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:11/30/2023

  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.

  I discovered a monthly reoccurring charge of $47 on my ***************** I am very embarrassed to admit that I look at larger charges regularly but did not pick up this charge sooner. I contacted the vendor who tells me I signed up for this subscription plan in 2009! They told me I signed up for it when using the search site Intelius. I am positive that I never knowingly signed up for this type of service. They verified that I have never used the service and that I was being mailed annual notices of the reoccurring subscription to an address I have not been at in ********************************************************************************************************************************************* the mail of the recurrent charge.They said that the request was done by me on line and that they could not send me proof of a contract.i am of course terribly embarrassed that I dont scrutinize the smaller charges on my account but am dumbfounded that they can get away with these practices!I have not calculated the exact amount yet (but will) and estimated that they have stolen over $5000 so far.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/12/2023

  December 12, 2023
  
  BBB Serving Greater ****, Quad Cities &Siouxland Region
  *******************************
  ************** 50310
  bbb.org/****
  
  
  Re: ***********************
  Complaint ID #: ********
  Membership ID: *********
  
  Dear Sir or Maam,
  
  This letter is in response to your recent inquiry regarding ****************** enrollment in to the ValueMax program. We are confident the following information will be beneficial and answer your questions and concerns.
  
  The ValueMax program is an online program that allows members to purchase gift cards from various retailers and receive cash back for each gift card purchased with the program. The ValueMax program was offered to **************** after she completed an order form online after making a purchase on the Intelius website. In order to enroll in the program ***************** entered her personal information, which included her name, address, and **************** credit card number. To confirm her enrollment, she was required to enter her e-mail address (********************) and then click on a button labeled Submitafter reviewing and agreeing to the terms and conditions of the program. Based on her acceptance, an e-mail was sent to ***************** confirming her enrollment in the ValueMax program, along with her membership ID number and a link to the ValueMax website so she could access the benefits.
  
  The landing page through which ***************** enrolled explained the terms of the offer, including, that the ValueMax program came with a thirty-day trial period, during which she could use the benefits and the monthly membership fee would not be charged until after the end of the trial period. However, the membership could be cancelled during the trial period without incurring any cost by simply calling the programs toll-free number. 
  
  On May 9, 2009 after the trial period ended, **************** was charged the monthly membership fee each month that she remained a member. On November 28, 2023, Mrs. ******* ValueMax program was cancelled per her phone call to customer service. Due to the cancellation, no further billing has taken place. No prior verbal or written requests were received by Valuemax to discontinue Mrs. ******* ValueMax membership.
  
  Each month that the monthly membership fee was charged to the **************** account,the customer service phone number was located next to the charge. When reviewing the charge on the statement, ***************** would see MVQ*Valuemax ************.If she had any questions about the charge or the program, customer service was available to assist. According to the terms and conditions that ***************** agreed to at the time of her enrollment (and can also be referenced on the ValueMax website), ***************** agreed that:  
  
  Membership Term:
  Under the monthly payment plan, a period of one (1) month following the membership enrollment date and will continue on a month-to-month basis until You cancel Your membership as described below
  
  Continuation or Renewal of Membership:
  Unless You notify Us that You wish to terminate this Membership Agreement and cancel Your membership by following the instructions in the paragraph below titled "Termination of Membership", Your membership will continue or renew automatically, and You will be charged the membership fee, which will appear on Your Payment Source statement, depending upon how You enrolled. This is known as a continuity plan. 
  
  Termination of Membership:
  You may terminate this membership agreement and your membership at any time by calling us at the toll-free number listed on your membership card/materials or the program website or by notifying us in writing at *************** **********************************************************************************Your cancellation request will be effective promptly upon the receipt of your request.  
  
  
  Although ***************** authorized billing and agreed to the terms and conditions at the time of enrollment, an exception has been made to refund **************** for twelve months for the ValueMax program. In the next 30 business days, ***************** will see a refund to her **************** card of twelve payments, each in the amount of $47.95 (totaling $575.40).
  
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to contact me directly at the number below. I will be happy to assist you.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************
  Customer Service Resolution Specialist
  ************
  
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/15/2023

   
  Complaint: 20928228
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Dear Value ***,

  Though I openly recognize that i should have picked up on the charge a  long time ago, I adamantly state that I never agreed to the service nor have I ever had an Intellius account or paid for an ****************** Intellius can verify that no account ever existed connected to  e-mail address or name.

  A ***************** never returned my call nor could the representative on the phone send me proof that I agreed to the service. The Value *** representative stated that I would have received an annual notice to a prior address (*************************) but I lived at that address into 2014 and never received notification through the postal service. I contend that my e-mail and charge card information was either fraudulently or deceptively obtained. Value***s representative also noted that they could find no evidence that I ever used the service ( reinforcing that I never knowingly ordered it.) Being foolishly deceived should not constitute as a reason for theft.
  

  I thank you for the return of my money for the past ************************************************************* returned.
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 12/29/2023

  December 28, 2023

   

  BBB Serving Greater ****, Quad Cities & Siouxland Region

  *******************************

  ************** 50310

  bbb.org/****

   

   

  Re: ***********************

  Complaint ID #: ********

  Membership ID: *********

             

  Dear Sir or Maam,

   

  This letter is in response to Mrs. ******* original inquiry regarding her enrollment in to the ValueMax program. We are confident the following information will be beneficial and answer your questions and concerns.

   

  The ValueMax program stands firm that ***************** enrolled into the program by entering her personal information, which included her name, address, and **************** credit card number on the website. To confirm her enrollment, she was required to enter her e-mail address (********************) and then click on a button labeled Submit after reviewing and agreeing to the terms and conditions of the program.  Based on her acceptance, an e-mail was sent to ***************** confirming her enrollment in the ValueMax program, along with her membership ID number and a link to the ValueMax website so she could access the benefits.

   

  Each month that the monthly membership fee was charged to the **************** account, the customer service phone number was located next to the charge. When reviewing the charge on the statement, ***************** would see MVQ*Valuemax ************. If she had any questions about the charge or the program, customer service was available to assist. As a result, ValueMax is unable to provide any additional refunds for the monthly membership fee.

   

  If you have any further questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to contact me directly at the number below. I will be happy to assist you.

   

  Sincerely,

   

  ***********************

  Customer Service Resolution Specialist

  ************