Complaints

This profile includes complaints for AuPairCare, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  AuPairCare, Inc.

  600 California St Fl 10 San Francisco, CA 94108-2730

  
• 

  AuPairCare, Inc.

  490 Merrick Dr Beavercreek, OH 45434

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:05/12/2023

  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.

  This transaction started in November with au pair care to find an au pair for our family. We paid the agency in full an amount of $9,050 dollars. We paid the agency so they could help search and provide ** with qualified individuals. They first started to send me only profiles that did not match the criteria requested, so I started to do my own search and interviewed and looked over hundreds of profiles. I found someone that looked like a good match and had experience with a family with kids similar age to mine. On her profile, it stated that this person had her references ****************** by the company. We came to find out, after the au pair was here that not only she was lying to ** about having allergens in the house and my kids were having allergy symptoms from products she was using that we requested not to be used ever, but then we also found out that she used her own boyfriend as a reference in order to make the hours needed to be an au pair. She committed application fraud. I have saved all the proof and pictures of her profile and his. I tried to request my money back in full since we paid for a service that we did not receive aka (a qualified individual to care for my children) but also we found out the agency breached the contract by not interviewing my husband before moving forward with our process. The company needs to abide by DOS rules and interviewing all adults is a requirement. My husband was not deployed. They also never came over to my home to verify our living conditions and room. The agency did not take accountability or replied my questions as to how come this au pair made up her experience and nobody verified this. The company returned me $6,400 from the $9,050 but I am disputing the difference given that this au pair arrived and within the first week we rematched due to health concerns and then following the findings of **** fraud.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  We are truly sorry to hear that your au pair's usage of personal care products was not a good fit for your family's medical needs, and we can't imagine how disappointing that would be after you worked so hard to set clear expectations in advance.  Per the attached Host Family Agreement, it is up to the host family to make any final hiring decision, and we cannot guarantee that any individual au pair will be the right fit.  While we are not able to share private details regarding your former au pair, we can confirm that we have investigated your concern regarding her references.  We understand the urge to try to investigate when you're upset, but it can lead to incorrect conclusions, and our understanding is that the person in your attached screenshot is not the person who provided a childcare reference. This au pair meets the qualifications to participate in the exchange program, and she has gone on to have a very positive program experience with another family.  We sincerely believe that there is a "lid for every pot" and wish you the best of luck in finding the childcare provider that's the perfect match for your family.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 20050145
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Au pair care is not correct in saying that I am mistaken and that her reference is not her boyfriend. Please see attached yet another the proof that confirms her reference is the person on the ******** profile ( her boyfriend *********************, that she has been in a relationship with since 2017 as attached on documentation). *********************, is *******'s boyfriend. You can see attached WhatsApp screenshot from my conversation with him when she first arrived and his phone number. Please note that on the second attachment I have screenshot his business information in ****** that has the same phone number we communicated via whatsapp, his picture on the whatsapp, that matches his ******** profile and his email, which is the same email ******* used for the reference of the family. The email is as follow: ************************ I also attached a screenshot of her reference information on her au pair care profile confirming that she used ************************* as an email reference. 
  
  In sum: she used her boyfriend's name, and  his email as reference for childcare with a made up experience (not even the ages of the kids matches the years worked). The company iis trying to say this is not the person I believe it is and I am mistaken him with someone else. His email is attached to his business and personal cell number (which I screenshot proof as I communicated with him before) as seen on attached files. This company is trying to gaslight me and avoid responsibility because this will uncovere a bigger issue with their screening process. 
  
  This is a very serious matter, and the fact that the company yet again is not taking responsibility and trying to cover up that there is an oversight and did not make its diligence is atroucious. We did our diligence as a host family and trusted the business to do its part (find qualified au pairs), which is to make sure she was verified at a minimum her basic childcare experience. The company breached its contract by not verifying this and allowing it to happen. 
  
  The company proceeded to let the au pair be matched with another family under the compatibility reason, and never even thought into looking at my fraud claims before sending this au pair to another family before really verifying her credentials. I am requesting my full refund based on everything I listed above. The contract does not matter when the company did not follow on its commitment to find a verifiable qualified care provider to be part of the au pair program. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/16/2023

  Thank you for sharing the screenshot of the number you believe belongs to your former au pair's boyfriend.  We have confirmed it does *not* match the phone number provided by this au pair for her reference, who we understand to be a different **********************  Please see the attached screenshot -- we have blocked the full phone number for privacy reasons, however it is visible that this number ends in 508.  We hope this eases your concerns. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/16/2023

   
  Complaint: 20050145
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Listed In *************************** (au pair) employment history was a man by the name of *********************, which also happens to be her boyfriends name. ******** boyfriends father also goes by the same name. Under the professional reference section of *********************, the email address of ***************************** is listed as the point of contact for her reference *********************.  Upon doing some independent fact checking and research, and in accordance with the attached screenshots of public information found on the internet, the above referenced email address is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the email address of *************************** boyfriend. As depicted in the screenshot, the phone number listed for ********************* ending in ****, is the same number I have spoken to him on while ******* was working for ** (see screenshot). I have also attached my WhatsApp conversation screenshot with ********************* at that number. This proves that the email address listed under ******** employment references matches the email address and information provided in this website, all confirming *********************, ******** boyfriend, as the email owner. At this point the erroneous phone number listed under ********************* in Moniques employment references section is simply just false information. More importantly, the information stated above and screenshots attached are sufficient evidence to prove that 1. AupairCare failed to do their diligence in properly vetting applicants to the program which also is a violation of the **** ***************** regulation on processing of au pair visas, and 2. ************************* falsified her employment history in order to qualify for the au pair program/visa by placing her boyfriend as an employment reference on her resume in order to acquire, on paper, the necessary child care experience to qualify for the au pair program. 

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

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/07/2023

  We take these matters seriously, and have been in contact with the ********** of ***** regarding your concern.  We have responded to all of their inquiries with the documentation that we have, and to our knowledge they are satisfied with the information that has been provided.  We do not dispute that your former au pair's boyfriend has the same name as her reference, and as you state in your message and as we found in our investigation, he shares this name with other members of his family.  We unfortunately cannot share further information regarding the ********************* who served as her reference due to privacy concerns, as we have already provided as much information as we can, but we have not found evidence that anything fraudulent occurred.  It is common for au pairs to have childcare experience taking care of the children of family friends or other people they know personally in their community.  I'm so sorry that the situation has been so distressing for you.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/02/2023

  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.

  Dear Head of Customer Experience,I am utterly appalled at the abysmal level of service your company has provided, and I demand that you take immediate action to rectify this situation. I will not tolerate the same generic responses that you have given to other parents who have complained before me.It is reprehensible that your company prioritizes the profits of your au pairs over the well-being of the families who use your services. Your business practices are nothing short of disgraceful, and I will not stand for it.I am requesting a full refund for the services that were promised but were not fulfilled by your end of the contract. These services include;matching, international au pair travel, local staff support, national support, and after-hours emergency support I have attached documentation to support my claim, and I expect you to take swift action to resolve this matter.As parents yourselves, you should be ashamed of the experiences that families like mine have had to endure. It is unconscionable that you would allow young children to be placed in situations where they are not being cared for properly. Your staff's failure to take our concerns seriously is just as unacceptable.Your company's current relationship training is clearly insufficient, and it is clear that you need to do better. We paid thousands of dollars for a matching service that did not deliver on the support that was promised in your help articles. We were left with no choice but to seek outside child care and the lack of support we received from your company only added to our frustration.I implore you to take this matter seriously and to take immediate action to rectify this situation with a refund for the outlined services above. Your company must do better, and you cannot continue to prioritize profits over the safety and well-being of the families who use your services.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2023

  We are so sorry that your au pair opted to end the match with your family we understand that when this occurs it is a stressful and traumatic experience, and it is never our desired outcome.   We unfortunately cannot guarantee that an au pair will be willing to work with any particular host family, and we cannot force a host family or au pair to continue a match against their will.   We outline this clearly in our Host Family Agreement,which is attached.  

  Our Regional Manager ******** has offered a phone call with you, which you have declined, as well as two goodwill gestures in an attempt to resolve the concern.  She is the best person to contact and has the full set of tools in her toolbox to assist you.  AuPairCare does not provide refund exceptions, however ******** has offered your family a Return Customer Credit option, which allows you to receive your contractual refund ($818.84) right away while retaining the balance between Credit and Refund ($2304.92) as a discount on your account to apply to a match with an au pair in the next year.  In addition, she has waived the $350 placement fee for a future match.  If there is something else that would be helpful more time to use your account credit,scheduling a call with your Matching Expert for some tailored advice around interviewing and expectation-setting, or something else please let ******** know. 
  

  We understand that international cultural exchange is not for every family, and we are happy to provide your contractual refund upon request.  While we are unable to provide a refund above and beyond the contract, we sincerely want to support your family in using the credit on your account to have the positive experience your family deserves.  If you feel there is any possibility you might give the program another try, I encourage you to reach out to ******** by phone to have a conversation.  She is the best person to address your concerns and gain a better understanding of what additional support we can provide to help you feel confident moving forward with the program.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/04/2023

   
  Complaint: 20007823
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  We were told we paid for flights for through aupaircare but we paid for these out of pocket. 
  we are requesting a $1500 reimbursement for that expense since we paid for it. It is fraudulent to charge a member for a service they paid for.

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

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/04/2023

  Happy to help clarify!  Because this is a federally regulated program for international exchange visitors, all au pairs must arrive to the ** on an international flight from their home country in order to participate in the program.  Per the Host Family Agreement, these international flight costs are covered by program fees from all host families participating in the program. 

   If a host family opts to match with an in-country au pair (who was previously placed with a different family where the match ended early), the family arranges domestic travel and covers these costs, which is outlined transparently on our public costs page ************************************************************************; I have included a screenshot for your convenience.  If host families prefer not to pay these costs, they are welcome to opt for an overseas au pair instead.

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/05/2023

   
  Complaint: 20007823
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  This is a scam and completely unethical billing practices. I am requesting once again to refund me the $1500 for a flight that we should not have paid for, if you will not I will continue to reject your offer and will bring in legal counsel on this.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/15/2023

  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.

  This is the second time this agency instructed an au pair leave my employ without contacting me first. The first Au pair was instructed to leave because she did not have her own room. This was not true, and the agency never contacted me to find out. The incoming au pair was to be trained by the outgoing au pair, and I made sure they both had bedrooms. The agency failed to email me, call me, text me or anything to straighten this out. I didnt get a refund for that week and I actually paid the agency fee for both au pairs. And they provided no credit for the inconvenience that they caused after it all came to light that there were plenty of bedrooms.The second time this happened, I was out of town as was my mother, and the Au pair left with no warning or explanation from the agency. My daughter reported that somebody from the agency picked her up. There were never ANY problems reported to me via text, email, or phone calls at the time of the departure, or in the previous 11 months that she was in my home. When an au pair chooses to rematch, the rules say they are to give the host family 2 weeks notice, and vice versa. Only after several emails to the agency, did I hear that the au pair said she felt unsafe. Interestingly, the Au pair had plenty of time to do all of her laundry, rearrange and organize her room, and arrange transportation by the local coordinator. It should also be noted that the only person in the house was my child, who was supposed to be at her fathers for the weekend. The agency could not provide me any proof that I was contacted prior coming to get the au pair. This agency believes they can break the contract without any repercussions. My child was left home alone, and she was scared. Although the agency said they owed me money, they never paid it to me. I think a $5000 credit for the unused agency fee(s), two breaches of contract, and damages for scaring my child is an order. My next stop is a complaint to the *****************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2023

  Hi ******, 
  
  Hope your week is going well.  Im sorry to hear this customer has reached out to you.  
  
  I have attached our response along with a copy of ****************** contract and refund receipt.   Please confirm that youve received the documents and let me know if any further information is needed.
  
  Best, 
  ****
  *********************
  Director of Customer Experience
  she/her/hers  
  AuPairCare Main ************
   
  *****************************************
  
   
  www.aupaircare.com
  
   
  **********************************************************************************
  
  
  
  
   
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 19408525
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  **** is omitting that there was no notice, which they are required to give me prior to an au pair leaving, and there should be a dialogue between the local coordinator prior to departure (at a minimum).  I also did not receive the refund which is not enough for how much angst au pair care caused by not following there own process.  There was no emergency, the au pair was not at risk, and although she may have wanted to leave there is a process which is contractually supposed to be followed.  That process was NOT followed by the AGENCY.  I would like a $5000 credit as they did this to me and my family on two separate occasions and the first was complete misinformation.  If I were to dismiss an au pair, I certainly would have been made to follow the process of giving two week notice and attempting mediation, or would lose all or most of my $10000 agency feel. AuPairCare not holding themselves to the contract is both unfair and unprofessional and a safety issue, as my daughter was left home alone. My daughter was the one who communicated to me that the agency picked the au pair up.   Also I see that the BBB seem to be on a first name basis with AuPairCare.  That worries me in that I am not must not be the first complaint, and that the familiarity with this agency by the BBB may be a conflict of interest.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/07/2022

  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.

  Agency is very misleading as far as the program goes and overcharged for an issue totally out of our control. We had to terminate our Au-pair after the 1st month since our babys safety was at risk. We are going to take legal action if the refund does not get readjusted after this reach out and go to court if necessary. ********* necessary for our points are backed up with documents and will be presented at that time. Our baby has been at risk during this month and caused my husband and I not to be able to attend our work schedule as planned and had to keep an eye on how our 5 month old was treated.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/12/2023

  Hi ******, 
  
  Thank you for letting me know. 
  
  Response below:
  
  We are so sorry to hear that this host family was dissatisfied with their experience with the au pair cultural exchange program and that they are dissatisfied with our contractual refund terms.  AuPairCare has promptly provided this host family with a refund per the terms of their signed Host Family Agreement, which I have attached along with the receipt for the refund for their records, and a screenshot below of the email explanation regarding the refund that was sent to the family.  As the host family did not complete stipend payment to this au pair for her final days, per the ********** of ***** regulatory requirements (host families agree to abide by the regulations in the Host Family Agreement), it was necessary for us to deduct $72.75 in order to ensure the au pair was paid and regulatory requirements were met. We encourage the host family to review these documents with their legal counsel.  
  
  AuPairCare screens candidates above and beyond ********** of ***** regulatory requirements for this cultural exchange program, and I have confirmed that this au pair met all requirements including extensive childcare experience with children under the age of 2.  AuPairCare is required by the ********** of ***** to keep record of monthly check-ins with all au pairs and host families upon review of these monthly check-ins which date back to April 2021, we can find no indication that any other host family had concerns regarding the safety of their children under ****** care.  We understand that every host family has different needs and expectations, and we transparently state in our Host Family Agreement that we cannot guarantee that a particular au pair will be the right fit the final hiring decision is ultimately up to the host family.  We also transparently state in the Host Family Agreement that we are unable to reimburse for any costs related to alternative childcare needs.  
  
  While we are not able to increase the refund provided, we absolutely understand that live-in cultural exchange is not the right childcare fit for every family, and we sincerely wish them the best of luck in the future.  
  

  
  

   

  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 18540324
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I had been in contact with ****** and things escalated within days of not being able to trust the exchange person any longer. My family understands the age of the au-pair and tried to have her as a family members for the time staying with us which as I had explained to the area director we tried to make things work for as much as possible.

  once safety concerns for our infant occur there is no more cooperation possible and the amount we needed up paying for the hassle cannot be justified. The refund amount after paying the au-pair cannot be justified.

   

  we found the best care I could ask for local with supervision of my son and dedication to make him grow and I am able to focus on my job without any concerns. 
  

  The expectation on the au-pair were never that high, but the way the company treats au-pair families is just a rip off and money oriented. There are no signs of caring regarding cultural or well being of the host families who are letting a person they dont know into their life and trusting their child.

  Our only request was after paying the au-pair in full to receive the refund of the upfront paid deposit which their aggressively prorated.

  Everything this company talks about is law regulations and agreements. There is no sense of sympathy understanding and accommodation when there is a change within such a short period of time from their side whatsoever which is what is our main complain just like all the other families who have complained. Our family went through the biggest inconvenience we will always remember and make sure we spread the word to families we know so they dont have to go through this.

  Also, our mistake was not looking at the BBB prior to trusting them.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **************