Complaints

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/04/2024

  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.

  Nov 2, 2024 was the 1 year expiration date of my membership subscription with Classmates.com. On this date at 3:17 a.m., $60.00 was charged to my ****** account without any prior warning. No email informing me of this upcoming renewal fee, nor the amount I was about to be charged. I tried to contact their customer service department that same day to cancel. No one was available as they were closed that day! But they were able to charge my account $60.00 that day. There was no way to cancel this on their website. The only option was to change the billing renewal from Auto Renewal to Manual Renewal. I did not authorize them to keep my ****** information on file for future charges. In fact when I looked at my account it showed that I did not have any Cards or payment methods on file. I left them several emails requesting cancellation of the membership and to cancel the the pending charge. I explained I am not working at this time and this charge without prior notification has caused me a financial hardship as my mortgage payment will be returned by my bank for non sufficient funds. I don't even use Classmates.com! They can verify that by looking at my membership account. There is no way to cancel the account at all. They simply refuse to issue a refund and said my membership will be changed to the FREE version on Nov 2, 2025. There are hundreds of complaints against this **** website. How can something be done about this?

  Business Response

  Date: 11/05/2024

  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 November 2, 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 this 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 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 September 23, 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 2, 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 on November 2, 2024 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. On November 4, 2024,Classmates was notified that Ms. ***** filed a payment dispute with ************* has not yet ruled on the matter. However, in the meantime, I can confirm Ms. ***** paid membership has been removed from the automatic renewal program and her membership subscription has been placed in manual renewal. In the event ****** rules in Classmates favor, Ms. ***** paid membership subscription will lapse on November 2, 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.
  
  In addition to members being able to remove their paid memberships from the automatic renewal program in the Account and Billing section as listed above, members can find instructions on how to cancel their Classmates Membership by clicking the Cancel My Account link located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu, which is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website. Additional information on how members can cancel their Classmates membership can be found on the first page of the Classmates *********** homepage, which is also accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website via the link in the persistent footer titled Visit Our ***********. Screen shots of these webpages are attached for your review. Additional links to contact *********** can also be found throughout the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
  
  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: 11/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 22513141
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I attempted to cancel this on the expiration date. The renewal date and the expiration date are the same date. They were not open for business on Nov 2, 2024, when I tried to contact them, however, they charged my account at approximately 3:17 a.m. that same day. 

  Classmates.com makes it very difficult to cancel the subscription. In fact, they don't offer a way to cancel, only a way to turn off Auto Renewal, which as you can see by their lengthy response, that information is buried deep in their ramblings. I never use classmates.com and informed them this has created a financial hardship for me. Obviously this is all part of their scam to entice people to purchase their less than par service in which the only way to purchase initially is to agree to Auto Renewal billing. I am not satisfied with their product/service, nor their customer service response for something service I have not used, or will ever use. I hope the time they put in to responding to this complaint, as well as my dispute with ******, and including the negative ratings I have left, and will continue to leave, are all worth the $60 they refuse to refund me. I am a very dissatisfied customer. They are not concerned with customer service. They are only concerned with proving they have a right to take and keep your money with their lengthy mumbo jumbo contracts.  There are numerous complaints on the BBB site as well all over the internet regarding Classmates.com

  My next step will be to dispute the charge with my bank card, which was attached to my ****** account. I need to get something out of the $60.00 they charged me. 

  Great customer service **********************.  I will be sure to share my experience and make recommendations accordingly.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/25/2024

  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 have unsubscribed from classmates.com and all of their emails. I never subscribed to this site and everyday I receive two emails from them as well as related emails. I simply want to be removed from their email lists.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Complainant:***** *******
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. ******* in connection with the optional email subscriptions she receives from Classmates as part of her free membership with the Classmates.com website.  
  
  According to our records, Ms. ******* registered and created a free Classmates membership on January 26, 2006 and was still subscribed to the majority of Classmates optional email subscriptions.
  
  Classmates members can find a link to update their email preferences at the bottom of each email they receive from Classmates. Additionally, members can update their email preferences by visiting the Email Subscriptions page located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu, which is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website. On the Email Subscriptions page, the member can manage which optional email subscriptions they would like to receive by checking or unchecking the email subscription and clicking the Save button. 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 registration receipts, paid membership purchase receipts,paid membership automatic renewal reminders and any password reset emails.
  
  Additionally, members can find information on how to unsubscribe from any of Classmates optional email subscriptions in the Classmates ************ A screen shot of this Help article is attached for your review. 
  
  Per Ms. ******** request, I deleted her free Classmates membership on October 30, *******. ******* may continue to receive residual emails from Classmates for up to 10 days after her account deletion. Residual emails are emails that may already be queued in our email delivery system for delivery to our members. She should feel free to disregard these emails.
  
  We are sorry to see Ms. ******* go, however, if she ever wants to re-register on the Classmates website in the future, she should be aware that she can always remove herself from any current optional email subscription based on her personal preferences.  
  
  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:10/25/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Classmates.com keeps spamming my email address several times a day even though I have repeatedly clicked the "unsubscribe" link they provide. I believe they are breaking Federal Law(s) by continuing to send me spam emails. I have also gone to their site to have my Account deleted and they do NOT provide a way to do this. So not are they illegally continuing to spam my email several times a day, they do not provide users a way to delete accounts.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/30/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Complainant:**** *****
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Mr. ***** in connection with the optional email subscriptions he receives from Classmates as part of his free membership with the Classmates.com website.  
  
  According to our records, Mr. ***** registered and created a free Classmates membership on October 29, 2021 and was still subscribed to the majority of Classmatesoptional email subscriptions.
  
  Classmates members can find a link to update their email preferences at the bottom of each email they receive from Classmates. Additionally, members can update their email preferences by visiting the Email Subscriptions page located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu, which is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website. On the Email Subscriptions page, the member can manage which optional email subscriptions they would like to receive by checking or unchecking the email subscription and clicking the Save button. 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 registration receipts, paid membership purchase receipts,paid membership automatic renewal reminders and any password reset emails.
  
  Additionally,members can find information on how to unsubscribe from any of Classmatesoptional email subscriptions in the Classmates ************ A screen shot of this Help article is attached for your review.
  
  Members can find instructions on how to delete their free Classmates Membership by clicking the Cancel My Account link located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu, which, as noted above, is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website. Additional information on how members can delete their Classmates membership can be found on the first page of the Classmates ************ which is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website via the link in the persistent footer titled Visit Our ************ Additional links to contact *********** in connection with how to cancel a free membership can also be found in the Terms of Service. Screen shots of these webpages are attached for your review.
  
  Per Mr. ****** request, I have deleted his free Classmates membership and removed his information from the Classmates website on October 30, 2024. Mr. ***** may continue to receive residual emails from Classmates over the next 10 days. Residual emails are emails that are already queued to be delivered to our members in our email delivery system. Mr. ***** should feel free to disregard these emails. 
  
  We are sorry to see Mr. ***** go, however, if he ever wishes to re-register on the Classmates website, he should note that he can always remove himself from any optional email subscription based on his personal email preferences.  
  
  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: 11/04/2024

   
  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 as long as I do not receive ANY more emails from classmates.com or their affiliates after the 10-day trickle down period they mentioned.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/21/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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 never received a renewal email reminding me that it was time to renew my subscription. if I had i would of never would of renewed since the renewal is $60.00 which is way to expensive. They claim they dont have a refund policy that you have this for the next year. I would like to file this complaint and like my refund back whether they do refunds or not. I have told them i will take them to small claims court and whatever else i need to do because this is fraud. They should of sent the email

  Business Response

  Date: 10/23/2024

  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 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on October 19, 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). 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.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 AR30 reminder to Ms. ********* on September August 9, 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 October 19, 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.
  
  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 October 19, 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 ************ have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/13/2024

  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.

  I was charged to my **** account without my knowledge. I did not purchase anything or log on to this website. I want a refund

  Business Response

  Date: 10/22/2024

  Complaint number: 22418696
  Consumer name: ******* ******
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by Ms. ****** regarding her Classmate+ paid membership subscription.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ****** registered and created a free Classmates membership on March 1, 2017. Ms. ****** upgraded her free membership and purchased a 3-month automatically renewing paid membership subscription on April 12, 2024.  
  
  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.
  
  As noted above, Ms. ****** purchased an introductory 58%discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership, on April 12, 2024 in the amount of $9.00. Prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ****** was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable and 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 $21.60 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 58% 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.
  
  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 gmail email address associated with her account.This email contained Ms. ******** 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 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 Accountheading 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 sent Ms. ****** an email notification ("AR7") on July 2, 2024 to notify her that the introductory pricing was coming to an end and that her 3-month paid membership subscription would automatically renew at the standard full price of $21.60 on July 12, 2024 unless she changed her automatic renewal preferences prior to her renewal date and instructions on how to change her automatic renewal status. The subject line of this email notification was Notification: your 3-month introductory term is almost up. What's next? A representative copy of this email notification and 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 prior to her renewal date, and, as a result, her 3-month membership subscription renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $21.60 on July 12, 2024 and every three months thereafter in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her April 12, 2024 paid membership subscription purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that Ms. ******* paid membership subscription has been removed from the automatic renewal program and her paid membership will lapse on January ******* and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. Ms. ******* will not be charged any additional membership fees unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription, or she purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  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: 10/31/2024

   
  Complaint: 22418696
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Marlenr Kadany. I did not sign on to this website. I never used the website.

  I may have given my credit card no. but did not sign on because of the cost!

  I understand that other customers had this issue!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/11/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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 2019, I had an account with this company - After using the site for a few months to reconnect with old classmates. I realized it was not very useful in connecting with my former classmates. So, I canceled the account. Somehow, my account never got canceled. However, Autorenew was turned on. They have been renewing my account every year since, and I never noticed it(I need to pay more attention - but my mind is not as sharp as it used to be at age 68). I have been out of town and just had the opportunity to review my account until today, and I noticed a charge for $ ***** dated 9/26/24. I called their customer service, who advised that she could not cancel the account or issue me a refund. I would like a refund of the 9/26 charge and reassurance that this account would not be reactivated

  Business Response

  Date: 10/22/2024

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:****** *********
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Mr. ********* regarding his Classmates+paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Mr. ********* of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Mr.********* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on September 26, 2022 in the amount of $30.00. 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 $60.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion 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 introductory 1-year paid membership purchase page is attached for your review. I have attached a copy of his membership record as well.  
  
  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 receipt email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained Mr. *********** membership registration number, the amount Mr. ********* paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to his renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fees are 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 Mr. ********* on August 17, 2023 and on August 17, 2024 to the email address associated with his account, which is the same email address that is listed in his consumer complaint.
  
  Mr.********** most recent AR30 renewal reminder provided information that Mr. ********** 1-year membership would automatically renew on September 26, 2024 unless he changed his renewal status prior to its renewal date and instructions on how to cancel his paid membership online and included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if he needed assistance in cancelling his paid membership prior to its renewal. A representative copy of the most recent AR30 renewal reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Mr. ********* is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Mr. ********* did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to either of his paid membership subscription renewal dates, and, as a result, his paid membership subscription was renewed for additional terms in 2023 and in 2024 and his payment method was charged $60.00 for each renewal in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his 2022 purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that Mr.********** paid membership subscription has been removed from the automatic renewal program and his paid membership subscription will lapse on September 26, 2025 and will then revert to a free Classmates membership. He will not be charged any additional membership subscription fees unless he proactively purchases a future paid membership subscription or extends his current paid membership subscription term.
  
  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 [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/11/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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 have been trying to cancel my membership. All this company has done is sense bogus directions to try and follow. I emailed the with a screenshot of what I had on my screen because the places they said to go were not there. Its my belief that they are trying to make it so difficult Ill just not bother with it.They are not willing to cancel.I thought this membership was cancelled until I received bank charges of ***** on an account that was closed.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2024

  Complaint number: 22410143
  Consumer name: ******** ******
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. *******
  
  As the Classmates ********************** has previously indicated to Ms. ******* we are unable to locate a paid account with the email address she has provided. The Classmates account associated with her email address is a free membership. This account has never had a paid membership associated with it. Since there isnt a paid membership associated with the account, she wouldnt see information on how to cancel a paid membership in her Accounts &Billing section on the website. A copy of Ms. ******* membership record and a screen shot showing how a paid membership enrolled in the automatic renewal program would appear on the website is attached for your review.
  
  However, if Ms. ****** can provide me with the information below, I will research this matter further on her behalf:
  
  -The email address used to complete the purchase on the Classmates.com website;
  -The registration number of the paid Classmates account;
  -The order number listed on her payment method for the purchase and/or
  -The last 4 digits of the credit/debit card Ms. ****** states was charged.
  
  She can either provide this information through the BBBs dispute resolution portal or she can email me directly at *******************************************
  
  In the meantime, Ms. ****** may want to check to see if there is another member of her household who may have a paid membership in their name. If there is another individual, Ms. ****** will need to inform that individual to contact Classmates. We wont be able to share that individuals account information with Ms. ****** directly due to our Privacy Policy.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/31/2024

   I have supplied them with that information on 2 separate occasions. I have given them the email associated with the account. Ive sent a copy of where the ***** was taken from my account. I am not going to continually provide them with personal information. I can not understand why they can not figure this out.

  This is where the funds were deducted in July. if they dont have the information they need how were they able to deduct this in July?

  Business Response

  Date: 11/05/2024

  Complaint number: 22410143
  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.  
  
  *** Wilsons accounts are:
  
  Registration Number **********: This membership was created on October 15, 2004 using an *** email address. This account is a free ********************** membership and has never had a paid membership or payment method associated with it. *** ****** last accessed this account on November 2, 2024.
  
  Registration Number *************: This membership was created on July 9, 2020 using a ************* email address. *** ****** purchased a 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on this account on October 2, 2023. This paid membership has renewed every 3-months since its purchase date. Our records indicate *** ****** has continuous utilized her paid membership benefits since she purchased her paid membership subscription. *** ****** last accessed this account on October 18, 2024.
  
  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 October 2, 2023 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, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the discounted 3-month 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, *** ****** 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 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 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 January 2, 2024 and every three months thereafter in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2023 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 November 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 gone ahead and 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
  ****************************** 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/10/2024

  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 charged for and auto renewal for ***** to my ****** Account 9/2. This has auto renewed for the past several years. I would like to request a refund since there was no option on the website.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2024

  Complaint number: 22408541
  Consumer name: ******* ******
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by Mr. ****** regarding his paid Classmates+ membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified the account holder of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Mr. ****** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 2-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on September 2, 2016 in the amount of $36.00. 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 $72.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal preference 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 2016 2-year introductory 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, 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 paid membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to his renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the 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.
  
  Additionally, members can find information on how to cancel their membership by clicking the Cancel My Account link under the My Classmatesdrop down navigation menu and in the Classmates ************
  
  Since May 2017, Classmates sends all members in a membership subscription term one year or longer an Automatic Renewal Reminder (AR30). A review of Classmates email logs indicates these renewal reminders were sent to Mr. ****** on or about July 24th in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.
  
  The 2022 email reminder provided information that Mr. ******* 2-year membership would automatically renew on September 2, 2022 unless he changed his renewal status prior to his 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 his 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 Mr. ******* 2-year membership would automatically renew on September 2, 2024 in the amount of $96.00 unless he changed his renewal status prior to his renewal date,instructions on how to cancel his automatic renewal and a phone number and link to contact Classmates if he needed assistance with changing his renewal status prior to his renewal date. A representative copy of his most recent AR30 reminder email and a screen shot of the email send history from Classmatesemail systems to Mr. ****** for this reminder notification is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Mr. ****** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to any of his renewal dates and, as a result, his membership was renewed every two years since his subscription purchase date in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his initial subscription purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that Mr. ****** has been removed from the automatic renewal program and that his paid membership subscription will lapse on September 2, 2026 and will then revert to a free membership. Mr. ****** will not be charged any additional subscription fees unless he proactively extends his current paid membership subscription term or purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Mr. ******* consumer complaint.If Mr. ****** or the BBB have any questions or need additional information,please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/09/2024

  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.

  September 2024, I received a yearbook, but the company refused to sent me the correct yearbook, I paid for...I needed the ****** 1982, yearbook...I got something called Spur 1982...I spoke to ******* who refused to listen or exchanges the wrong book she sent me...I have sent a photo of what they insist is ****** 's yearbook, it's not...

  Business Response

  Date: 10/15/2024

  Complaint number: 22366825
  Consumer name: **** *******
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. ******* in connection with her yearbook purchase on the Classmates.com website.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ******* purchased a yearbook on the Classmates website on August 30, 2024. Ms. ******** complaint states she wished to purchase the 1982 ************************ yearbook from *******, *****, however it appears our fulfillment center sent her the 1982 ************************ yearbook from ******, ***** in error.
  
  On September 30, 2024, our fulfillment center sent her the correct book and according to the tracking number, **************************, this book was delivered to the address provided by Ms. ******* in her original purchase information on October 5, 2024.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ********* complaint. If she has any questions regarding her purchase, she should feel free to reach me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *******
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/08/2024

  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 spring 2023, I purchased a one-year subscription to Classmates.com ($60 on my *********** credit card). Six months into the subscription, I realized it was not what was advertised, so I notified them that I would NOT renew and canceled my subscription.I never received a reply from ******* spring 2024, I was charged $60 on my *********** credit card for a renewal. I notified Classmates.Com that I was NOT renewing and was not interested in their product as I had stated in the Fall of 2023.I filed a dispute with ***********, which advised me to "contact the business." I emailed and wrote to Classmates.com but never received a reply.I notified *********** of this. They repeated the same advice, "contact the business".*********** then denied my dispute and began charging me a late fee. I continued to attempt to contact Classmates, and finally, they responded by stating that I had the opportunity to refuse renewal, but they didn't. I informed *********** that I was unable to get ANY response from Classmates.Com and needed their ************* attempt to deal with *********** failed miserably and I was charged late fees, and my credit score went from 823 to 721.I am disgusted with how both *********** (who I had been with for over 23 years without ever filing a dispute or having a late fee), and Classmates have treated me. I ended up paying $142.60 for a $60 renewal, and having my credit downgraded dramatically and cancelling my *********** credit card.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2024

  Complaint #: 22394991
  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 March 28, 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). 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 ************ 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.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 February 17, 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 ************ 1-year membership would automatically renew on March 28, 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.
  
  Additionally,prior to her renewal date, on February 27, 2024, Ms. ******* emailed Classmates about how to cancel her paid membership. She promptly received an automatic email response with instructions on how to cancel her paid membership. The subject line of this email was How to cancel your membership (Your Action Required). A copy of this correspondence and response 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 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.
  
  Upon reviewing her membership activity, it appears that Ms. ******* has utilized her paid membership benefits since her renewal in March, 2024.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that 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 March 28, 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. *******s 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: 10/29/2024

   
  Complaint: 22394991
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The respondent did not mention that (1) They never responded to a letter I sent them a letter in September 2023 informing them that I was dissatisfied with their program and to cancel my membership immediately;  (2) I did not receive an email from them about my renewal with cancellation instructions prior to the renewal date; and (3) That I contacted them immediately after seeing the $60 charge on my credit card to which they never responded. My attempts to contact them went unanswered until my credit card company notified them of my dispute  I have already accepted the consequences. Mine is not the only complaint against this company in regards to dissatisfaction with the program and receiving an email from their company renewal with cancellation instructions.  I appreciate the BBB's efforts to resolve this and I am satisfied that my complaint is now officially documented for others.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *** Panther