks "for purposes of comparison, criticism, point of reference, or any other such purpose." ************************* v. **********************, 971 F.2d 302, 306 (9th Cir. 1992).
  
  Although we cannot provide you with the resolution that you're seeking, we appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns.
  
  Regards,
  Lacey
  Yelp Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  09/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Back in April 2024 I signed up for yelp to advertise my small business on their website. They asked for credit card information as part of the process to have on file and I submitted it. In June I was charged for advertising that I didnt know I had signed up for, and I called to cancel. In July I was charged again and told that there was a prorated amount for the month prior that I was still being charged for advertising. I asked the customer success representative to remove my card from the file and they said they were not able to do that. I took the issue to my bank, and they disputed the transaction on my behalf and got the money back. I canceled my debit card to ensure this did not happen again. I am somehow being charged another month worth of advertising in August and was told that my account has been sent to collections which I dont understand is possible if youve already taken more money that Ive even authorized in the first place. Im trusting my bank will dispute the transaction but I will never do business with Yelp and have let everyone I know about this terrible situation where a company is blatantly stealing from someone they wish was their customer.

  Business response

  09/05/2024

  Hi *****,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for PollenNation Designs.
  
  Our records indicate you redeemed a 30 day promotional trial for advertising on 4/24/24. To redeem the 30 day trial towards Yelp Cost Per Click ads, you were required to sign up for our Cost Per Click (CPC) advertising campaign and put payment information on file. Our records indicate you signed up for an advertising program with a $330 monthly Cost Per Click budget (or a $11 per day average). You also included a $120 monthly Page ******* package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $450 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent you after you signed up for this program.
  
  Your advertising program was a self-serve program, which means that ads can be turned off by the business at any time through the Yelp for Business Owners Account. If you only wanted to use your trial, you would have needed to log in and end the programs once that trial was over. During your ad setup there were Q&As on the page explaining that you could stop your ads any time through the Yelp for Business Owners site and that you would continue to be charged for advertising services after the trial period. Your advertising program was billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you reach your billing threshold.
  
  Your advertising program ended on 6/4/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a small junk removal business. I had signed up with Yelp advertising about a year ago. I tried the service for a few months with little to no results. I had contacted the company and clearly said I'd like to stop / cancel my account. The ********************** associate assisted me to put my account on pause. I had continued to get small bills. I once again contacted Yelp, their response was this is to keep your account active so you won't lose your info and you can return at a letter date and you'll still have a Yelp page with minimal charge. A few months goes by and I receive a large $404.53 bill. A few days later another bill of approximately $50. I once again contacted Yelp to cancel my account. They said they cancelled my account but will not issue a refund. I believe I deserve a refund as I had attempted to cancel my account by clearly saying so several times. Yelp does not bring my company any business only a mass amount of spam calls. I have explained this asked to cancel. I need help getting my money (approx $450) returned and to make sure my account has been terminated. Thank you. *****

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for Main's Cleanout Services.
  
  Our records indicate on 3/13/24, you ran an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $570 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent when you signed up for this program. Your advertising program was also billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Additionally, you redeemed a Yelp Boost promotion of up to an additional $300 in free Yelp ad clicks be applied over 6 months. Please note that this promotion was for an additional ad budget of up to $50 each month for 6 months, and not a discount on the services you signed up for.
  
  On 4/2/24, you elected to pause your campaign. Please note that pausing your campaign required you to input a restart date. Our records indicate you selected a restart date of 7/31/24.
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 8/23/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  Hi *******,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for Main's Cleanout Services.
  
  Our records indicate on 3/13/24, you ran an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $570 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent when you signed up for this program. Your advertising program was also billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Additionally, you redeemed a Yelp Boost promotion of up to an additional $300 in free Yelp ad clicks be applied over 6 months. Please note that this promotion was for an additional ad budget of up to $50 each month for 6 months, and not a discount on the services you signed up for.
  
  On 4/2/24, you elected to pause your campaign. Please note that pausing your campaign required you to input a restart date. Our records indicate you selected a restart date of 7/31/24.
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 8/23/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Dear Better Business Bureau,I am writing to file a complaint against Yelp due to their deceptive sales practices and failure to deliver on their promises.Over the past year, I have invested significant amounts of money in Yelp's click ads. While I have seen some limited success, I was ultimately dissatisfied with the return on investment and decided to cancel my paid advertising campaign.In March and April 2024, I was contacted by a Yelp manager named **, who offered me $1200 in credits to reinstate my advertising campaign. ** assured me that he would personally assist me in optimizing my account to generate more leads. Relying on **'s expertise, I followed his advice and switched my account from messages to call-ins.Despite **'s assurances, the $1200 credits were quickly depleted, and I went on to spend an additional $1800 on the campaign. However, I continued to see little to no results, with most of my spending going towards clicks with no tangible leads.After multiple attempts to contact ** via email seeking assistance or credits to offset my losses, I have received no response. ** was very eager to reach out when he wanted my money, but has been completely unresponsive since.To add insult to injury, my Yelp account was inadvertently reactivated in August, resulting in an unexpected charge of $300. Despite my attempts to request a refund or credits, Yelp has refused to accommodate my request.As a result of Yelp's misleading sales tactics and failure to deliver on their promises, I have lost a total of $2100. I am seeking a full refund of $2100 or $4000 in credits to compensate for the financial losses and frustration I have experienced.I believe that Yelp's behavior is a clear violation of consumer protection laws and ethical business practices. I urge the Better Business Bureau to investigate this matter and hold Yelp accountable for their actions.Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  Business response

  09/12/2024

  Hi *****,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for Checkmate Roofing and Construction.
  
  After review, our Customer Success team has approved a refund in the amount of $2122.97. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, Inc.
  
  

  Customer response

  09/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfying. I am very impressed with Yelps dedication to customer service and satisfaction. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I canceled my product last month but they still charged me for this month and gave me a vague answer. they said I canceled on AUG 8 and for that 8 days, I have to pay 46 dollars. That's insane because last month was 21 dollars for a full month.

  Business response

  09/05/2024

  Hi ******,
  
  Thank you for writing. We are glad to have this opportunity to address your concerns regarding your advertising program for Renomod.
  
  Our records indicate on 5/23/24, you ran an advertising program with a $450 monthly Cost Per Click (CPC) budget (or a $15 per day average). You also included a promotional $120 monthly Page ******* Package (or a $4 per day average) for total charges of up to $570 per month. This monthly maximum was stated in the "Welcome to Yelp Advertising: Your Ads Are Now Live!" email we sent when you signed up for this program. Your advertising program was also billed in arrears, which means that we typically bill on the first of the month for advertising services that were delivered in the previous month, and anytime you hit your billing threshold.
  
  Additionally, you redeemed a Yelp Boost promotion of up to an additional $900 in free Yelp ad clicks be applied over 3 months. Please note that this promotion was for an additional ad budget of up to $150, $300, and $450 each respective month, and not a discount on the services you signed up for.
  
  On 5/28/24, you elected to end your CPC campaign. Please note there were prompts indicating that your page upgrades would continue to run unless also canceled at this time. Subsequently, your page upgrade cost increased to $180 monthly (or a $6 per day average).
  
  Your advertising campaign ended on 8/8/24. As advertising services have been delivered in accordance with the Terms (**********************************************************************************) you agreed to, we will not be able to offer you a refund. Thanks for understanding.
  
  Regards,
  Daisy
  Yelp, ****

*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. ↩