- Report: #131522
Complaint Review: Classmates - Washington
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
Classmates
Washington, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-516-6973
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
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classmates ripoff Company automatically began to re-bill my credit card without advance warning Seattle Washington *EDitor's Suggestions on how to get your money back into your bank account!
*UPDATE Employee: Read everything before you agree
*Consumer Suggestion: Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
*Consumer Suggestion: Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
*Consumer Suggestion: Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
*Consumer Suggestion: Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
*Consumer Comment: YES PLEASE READYOUR TOS
I visited www.classmates.com about 3 months ago. I saw several of my old classmates, decided $15 U.S. for 3 months was reasonable to contact them. Got in touch with my old friends, thought that was the end of it for me.
Then, 3 months later I received an e-mail thanking me for my new payment to Classmates!
After digging through many pages, I found an area to contact them. They responded, I was given a toll free number to call so that I could cancel. 1-800-516-6973. I tried to phone it, got a recording that the number is only accessible in the U.S.A. (I'm Canadian). I e-mailed them back. They arranged to phone me, which they did, and put me through to the cancellation area. I was on hold for over 1/2 hour.
Finally, some woman with a southern hick accent gets on, refuses to refund my money, saying I didn't read their "Terms of Service". Their Terms of Service is about 50 paragraphs long, in small type.
Turns out when you sign up, they set your account to "automatically renew". You are supposed to manually turn it off if you don't want it. After digging through several web pages, I found the area to turn off "Automatic renew". They gave no obvious warning when I signed in, they don't have an easy to locate spot to turn off "automatic renew" ... www.classmates.com is a rip off, a scam and should be investigated.
I have since cancelled my credit card so that these bastards can't "automatically renew" my charges in the future!
Rob
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
EDitor's Suggestions on how to get your money back!
HERE IS WHAT RIP-OFF REPORT SUGGESTS YOU DO:
Go to your bank within 60 days of the charge, or as soon as you know about the charge, don't delay, and tell them that there has been fraudulent activity within your account. Explain that you wish to file a dispute, and demand that they assist you in accordance with Federal Regulation E.
According to the majority of victims interviewed by Rip-off Report, those who immediately called their banks to dispute the charges did not get very far. Many victims got the following responses from their banks: we could not do anything for you or you waited too long; it has been more than 60 days.
If the bank is says that you have waited too long, explain to them how you called their 800 number as soon as the charges were found, and were told by the bank that nothing could be done. Remind the bank that they failed to assist you properly at the 800 #, and instead, provided you with an inadequate explanation of your right to dispute. Tell the bank that it's their fault time has expired, and since they gave you the wrong info to begin with, they will just have to deal with it, take the loss and reverse the charges.
Tell them the truth; this was unauthorized and your account was NOT to be charged! Keep emphasizing how you never authorized anything! Direct them to the hundreds of victims reports that were filed on Rip-off Report.com. And if you're at the bank, walk them over to their computer and make them go to this site! If you are on the phone with them, tell them you will wait while they access this site! Either way, be persistent!
DO NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!
Let them know nicely, that you were advised to Report them (the Bank) and this situation to the Banking Commission in your state. Since each state has a different name for the agency/controller over banks, find that name before you call or get to the bank so you can throw it in their face. The more knowledgeable you appear to be, the further you will get.
And just continue to demand the Federal Regulation E form! The bank CAN, MUST and WILL reverse the charge! But, you must be persistent; ask to speak to the supervisor or the area manager for all the branches in the state.
Let the bank personnel know you are meeting with the media later in the day, that you would much rather they do the right thing (as most other banks have) by looking at the complaints and immediately reversing the charge(s) to your account; no matter how long ago it was. Be sure to call the Media if necessary so you are telling the truth.
If you have to, be loud (but nice) in front of other customers. If you are just calling by phone, the above tactics should still work. The bank can easily fax or mail to you the Federal Regulation E dispute form.
CHARGES TO YOUR CREDIT CARD
If the charge was to your credit card (not debit card, check card, or checking account), contact the credit card company as soon as possible to request a dispute form. Consumers usually have a little longer to dispute fraudulent credit card charges (up to 6 months), but it is better to act right away. In this type of situation, credit card disputes are usually successful since fraudulent companies often won't contest the disputed charge. In rare cases, credit card companies will review disputes, but refuse to reverse the charges. If this occurs, complain to a manager and let them know you will be filing a report here.
Remember Don't let them get away with it! Make sure they make the Rip-off Report .. The more Reports filed on a Company or individual, the more likely it is that the authorities, media and attorneys will want to take action.
And good luck Let us know how you do!
ED Magedson Founder, Rip-off Report.com & Author of www.ripoffrevenge.com
[email protected]
badbusinessbureau.com
www.ripoffreport.com
Don't let them get away with it.
Make sure they make the Rip-off Report!
We are not lawyers.
We are not a collection agency.
We are Consumer Advocates.
...the victims' advocate
WE are Civil and Human Rights Activists
We are a Worldwide Consumer Reporting News Agency
...by consumers, for consumers
CLICK HERE to read about Credit Card Scams... find out how to get your money back. *Rip-off Report Investigation provides valuable information.
Then, 3 months later I received an e-mail thanking me for my new payment to Classmates!
After digging through many pages, I found an area to contact them. They responded, I was given a toll free number to call so that I could cancel. 1-800-516-6973. I tried to phone it, got a recording that the number is only accessible in the U.S.A. (I'm Canadian). I e-mailed them back. They arranged to phone me, which they did, and put me through to the cancellation area. I was on hold for over 1/2 hour.
Finally, some woman with a southern hick accent gets on, refuses to refund my money, saying I didn't read their "Terms of Service". Their Terms of Service is about 50 paragraphs long, in small type.
Turns out when you sign up, they set your account to "automatically renew". You are supposed to manually turn it off if you don't want it. After digging through several web pages, I found the area to turn off "Automatic renew". They gave no obvious warning when I signed in, they don't have an easy to locate spot to turn off "automatic renew" ... www.classmates.com is a rip off, a scam and should be investigated.
I have since cancelled my credit card so that these bastards can't "automatically renew" my charges in the future!
Rob
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
EDitor's Suggestions on how to get your money back!
HERE IS WHAT RIP-OFF REPORT SUGGESTS YOU DO:
Go to your bank within 60 days of the charge, or as soon as you know about the charge, don't delay, and tell them that there has been fraudulent activity within your account. Explain that you wish to file a dispute, and demand that they assist you in accordance with Federal Regulation E.
According to the majority of victims interviewed by Rip-off Report, those who immediately called their banks to dispute the charges did not get very far. Many victims got the following responses from their banks: we could not do anything for you or you waited too long; it has been more than 60 days.
If the bank is says that you have waited too long, explain to them how you called their 800 number as soon as the charges were found, and were told by the bank that nothing could be done. Remind the bank that they failed to assist you properly at the 800 #, and instead, provided you with an inadequate explanation of your right to dispute. Tell the bank that it's their fault time has expired, and since they gave you the wrong info to begin with, they will just have to deal with it, take the loss and reverse the charges.
Tell them the truth; this was unauthorized and your account was NOT to be charged! Keep emphasizing how you never authorized anything! Direct them to the hundreds of victims reports that were filed on Rip-off Report.com. And if you're at the bank, walk them over to their computer and make them go to this site! If you are on the phone with them, tell them you will wait while they access this site! Either way, be persistent!
DO NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!
Let them know nicely, that you were advised to Report them (the Bank) and this situation to the Banking Commission in your state. Since each state has a different name for the agency/controller over banks, find that name before you call or get to the bank so you can throw it in their face. The more knowledgeable you appear to be, the further you will get.
And just continue to demand the Federal Regulation E form! The bank CAN, MUST and WILL reverse the charge! But, you must be persistent; ask to speak to the supervisor or the area manager for all the branches in the state.
Let the bank personnel know you are meeting with the media later in the day, that you would much rather they do the right thing (as most other banks have) by looking at the complaints and immediately reversing the charge(s) to your account; no matter how long ago it was. Be sure to call the Media if necessary so you are telling the truth.
If you have to, be loud (but nice) in front of other customers. If you are just calling by phone, the above tactics should still work. The bank can easily fax or mail to you the Federal Regulation E dispute form.
CHARGES TO YOUR CREDIT CARD
If the charge was to your credit card (not debit card, check card, or checking account), contact the credit card company as soon as possible to request a dispute form. Consumers usually have a little longer to dispute fraudulent credit card charges (up to 6 months), but it is better to act right away. In this type of situation, credit card disputes are usually successful since fraudulent companies often won't contest the disputed charge. In rare cases, credit card companies will review disputes, but refuse to reverse the charges. If this occurs, complain to a manager and let them know you will be filing a report here.
Remember Don't let them get away with it! Make sure they make the Rip-off Report .. The more Reports filed on a Company or individual, the more likely it is that the authorities, media and attorneys will want to take action.
And good luck Let us know how you do!
ED Magedson Founder, Rip-off Report.com & Author of www.ripoffrevenge.com
[email protected]
badbusinessbureau.com
www.ripoffreport.com
Don't let them get away with it.
Make sure they make the Rip-off Report!
We are not lawyers.
We are not a collection agency.
We are Consumer Advocates.
...the victims' advocate
WE are Civil and Human Rights Activists
We are a Worldwide Consumer Reporting News Agency
...by consumers, for consumers
CLICK HERE to read about Credit Card Scams... find out how to get your money back. *Rip-off Report Investigation provides valuable information.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Notnot
Bronx,New York,
U.S.A.
YES PLEASE READYOUR TOS
#2Consumer Comment
Mon, August 22, 2005
Automatic Renewal is now industry wide on the internet you stop acting like a bunch of VILLAGE IDIOTS - real rhapsody - paid yahoo accounts even some prepaid cellphones have automatic renewal. There is NOTHING illegal about it!!!!!!! Stop calling these call centers saying 'I DID NOT AUTHORIZE THIS CHARGE'. Anytime, I place my credit card on the internet, I read my return options. I don't just click click click. TOS (terms of services) is the Merchants refund policies...and many websites are nonrefundable why? well, for example - Classmates membership is not a product you can touch or hold - so what warehouse are they going to return the product to.. That's why they have a free basic membership, so you can get a feel for what the site can do for you. Please folks, the internet is our friend and each internet owner can not come into our homes and hold our hands while we fill out the information. Would you accept a return of an item, after it's been opened, and used and outside of your store's refund policy, such as underwear!!!!! or how about a soda - or even better yet, diapers. No thanks.....anyway folks, please read the return policies - each website have them - if they don't ALWAYS GO TO THE HELP LINK OR CONTACT US OR TERMS OF SERVICES....
Rob
Edmonton,Alberta,
Canada
Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 05, 2005
Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked, dishonest business if you read other reports on this "company". Not only do they set you up on an "automatic renewal", but they then proceed to pass your credit card info onto other crooked companys who begin to automatically bill you and hide behind the bull s**t of "you should have read your terms of service." There is a little thing called good customer service that us as consumers have come to expect and demand. If I buy a pair of shoes at Wal*Mart for instance, if after a month I decide that they aren't right for me, Wal*Mart will refund my money hassle free. Why? Good customer service. They know that if they make me the consumer happy, I will most likely return, buy more stuff, and recommend them to my friends. It's just good business practise. As soon as I received the notice thanking me for my "automatic renewal", I contacted Classmates.com the very same day without even using their "service". I expected good customer service. What I got in a nutshell from Classmates.com is: You suck, we don't need your business, there are plenty of other suckers out there who don't thoroughly read every bit of crap on our webpage when they sign up, and once we get their money, we don't care if they live or die either. Classmates.com should be investigated for underhanded business practises, heavily fined and shut down.
Rob
Edmonton,Alberta,
Canada
Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
#4Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 05, 2005
Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked, dishonest business if you read other reports on this "company". Not only do they set you up on an "automatic renewal", but they then proceed to pass your credit card info onto other crooked companys who begin to automatically bill you and hide behind the bull s**t of "you should have read your terms of service." There is a little thing called good customer service that us as consumers have come to expect and demand. If I buy a pair of shoes at Wal*Mart for instance, if after a month I decide that they aren't right for me, Wal*Mart will refund my money hassle free. Why? Good customer service. They know that if they make me the consumer happy, I will most likely return, buy more stuff, and recommend them to my friends. It's just good business practise. As soon as I received the notice thanking me for my "automatic renewal", I contacted Classmates.com the very same day without even using their "service". I expected good customer service. What I got in a nutshell from Classmates.com is: You suck, we don't need your business, there are plenty of other suckers out there who don't thoroughly read every bit of crap on our webpage when they sign up, and once we get their money, we don't care if they live or die either. Classmates.com should be investigated for underhanded business practises, heavily fined and shut down.
Rob
Edmonton,Alberta,
Canada
Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
#5Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 05, 2005
Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked, dishonest business if you read other reports on this "company". Not only do they set you up on an "automatic renewal", but they then proceed to pass your credit card info onto other crooked companys who begin to automatically bill you and hide behind the bull s**t of "you should have read your terms of service." There is a little thing called good customer service that us as consumers have come to expect and demand. If I buy a pair of shoes at Wal*Mart for instance, if after a month I decide that they aren't right for me, Wal*Mart will refund my money hassle free. Why? Good customer service. They know that if they make me the consumer happy, I will most likely return, buy more stuff, and recommend them to my friends. It's just good business practise. As soon as I received the notice thanking me for my "automatic renewal", I contacted Classmates.com the very same day without even using their "service". I expected good customer service. What I got in a nutshell from Classmates.com is: You suck, we don't need your business, there are plenty of other suckers out there who don't thoroughly read every bit of crap on our webpage when they sign up, and once we get their money, we don't care if they live or die either. Classmates.com should be investigated for underhanded business practises, heavily fined and shut down.
Rob
Edmonton,Alberta,
Canada
Customer Service Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked
#6Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 05, 2005
Classmates has proven itself over and over to be a crooked, dishonest business if you read other reports on this "company". Not only do they set you up on an "automatic renewal", but they then proceed to pass your credit card info onto other crooked companys who begin to automatically bill you and hide behind the bull s**t of "you should have read your terms of service." There is a little thing called good customer service that us as consumers have come to expect and demand. If I buy a pair of shoes at Wal*Mart for instance, if after a month I decide that they aren't right for me, Wal*Mart will refund my money hassle free. Why? Good customer service. They know that if they make me the consumer happy, I will most likely return, buy more stuff, and recommend them to my friends. It's just good business practise. As soon as I received the notice thanking me for my "automatic renewal", I contacted Classmates.com the very same day without even using their "service". I expected good customer service. What I got in a nutshell from Classmates.com is: You suck, we don't need your business, there are plenty of other suckers out there who don't thoroughly read every bit of crap on our webpage when they sign up, and once we get their money, we don't care if they live or die either. Classmates.com should be investigated for underhanded business practises, heavily fined and shut down.
Anonymous
Huntington,West Virginia,
U.S.A.
Read everything before you agree
#7UPDATE Employee
Thu, March 03, 2005
If you actually read the text under the boxes where you put in your credit card information,it clearly states that your membership will be automatically renewed for your convenience. It also says that the amount that you are charged is non refundable. Everyone should really read things before they agree to them. Especially when your money is involved. If you don't take the time to read agreements or terms of service before you agree to them or submit your billing information, then it is your own fault that you are getting "surprise" bills. They would not be a "surprise" if you actually read the terms. 90% of the time it is the customers own fault for being lazy.
