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:12/13/2024

  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.

  they turned on autorenewal with out my permission and never notified me about it. i originally signed up for a 2 year thing with no renewed subscription. yet they turned it on and doubled the price and charged me $96.00 with out my consent. i tried calling them they were rude waited several minutes before they said its ok this call is being recorded so i just said its ok being recorded on my end and they hung up. they do not want to be recorded they don't want to answer and there excuse was that they sent a email out witch i never received my son has turned it off for the second time yet they still refuse to cancel it

  Business Response

  Date: 12/17/2024

  Complaint number: 22682728
  Consumer name: **** ****
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. **** 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 are able to 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 **********************+ 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, see who has left I Remember Yous and the ability to send and receive private messages to or from any member, even if the other member is not a paid subscriber.
  
  Classmates does not offer trial memberships or ala carte membership subscriptions. All paid membership subscriptions are automatically enrolled into the Automatic Renewal program. Additionally, 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 Ms. **** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms. **** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 2-years paid membership subscription in the amount of $48.00 on December 6, 2022n using her ****** account. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. **** was specifically notified that her membership subscription fees were non-refundable, that her membership subscription 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 $96.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. **** 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 introductory 2-year subscription purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The No Refund Policy section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us, you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. **** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ****** membership registration number, the amount Ms. **** paid for her paid membership, her renewal date, and a reminder that her membership subscription would automatically renew in the amount of $96.00 unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any paid membership fees were refundable. A representative copy of the receipt email is attached for your review.
  
  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 My Classmates drop-down navigation menu. Underneath the Account heading they will see an "Account & Billing" link. Once the member clicks on the link and 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 (AR30). Classmates sent Ms. **** this AR30 renewal reminder on October 27, 2024 to the email address associated with her account. A screen shot showing the email send history from Classmatesemail systems to Ms. **** is attached for your review.           
  
  This reminder email provided information that Ms. ***** 2-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on December 6, 2024 in the amount of $96.00 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date, instructions on how to change her automatic renewal status and as well as a phone number and a link to contact Classmates if she needed assistance with cancelling her renewal. A representative copy of the AR30 renewal email is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. **** 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 2-year term and her ****** account was charged $96.00 on December 6, 2024 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2022 purchase. 
  
  On December 13, 2024, Ms. **** called Classmates and spoke to a member care representative. I have pulled the call logs and reviewed the call personally. During the call, the representative explained the automatic renewal program and why Ms. ***** account had been automatically renewed. Ms. **** initially responded to the representative that the automatic renewal program had not been disclosed to her at purchase, that her ****** and other financial information had been hacked and that she did not have access to her financial accounts. From the call it appears that Ms. **** handed the phone to another male individual,however she did not provide Classmates authorization to talk to this individual about her account prior to handing the phone to him as required by the Classmates Privacy Policy. This individual escalated the discussion and indicated they were also recording the call and intended to hire a lawyer. The representative then ended the call.   
  
  As noted above and stated in the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. Upon a review of Ms. ***** membership record and her previous paid membership subscriptions, it appears that Ms. **** is aware of the automatic renewal program and received a one-time courtesy refund in the amount of $72.00 on September 28, 2020. A copy of her membership record showing this refund, Ms. ***** previous paid membership subscription purchases and Ms. ***** frequent use of the Classmates website is attached for your review.
  
  Ms. **** has subsequently filed a payment dispute with *******This dispute is still pending with ******. However, I can confirm that Ms. ***** account has been removed from the automatic renewal program and should ****** rule that her paid membership subscription fees are valid charges, her paid membership subscription will lapse on December 6, 2026 and then revert to a free Classmates account. No additional fees will be charged to Ms. ***** payment method after that date unless she proactively takes action to extend her membership subscription term or purchases a paid membership subscription plan in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ***** complaint.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/12/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  In August of this year, I purchased a copy of a high school yearbook from this business. Additionally, I agreed to the promotional offer for a three month membership for $9.00. My understanding was THAT fee was non-refundable. I did not sign up for an auto-renewal nor recall an option to opt-out of such. I discontinued use of the website shortly after my initial purchases and have not received any correspondence or reminders pertaining to an auto-renewal, which now seems intentional and devious. I received a payment notification from ****** which alerted me to the transaction on 12/11/24. I placed a call to the company and was informed that the deadline to cancel the auto-renewal was on 12/10/24 and that I could cancel the auto-renewal now but the charges would not be reversed. I requested an appeal to this decision and informed that a supervisor would contact me via email (they do not speak directly to customers about refunds). I received the email from the supervisor, ****, who essentially reiterated what the customer service representatives advised. I have requested an additional appeal. This process seems to be intentionally designed to misled consumers and should be further investigated.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/16/2024

  Complaint number: 22676479
  Consumer name: ***** ********
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. ******** in connection with her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates does not offer trial memberships or ala carte membership subscriptions. All paid membership subscriptions are automatically enrolled into the Automatic Renewal program. Additionally, 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 Ms. ******** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms. ******** purchased an introductory 58% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on September 11, 2024, in the amount of $9.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ******** 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 $21.60 for each renewal period, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ******** 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 58% discounted 3-month discount purchase page is attached for your review. 
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  And the No Refund Policy section located under the ***************portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ******** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email addresses associated with her account. This receipt email contained Ms. ******** membership registration number, the amount Ms. ******** paid for her membership subscription, 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 and that no portion of any subscription fee was refundable. A representative copy of this receipt email is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top righthand 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, Ms. ******** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact the Classmates ********************** prior to her renewal date in connection with this membership. As a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $21.60 on December 11, 2024 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her initial purchase.
  
  Per Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided her with a one-time courtesy refund of her last membership fee in the amount of $21.60 on December 16, *******. Cummings should note this refund in her ****** account within the next 5 to 10 days depending on ******* internal refund policies. This paid membership has now reverted to a free account and she wont be charged for any additional subscription fees unless she proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ****************** Should your office or Ms. ******** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/26/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2024

  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 not aware I would be charged double the amount upon renewal. Refunds are impossible with you and I got a fake email to complain to. This company *****, stay away.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/13/2024

  Complaint number: 22649597
  Consumer name: ******* ******
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. ****** in connection with 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 ********* of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms. ****** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on September 5, 2024 in the amount of $10.80. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ****** 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 membership price of $21.60 for each renewal period, and that she could visit the Accountportion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ****** 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 50% off discounted purchase page is attached of your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us, you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ****** 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 subscription membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless Ms. ****** chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee is refundable. A representative copy of this receipt email is attached for your review.  
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmatesnavigation drop down in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" link. 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.
  
  On November 25, 2024, Classmates sent Ms. ****** a notice that her introductory pricing term was about to expire and that her membership subscription would renew at the standard full price of $21.60 on December ****** unless she cancelled her paid membership subscription prior to that date.The email also contained information on how to cancel her paid membership and a reminder that no portion of any membership subscription fees are refundable. The subject line of this email reminder was Notification: your 3-month introductory term is almost up. Whats next? A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ****** is attached for your review. 
  
  According to our records, Ms. ****** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact the Classmates ********************** about her membership subscription prior to the end of her membership subscription term. As a result, her membership renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $21.60 on December 5, 2024, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her September ****** purchase.
  
  Upon a review of her membership record, it appears Ms. ****** is aware of the automatic renewal program and the no refund policy based on prior paid membership subscription purchases and correspondence with *********** Representatives.A copy of her membership record is attached for your review.
  
  Per the Classmates Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that Ms. ****** membership has been removed from the automatic renewal program and that her paid membership subscription will lapse on March 5, 2024, and will then revert to a free Classmates account. She will not be charged any additional membership subscription fees unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription, or she purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ****** complaint.Should your office or Ms. ****** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/04/2024

  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.

  In 12/2023, I was heading up a reunion committee. In the past, I had a Classmates account for browsing and looking for others from our class of 1974 and have paid for some services provided. As a start up, I paid a $30 for access to use the site 12/4/23. At the time of paying, I realized there was a auto-renewal after 1 year, but since I would not need the service after the reunion, I chose the DO NOT SAVE MY CREDIT CARD INFO, knowing they would not be able to charge for another year without my information saved, and I wouldn't have to worry to remember to cancel prior to the renewal date.Well, apparently this is not true, as I got a transaction alert at 0315am 12-4-24 on ******, indicating a payment had been initiated. I was shocked to see a $60 charge paid out to Classmates, when I knew I had not saved my credit card number to their site. Apparently, they've saved it internally, and took liberty in renewing my services for another year. I went into the site in the middle of the night and clicked the button stopping the auto-renewals. I could see there was no credit card information saved on my profile. I have contacted my credit union, they suggested I notify ****** first as they might be helpful. When looking at the ******* site, it suggests contacting the company directly for rectification. I was told there would be no refunds made. When I asked about utilizing information they had saved without my permission, there really was not a satisfactory response. I explained to the representative, when ordering autoship vitamins, and there is no credit information on file, the order does not go through. By Classmates saving and charging me, I feel this is a breach, and the unlawful use of a credit account was initiated. I called the ************************ for the State of Michigan, described the situation of the credit information being used despite my not saving it for future use. They suggested I file a report. I see there are many of same complaints here.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/13/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:******** ********
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. ******** 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 Ms. ******** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms.******** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on December 4, 2023 in the amount of $30.00 using her ****** account. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ******** 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 $60.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ******** was presented with language on the 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 50% introductory 1-year membership purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ******** would have received a paid subscription confirmation receipt email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ********* membership registration number, the amount Ms. ******** paid for her paid membership, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew in the amount of $60.00 unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any of her paid membership subscription fees were refundable.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates navigation drop down menu in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account,they will see an "Account & Billing" link. 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 (AR30). A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this AR30 reminder to Ms. ******** on October 25, 2024 to the email address associated with her account. 
  
  This reminder email provided information that Ms. ********* 1-year membership would automatically renew on December 4, 2024 in the amount of $60.00 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date and included instructions on how to cancel her paid membership online. The email also included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if she needed assistance in canceling her paid membership prior to its renewal. A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ******** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ******** 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 $60.00 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2023 purchase.
  
  Classmates does not have any credit card information on file for Ms. ********* as she used her ****** account to make her subscription purchase in 2023. Consequently, her ****** account was used to renew her paid membership subscription in 2024.Additionally, Classmates does not offer a "DO NOT SAVE MY CREDIT CARD INFO" option within the subscription offer pages or on the Account &Billing page. Members can either change their payment method or delete their payment method on the Account & Billing page. A representative copy of how the Account & Billing page would appear if a member used ****** to make their purchase is attached for your review.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm Ms. *********** been removed from the automatic renewal program and her paid membership subscription is in a manual renewal state. Her paid membership subscription will therefore lapse on December 5, 2024 and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to her payment method unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription term or purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ******** complaint. Should your office or Ms. ******** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 22642439
  
  I am rejecting this response because: **** ******** used her ****** account to make her subscription purchase in 2023. Consequently, her ****** account was used to renew her paid membership subscription in 2024" Yes, they have their renewal options, but like junk fees, it is an entrapment, and needs to be rectified on a national level.

  They may say all they want about their business model, but the automatic renewal clause is trapping, and should not be allowed for any services. Regardless, my account will be closed, the format is ineffective for crowdsourcing as it is limited to paid subscribers having access to content, email bombing with useless notices to engage with the app.... all in all, it was a failure in reaching the over 250+ people from our class listed on the site. 

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/03/2024

  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 continue to receive a charge for something called PCH Classmates. I want this cancelled and they refuse to do so. I never signed up for any charge

  Business Response

  Date: 12/12/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:***** *****
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. ***** 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 Ms. ***** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms.***** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on May 23, 2020 in the amount of $24.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ***** 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 $48.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ***** 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 discounted 1-year membership purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ***** would have received a paid subscription confirmation receipt email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ******* membership registration number, the amount Ms. ***** 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 prior to her renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates navigation drop down menu in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account,they will see an "Account & Billing" link. 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 2017, Classmates has sent all members with a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder ('AR30'). A review of our email logs indicates that Classmates has sent this reminder to Ms. ***** on April 13th each year since 2021, to the email address associated with her account, which is the same email address listed in her consumer complaint.
  
  The 2022 reminder email provided information that Ms. ****** 1-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on May 24, 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.
  
  The 2024 reminder email provided information that Ms. ****** 1-year membership would automatically renew on May 23, 2024 unless she changed her renewal status prior to its renewal date and instructions on how to cancel her paid membership online. The email also included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if she needed assistance in cancelling her paid membership. A representative copy of each of these email reminders as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems for these emails to Ms. ***** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ***** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program prior to her renewal date and, as a result, her membership was renewed each year at the end of her annual term and her payment method was charged for each renewal in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2021 purchase.
  
  In addition to the stated no refund policy, our records indicate that Ms. ***** has used her paid membership benefits throughout her paid membership subscription and was most recently on the Classmates website on November 12, 2024.
  
  I can confirm that Ms. ***** paid membership is currently sent to manually renew.Therefore, her paid membership subscription will lapse on May 23, 2025, and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to her payment method unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription or purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ******* complaint. Should your office or Ms. ***** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 22635270
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  Apology to BBB but  options to click are limited but Classmates response is inaccurate.  I have tried for 2 years to stop the subscription and I have the exact dates when I accessed it and it was to try to stop the membership. I would like for Classmates, to go into their logs and provide me the exact actions I took on each access.  There is only one time that I looked at anything other than cancelling the membership.  Also, I would like to know exactly when they show me moving it to a manual renewal.   Lastly, I have repeatedly sent emails to stop the emails to me from them,  they still continue,  
  

  Thank you kindly. 
  

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

  Business Response

  Date: 01/14/2025

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:***** *****
  
  We are in receipt of the rebuttal response filed by Ms. ******
  
  According to our records, Ms. ***** has used her paid membership privileges throughout her paid membership subscription terms to send and view private emails and to review who has reviewed her profile. I have attached her membership record for your review.
  
  Additionally,our records indicate Ms. ***** contacted Classmates twice regarding her paid membership. Both of these communications were via email in June of 2022. Each time, Ms. ***** received a canned response with the subject line How to cancel your membership (Your Action Required). A copy of when Ms. ***** sent these emails and the body of the canned response she received on both occasions is attached for your review.
  
  Further,Classmates sent Ms. ***** an email renewal reminder (AR30) each year before her membership was renewed. A screen shot from our email logs showing the dates these AR30 email remiders were sent to Ms. ***** is attached for your review.
  
  As previously mentioned, Ms. ****** paid membership subscription is set to manual renewal. I removed Ms. ***** from the automatic renewal program prior to responding to her initial complaint and set her membership to manual renewal so that her paid membership would expire at the end of her current paid membership subscription term. Her paid membership subscription will lapse on May 23, 2025,and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to her payment method unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription or purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ******* complaint. Should your office or Ms. ***** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/27/2025

  In response to Classmates.  I have never received emails via classmates or only time I have accessed it was as previously noted.  

  
  

  I have responded to the continued emails they send me although I have asked them to stop sending emails to me.  I have also asked them repeatedly to close out my profile and anything  with classmates. 

  
  

  Thank you so much for your assistance. 

  Business Response

  Date: 02/10/2025

  Complaint # ********
  Complainant: ***** Hurst 
  
  We are in receipt of the second rebuttal response filed by Ms. ******
  
  As we indicated in our initial response, Classmates sent Ms. ***** her most recent AR30 renewal reminder on April 13, 2024. Screen shots showing that Classmates email systems sent this message to her personal email inbox was included in the response.
  
  The Communications section in the Terms of Service, which ******** agreed to when she initially registered on the site and again when she purchased her paid membership subscription states: From time to time we will send you communications, in keeping with our Privacy Policy and as otherwise permitted in these Terms of Service ("Communications").Please note that any number of issues may interfere with your receipt of such Communications, including some types of ************* that may use filtering or blocking techniques that are intended to block email. We are not responsible for the actual delivery or your actual receipt of these Communications.  
  
  Members can find information on how to unsubscribe from any of Classmates optional email subscriptions in the Help Section:
  To subscribe to or unsubscribe from any optional email subscriptions, click the gear icon at the top right corner of any Classmates page and select Account, then Email Subscriptions. Under each section, check or uncheck any of the boxes, then click Save.
  
  You'll also find an Email Preferences link at the bottom of each email from us, with the exception of customary emails you're required to receive as a member.
  
  Keep in mind that any changes you make may take up to 10 days to process,since some email is queued in advance. You'll still occasionally receive customary emails that directly affect you as a member.
  
  The Email Subscriptions page is located in the Account section located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu, which is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website. In the Email Subscriptions page, the member can manage which optional email subscriptions they would like to receive. If the member wishes, they can remove themselves from all optional email subscriptions, however they are still required to receive customary business emails from Classmates, such as paid subscription membership receipts, AR30 automatic renewal reminders, password reset emails, etc.
  
  Additionally,members can find a link to update their email preferences at the bottom of each email they receive from Classmates.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ***** was still receiving multiple optional email subscriptions. On her behalf, I went ahead and removed her from all optional email subscriptions, however she will still receive the customary business emails noted above. Ms. ***** should note that it may take up to 10 days to process updates to email subscriptions.
  
  Lastly,I can delete Ms. ****** Classmates account, however deleting her account will result in the forfeiture of her paid membership subscription fee and access to her paid membership benefits. Ms. ***** will need to acknowledge via writing her desire to delete and forfeit her paid membership by responding affirmatively either through the BBBs dispute resolution portal or by email to [email protected].
  
  Otherwise,her paid membership will expire on May 23, 2025 and will then revert to a free Classmates account. If she would like to delete her account once it reverts to a free membership, she can use the following link to remove her account: ****************************************************************************************************************************
  
  Should your office or Ms. ***** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ****************************** 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/26/2024

  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.

  Back in August, I signed up for a 90 trial for Classmates for an upcoming reunion. I was told at the end of the 90 days, I could either sign up for a free membership or a paid membership. On November 23, I received a text from *********** that stated a pending charge was coming out for Classmates. I had not received ANY information or notification from Classmates that a charge or renewal or anything was coming up. I immediately went to their website to find ANYTHING on there that the membership could be canceled. I sent them emails, telling them I want to cancel. I called ****** and told them I had canceled everything and wanted a refund of my $21. This was an unauthorized charge because I had not signed up for any renewing account, was not notified or a renewing account. Working with the company is a joke, as I see from your website there have many complaints filed against them. The renewal period it says is for November 25 thru February 25. I canceled everything on the 23rd. I just want this canceled and my money refunded.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/05/2024

  Complaint number: 22607303
  Consumer name: ***** ********
  
  We are in receipt of the additional information supplied by *** ******** in connection with her consumer complaint regarding her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Based on the information provided by *** ********, it appears that *** ******** has two accounts on the ********************** website using two different email addresses. One is a free account and one is a paid account. *** ******** would not have been able to see how to remove herself from the automatic renewal program if she attempted to cancel her paid membership subscription from her free account.  
  
  *** Sullivans accounts are:
  
  Registration Number **********: This membership was created on April 11, 2008 using the email address *********************** This account is currently a free Classmates membership.
  
  Registration Number *************: This membership was created on August 21, ************************************************************************* ******** purchased a 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on this account on August 23, 2024. This paid membership renewed on November 23, 2024.
  
  Classmates does not offer trial memberships or ala carte membership subscriptions. All paid membership subscriptions are automatically enrolled into the Automatic Renewal program. Additionally, 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.
  
  As noted above, *** ******** purchased a 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on August 23, 2024, in the amount of $10.80. 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 $21.60 for each renewal period, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings 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 3-month discount purchase page is attached for yourreview. 
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  And the No Refund Policy section located under the ***************portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, *** ******** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email addresses associated with her account.This receipt email contained *** ********** membership registration number, the amount *** ******** paid for her membership subscription, 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 and that no portion of any subscription fee was refundable. A representative copy of this receipt email is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top righthand 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 or contact the Classmates ********************** prior to her renewal date in connection with this membership. As a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $21.60 on November 23, 2024 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, since *** ******** has duplicate accounts, I have provided her with a one-time courtesy refund of her last membership fee in the amount of $21.60 on December 5, 2024. *** ******** should note this refund in her ****** account within the next 5 to 10 days depending on ******* internal refund policies. This paid membership has now reverted to a free account and she wont be charged for any additional subscription fees unless she proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future. Additionally,I have deleted her duplicate membership account under registration number **********.
  
  *** ******** should now have only one Classmates membership account under registration number *************. As noted above, this membership is currently a free Classmates account.
  
  This information should successfully resolve *** ********** complaint. Should your office or *** ******** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/13/2024

   
  Complaint: 22607303
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
     I dont know anything about an account opened in 2008.   However, that does not matter.  ****** and my credit card company did get a refund several days ago.  Once that happened, I unsubscribed from anything to do with this company.  It is very clear to see with all the other complaints against this company through the BBB, this is a untrustworthy company.  I want nothing to do with it.

  A customer should not be forced to take such actions with 3 other businesses to close and be refunded money for a subscription they do not want.  The customer service for ********************** is a joke.  I will spread the word.

  Thank you for your help.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/22/2024

  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 for a membership renewal for a subscription I didn't realize I still had. I couldn't find a renewal reminder and was charged on November 20th, 2024. I can't afford the membership and if I would have known about the renewal, would have canceled before being charged. I desperately need my money back and I contacted them 3 times and they refuse to refund my money. The account is under my maiden name.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/26/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:**** **********
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. ********** 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 Ms. ********** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  ************* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 2-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on November 20, 2020 in the amount of $36.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ********** 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 $72.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ********** 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 introductory 2-year paid membership purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ********** would have received a paid subscription confirmation receipt email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ************ 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 under the My Classmates navigation drop down menu in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account,they will see an "Account & Billing" link. 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 (AR30). A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this AR30 reminder to Ms. ********** on October 11, 2022 and on October 11, 2024 to the email address associated with her account, which is the same email address that is listed in her consumer complaint.
  
  The 2022 AR30 email reminder provided information that Ms. *********** 2-year membership would automatically renew on November 20, 2022 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date, instructions on how to cancel the automatic renewal 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.
  
  The 2024 email reminder provided information that Ms. *********** 2-year membership would automatically renew on November 20, 2024 in the amount of $96.00 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date,instructions on how to cancel her automatic renewal and a phone number and link to contact Classmates if she needed assistance with changing her renewal status prior to her renewal date.
  
  Representative copies of the 2022 and 2024 AR30 reminder emails and screen shots of the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ********** for these reminder notifications are attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ********** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to any of her renewal dates and, as a result, her membership was renewed every two years since her 2020 subscription purchase date in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her subscription purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that ************** paid membership subscription has been removed from the automatic renewal program and her paid membership subscription will lapse on November ******* and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. She will not be charged any additional membership subscription fees unless she proactively purchases a future paid membership subscription or extends her current paid membership subscription term.
  
  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
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 22594322
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I want a refund.  I didn't receive an email this year reminding me of the automatic renewal for November 20th.  A email 2 years ago isn't a reminder. I was told b a representative that an email was sent October 11th,  2024 about the upcoming renewal.  I checked my emails several times and I didn't receive one about the renewal.  All I want is my money back.  If there would have been an email notification this ear, I would have canceled but there wasn't one.  I will escalate this to the ************************ if I'm not issued a refund right away.  Thanks 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** **********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/17/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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 organization had a fantastic opportunity to provide a fun and useful service. Unfortunately, Classmates is not that; Classmates is a confidence game.1 - They send notices alleging contact from classmates who have died years ago.2 - A checkmark suddenly appears on "auto renew".3 - They auto renew without providing notice that the date for auto renew is approaching.On the date they auto renewed my membership I notified them I did not approve or want auto renew. They claimed I had selected auto renew and would not reverse the charge.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/25/2024

  Complaint number: 22567681
  Consumer name: *** ********
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Mr. ******** in connection with his Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  As required by applicable law, 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 Mr. ******** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Mr. ******** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on April 27, 2024 in the amount of $10.80. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase, Mr. ******** 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 the full membership price of $21.60 for each renewal period, and that he could visit the Accountportion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. Mr. ******** 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 50% off discounted purchase page is attached of your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us, you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Mr. ******** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained Mr. ********* registration number, the amount he paid for his subscription membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless Mr. ******** chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to his renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee is refundable. A representative copy of this receipt email is attached for your review.  
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmatesnavigation drop down in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" link. 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, Mr. ******** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact the Classmates ********************** about his membership subscription prior to the end of his membership subscription term. As a result, his membership renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $21.60 on July 27, 2024 and every three months thereafter, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his April 27, 2024 purchase.
  
  
  According to the Classmates Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of courtesy, I have provided a one-time refund in the amount of $21.60 to Mr. ******** on November 25, 2024. Mr. ******** should note this refund in his ****** account within the next 3 to 5 days depending on ******* internal refund policies. Mr. ********* membership has reverted to a free membership and he will not be charged for any additional membership subscription fees unless he proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Mr. ********* complaint.Should your office or Mr. ******** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/05/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/13/2024

  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.

  Today on 11-13-24 I received an email that Id authorized a payment in the amount of $60.00 to Classmates.com, but I hadnt so I called them immediately. I spoke to ***** who informed me my special offer Id purchased one year ago had ended and classmates automatically subscribed me for another year at the increased rate of what Id paid a year before and took the payment from my account. ***** said theyd sent me an email stating this but I did not receive this email. I have gone back to check my email account and still have not located one email advising me of this renewal. I told him I wanted to cancel and requested a refund for the upcoming year. He stated he would cancel any future subscription renewal but the current one starting today, 11-13-24 would remain active and he would not issue a refund for the remaining 364 days of the subscription. I requested to speak to a supervisor but was denied. However, ***** said he would escalate my complaint and a supervisor would respond within 24 hours. No response as yet. I can understand keeping payment for today but do not understand why I should pay for a service that I want cancelled as of the end of business today.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/26/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:**** ******
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. ****** regarding her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ****** registered and created a free Classmates membership on May 26, 2001. Ms. ****** has had 5 paid membership subscription with Classmates, three of these paid membership subscriptions have automatic renewed for at least one term or more, including Ms. ****** most recent paid membership subscription which is the subject of this complaint. Ms. ****** has already received a one-time courtesy refund for a paid membership subscription renewal.A copy of her membership record is attached for your review.  
  
  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 Ms. ****** of the Automatic Renewal Program in connection with her most recent paid membership subscription purchase.
  
  Ms.****** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on November 13, 2023 in the amount of $30.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ****** 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 $60.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ****** was presented with language on the 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 of **********, Ms. ****** was required to check a box next to this disclosure before she could complete her purchase. A representative copy of the introductory discounted 1-year membership purchase page for is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** 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.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ****** would have received a paid subscription confirmation receipt email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ****** membership registration number, the amount Ms. ****** 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 prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any of her paid membership fees were refundable. A representative copy of the email receipt is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates navigation drop down menu in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account,they will see an "Account & Billing" link. 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 (AR30). A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this reminder to Ms. ****** on October 4, 2024 to the email address associated with her account,which is the same email address as listed in her complaint.  
  
  This reminder email provided information that Ms. ****** 1-year membership would automatically renew on November 13, 2024, in the amount of $60.00 unless she changed her renewal status prior to its renewal date as well as instructions on how to cancel her paid membership online. The email also included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if she needed assistance in canceling her paid membership prior to her renewal date. A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ****** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ****** 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 $60.00 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2023 purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm Ms. ****** has been removed from the automatic renewal program and her paid membership subscription has been placed in manual renewal. Her paid membership subscription will therefore lapse on November 13, 2025, and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to her payment method unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription or purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ****** complaint. Should your office or Ms. ****** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/09/2024

  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 ordered a subscription to classmates.com not realizing it was automatically renewed. I have tried to follow the link to cancel as instructed but the link is broken. I will call again on Monday to complain again

  Business Response

  Date: 11/19/2024

  Complaint number: 22536184
  Consumer name: ****** *****
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by Mr. ******
  
  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 are able to 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 **********************+ 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 and the ability to send and receive private messages that any member, even if they are not a paid member, can review and respond to.
  
  According to our records, Mr. ***** registered on the Classmates website on July 3, 2024 and created a free Classmates membership. On November 9, 2024, Mr. ***** upgraded his free membership and purchased an introductory 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership subscription in the amount of $10.80.
  
  On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase, Mr. ***** 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 the standard full term price of $21.60 for each renewal period, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal status at any ******** Avila 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 of **********, Mr. ***** was required to click a button next to the renewal disclosure before he could complete his purchase. A representative copy of the 50% discounted offer page for California residents is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such **************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.
  
  And the No Refund Policy section located under the ***************portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Mr. ***** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the Yahoo email address associated with his account.This email contained Mr. ******* 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 and that no portion of any subscription fee was refundable. A representative copy of the receipt emailer is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top righthand 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, Mr. ***** emailed us on Saturday,November 9, ************************************* removing his account from the automatic renewal program. As posted on the Classmates website, our standard business hours are Monday Friday 7:00 AM PST - 4:00 PM PST. A Classmates *********** Representative responded to Mr. ***** on Monday, November 11, ******* the response, the representative confirmed they had removed Mr. ***** from that automatic renewal program and that Mr. ****** paid membership subscription would lapse on February 9, 2025 and would then revert to a free Classmates membership. A copy of this communication history is attached for your review.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Mr. ******* consumer complaint.Should your office or Mr. ***** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/02/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****