Complaints

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/17/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Feb 5th, I submitted paperwork to receive my birth certificate from **********, ***********Vital Records said that I would receive my birth certificate within 1-3 buisness days.Please read what they advertise on their website, and I paid ****** to have it expedited along with all the other fees that this company charges.After all of the paperwork was sent in, I received a letter telling me that I had to fill out all of the paperwork again (10 days later).I called them and they told me that my application had been received but that it would be 30 days before I received my birth certificate from **********. I questioned the expediting and they said they could not help how long it took the state to send it out. So why did I pay an expediting fee??Please do not use this company, read all of the reviews because I wished I had!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/25/2025

  We're sorry to hear that you were unhappy with our service. We have reviewed your application, and a full refund was processed on February 19th.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/12/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 16 Dec 24 I went online to Vital Records to request a marriage certificate from the state of **************. I used my credit card to pay for the service $41.00. This was cleared on my credit card on 17 Dec 24. After about four weeks I had not received the certificate. I checked Vital Records Online it listed my order as completed. I called Vital Records online ************ asking for status. They tell me the application was validated on 17 Dec 24. It was then sent to South Carolina *********** on 20 Dec and the *********** had 4-6 weeks processing time. 31 Jan 25 was six weeks. I called Vital Records and was told I had to give them mail time. On 7 Feb still not received called Vital Records again told to give two weeks mail ********** 12 Feb it has been 10 weeks. Called Vital Records today was told for a third time I have to give mail time. I asked for a refund. I was told they do not give refunds. I told them I was reporting them to *********************** today I have no marriage certificate to get a real ID. I am out $41.00 and no one at Vital Records will do anything to help me. They offered a service, I paid for that service, no marriage certificate for my money. And they will not refund my money. This is bad business practice. I would like my marriage certificate or a refund of my money.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/19/2025

  Your application was received by the ******************************** on 12/20/24. Our records indicate that the money order was cashed on 02/05/25. It appears that the ***************** is experiencing a backlog in processing applications. As a courtesy, we have issued a refund.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/25/2025

  Vital Records has refunded me the $41.00 that I paid them in December.    I am happy with the outcome and I appreciate the BBBs help in this matter.

  I did want to note that the money order being cashed on 2 Feb 25 which was referenced in Vital Recrds reply was a money order I sent directly to the South ************* of Health when I went directly to them to get my marriage license.   The marriage license I requested directly from SC **** of Health was received by me in the mail 8 days after I had mailed my request.  The statement that SC **** of Health is backed up is not true.   Vital Records online is a shady organization and I will never use them again.

   

  again thanks for getting me a refund for goods not received.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/11/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I placed an order for my birth certificate on *******, I have the confirmation email with that date, also my bank records show the money was deducted that day as well. I understood, at the time, that it would take NYS quite some time to produce this document, but did not realize that the projected processing time was 20-24-weeks. THAT information was not available until AFTER I paid. I contacted this company a couple times, they claim they didn't "process" my order until October... 3 MONTHS AFTER THEY TOOK THE MONEY. They had zero accountability when I asked why it was taking so long and to be honest, were quite rude. As if it were MY fault no one did a thing until October. Long story short, it has been 7 MONTHS since they charged me for this birth certificate. I got in my car yesterday and drove the 7 hours to get another from the city I was born in. I have provided the confirmation email stating I placed AND PAID for my order on 7/24/24. I can provide proof of the transaction through my bank as well if need be.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/12/2025

  Your application was mailed and received by the *****************. Our check (#******) for $30, payable to the ***********************************, was cashed on October 7th, confirming that your application was processed and sent out. However, since a trackable return envelope was not purchased, we are unable to determine the delivery date of your certificate. As a courtesy, we will process a refund.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/12/2025

   
  Complaint: 22928108
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I dont know who responded to this but your company FULLY refunded my money because NONE of what you stated in the response is true. None of my $59 was ever sent to *** to pay for my birth certificate. I am pleased with the outcome, with the refund, but not with this response, as it is inaccurate.

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

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/12/2025

  Please close this complaint, I have been fully refunded

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/10/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I thought I was paying to get a certified copy of my birth certificate I paid extra to have the birth certificate sent by fed ex in two days It was over $60 dollars. On February 10, 2025 after waiting all day, I received no birth certificate just a piece of paper telling me how to order a birth certificate I called ************ and was told a refund would be processed and I would receive an email confirmation regarding the refund Order number: VRO1746141 I received nothing in writing regarding a refund This website should be shut down. These people are crooks.I immediately went online to the County clerks office and paid again to get a certified copy of my birth certificate

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/11/2025

  Your refund was successfully processed on February 10th as requested.  You should have received an automated email advising you of your refund. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/05/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was charged $115 for expedited service to obtain my birth certificate. I never received anything and the State does not have any record of the request. I REGRET ever using this service. It is a scam.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2025

  We received your signed application on February 3rd and reviewed all the provided information and documentation to ensure it met state requirements. Upon receiving this complaint, we pulled the application from outgoing mail and initiated the refund process.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/10/2025

  The date of application is January 15 not February 3, for clarification.  While refunding me is THE only fair thing to do given their poor ( non-existent ) service level   it does not address the inconvenience and stress Ive endured.  I urgently needed this service and they were irresponsible and deceptive in their practices.  Similar comments have been documented and their rating should be evaluated more closely.  It took 1 business day for VitalChek to provide my birth certificate.  I think that other consumers should be warned about their poor service.  Consumers should be aware that their business name is often confused with VitalChek which is directly linked to each State to obtain records.  I wish Id never contacted them. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/31/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Sunday, January 26th, 2025 I placed an order for a replacement marriage certificate and paid the extra money to have it expedited. The website claims that this can take up to 7 days, which is fairly standard. On Tuesday, January 28th, 2025 I received a packet asking for personal information to verify my identity, no problem there. However, as I was reading the documentation it stated that I would have to also include a $20 payment when sending the document. I thought the $48 payment I sent would have covered that and sent them an e-mail to clarify if that was indeed the case. I have yet to receive any correspondence from the company. Additionally, the time tracking on their website states that my order wouldn't actually get to me until February 21st; what happened to 7 days? The document is coming to me from only a couple of cities over, why would it take 21+ days? I went on to start reading about the company and it turns out that when you look up vital statistics they're the first company returned, even though Vitalchek is the one that allows tracking and order information through the state health department, not Vitals Online. Additional resources I used describe the company as being very unethical, overpriced, and unresponsive. I can attest to all 3. I would like a refund as I decided to go with the reputable company.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/03/2025

  The estimated processing time of 7-10 days begins once the health department receives an application, and orders are processed in the order they are received. Our records indicate that you have not yet mailed your application to the health department, making you eligible for a full refund.
  We have now processed your refund request. Please allow 5-7 business days for the funds to reflect in your account.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/31/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was trying to request a copy of my birth certificate from ************, I live in ******** now, and I wasnt sure how to request birth certificate from out of state. I knew that the office of vital records deals with birth certificates, and when I searched the Pennsylvania office of records, this website came up. I fully believed that I was requesting a birth certificate copy from the *********************************, but after paying for this service and doinga little more research, I realized that this was not the *********************************. I am very upset because when you request a copy ofyour birth certificate, you have to provide identity documentation. So I sent my W-2s and my bank statement in order to verify my identity. Both of these documents have very sensitive information and now I am terrified that my bank accounts are compromised because I truly thought that I was on the ****************************** legitimate website but I was not. I called their ************************************************************************************************************ to leave a message with my order number. I left a message and I also sent an email to their support email address requesting full refund. I am requesting a full refund as well as for all of my personal information and records to be completely deleted off of the database.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/31/2025

  Our records show that your order was submitted last night at 9:30pm. While our phone lines are available 24/5, our overnight staff is limited. We received your emails at 12:05 AM and 12:15 AM and responded this morning at 8:24 AM, informing you that a full refund had been processed.  We will not share, lease, or sell your personal identification information.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/31/2025

   
  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

  Date:01/25/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered from vro on 11/1 and paid for expedited birth certificate with extra shipping for express mailing. They sent it on 11/13 to ****************, with a 6 to 8 week processing time. I had sent them a couple of messages asking where my order was and if I could get a tracking number. I only got a generic generated response that it takes 6 to 8 weeks. It's been 10 weeks so I went to the ********************************** sight to contact them directly and the only company that is contracted with them is vital check. So I sent vro a request for my money back and to cancel order as their sight says 90 day 100% refund if not satisfied. They sent a response that someone would contact me. Hadn't heard back, so I ordered through the ********************************** uses on Friday 1/24 and it has already shipped. Vro is terrible with communication no matter how many times you send them a message, they never responded to my questions about where my order was or a tracking number for me. They take your money which we don't have alot of, promise a quick turn around time and after you order get the message it will **** * to 8 weeks. We need my husband's birth certificate to get a maine drivers license before his birthday and I told them this in a message of course I got a generic response. That's why I went with another company. I feel ripped off by them.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/27/2025

  Were sorry to hear you were dissatisfied with the service you received. Your application was processed and mailed to the ****************** According to our records, check #****** was cashed on 11/13, indicating that your order should have been processed and your certificate issued. However, since a trackable return label was not purchased, we are unable to verify if there were any issues with the mail after the ***************** processed your order. As a courtesy, we have refunded your application fee.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/29/2025

   
  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

  Date:01/17/2025

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I ordered a birth certificate and have been having an absolute horrible time receiving what I've paid for.There were phone calls that I'd also had with various employees and no supervisor to talk to for any of the 4 or so calls. There were questions on where I was told that addresses must match (nowhere) there were questions on where it states how mail would be accepted (there is direction in the email but apparently mine was not what they were looking for). If you look at the email you can see that the requirement of current address status is largely vague and redundant.for example read the 3rd stipulation in the email prompt: "If the applicant does not have any of the above alternate documentation, two pieces of current mail to verify name and address are acceptable." This stipulation is written after the words "MUST" in the 2 previous stipulations, thus making the direction very vague.I would like a refund.Uploading the entirety of the email exchanges.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/27/2025

  Each state has specific ** requirements to verify identity. In ************, the ** you provide must include your current address (************************************************************************************************************). When we received your ** without the current address, we promptly emailed you with a list of acceptable alternatives but did not receive a response. Additionally, your refund request was submitted after the 120-day industry standard timeframe. I will do my best to process the refund, but please note that the credit card company may decline it due to their own processing requirements.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/06/2025

   
  Complaint: 22825313
  
  I am rejecting this response because: bad business practice, refund
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Ty Cloak

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2025

  We have done everything possible. The customer did not provide the state-required documents, so the full application has been refunded.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/14/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  To Whom It May Concern,I am submitting this escalated complaint against Vital Records Online due to their failure to deliver a certified birth certificate and process a promised refund. I paid $189 for a certified copy of a birth certificate from the state of *********** in January 07. Despite numerous follow-ups, the document was never delivered.After contacting their support team, I was assured a refund would be processed. However, more than a week have passed, and no refund has been issued. When I followed up again, I was simply told to check with my bank, which is not a resolution to this issue.This delay and lack of accountability are unacceptable. I am requesting immediate intervention to ensure my refund of $189 is processed without further delay.Thank you for addressing this matter promptly.Sincerely,Charize

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2025

  The customer did not have the certificate in hand when placing the Apostille order. A full refund has been processed, and we have already provided her with the details of the refund. If she has not received it, she will need to contact her bank using the information we provided.