ComplaintsforProactiv

• Initial Complaint

  03/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Erroneous debt sent to credit collection after account was closed and paid in full.

  Business response

  04/03/2024

  Dear *******, 
  
  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention regarding the erroneous debt sent to credit collections after your account was closed and paid in full. We understand the importance of resolving this matter promptly and transparently. 
  
  Upon reviewing your account history, we confirmed that your subscription was indeed canceled on December 13th of 2023, as requested. However, there is a remaining balance on order #********, which was not successfully processed. 
  
  We attempted to process the charge of $29.63 for a period of 60 days, from June 15th of 2023 to August 14th of 2023, using the payment method provided, which was PayPal. Unfortunately, the payment was denied by PayPal for the entirety of the 60-day period. As a result, there is a remaining balance of $29.63, which must be paid through the collections agency. 
  
  Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 
  
  Best regards, 
  
  ******* R 
  Coroporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

• Initial Complaint

  03/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Recently, I got a bill from a collection agency, saying I owed $24.95 to Proactiv. I havent had a subscription since last summer. My last shipment was 7/6/2023. I had another before that in April. But the shipment in question is order# ******** from 1/21/23. It says I didnt pay for it, but my payment info was on my account and used for the previous and following shipments, but somehow not for the January shipment. I was never emailed regarding this outstanding balance and it was never mentioned when I cancelled my subscription. If I had an outstanding balance, why wasnt I charged at the time of cancellation? But from reading the other complaints on the BBB site, its obvious that the business practices of this company are slightly shady.

  Business response

  03/26/2024

  Dear *****, 

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention regarding the recent bill from the collection agency. We understand your frustration and want to address this matter promptly.

  Upon reviewing your account, we found that there was indeed an outstanding balance of $24.95 for the shipment on January 30th of 2023. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. It appears that there was a system error that prevented the payment from being processed, despite your payment information being on your account and used for previous and subsequent shipment.

  Please be assured that this issue with the outstanding balance will not affect your credit history.

  We attempted to process the charge for the outstanding balance on March 7th of 2023, but unfortunately, it was declined by your payment method, PayPal. We apologize for any confusion or oversight regarding this matter.

  To resolve the outstanding balance, we kindly ask that you attempt to make the payment on Friday using the link provided through the emails. If you encounter any issues, please don't hesitate to give us a call, and we will assist you further.

  We apologize for any inconveniences this situation may have caused and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to fix the system error. 

  Warm regards,

  ****************
  Corporate Escalation
  Proactiv

  Customer response

  03/27/2024

   
  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,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I canceled a subscription and received a confirmation email. I paid the balance after this confirmation email and was informed that if more products ship then we would be charged for those. No other products were shipped or received. I just got a letter from a collection agency that a balance is due. I never received any explanation or requests from proactiv since the cancellation of my subscription. My online account does now show any other products shipping after my cancellation, so there is no explanation why there is a remaining charge. Again, we paid the balance after we received the confirmation email about the cancellation and no other products were received. This company is a scam and ruining **************. Their product doesnt work and they penalize you for canceling the subscription by sending you to collections. I will not use their products again and I have been vocal to others about the poor ethics of this company.

  Business response

  03/25/2024

  Dear ******, 
  
  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration youve experienced regarding your remaining balance. Your feedback is important to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. 
  
  Upon reviewing your account history, we attempted to process the charge for the remaining balance of $22.45 on March 16th of 2023. However, we regret to inform you that the payment method associated with your account, PayPal, declined the charge with a response message indicating that the agreement was canceled. As a result, the past balance was not paid, and it remains outstanding.  
  
  Please be assured that only one order was created on your account. We understand your confusion and frustration regarding the remaining balance, and we want to work with you to resolve this matter promptly. 
  
  At this time, the outstanding balance is being handled by a collections agency. We kindly request that you get in touch with the collections agency to process the payment and settle the balance. Unfortunately, the past due balance is no longer in our system, and we are unable to process the payment directly. 
  
  We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to resolve this issue.  
  
  Warm regards, 
  
  ******* R  
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This business has the worst billing system and customer service. I've been trying to pay a small payment of $14.97 from a previous order back in 2022. I received an email on July of 2023 informing me of this unpaid amount. I made a payment over the phone and was told that the payment was received and my balance was paid. I just received another email in March 2024 stating that it wasn't paid. After contacting customer service I was told that " they switched collection agencies and because if that no emails were sent out to alert any of their customers about past due balances." I was also told that my payment back in July of 2023 was never processed eventhough I was told over the phone that it was and my account was up to date. I cancelled my account with ********************** back in 2022 because they were charging me when I didn't have any orders coming. This company has some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced and they waited until my account went into collections to send me another email about my account ( over 8 months)

  Business response

  03/14/2024

  Dear ****, 
  
  We sincerely apologize for the inconveniences and frustration youve experienced with our billing system and customer service. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we truly appreciate you bringing these issues to our attention. 
  

  Upon reviewing your account, we found that you attempted to make a payment of $14.97 on July 5th, 2023. However, we regret to inform you that the authorization for his payment was denied by your bank, and as a result, the payment was not successfully processed. This is why the balance remained unpaid and why you continue to receive emails about the outstanding amount. 
  
  We understand how frustrating this must be, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience it has caused. We want to assure you that we take your concerns seriously and are committed to resolving the matter promptly.  
  
  Unfortunately, as the payment was never processed, we are unable to make any adjustments to the outstanding balance.  
  
  To settle the pending balance, please use the following link: **************************************************** and put the order number: ******** - Zip Code: ***** Email: **************************************;
  
  Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to address this issue. 
  
  Warm regards, 
  
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

  Customer response

  03/14/2024

   
  Complaint: 21420630
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this is not effecting my credit!!!! Pro activ is the worst company I have ever had to deal with!!! This is why I no longer get shipments and only buy in store now. Your billing department and customer service is a joke!!!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  03/22/2024

  Dear ****, 
  
  We are truly sorry for the frustrations and difficulties youve encountered with us. Your feedback is important to us, and we deeply regret that your experience with our compnay has not met your expectations. 
  
  We understand your concerns about the impact on your credit, and we want to assure you that resolving the past due balance is the only way to prevent any potential effects on your credit score. By settling the outstanding balance, we can ensure that your account remains in good standing and prevent any further complications. 
  
  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention, and we appreciate the opportunity to address them.  
  
  Warm regards, 
  
  ******* R 
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

• Initial Complaint

  03/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I paid 142.94$ and cancelled subscription. Received an additional charge but never received any product. Saying I owe *****. Id like this charge cancelled because they never sent any product.

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Dear ******, 
  

  Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the charges on your account. We understand your concern and would like to provide clarification on the charges. 
  
  Upon reviewing your account, we see that your total order amounted to $142.94. We successfully processed two out of the three installments as follows: $53.04 on May 29th of 2023, and $44.95 on June 28th of 2023. However, on July 26th of 2023 we attempted to process the final installment of $44.95 but encountered a declined from PayPal with the message Agreement was cancelled. 
  
  Due to this decline, the remaining balance of $44.95 remains outstanding on your account. Unfortunately, we are unable to make a billing adjustment for this charge, and it needs to be settled accordingly. 
  
  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. To resolve the outstanding balance, we kindly ask you to proceed with payment using the link that was sent to you. 
  
  We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter. 
  
  Best Regards, 
  
  ******* R 
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

  Customer response

  03/07/2024

   
  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,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have had a subscription for the past year but only received some of the products I was billed for. Then I go to login to my account and it says I dont have any subscriptions at all. So I called and the person tried to SELL me more items. I explained the issues and that my dashboard doesnt reflect a subscription and ******* was not helpful at all. So they take your money and dont even show you what your purchasing on your dashboard so they can ultimately not send you half of what they claim you purchased. So shady.

  Business response

  03/06/2024

  Dear ******, 
  
  We sincerely apologize for the confusion and frustration youve experienced with your subscription and account dashboard. We understand how important it is to have clear visibility into your orders and subscriptions, and we want to address your concerns promptly. 
  
  Upon investigation, it appears that you have two different accounts associated with the same email address. The account youve been logging into was created on April 4th of 2018, and does not reflect your subscription history. However, there is another account, which we consider a guest account, created on January 13th of 2023, that contains all your order history and the most recent subscription activity.  
  
  In this guest account, we found that youve had six orders created, all for the same price of $88.31, except for the first one, which included two additional products and a free gift (Proactiv Green *** Moisturizer (3 fl oz/89 ml) Proactiv Clarifying Night Cream (2.5 fl oz/75 ml) and the Proactiv Pore Cleansing Brush). 
  
  We apologize for any confusion caused by the presence of multiple accounts. If you have any further questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your patience and understanding. 
  
  Warm regards, 
  
  ******* R 
  
  Corporate Escalation 
  
  Proactiv 

• Initial Complaint

  02/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Upon reading all the complaints against Proactiv they are all very similar. Bottom line: Proactiv practices in deceptive and disingenuous subscriptions plain and simple. This is no way to build a strong customer base, encourage referrals and establish CLV (customer lifetime value). I, like hundred of other former customers, was overcharged. I am requesting a refund from 2 previous charges as well as a cancellation in writing. I had to ask several times. I was given 2 cancellation dates which is telling me that the cancellations are not done when the customer requests it.Message to ********************** via **********************: Stop lying to customers and then apologizing for "miscommunication". It is not miscommunication - it is intentional. The correct way is to send emails to your customers BEFORE they are charged a subscription they never signed up for. This allows them to cancel BEFORE the charge. While this does not help Proactiv's books, it is the right way to treat your customer. *********************** banks on the customers who don't pay attention to their charges. You are also deceptive in listing Alchemee as the company. Alchemee does not respond to emails sent to them - further delaying unsubscribe attempts.BBB please work with the ************** of ******** Protection. You certainly have a case with more than 320 complaints filed and counting.

  Business response

  03/01/2024

  Dear *****, 

  We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with us. We understand the frustration youve experienced. 

  Upon reviewing your account, we found that when you placed your order (#********), you enrolled in a subscription service and accepted the terms outlined in the agreement. As part of our subscription model, first orders are eligible for a free gift, which in your case was the Treat Yourself Blemish Trio. The agreement also mentions that orders are divided into three installments, each charged 28 days apart. 

  Your first Installment was processed on January 25th of 2024, the same day your order was created. The second installment was charged on February 24th, and the third installment is scheduled for March 23rd. We want to clarify that this subscription model and payment schedule were agreed upon at the time of purchase.  

  However, as a gesture of goodwill from our company, we understand your concerns and have decided to refund the total amount charged, which is $48.22. Additionally, we will remove the remaining balance of $21.21 from your account. Rest assured, your subscription has been canceled, and no further orders will be shipped, nor will you be charged. 

  Your satisfaction is important to us, and we thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.  

  Warm regards, 

  ******* R 
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a subscription with Proactiv, and my account with them keeps saying I have a past-due payment. They have sent me four emails within the last two months with a link to click on to pay my bill. The link takes me to a screen showing that I have no payment required now. I don't understand why my payment didn't go through in the first place because my card is active, and I have no problem with it. I have called Proactiv several times, and they still have not resolved the issue with the payment. I've been begging them to accept my payment since January, and they keep saying their system is down. They also keep saying they are updating their system. I don't believe they are updating a system since December. I'm afraid they are lying to me. I'm super frustrated and don't understand why a company won't accept a payment. They even said in the email that they would send me to a collections agency. Is this a scam? I'm not sure what is going on. I'm tired of dealing with them, spending hours on the phone, and nothing is being done. All I want to do is pay my $69.90 bill and be done!! Can you please help me? I did cancel my subscription with them because I'm worried they will keep charging me.

  Business response

  03/01/2024

  Dear ******, 

  We sincerely apologize for the frustrations youve experienced regarding your subscription with us. We understand your concerns and want to address them thoroughly. 

  Upon Investigation, we found that the outstanding balance on your account corresponds to the 2nd and 3rd installments of order #********, created on October 23rd of 2023. Each installment is $34.95, and they are charged 28 days apart. We attempted to process these charges, but unfortunately, the card ending in 7399 ****** was declined due to an invalid account number. Its possible that you may have canceled or changed this card for various reasons, which led to the payment issues. 

  Regarding the balance discrepancy in our system, we are currently experiencing technical difficulties that inaccurately show zero balance for some customers. Rest assured, your balance is $69.90, and we are actively working to resolve this issue. Once resolved, you will receive an email confirming the resolution and allowing to process payment. 

  We genuinely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we appreciate your patience as we work to resolve these issues promptly. 

  Warm regards, 

  ******* R 
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

• Initial Complaint

  02/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received an email Sunday February 25th for an order being placed on February 26th for my next subscription almost a whole month early. I got in touch with "customer support" and told them I wanted to cancel that order and cancel my subscription due to the random billing they seemed to due and my son wasn't happy with it. They proceeded to try to get me to keep the account then wanted to know personal questions about my son's skin type. I had to tell ******* 3 times I just want to cancel the order and subscription and a refund of the $55.10 they charged for the early order. I was told they could not cancel the order because it was "already sent to the warehouse" that I would have to wait till I receive the order go pay to send it back and give them a tracking number to prove I was sending it back and that I wouldn't receive a refund until they got the order back. This seems like a very unlawful way to conduct business in my opinion, and to bill and send orders early without confirming with the customer is like a "we're low on money send a bunch of subscriptions early so we can ********************* of people" kind of move highly not satisfied with this company or its business practices.

  Business response

  02/28/2024

  Dear ******, 

  Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your recent experience with our subscription service. We sincerely apologize for any frustration or inconvenience caused, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. 

  Upon reviewing your account, we found that your last order was generated on December 9th, 2023, following our standard shipment frequency of 12 weeks. Typically, orders are created 5-7 days prior to ensure timely delivery by the 12th week, which is why your upcoming order was generated on February 25th, 2024. 

  However, we understand that this order may not have aligned with your expectations, and we sincerely apologize for any confusion it may have caused. Our intention is always to provide a seamless experience for our customers, and we regret any inconvenience caused by this discrepancy. 

  In light of your concerns and as a gesture of goodwill, we will be processing a refund for the amount of $55.10, which corresponds to the order charge, Additionally, we will be clearing out the balance of $69.90 from your account. 

  Thank you for your understanding. 

  Warm regards, 

  ******* R 
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

  Customer response

  02/28/2024

   
  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,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I wrote to proactiv in February of 2023, requesting a cancellation of my subscription. The representative was reluctant to cancel. I asked several times, and eventually they stated they would cancel it, but are sending me a free gift to try, as my reason for cancelling was the products were not working. Again, the representative told me my subscription was cancelled. 6 months later, I was billed in the amount of *****. I have since been receiving emails regarding this charge. I responded to one, stating I cancelled several months ago, and was billed long after that, and I do not owe them any more money. Now I'm getting emails threatening collections. I then went back to the Proactiv website, and explained the situation. That representative would not budge either, and I've attached the conversation. They do not keep a history of the chats, nor does the website.

  Business response

  02/22/2024

  Dear *********, 

  We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience youve experienced. Upon reviewing your case, we have processed a refund for the $40.42 charge and have cleared the pending balance of $49.90. Additionally, we have confirmed that your subscription has been canceled, so you will not receive any further payment or charges from us. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter. If you have any further questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to reach out to us. 

  Best Regards, 

  ******* R 
  Corporate Escalation 
  Proactiv 

  Customer response

  02/22/2024

   
  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,
  
  *******************************

*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. ↩