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:09/30/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am now getting an attorney involved, this business refuses to honor opt out requests. I am in a child custody situation and this opt out process has created great stress for my family. This has gone on for months, the company removes my name only to repost it again a month later. They promise it will be removed, and every time it shows up again. This is ridiculous.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/30/2024

  Desired outcome is for social catfish to completely and permanently remove my info from their website, ie. honor their opt out policy.
  

  Company refuses to honor their opt out request. They ignore emails and when they do finally answer after multiple attempts—they temporarily remove my info only to repost it a month after later. I am now getting an attorney involved. This has taken up way too much of my time as I have my own business to run. This has caused undue stress due to child custody dispute and therefore escalated privacy concern.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2024

  Hi ******** ****************

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests.

  We located your request under "***************" submitted most recently on 9/30/2024. Based on the information you initially provided, the team was not able to locate any records belonging to you with either name variation. Your response with further verifying information was used to conduct a more thorough search which the team was still unable to locate records belonging to you. While there were a number of "******** ********" found, all had different middle initials, were of different age ranges, and resided in different states. 

  You later provided a URL(************************************************************** that contained no information (screenshot attached). If you open the URL, you'll either see it redirects you to either a "Oops" - No Information Found page or the "No Results" page. The page you'll see depends on if you are logged into a Social Catfish account or not. Either way, both pages are proof that your information has been removed. Just click and open it so you can see for yourself. 

  If you believe information is available due to information provided by a paid 3rd party, it is recommended to follow up with them directly as they may have outdated information stored in their system. The screenshots are attached for your reference. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  ************************** has not removed my data based on having requested it to be removed for the past two (2) weeks in accordance with California CCPA.I have enclosed the *** containing my data on their site as of 9/27/2024 that can be obtained by entering in my name, and then specifying ******, ** as one address. It thus provides the data shown in the ***.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Hi ****** *****,

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests. 
  

  Upon review, we were able to locate your request sent from "****************************" sent on September 11, 2024. Multiple communications have been shared back and forth confirming removal. Despite multiple attempts, I was personally unable to locate any records belonging to you on SocialCatfish.com (screenshots attached for reference). This includes going through the provided URL's in your communications with the team.

  If you have come across URL's containing your information, it is recommended to share with the team directly. If you are getting screenshots from a paid 3rd party service, you may want to confirm how recent their records are. 

  While we've also tried regular google searches (under different name variations) and have attached the screenshots showing no results. Please note that while we remove information from our site, Google operates on its own timeline as far as refreshing its 'scrapes' of our site for its search results and there may still be results in a Google search, temporarily.  However, anything linked to our site will pull up a "No Records Found" page on our end.  This will disappear once Google updates its cache. Again, we were unable to produce results containing your information with a general Google search. 

  If you have any questions, have additional information, or require further clarification, you may reach out by email to [email protected] or give us a call 844-422-8347.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2024

  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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  There is a major problem with this companys opt out process. They ignore emails unless you send multiple times, then they claim that they will remove your info. Only for it to show up again a month or less later. This is fraudulent and illegal as they are not honoring their opt outs. If this issue cant be fixed, the company should not be allowed to operate under dishonest practices. I have saved multiple documentation and am considering a lawyer at this point. I run a business and this has become a huge waste of my time.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  Hi **** *******,

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests. 
  

  Upon review, I located your request sent from **************** on September 26. The URL provided does not contain any data and leads to a "No Results" page (screenshot attached). This indicates that the information has already been deleted. While I was not able to successfully locate any other URL's to match the screenshot you shared, I've left a note to the Data Privacy team to double check this. If you haven't heard from the team yet, you should in the next 24 hours. If you retrieved the screenshot from a paid 3rd party, you may want to confirm their records are up to date.

  We offer several options to have your information removed. You may email to [email protected], use the self opt out form at https://socialcatfish.com/opt-out, or complete the opt out process by visiting https://socialcatfish.com/opt-out/?id=request_optout. If you have already submitted a request through Social Catfish, you should reference your email for updates.
  

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/22/2024

  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.

  Their site will not remove personal information about me despite repeated requests over the last several months. When I use their opt-out form, it says I'm submitting from an agency and my email is blocked. I am not submitting from an agency; I'm submitting this request for myself.I want the profile at ************************************************************************** deleted from their site.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2024

  Hi ****** ******,

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests.

  Upon review, we have no requests to remove data from the email address you provided or under your name.

  If you are looking to request that your information be removed, you will need to reach out to the company directly. We offer several options to have your information removed. You may email to *********************************** use the self opt out form at ******************************************, or complete the opt out process by visiting ******************************************/?id=request_optout. If you have already submitted a request through Social Catfish, you should reference your email for updates.

  Please note it is recommended to submit through your email and not an email address provided by an unauthorized third party to avoid delays.

  If you have any questions or require further clarification, please reply to the existing communications you have open with the Data Privacy team. Our Support team is also able to assist with general questions and are happy to help. They can be reached by email at ********************************** or by phone at ************.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/26/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I have attempted to use your opt out form and it claims my email is flagged as an agency. I use a masked email because I don't want you harvesting more information about me.

  I provided the *** I want to be removed in this complaint. If you don't want people submitting complaints here, then fix your opt out process so it stops flagging legitimate email domains as agencies.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/16/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Social catfish violates its own opt out policy. Its now been over 15 days and they still have not removed my info. This is serious privacy concern and huge inconvenience, so much time wasted because a company cannot follow their own policy. I want my info removed.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2024

  Hi *****,

  This is in response to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests.

  I was able to connect with the Data Privacy team to review your request and can confirm that they received your request to remove data on August 30th. On September 3rd, the team removed 3 of your records successfully. However, upon looking into your request, we located other records that look to belong to you. 

  Please know we take privacy seriously and will use this opportunity to review and revise our processes accordingly. I have reopened your request and the team has expedited the removal. They will send confirmation to **********************. 

  If you have any questions or concerns, we're here to help. Please feel free to contact our Support at *********************************** or call to ***********. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/25/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The information keeps showing back up for my entire family a month later. You remove one name, then it shows up again a month or so later. I now have documentation of this happening over a 6 month period. I am not sure if this is done on purpose, or a fault in your removal system, but it needs fixed. It is unreasonable how much time has to be dedicated to an opt out request which should be a simple process. I want my name permanently and fully deleted in all forms, as well as from your directory. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/04/2024

  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.

  I contacted social catfish at least 3 2. Day because I did not get what I paid for 1st. They needed $6.87 for a subscription. Then they needed another $22. Then I send a picture and I got no heads on it. They're picked. Didn't look anything like my picture? So I complained and got nowhere then I got a gal that said she would give me tokens for a name search so I did a name search and then they wanted more money. I didn't get anywhere with the tokens. I am thoroughly disgusted with social catfish I wanted. Them to help me with the romance stamp. But instead they scammed me out of $22 and 80 have been no help whatsoever.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/25/2024

  Hi *******,

  This is in response to your BBB complaint. Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns. Sorry to hear you had a frustrating experience and we appreciate the opportunity to help make things right.

  Upon reviewing your account, we were unable to locate the photo of yourself as mentioned. However, we did find the exact matches to the other photos you searched. This is why the agent felt it would help to issue a name search token for free. Sorry for any confusion surrounding this, it's our goal to ensure we clarify any misunderstandings and provide the service you expected.

  It sounds like there has also been some confusion regarding the service and additional charges. I can confirm you did sign up for the 3-day trial on 9/4/24 for $6.87. Shortly after you upgraded to the Image Search Pro plan for $22. The pro plan allows you to reference meta data, geographical location, etc when available. No refund has been issued because you used the services and received results. However, you do still have free image search tokens as well as name search tokens available on your account. These do not expire and you may use them at your convenience.

  We would love an opportunity to review your search results with you and help you to find what you're looking for. We are happy to help clarify any questions you may have regarding the plans and services. We can explore other options as well, we just need to better understand what you were looking to find .Please feel free to contact Customer Support at ************, and well be happy to assist in resolving this matter as quickly as possible. Your satisfaction is important to us, and I appreciate your patience as we work to make things right.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/01/2024

   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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/24/2024

  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.

  Me (*******************************) and my Wife (*******************************) both submitted CCPA Opt-outs, as well as Delete Requests to Social Catfish on July 6th and July 11th. Social Catfish responded by calling us bots and saying were automated!!? They requested we further verify our identities on July 13th & July 18th. We responded those very same days confirming our identities along with the requested information. We have not heard back since. Its been 49 Days since the initial requests, which is passed the 45 days as allowed under CCPA law. We believe Social Catfish is ignoring our requests in order to keep our data.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2024

  Hi *****,

  This is in response to your BBB complaint. If you are not the third party reaching out on behalf of a client, you can submit directly to the company to have your information removed. 

  We offer several options to have your information removed. You may email to (1) *********************************** (2) use the self opt out form at ******************************************, or (3) complete the opt out process by visiting ******************************************/?id=request_optout.

  After reviewing, the Data Privacy team received your request for deletion on July 6, 2024. The team replied to your request on July 12, ******************************* order to proceed to which no further responses were received from you. Since the team was not able to verify you, your request, or your records, they were not able to fulfill the request. 

  Please note it is recommended to submit through your email and not an email address provided by an unauthorized third party to avoid delays.
  

  If you have any questions or require further clarification, please reply to the existing communications you have open with the Data Privacy team. Our Support team is also able to assist with general questions and are happy to help. They can be reached by email at ********************************** or by phone at ************.
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/03/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Hi there, 

  Thanks for your reply, SocialCatfish. 
  

  Attached is a copy of the email (you claim you never received) sent to your Data Privacy Team on July 13th 2024 at 2:08AM. 18 Minutes after your email came through requesting verification. 

  I am indeed the person requesting deletion, optout. 
  My email used for Data removal does indeed have OPTERY in it as it is a masked/privacy email. 
  Ive found companies in your industry tend to add you to their email bulk lists when responding with your personal email address. 
  

  Please let me know what is required to proceed with our CCPA Opt-out & Delete. 
  

  CCPA Delete/Optout 

  
  First Name: *****
  Last Name: **********
  Email: *********************************
  State: **********
  Verified Status: Verified ********** resident
  Third Party: N/A
  Request Type: Requests to delete, Request to Opt-out
  What Information Are You Requesting Social Catfish Delete? All specific information related to me that Social Catfish has in its possession.
  Message:
  - Optional Information - 
  First Initial Of Middle Name: L
  Age Range: 45-53
  Other Email(s): *****************************
  **************************
  Phone Number(s): ************
  ************
  ************
  Other States Where You Have Lived (if any): *********
  *****
  URLs: ************************************************************************

   

  Thank you 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/09/2024

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Social Catfish is not honoring their opt out process and seems to use underhanded tactics. They removed my name a month ago, only to repost my info under my maiden name. Then they removed that and put my record back up with the old name. So it seems a lie that they will remove your info, they just repost it using a different name. This violates CCPA opt out laws. I am involved with child custody and this is major privacy escalation issue. My next step will be a cease and desist letter. Its a shame that this company makes it so difficult for the public to have privacy. They ignore my email and phone calls, or they give me the run around.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/09/2024

  Hi ***,

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests. Please also note that CCPA applies to current California residents.
  

  Upon review with the Data Privacy team, no requests to opt-out or delete were received from, or on behalf of, "*** Bar" or the email "***************".

  If you are looking to request that your information be removed, you will need to reach out to the company directly. We offer several options to have your information removed. You may email to *********************************** use the self opt out form at ******************************************, or complete the opt out process by visiting ******************************************/?id=request_optout. If you have already submitted a request through Social Catfish, you should reference your email for updates.

  If you have any questions or require further clarification, please reply to the existing communications you have open with the Data Privacy team. Our Support team is also able to assist with general questions and are happy to help as well. They can be reached by email at ********************************** or by phone at ************. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/06/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  CCPA violation, this website does not honor their opt out process. *** tried multiple times to have record removed due to custody dispute and they ignore my emails.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/09/2024

  Hi ******,

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests.

  We were able to locate your request under "***************". Your request for removal was received Sunday, August 4. The agent responded Tuesday, August 6 confirming the removal of your information. You acknowledged the agents confirmation on Thursday, August 8. 

  Per policy, data privacy requests are completed within 10 days. This timeframe is established to ensure we are aligned with data privacy regulations. Still, our team strives to complete consumer requests in less time and typically gets it done much sooner. In your case, your request was completed in less that 3 days. 

  If you have any questions or need further clarification regarding your data privacy request, please feel free to contact our team by phone at ************ or email at ***********************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/05/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am trying to opt out my information and they will not remove it. I already filled the opt out form.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/07/2024

  Hello

  This is in regards to your BBB complaint. I understand you would like to request to have your information removed. Please note that complaints through the BBB is not a recognized platform to submit information removal requests.

  If you are looking to request that your information be removed, you will need to reach out to the company directly. We offer several options to have your information removed. You may email to *********************************** use the self opt out form at ******************************************, or complete the opt out process by visiting ******************************************/?id=request_optout. If you have already submitted a request through Social Catfish, you should reference your email for updates.

  That said, we were not able to locate a request for data removal under "*****************" nor have we received anything from *********************** The team does test the forms regularly but incase you are experiencing trouble using the form, I might recommend emailing the team directly at **********************************. Please note per policy, data privacy requests are completed within 10 days. This timeframe is established to ensure we are aligned with data privacy regulations. Still, our team strives to complete consumer requests in less time and typically gets it done much sooner.

  If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding your data privacy request, please feel free to contact our team by phone at ************ or email at **********************************.