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:11/17/2022

  Type:Billing 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.

  Classmates.com charged me $60.00 for a recurring subscription, that I Never authorized. They stole money from my Debit card, and I want it returned. - - *************** - *********************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2022

  Complaint #: 18431758
  Consumer:***************
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by ************ regarding his Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified ************ of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  *********** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on October 28, 2021. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase,************ was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable, that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged $48.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. *********** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the standard 1-year membership purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service at the time ************ made his purchased stated:
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below,at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:
  Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ************ would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained *************** membership registration number, the amount ************ paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to his renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the gear icon in the top portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account,including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder. A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this reminder to ************ on September 18, 2022 to the email address associated with his account, which is listed as ********************** A copy of the email send history from Classmates to ************ showing the date that the automatic renewal email reminder was sent to ************ is attached for your review.
  
  This reminder email provided information that his 1-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on October 28, 2022 unless he changed his renewal status prior to his renewal date and that the full price of a 1-year membership renewal was increasing from $48.00 to $60.00 starting with his next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification -Price Change for Your Classmates+ Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, ************ did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and,as a result, his membership was renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $60.00 on October 28, 2022, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his initial purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. Additionally, ************ has utilized his paid membership benefits since his membership term renewed for an additional term.
  
  I can confirm ************ has been removed from the automatic renewal program and his paid membership subscription has been placed in manual renewal. His paid membership subscription will therefore lapse on October 28, 2023 and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to his payment method unless he proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve **************** complaint. Should your office or ************ have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/03/2022

   I reject.  This how this crooked company never pays any money back.  I NEVER enrolled in the first place - period!  This is a SCAM,  and they make millions ripping off people. 
  Complaint: 18431758
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/16/2022

  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.

  Classmates took $18 from my cash app card that I didn't authorize

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2022

  Complaint number: 18411917
  Consumer name: ***************************
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by ****************** in connection with her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that these fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified ***************** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  On August 16, 2022, ****************** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership in the amount of $9.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, ****************** was specifically notified that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged the full membership price of $18.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her automatic renewal preference at any time. ****************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of this offer page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below,at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ****************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained ********************** membership registration number, the amount ****************** paid for her paid membership, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located in the top portion of the webpage underneath the gear icon.  When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page.  Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account,including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  According to our records, ****************** did not contact Classmates or change her renewal settings to manual renewal prior to her renewal date and, as a result, her membership was renewed on November 16, 2022, in accordance with the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her initial purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy, however, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided ****************** with a one-time refund of her last membership fee in the amount of $18.00 on November 18, 2022. ****************** should note this refund on her physical billing statement within the next 30 to 60 days (or sooner if she banks online) depending on her financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policy. Ms. ******** Classmates account is now a free basic Classmates membership, she will not be charged for any additional membership subscription fees unless she proactively purchases another Classmates+ paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ******** complaint. Should your office or ****************** have any questions or need additional information,please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/15/2022

  Type:Billing 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 have been automatically charged $96.00 for a 2 year membership for Classmates.com. This should have been set as "manual" subscription and not automatic. Paypal informed me I was being charged on October 14 2022. I tried to stop this charge and noticed on October 15 2022, the money was taken from my bank account anyway. I don't want this membership. I want my $96.00 back. Invoice ID ****************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2022

  Complaint #: 18405269
  Consumer:***************************
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by ****************** regarding his Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified ****************** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  ***************** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 2-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on November 14, 2020. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase,****************** was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable, that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged $72.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. ***************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the standard 2-year membership purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service at the time ****************** made his 2020 purchased stated:
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below,at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:
  

  Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  

  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ****************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained ********************************* membership registration number, the amount ****************** paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to his renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the gear icon in the top portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account,including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder. A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this reminder to ****************** on October 5, 2022 to the email address associated with his account, which is listed as ******************** A copy of the email send history from Classmates to ****************** showing the date that the automatic renewal email reminder was sent to ****************** is attached for your review.
  
  This reminder email provided information that his 2-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on November 14, 2022 unless he changed his renewal status prior to his renewal date and that the full price of a 2-year membership renewal was increasing from $72.00 to $96.00 starting with his next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification -Price Change for Your Classmates+ Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, ****************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and, as a result, his membership was renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $96.00 on November 14, 2022, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his 2020 purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided ****************** with a one-time refund in the amount of $96.00 on November 18, 2022. ****************** should note this refund in his PayPal account within the next 5 10 days depending on PayPals internal refund policies. Mr. ******** Classmates account has reverted to a free Classmates membership. ****************** will not be charged any additional membership subscription fees unless he proactively purchases a future paid membership subscription.
  
  This information should successfully resolve ********************************* complaint. Should your office or ****************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/04/2022

   
  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:11/09/2022

  Type:Billing 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.

  This company has a predatory payment system that automatically renews each year by default without a prior reminder or Email, and turns out that this feature must be sought out and changed by the user without any prior experience on their website.They seek out and take advantage of an emotional purchase and bury it within the excitement of reuniting people from long ago along with making it super convenient to use your Amazon payment method, which may be legal, but is arguably unethical to say the least.After discovering this is a recurring charge, I called Amazon and the operator was very helpful to cancel this order, and even sending an email request to have the charge refunded. Turns out that they have a "no refunds" policy (again ethically questionable). I will now have my bank reverse the charges, but having to do so is an inconvenience that would certainly motivate me to go out of my way to let others know to avoid this trap.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2022

  Complaint #: 18381180
  Consumer:*******************************
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by ********************** regarding his Classmates+paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified ********************** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  ********************* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on November 9, 2021. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase,********************** was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable,that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged $48.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Accountportion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. ********************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the standard 1-year membership purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service at the time ********************* made his purchased stated:
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:
  
  Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  

  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ********************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained ************************** membership registration number, the amount ********************** paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to his renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the gear icon in the top portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account,including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder. A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this reminder to ********************* on September 30, 2022 to the email address associated with his account,which is listed as [email protected] copy of the email send history from Classmates to ********************** showing the date that the automatic renewal email reminder was sent to ********************** is attached for your review.
  
  This reminder email provided information that his 1-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on November 9, 2022 unless he changed his renewal status prior to his renewal date and that the full price of a 1-year membership renewal was increasing from $48.00 to $60.00 starting with his next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification - Price Change for Your Classmates+ Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, ********************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and, as a result, his membership was renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $60.00 on November 9, 2022, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his initial purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm ********************* has been removed from the automatic renewal program and his paid membership subscription has been placed in manual renewal. His paid membership subscription will therefore lapse on November 9, 2023 and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to his payment method unless he proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve ************************** complaint. Should your office or ********************** have any questions or need additional information,please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/30/2022

   
  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:11/08/2022

  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.

  My wife (***************************, ******************** signed up for a Classmates.com membership November 5, 2021. She intended it only as a one-time subscription. On November 5, 2022 (a Saturday) we noticed a $60 charge from Classmates. There was no way to contact them on a weekend so we called on Monday, November 7. We requested cancellation and refund. They said 'No". Their policy is not to refund.If you look at the complaints on your own website, we are not the only customer who were automatically renewed unexpectedly. By the way, my wife is 78 years old. It wouldn't be hard to buy something in the fine print and have her not pick it up.Again, based on the number of complaints on your own website, Classmate practices are at best deceptive. Please help us get a refund of $60 fee covering Nov 5 2022-Nov 5 2023.And also, relook at your A+ rating.Thank you,*******************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2022

  Complaint number: 18373900
  Consumer name: *******************
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by **************** on behalf of his spouse, ***************************, in connection with her paid Classmates+ membership subscription.  
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified the account holder of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  **************** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership on November 5, 2020 in the amount of $24.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, **************** was notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged $48.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal preference at any time. *************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the standard purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service at the time **************** made her initial purchase stated:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below,at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:
  
             Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account &Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  
  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, **************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account.This email contained the ****************** registration number, the amount she paid for her paid membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to the end of her renewal term.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the gear icon in the top portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal,they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Since May 2017, Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder. A review of our email logs indicates **************** received her most recent automatic renewal email reminder on September 26, 2022 to the email address associated with her account, ******************** A copy of the email send history from Classmates to **************** showing the date that the automatic renewal email reminder was sent to **************** is attached for your review.
  
  This reminder email provided information that her 1-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on November 5, 2022 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date and that the full price of a 1-year membership renewal was increasing from $48.00 to $60.00 starting with her next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification - Price Change for Your Classmates+ Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, **************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and, as a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $60.00 on November 5, 2022 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she initially agreed to during her initial 2020 purchase. 
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that her paid subscription has been removed from the automatic renewal program and placed in manual renewal. ****************** paid membership subscription will lapse on November 5, 2023, and will then revert to a free Classmates membership account. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to her account unless she proactively purchases a future paid membership subscription.
  
  Should your office or Mr. and ***************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/07/2022

   
  Complaint: 18373900
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There are three objections I have to the way Classmates handled our case: 
   
  1.  Auto renewal was not opt in.  
  2.  Auto renewal was not presented clearly in the follow-**.  ** the follow-up they provided as evidence that we had been notified, the mention of auto renewal was in the fine print, not the body of the message.
  3.  One should be able to cancel a subscription within a few days after the renewal date.  In-home sales, for example, one has ***** days depending on state.   That Classmates would not let us cancel on the next business day after the renewal charge is at best customer unfriendly. 
   
  I am going to attempt to work through  FTC/Consumer Protection and with my state legislature to have the following changes made in the rules:
   
  1. Auto renewal should be an unambiguous opt-in box to check and should be  clearly noted in confirmation messages.
  2. A clear unambiguous notice of renewal must emailed a reasonable amount of time (e.g.,two weeks?) before the renewal.  Auto renewal should be prominently mentioned as well as the method for cancelling it.
  3. Any subscription can be canceled within 5 business days of the renewal/charge date for full refund.
   
  I'm not alone.  Check out this article.  https://www.protocol.com/policy/auto-renewing-subscription-laws
   
  Does BBB judge only on the letter of the company policy or do you try to lead  in terms of fairness, ethics and curbing abuse?  I hope you read the link I sent and get out in front on this.
   
  Thank you,
   
  *******************
  

  
  

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/04/2022

  Type:Billing 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.

  This is an auto-renew problem which is why I always refuse anything that leads to an auto-renew charge. I had this on my calendar to review before auto-renew but missed it until the day after the charge of $18. I called that day and asked for a refund but they said no, even though I had not used it and would not be using it during the next 3 months. I asked for a supervisor and she (*******) also denied my request. For them to treat poor people that way is unconscionable and should be known by all.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2022

  Complaint number: 18359124
  Consumer name: *****************************
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by **************** regarding his Classmates paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified **************** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  On August 3, 2022, **************** purchased an introductory discounted 50% 3 month automatically renewing paid membership subscription in the amount of $9.00. Prior to completing his purchase, **************** was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable and that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged $18.00 for each renewal and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal status at any time. **************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the standard 3-month purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  Shortly thereafter, **************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained ******************** membership registration number, the amount **************** paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to his renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located in the top portion of the webpage underneath the gear icon.  When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page.  Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  According to our records, **************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and, as a result, his membership was renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $18.00 on November 3, 2022 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his initial paid membership subscription purchase.
  
  According to the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided **************** a refund in the amount of $18.00 on November 11, 2022. **************** should note this refund on his physical billing statement within the next 30 to 60 days depending on his financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policies. His Classmates account has reverted to a free, basic membership.
  
  Should your office or **************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/03/2022

  Type:Billing 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 received an email from my credit card company about possible fraudulent with dates charge submitted, credit card furnished a phone number *************) to contact to have charge cancelled. I contacted Classmates.com at this number, Classmates indicated they sent me an email that they were going to renew my membership, I did not receive the email,I would have cancelled any charges they were going to charge.I received the email from my credit card on 11/01/22 and immediately contacted Classmates on 11/01/22 and the representative indicated as I had not responded before 11/01/22 they could not cancel the transaction and refund the charges but would not charge a renewal on 11/01/23.I responded to Classmates as soon as I was made aware this charge would take place, I did not have an opportunity to stop the charge as I did not receive the email from Classmates.The membership was to go into effect on 11/01/22, I contacted Classmates on 11/01/22, earliest date any charge would take place. I had not supplied the current credit card number that was charged to Classmates. Amount involved?60.00 How did you pay?Credit card Was this product or service advertised?No What would you like the business to I would request the $60.00 charge be refunded to my credit

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2022

  Complaint #: **********
  Consumer:*************************
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by **************** regarding his Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified **************** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  *************** purchased an automatically renewing 1-year paid membership subscription in October 2009. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase, **************** was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable, that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his credit or debit account would be charged $48.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. **************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each).
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service states: 
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  Shortly thereafter, **************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained ******************** membership registration number, the amount **************** paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the gear icon in the top portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account,including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  According to our records, **************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and, as a result, his membership subscription has renewed yearly since his initial purchase in 2009. Mr. ******* most recent membership subscription renewed on November 1, 2022 and his payment method was charged $60.00 with the updated credit card information provided by his financial services company via their credit card updater service, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his initial purchase.
  
  Since May 2017, Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership subscription an automatic renewal reminder. **************** received his most recent automatic renewal email reminder on September 22, 2022 to the email address associated with his account: *********************
  
  This reminder email provided information that his 1-year membership subscription would automatically renew on November 1, 2022 unless he changed his renewal status and that the full price of a 1-year membership renewal was increasing from $48.00 to $60.00 starting with his next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification - Price Change for Your Classmates+Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Mr. ******* email address is attached for your review.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. **************** subsequently initiated a chargeback proceeding with his financial institution.As part of the chargeback process, his last membership fee of $60.00 was refunded to his credit card until MasterCard determines the merits of the chargeback. Since this matter is still pending with MasterCard, Classmates is unable to take any further action at this time.
  
  This information should successfully resolve ******************** complaint. Should your office or **************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/28/2022

  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 was charged for a service that I never authorized. I don't even know what this company is. But they have been stealing my money for the past year. This company refuses to give me my money back.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/01/2022

  Complaint number 18328021
  Consumer name: *******************************
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by ********************** in connection with her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates is an online alumni directory website. Users register on the website under their personal name, the name of the school they attended and for the years in which they attended their school. Additional personal information, such as photos, biographies and other profile content are at the discretion of the user to provide and share. All members can peruse and visit profiles of any other member on the Classmates website.
  
  There are two types of Classmates memberships: a free, basic account and a paid Classmates+ subscription membership. Free members are allowed to view members of their school, their specific class list, reunion information and other members profiles as well as yearbooks. A Classmates+ membership provides additional benefits that a free member will not be able to access,such as viewing who has visited their profile, which may be any other member of the Classmates website and is not restricted to a users specific alumni, and the ability to send and receive Classmates Email that any member, even if they are not a paid member, can review and respond to.
  
  ********************** registered on the Classmates website under registration number ************* on October 27, 2021 using the email address ********************** the same email address listed in her complaint.
  
  On the same day, ********************** purchased an introductory 50%discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership in the amount of $9.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process,prior to completing her purchase, ********************** was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged the full term price of US $18.00 for each renewal period, and that she could visit the Accountportion of the website to change that at any time. ********************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each).
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service at the time ********************** made her membership subscription purchased stated:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:
  

  Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  

  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ********************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained ************************** membership registration number, the amount ********************** paid for her paid membership, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located in the top portion of the webpage underneath the gear icon. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account,including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  According to our records, ********************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact the Classmates ********************** prior to her renewal date. As a result, her membership was renewed for an additional 3-month term and her payment method was charged $18.00 on January 27, 2022 and every 3-months thereafter in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her initial purchase.
  
  According to the Classmates Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided ********************** a refund of her last membership subscription fee in the amount of $18.00 on November 1, 2022. ********************** should note this refund on her physical billing statement within the next 30 to 60 days (or sooner if she banks online)depending on her financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policies.
  
  Ms. ********** account has reverted to a free basic Classmates membership. If she would like to remove her free account, she can utilize the following link to delete her free Classmates membership: https://secure.classmates.com/auth/removemember.
  
  This information should successfully resolve ************************** complaint. Should your office or ********************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/02/2022

   
  Complaint: 18328021
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This company claims that I signed up for this service. I have told them time and time again that I have never been on this website and never even heard of this service and never authorized this.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/23/2022

  Type:Billing 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 October 20, 2022 I discovered that $96.00 had been taken out of my PayPal Account to pay for Classmates Subscription. I did not want Classmates renewed as I never look at it. When I went to Classmates Online and looked at their billing section the box for Automatic Renewal was checked .....I now believe when you first obtain a subscription Classmates has the Automatic Renewal box checked and the Purchaser must discover and unchecked the box so Automatic Renewals are not done. I now have unchecked the box and Automatic Renewals should not occur in the future. I sent several Emails to Classmates on October 22, 2022 saying that I never used Classmates and that I would like a refund for the $96.00 they took out of my PayPal Account. Classmates in turn sent an Email stating they do not give refunds. I feel they are being very deceptive, dishonest, and do not work with the Customer in good faith. I still want a refund for $96.00.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2022

  Complaint number: 18301134
  Consumer name: *************************
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by ****************** regarding her
  Classmates+ paid membership subscription.  
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified the account holder of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  ****************** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 2-year automatically renewing paid membership on October 20, 2020 in the amount of $36.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, ****************** was notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged $72.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal preference at any time. ***************** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the standard 2-year purchase page at the time ****************** made her purchase is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service at the time ****************** purchased her membership stated:  
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:
  Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ****************** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account.This email contained Ms. ******** registration number, the amount she paid for her paid membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she member chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to the expiration of her membership term.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located in the top portion of the webpage underneath the gear icon. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a membership subscription term one year or longer an Automatic Renewal Reminder. ****************** was sent this email renewal reminder on September 11, 2022 to ************************,the email address associated with her account.
  
  This reminder email provided information that Ms. ******** 2-year membership would automatically renew on October 20, 2022 unless she changed her renewal status and that the full price of a 2-year membership renewal was increasing from $72.00 to $96.00 starting with her next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification - Price Change for Your Classmates+ Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to ****************** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, ****************** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to her renewal date and,as a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $96.00 on October 20, 2022 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her initial purchase.  
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However,as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided ****************** with a refund of $96.00 on October 25, 2022. ****************** should note this refund on her PayPal account within the next 5 to 10 days depending on PayPals internal refund policies.Ms. Kaufmans Classmates membership has reverted to a free basic membership,and she wont be charge any additional membership subscription fees unless she proactively purchased a future paid membership subscription.  
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ******** complaint. Should your office or ****************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/29/2022

   
  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:10/18/2022

  Type:Billing 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 got an automatic subscription renewal from Classmates.com on 10/07/2022 with no prior warning. I immediately went into my account and cancelled the "automatic renewal" box then I called my bank and told it to not pay the pending withdrawal (San Diego ********************* Now I got my Chase credit card statement today indicating a charge of $60 to Classmates.com was made after I cancelled my bank withdrawal. I no longer wish to do business with this company and feel I've been cheated.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2022

  Complaint number: 18242303
  Consumer name: **********************************
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by ******************************* in connection with her paid Classmates membership.  
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified the account holder of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  ******************************* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership on October 7, 2021 in the amount of $24.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, ******************************* was notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged $48.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal preference at any time. ******************************* was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). As a ********** resident, ******************************* was required to mark the checkbox that she had read and agreed to the automatic renewal provision before she could complete her purchase.

  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the ***** Services" portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based **** Services, you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **** Services. Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by completing the following steps:

  Classmates - logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual."
  

  Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  Shortly thereafter, ******************************* would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account.This email contained the ******************-Musinos registration number, the amount she paid for her paid membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to the expiration of her paid membership term.  
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located in the top portion of the webpage underneath the gear icon. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a membership subscription term one year or longer an Automatic Renewal Reminder. ******************************* received this email renewal reminder on August 28, 2022.
  
  This reminder email provided information that her 1-year membership subscription would automatically renew on October 7, 2022 unless she changed her renewal status and that the full price of a 1-year membership renewal was increasing from $48.00 to $60.00 starting with ************************** next renewal date. The subject line of the renewal reminder was Notification -Price Change for Your Classmates+ Membership Renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to ******************************* is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, ******************************* did not opt out of the automatic renewal program and, as a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $60.00 on October 7, 2022 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she initially agreed to during her initial purchase.  
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy.However, ******************************* subsequently filed a dispute with Amazon, her payment method, and was refunded $60.00 on October 24, 2022. ******************************* should note this refund in her Amazon account within the next 5 to 10 days,depending on Amazons internal refund policies. ************************** account has reverted to a free basic membership.
  
  This information should successfully resolve ******************-Musinos consumer complaint. Should your office or ******************************* have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Sr. IP & Marketing Compliance Manager
  www.classmates.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2022

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