Complaint Review: Classmates

Two years ago I purchased a subscription to classmates.com to re-connect with my high shool from which I graduated in 1962. I enjoyed catching up with a few people but did not use the service over the past year in 2021. 

Before I could cancel my subscription I received a notification from my credit card company that A $96 charge from classmates.com was pending--the payment had not yet been posted. I at once notified classmates.com via e-mail that I wanted to cancel my subscription for the next 2 years immediately, which was on March 25, 2022. 

I then followed classmates on-line procedure for canceling my account which I found very confusing, so I sent another e-mail repeating my request for cacelling my prescription and requesting that the $96 be refunded.   

I was notified by classmates that both of my messages had been received, but nothing happened.  So today, March 31, I called classmates and was told that when I signed up for the subscription I agreed to allow automatic deductions from my account for subsequent subscriptions. I said I understood this policy, but expected to receive  prior notice that my subscription was about to renew.

I never received any such notice before seeing the pending deduction  on my credit card account--I monitor all such accounts closely--but the phone representative told me classmates sends out notices of pending billing 30 days in advance.  I am certain no such message was ever sent. I also asked her whether such notices were ever sent via "snailmail" and she said classmates was totally on-line and never used the US mails. 

So there you have it. The pending $96 was subsequently deducted from my credit card and I was told no refund would be forthcoming--although my account was now cancelled as per my call.  That is not good enough. I think this policy is a deliberate rip-off and the only fair result would be the refund of the $96.

Thank you