ComplaintsforVeterans Advantage, PBC

• Initial Complaint

  06/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  the incedent occured 05/31/2024 at 11:45pm. i tried to subscribe to ******** + and kept having brain issues with understanding what and why regarding the charges for differant coverages. i didnt notice it at first but every time id back up to review what was included my checkout ballance kept doubling. 2 days ago the total subscrition special totalled $25 which included my military card benefits plus $4.95 processing fee and my 4 family members. i didnt have that much in my bank so i had to wait and get moe into my bank. then tonight i tried to add the travel insurance but the 1st time it wanted $4.95 processing fee plus $4.95 for each member (5) plus $39.95 for the travel. i didnt add the correct email so i went back to fix it the fees changed to $39.95 per covered person and continued like this. so basiclly it started at $25 then $56 then $76 then $104 then $ 175 then $215 then $279. so i ******* the ******** and discovered it was a scam and many others had the same issues or very similar. i then noticed their claim that the bbb rating for them was A+. idk how that happened when their approval rating is only 1.71. lol hmmm

  

  Business response

  06/13/2024

  We are writing in response to the complaint filed by ******* ******* regarding his experience attempting to subscribe to ********+ on May 31, 2024. We take all customer feedback seriously and are committed to providing a transparent and positive experience for everyone interested in our services.

  
  We understand the customer's frustration with the perceived inconsistency in pricing during his subscription attempt. We apologize for any confusion and want to assure him and the Better Business Bureau that our pricing structure is clear and consistent.

  
  Here's a breakdown of our pricing:

  
  ********+ Annual (12 month) Subscription: $64.90 + $4.95 processing fee
  ********+ 30-Day Trial: $4.95 processing fee
  Optional Travel Insurance: $39.98 per covered person (this is an optional add-on and is not included in the base subscription cost)

  
  Although we cannot know for certain, our tech team believes that Mr. ******* may have inadvertently added and removed the travel insurance option to his subscription multiple times, which could explain the fluctuating prices he encountered. Having said that, our website is designed to clearly display the cost of each option before proceeding to checkout. We have recently purchased a service that will allow us to track each of our customer’s movements on our website. Unfortunately, that service was not available for Mr. *******’s experience on ********.****

  
  We continuously strive to improve our services and our customers’ experiences. Our CEO, Scott H*****s, personally reached out to Mr. ******* to discuss his experience with ********. Mr. H*****s offered Mr. ******* a complimentary one-year ********+ subscription as a gesture of goodwill and in recognition of his frustrating experience with us. Mr. ******* accepted this offer and also stated that he would rescind his complaint.

  
  We value the Better Business Bureau's role in fostering trust between businesses and consumers and appreciate the opportunity to respond to this complaint. We are committed to providing excellent service to our military community and their families. We consider this matter to be fully resolved.
  

  
  

  

  Business response

  06/14/2024

  Date Sent: 6/13/2024 8:41:26 PM
  

  We are writing in response to the complaint filed by ******* ******* regarding his experience attempting to subscribe to ********+ on May 31, 2024. We take all customer feedback seriously and are committed to providing a transparent and positive experience for everyone interested in our services.

  
  We understand the customer's frustration with the perceived inconsistency in pricing during his subscription attempt. We apologize for any confusion and want to assure him and the Better Business Bureau that our pricing structure is clear and consistent.

  
  Here's a breakdown of our pricing:

  
  ********+ Annual (12 month) Subscription: $64.90 + $4.95 processing fee
  ********+ 30-Day Trial: $4.95 processing fee
  Optional Travel Insurance: $39.98 per covered person (this is an optional add-on and is not included in the base subscription cost)

  Customer response

  06/14/2024

  Please delete my complaint against them as they did reply immediately and gave me a 1yr free premium membership and are fixing the system error that caused it. So I'm more than completely satisfied with the outcome. Again please delete my complaint. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Signed up for 30-day trial. Never authorized 12-month renewal at$ 63.90. No emails I have sent have answered. No answer to phone number.

  

  Business response

  04/12/2024

  We thank the BBB for bringing this matter to our attention. Our trial subscription does automatically renew to our annual plan if not cancelled within the 30 day trial period. This is disclosed upon signing up for the 30 day trial. Mr. ****** did not cancel his trial within the 30 day trial plan, and so he was charged for an annual WeSalute+ plan on 3/21/24. Mr ****** did contact us to cancel and refund the annual plan on that same day. Our agent did assist him in a timely matter, and he was sent an email confirmation of cancelation and refund by 5:10pmEST on Thursday March 21st, 2024. We do consider this matter to be fully resolved.

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  While searching online for Veterans Discounts I saw an offer to join WeSalute for free. They made it seem like I would get a free ID card to show merchants that I was a Military Veteran without having to show my drivers license with my personal information. After joining I asked how I could get the ID card and was told to pay for that annually

  

  Business response

  04/12/2024

  
  Thank you to the BBB for bringing this matter to our attention. WeSalute does offer two types of subscription plans. One being our free subscription that allows our members access to our “WeSalute” partner offers. Our WeSalute offers are published as a benefits resource for the military community. If our members chose to upgrade to our premium subscription they may access our exclusive offers listed, and be issued a WeSalute+ card. Mr. ********* did reach out to us in regard to this matter, and was advised by one of our customer service agents that he is welcome to upgrade to an annual WeSalute+ plan to receive a physical card. Our team reviewed a screenshot that Mr. ********* provided, in which he was under the impression that we had advertised a card at no cost. After our team had reviewed this screenshot we decided that it was a page advertising our premium WeSalute+ subscription, rather than our free subscription. We have reached out to Mr. ********* to let him know that we are upgrading his account at no cost for this misunderstanding and our team is diligently reviewing our website to make it more clear what is included with our free WeSalute subscription as well as our paid WeSalute+ subscription. We consider this matter fully resolved and we thank the Better Business Bureau for their assistance.

  Customer response

  04/12/2024

  
  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

  12/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  So in our new fancy smancy digital age I lost my DD-214 in a fire the government sent me a digital copy that's the only way they were able to get it to me they can't send me an actual copy this place wants a physical copy that's physically impossible so because of that I can't even get military benefits or anything from this place the system that they use doesn't allow the size of my DD214 to be placed on there so it's a dang sham if your stuff isn't hard copy go elsewhere

  

  Business response

  12/19/2023

  Thank you to the BBB for bringing this matter to our attention. On 12/19/23 Mr. ******** did create an account on our website and started the verification process. As apart of our account set up process, we ask that all of our members verify their military affiliation, and identity. Mr. ******** did complete the military affiliation verification process by passing a quiz, as well as sending in a the digital copy of his DD-214 as mentioned above. However, we needed Mr. ******** to complete the identity verification process. This is completed by uploading a real time photo of a government issued ID, and a selfie style photo to our secure verify application. Mr. ******** reached out to our customer service team where our agents Gwendolyn, and Madelyn explained this process to Mr. ********. Both agents also conveyed that we did not need to see his DD-214 any longer, but needed an identity verification document. After this correspondence we did get notification that Mr. ******** did login to his account, and complete the process as described to him by our agents. According to our records Mr. ******** has successfully completed both of our identity and military affiliation verification process, thus completing the account set up process. We consider this matter to be fully resolved, and we thank the BBB for their assistance in this matter.

  Customer response

  12/20/2023

  
  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

  11/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Did not use Veterans Advantage last year. Received receipt for billing renewal. Said renewal could be cancelled within 10 days. Responded but told non- cancelable. Wrote back asking for no auto billing for next year. Will live with this year, but I no future bills or auto bill or auto billing.

  

  Business response

  12/11/2023

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. On 11/11/22 Mr. **** signed up for an annual VetRewards subscription, and entered in a card to have on file for future renewals. Once charged, our membership fees are normally non-refundable. Due to this policy, we send out an email reminder a week before we automatically renew any subscription. On 11/4/23 we sent out an email reminder to Mr. **** letting him know that his subscription was set to renew soon. On 11/11/23 Mr. ****** VetRewards membership did renew, and his card on file was charged for his annual membership fee.We did not receive any correspondence regarding cancellation from Mr. **** until 11/23/23. At this point his VetRewards account had already been renewed, and the payment had processed. Our agent informed him of the above mentioned policy. Mr. **** then responded with indication that he was dissatisfied with our policy. Our agent then refunded and cancelled Mr. ****** subscription and notified Mr. **** accordingly. We consider this matter to be fully resolved, and we thank the BBB for their assistance in this matter.

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I paid for a 1 year membership with Veterans Advantage. one week before the end of my 1 year membership I received notification it would be automatically renewed on 11/10/23. I had never used any of their benefits during the year so using the link provided in their message I cancelled the renewal well in advance of the renewal date. I received confirmation that my message had been sent and also received an email from them that they were sorry to see me go. On 11/11/2023 they charged my bank card for the full amount of renewal. I want a refund of $64.90.

  Customer response

  11/13/2023

  The organization has informed me they are refunding the money in 5 to 7 days. 

  

  Business response

  11/22/2023

  Thank you for bringing *** *****’s concerns to our attention. On 11/11/22 *** ***** signed up for an annual VetRewards subscription. On 11/3/23 we received an email from *** ***** indicating that he wished to cancel his membership. When we opened after being closed during the weekend on 11/6/23, our agent, Madelyn, replied to his request inquiring about why he wished to cancel his membership, as well as offering to apply a coupon to his upcoming renewal.We never received a reply to this email, and so *** *****’s account was renewed and the card on file was charged for his annual renewal fee on 11/11/23. That same day, *** ***** emailed us again indicating intent of cancelation. We replied as soon as we opened again on 11/13/23. We have refunded *** *****’s membership fee, as well as canceled his account. We consider this matter to be fully resolved, and we thank the BBB for their assistance in this matter. 

  Customer response

  11/22/2023

  I have reviewed the response you received from the business. They have refunded the money charged to my account. I am satisfied with this. What concern me is that after  I informed them of my wish to cancel, they charged me anyway This appears to be somewhat unscrupulous. I did receive an email offering a discount and did not respond as I had already expressed my desire to cancel. It in no way indicated that no response meant I wished to continue. Had that been true it seems they would have renewed my account and applied a discount and they did not. I do not consider their actions ethical and feel that others might review their practices and consider this before enrolling with them. I am satisfied that they did refund the money and will have no further dealings with them. 

  Customer response

  11/22/2023

  
  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.
  Date Sent: 11/22/2023 1:30:03 PM
  I have reviewed the response you received from the business. They have refunded the money charged to my account. I am satisfied with this. What concern me is that after  I informed them of my wish to cancel, they charged me anyway This appears to be somewhat unscrupulous. I did receive an email offering a discount and did not respond as I had already expressed my desire to cancel. It in no way indicated that no response meant I wished to continue. Had that been true it seems they would have renewed my account and applied a discount and they did not. I do not consider their actions ethical and feel that others might review their practices and consider this before enrolling with them. I am satisfied that they did refund the money and will have no further dealings with them. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Signed upo for a membership as I saw they offered 20% off at *** as well as 5% off on ******** **** I am planning a vacation and regularly use ***, and these are two stoers who do not offer an everyday veteran discount so I thought it was a great deal through Vets Advantage. Neither website gave me a discount from Vets Advantage. The *** code does not work or is not recognized at ***, the ******** *** link does not give you 5% off. The only discounts on their website that actually work are either public knowledge and do not require a paid subscription or can be linked for free though a legitimate discount site ID.me. This is a bait and switch website who takes advantage of vets. IID.me is a free website which offers most of the same discounts and is 100% FREE. Vets Advantage should not advertise discounts that do not work or should provide a link to report issues on their site

  

  Business response

  11/22/2023

  Thank you for bringing Mrs. ********** concerns to our attention. Mrs. ******** joined our VetRewards program on 11/5/23 under our monthly membership plan. She attempted to redeem two of our partner offers with no luck. We have identified both of the partner offers she was attempting to redeem as offers that experienced brief outages during the time of her registration.
  
  Our customer service department was never contacted by Mrs. ******** requesting any assistance with redeeming these two partner offers. We have since corrected any issues we were experiencing with the partner offers, and both of the offers Mrs. ******** was attempting to redeem are back up and running as intended. We have contacted Mrs.******** to inform her of such. Additionally we understand that Mrs. ******** signed up for a VetRewards membership and expected to redeem a few of our partner offers in hopes of saving money. To apologize for any inconvenience the brief outages caused, we have reached out and gifted her (1) year of VetRewards. We have contacted Mrs. ******** with this news, and as of 11/16/23 we have not received a response. We consider this matter fully resolved, and we appreciate the BBB’s assistance. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Details -October 1st, 2023 -paid 64.90 - Military Discount to ***** ******* *** - How they have set up their website makes it seem as if you are accepting the discount from the business, you are inquiring about. The page I went to has a button on the Adobe page saying "Yes, Redeem My Offer" The issue is after you click it you sign up. After that if you click the button again it brings you to a page to purchase what looks like the adobe plan. (This is not the first site that lets you pay for membership outside of the main website. IE google, Apple also do this) once I realized what I had done (the checkout page had a notice where if you cancelled within 14 days you could get a full refund) I went to my account page and cancelled it. This made it so I would not get charged again in 1 year. not a refund for a company I was not trying to pay. (The checkout page said nothing about what service I was paying for) - The business did nothing, once I found out that I would not get a refund after I cancelled the membership. I sent an email request to get refunded due to the nature of the checkout procedure. They then said in other words "No you have membership until October first, 2024." - The issue was caused solely by how they designed the checkout process. If one of two options happened this would have been easily avoided. Option A, have ALL check out buttons on all pages when you are not a paying member say must be a paid member to use this service. Option B, have the name of what you’re checking out for on the checkout page. - I am attaching the invoice and the webpage. The invoice shows how there is no title to their description. Also, if I am buying something from one place to another, I understand the processing fee. If I am buying something from your website, I do not expect a processing fee because it should be worked into the cost of what I am buying. I sent an email saying I would have the bank charge back the fund but I will wait for BBB to work this out.

  Customer response

  10/02/2023

  They sent me a refund today after I got your notice you sent them a message. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/29/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up to the vet advantage program and it is * ***** ** ****. convoluted and hard to use. i tried to use it and got nowhere. i want my money back

  

  Business response

  11/15/2023

  One of our Customer Service Representatives, Maddy, reached out to help Mr. **** access the benefits provided through our VetRewards program.  She spoke with him on October 6, 2023 and he told her that the BBB review he left was incorrect and that he was going to remove it. We shared the BBB contact information with him.  We consider this matter to be fully resolved to Mr. ****** satisfaction.

• Initial Complaint

  03/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Initially tried to use their program, vet rewards, for a discounted airline ticket through ******** ******** for a sign up fee of $5.00. Signed up assuming it was an easy straight forward process that would lower my ticket price as advertised on their website, but it never worked. So I called and gave them my Veterans Advantage member # *********** to see if I was doing it wrong, they said no, that was the only way to input it on the airline's website through their website. It never worked after several hours so I decided to move on and cancel the membership. Being active duty, I didn't go back to check on it until I got charged the next month of $75.00. I contacted their customer service department via their phone center and they told me there was nothing that could be done even after I explained that I never could use their website discount prior, never visited their site again. This is all super frustrating since I am in a foreign country on active duty for the ** *** *****.

  

  Business response

  03/27/2023

  Thank you for bringing Mr. ********* concerns to our attention.  Our records show that Mr. ******* joined the Veterans Advantage VetRewards program with a 30 day trial membership on 11/28/22.
  Mr. ********* mother called our Customer Service support line that same day and spoke with one of our representatives, Maddy, to get assistance with booking discounted flights via ******** ********.  Maddy gave Ms. ******* detailed information on how to redeem the discount. 

  
  We heard nothing more, and the trial membership was converted to a one year plan on 12/28/22.  On 01/02/23 Mr. ******* went online and removed his account from automatic renewal. Then on 01/15/23 we received an email from him stating that “I forgot to unsubscribe before the renewal came through, is there any way I can get a refund?”  Maddy received this email and replied back the next day explaining that the renewal was not refundable as stated in the Terms of Service, however, she was able to offer a discount of 25% off.  Mr. ******* never replied.

  
  We understand that Mr. ******* is on active duty and is stationed outside of the country, making it difficult for him to manage his subscription.  We have refunded the charge of $64.90 for the annual subscription that was charged on 12/28/22.  We consider this matter to be fully resolved and we appreciate the BBB’s assistance.
  
  

  Customer response

  03/30/2023

  
  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. ↩