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:05/13/2025

  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.

  On May 11, 2025 classmates.com billed my credit card $60 for a 1 year membership. I did not authorize this charge or request the membership. Classmates.com has refused to issue a refund. I had a prior 1 year membership in 2024, but prior to May 11, 2025 I had visited the website to cancel my previous membership and any auto-renew feature. I successfully cancelled the membership, but was not allowed to cancel any auto-renewal authorization, so I deleted my credit card information. I have an email from classmates.com stating that as of May 9, ******************************************************************************************** order to renew my membership, yet they now state that my previous year's membership still controls relative to auto-renewal. I was very surprised that they charged my credit card on May 11th because I had cancelled my membership and deleted my credit card information on May 8th. All attempts by me to resolve this issue by getting a refund have been met with a recitation of their policy that refunds are never given and the lies that I had authorized the renewal and that I had received a notice of renewal in March, which I had not. The website, which I visited on May 8th, was very deceptive in that it had instructions on how to cancel an auto-renewal but following the instructions they provided did not work as they said it would. It only produced a page that asked me to upgrade my membership and did not contain the link to cancel auto-renewal that they said it would.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/20/2025

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:***** ****
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Mr. **** regarding his Classmates+ paid ********** subscription renewal.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid ********** process that fee-based **********s will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Mr. **** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Mr. **** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid ********** subscription on May 8, 2024 in the amount of $30.00. On the payment information page of the paid ********** purchase process, prior to completing his purchase, Mr. **** was specifically notified that his ********** fees were non-refundable, that his ********** would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged $60.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. Mr. **** was presented with language on this same page stating that,by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of this 1-year introductory ********** purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic"to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states: 
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Mr. **** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained Mr.***** ********** registration number, the amount Mr. **** paid for his paid **********, his renewal date, a reminder that no portion of any of his subscription fees were refundable and that his paid subscription would renew in the amount of $60.00 unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to his renewal date. A representative copy of the receipt email is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top right portion of the website. Underneath the Account heading, they will see an "Account & Billing" link.Once the member clicks on the link and logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Since 2017, Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year ********** an automatic renewal reminder (AR30). A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this AR30 reminder to Mr. **** on March 29, 2025 to the email address associated with his account, which is the same email address as listed in his complaint. The "Communications" section located under the Becoming A ****************************************** of the Classmates Terms of Service states in part Please note that any number of issues may interfere with your receipt of such Communications, including some types of ************* that may use filtering or blocking techniques that are intended to block email. We are not responsible for the actual delivery or your actual receipt of these Communications.
  
  The AR30 reminder email provided information that Mr. ***** 1-year ********** would automatically renew on May 8, 2025 in the amount of $60.00 unless he changed his renewal status prior to its renewal date and instructions on how to cancel his paid ********** online. The AR30 email included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if he needed assistance in cancelling his paid ********** prior to his renewal date. A representative copy of the AR30 email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Mr. **** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Mr. **** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to his May 8, 2025 renewal date and, as a result, his ********** was renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $60.00 in accordance with the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his 2024 purchase. However, his financial institution did not process this payment until May 11, 2025.
  
  Between May 8, 2025, the renewal date Classmates charged ******************* institution for his renewal, and May 11, 2025, the date his financial institution processed the $60.00 renewal fee, Mr. **** removed his credit card information from his Account & Billing page on the Classmates website.However, because his renewal date was May 8, 2025, any modifications to his billing information made after this date would only affect future renewals,beginning with his 2026 renewal, and would not retroactively apply to the 2025 renewal transaction.
  
  Additionally,if Mr. **** removed his billing information from the Classmates website after his renewal on May 8, 2025, his renewal status would be updated to manual renewal for his May 8, 2026 renewal date. As a result, the system would prompt him to add billing information to maintain the active status of his paid Classmates+ ********** beyond his next scheduled renewal on May 8, 2026.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided Mr. **** a one-time only refund in the amount of $60.00 on May 20, 2025. Mr. **** should note this refund within his financial account within the next 30 to 60 days (or sooner if he banks online)depending on his financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policies.
  
  Mr. ***** Classmates account has reverted to a free ********** and he wont be charged any additional ********** subscription fees unless he proactively purchases a paid ********** subscription in the future. Alternatively, if he would like to delete his Classmates account, he can follow the instructions located on this link to self-delete his account:***************************************************************************************************************************
  
  This information should resolve Mr. ***** complaint. Should your office or Mr. **** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

   
  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.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/01/2025

  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 am a member of Classmates. My class had no yearbook available. Classmates has an offer that states Get a free 3-month Classmates+ membership for every eligible yearbook received. That statement is on this page:******************************************************************************************************** January 1, 2025, I submitted my year book for them to scan. The email they sent me has this statement in it: As a thanks for your submission, well issue you a FREE 3-month Classmates+ membership as soon as we receive your yearbook (limit one free membership per customer)!The year book was received by them on 1/9/2025.On 1/13, I noticed that I submitted the year book using an email and home address that they did not have on record. It took several emails for them to understand my concern. I got that taken care of, but no free 3 month ************* subscription expired but I did not get the free 3-month membership. I signed up for another 3 months. I asked about the free 3-month membership and I received a response on 02/26/2025 stating:Once your current membership expires, we will add the 3 months free for sending in your yearbook.I asked again about the free 3 month membership and on 03/27/2025 I received an email with this statement in it:Your current subscription will run to xx/xx/2025. Since the auto-renewal is currently paused we will be able to apply the free 3 month subscription at that time.I asked about it again on 04/02/2025. I got an email with this statement:I understand your concerns. Unfortunately we are unable to add your 3 month free membership until your current membership expires and returns to a free account. We appreciate your understanding.Classmates has a business model that requires their customers to STOP BEING CUSTOMERS in order for them to add the free 3 month membership to my account.I would like my free 3 month membership added now.I would also like to know if their help desk responses are AI generated.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/14/2025

  Complaint number: 23275680
  Consumer name: ******* *********
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Mr. ********* in connection with the 3-month free Classmates+ paid membership promotion for submitting his yearbook to be scanned on the Classmates.com website.
  
  As noted, in Mr. ********** complaint, Classmates notified him twice that we are unable to add the free 3-month free membership to a paid membership. Our eCommerce system restricts the ability to stack paid memberships to ensure that multiple membership terms do not overlap within a single account. This means that users cannot purchase, and *********** Representatives cannot activate multiple paid memberships simultaneously, as doing so could cause conflicting subscription periods and billing cycles. Instead, each membership must be used or expired before a new paid term can be applied, preventing unintended duplicate charges or overlapping benefits.
  
  When a paid member submits a yearbook under this promotion, a *********** Representative manually applies a free membership to their account once their paid membership expires and the account reverts to free status. Because this process is handled manually, the free membership may take a few days to appear after the transition to a free account.
  
  At the time Mr. ********* submitted his yearbook, he was actively enrolled in a manually renewing 3-month paid membership, which expired on March 21, 2025. Two days later, on March 23, 2025, he purchased another 3-month paid membership before Classmates had the opportunity to apply his 3-month free membership.
  
  His current paid membership is set to expire on June 23, 2025, at which point his account will revert to free status. After this transition, he should allow up to 7 business days for Classmates to manually apply his free 3-month paid membership to his account.
  
  This information should resolve Mr. ********** complaint. If he has any questions or needs additional information regarding this issue, he should feel free to contact me directly at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/21/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  They stated that "Classmates notified him twice that we are unable to add the free 3-month free membership to a paid membership"

  What's more important is what they informed me of PRIOR to my submitting my year book.  The year book submission page "****************************************************************************************************************" says nothing about differences if you are a paid or unpaid customer.
  
  After filling out the submission form, they sent me an email that clearly states "As a thanks for your submission, well issue you a FREE 3-month Classmates+ membership as soon as we receive your yearbook (limit one free membership per customer)!"  Again, no clarification what happens if you are a paid or unpaid customer.
  
  AFTER all this, they tell me they can't give me the 3 months unless I'm NOT a customer.  I see this as an odd business practice.
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I accept their response at this time with my belief that as a paid customer, their process can be viewed as deceptive and in the case of my email, an absolute untruth.  
  
  I will wait until my account reverts to a free one then wait 7 business days until June 3rd to see if I receive the 3 month promotion.  My guess is I will have to request it, but they might surprise me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/01/2025

  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.

  I cancelled this membership last fall. I did not remove my card from the site and apparently they continued to charge my Amex card without consent I called them today and they said they see the autopay was turned off and still refused to refund even though I have not logged in since I cancelled it.The customer service basically called me a liar and hung up.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/08/2025

  Complaint number: 23274501
  Consumer name: ******* ********
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by Mr. ******** regarding his Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  According to our records, Mr. ********* Classmates+ paid membership subscription was still enrolled in the automatic renewal program and his paid membership renewed for an additional 3-month term on April 22, 2025 in the amount of $21.60.
  
  Mr. ******** subsequently disputed the charge with his financial institution. A Classmates *********** Representative provided information to ****************** regarding the automatic renewal program and confirmed that Mr.********* paid membership was removed from the automatic renewal program and placed in manual renewal as of April 30, 2025.
  
  On May 1, 2025 Mr. ******** contacted Classmates and spoke to a Classmates *********** Representative.  I have pulled the call logs and listened to the exchange. The representative explains that Mr. ********* membership subscription was still enrolled in the automatic renewal program at the time that his membership renewed, however, his membership had been removed from the automatic renewal program after his April 22, 2025 renewal date. Mr. ******** then appears to be confused about why he was still charged even though the agent is clear that the account wasnt removed from the automatic renewal program until after his last renewal date. Mr. ******** then insists that he had cancelled his account last fall and that he even had Classmates walk him through the process. The representative responds that our customer service platform does not have a record of any previous correspondence from ************ Mr. ******** becomes rather upset and ends the call.  
  
  I have reviewed our customer interaction platform, and I can confirm that there is no previous correspondence either by phone or email from Mr. ******** in our systems other than the phone call on May 1, 2025.
  
  Per our Terms of Service, Classmates maintains a no-refund policy.However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided Mr. ******** a one-time refund in the amount of $21.60 on May 8, 2025. Mr. ******** should note this refund within the next 30 to 60 days (or sooner if he banks online) depending on his financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policies. His Classmates membership has now reverted to a free membership, and he will not be charged any additional membership subscription fees unless he proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  Should your office or Mr. ******** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/29/2025

  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.

  Never received a notice of their automatic charge. I am a senior and have problems with their website. I would like a refund of these outrages automatic charges. Tried deal with them with a call. No help at all.******* *******

  Business Response

  Date: 05/08/2025

  Complaint #: 23263713.
  Consumer:******* *******
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. ******* regarding her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Ms.******* registered as a free Classmates member on July 4, 2001. Since that date, Ms. ******* has purchased 10 different automatically renewing paid Classmates+membership subscriptions. Ms. ******* successfully canceled 8 of these paid membership subscriptions, 1 she received a one-time courtesy refund for in the amount of $35.05 and the other is the subject of this complaint. A copy of her historical membership record is attached for your review.
  
  During each of her paid membership purchases, Classmates provided her clear disclosures within the paid membership process that her fee-based membership subscriptions would automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Ms. ******* of the Automatic Renewal Program in relation to her most recent paid membership subscription.
  
  Ms.******* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on April 29, 2024 in the amount of $30.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ******* was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged $60.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ******* was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the discounted introductory 1-year subscription purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic"to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ******* would have received a paid subscription confirmation receipt email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ********* membership registration number, the amount Ms. ******* paid for her paid membership, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee is refundable.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates navigation drop down menu in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account,they will see an "Account & Billing" link. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal,they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder (AR30).A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this AR30 email reminder on March 20, ********************************************* ******** Classmates account.This is the same email address that is listed in her consumer complaint.
  
  This AR30 reminder provided information that Ms. ******** 1-year Classmates+ membership subscription would automatically renew on April 29, 2025 in the amount of $60.00 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date and included instructions on how to cancel her paid membership subscription online. The AR30 also included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if she needed assistance in cancelling her paid membership prior to her renewal date. A representative copy of this AR30 email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ******* is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ******* did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to her renewal date and, as a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $60.00 on April 29, 2025 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2024 purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. Since Ms. ******* has already received a one-time courtesy refund, Classmates is unable to provide her with any additional refunds. I can confirm that Ms. ******* has been removed from the automatic renewal program and her paid membership subscription has been placed in manual renewal. Her paid membership subscription will therefore lapse on April 29, 2026, and will then revert to a free Classmates ************* additional membership subscription fees will be charged to her payment method unless she proactively extends her current paid membership subscription or purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ********* complaint. Should your office or Ms. ******* have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/28/2025

  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.

  I was charged ***** for one year of service on April 27, 2025. I tried to contact Classmates.com on April 27, 2025, to immediately cancel my service, and they were closed on Sunday, April 27, ******** it is April 28, 2025, and I called Classmates.com to speak with a customer service representative. They explained that they cannot undo the $***** charge and that my membership will expire on April 27, 2026. This is not fair. I actually contacted them on April 27th and canceled my account on-line. It's unfair that this company wants to keep my money for a year of service that I do not want. I want a full refund, because as I see it, I contacted them on April 27th, and followed up by actually talking to them on April 28th. Any reasonable business would be willing to work with me, but the customer service agent said there was no manager I could talk with, and that nobody would be following up to talk about this problem. Classmates.com is inflexible, unfair, and in a sense is predatory. This is not a fair or reasonable way to run a business. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/07/2025

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:***** ***********
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Mr. *********** regarding his Classmates+ paid membership subscription renewal.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Mr. *********** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  ************** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on April 27, 2022 in the amount of $30.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase, Mr. *********** was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable, that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged the standard full price of $60.00 for each renewal, and that he could visit the Account portion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. Mr. *********** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). As a resident of **********, Mr. *********** was required to select a checkbox next to the automatic renewal disclosure before he could complete his purchase. A representative copy of the discounted 1-year introductory subscription purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current,non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.

  Shortly thereafter, Mr. *********** would have received a paid confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account. This email contained Mr. ************ membership registration number, the amount Mr. *********** paid for his paid membership, his renewal date, a reminder that no portion of any of his subscription fees were refundable and that his paid subscription would renew in the amount of $60.00 unless he chose to cancel by visiting the Accountportion of the website prior to his renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top right portion of the website. Underneath the Accountheading, they will see an "Account & Billing" link. Once the member clicks on the link and logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year membership an automatic renewal reminder (AR30).A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this AR30 email reminder to Mr. *********** on March 18, 2023, 2024 and 2025 to the email address associated with his account, which is the same email address as listed in his complaint.
  
  The most recent AR30 email reminder email provided information that Mr. ************ 1-year membership would automatically renew on April 27, 2025 in the amount of $60.00 unless he changed his renewal status prior to its renewal date and instructions on how to cancel his paid membership subscription online. The email included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if he needed assistance in cancelling his paid membership prior to his renewal date. A representative copy of this most recent AR30 email reminder as well as the AR30 email send history from 2023 through 2025 from Classmates email systems to Mr. *********** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Mr. *********** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to any of his renewal dates and, as a result, his membership was renewed for additional 1-year terms and his payment method was charged $60.00 each year on April 27th since 2023, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his 2022 purchase.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that *************** membership has been removed from the automatic renewal program and his paid membership subscription will lapse on April 27, 2026 and then revert to a free account. No additional membership subscription fees will be charged to his payment method unless he proactively extends his current paid membership term or he purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should resolve Mr. ************ complaint. Should your office or ************** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/15/2025

   
  Complaint: 23260552
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I contacted Classmates.com on the date of the renewal requesting that I be canceled or opted out.  I strongly disagree with this decision because it seems fair that I would be allowed to cancel on the day of renewal.  This is unacceptable.  If Classmates wants to keep the good will of its customer base, I strongly suggest they refund the charges.  As for the "Better Business Bureau" community, this reflects very badly on the BBB and the credibility of the BBB.  If the BBB stands for "best practices", how can this possibly be in line with best practices? It obviously is not a best practice.

   

  If the BBB is a credible and ethical organization, I suggest it should prevail upon Classmates.com to process my refund asap.  Thank you.

   

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

   

  
  

   

   

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/26/2025

  Type:Billing 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.

  Despite my many requests for the company, ClassMates.com to cancel any and all subscriptions I have with them, I am still receiving charges from them on my credit card.I am still receiving charges even after I went on line to delete their services from my account.And I am still receiving charges even after I emailed the company via their corporate ********** an example of the level of frustration I am experiencing, I have attached photos reflecting just one recent email exchange between me and the President of ClassMates, Ms. ***** ****. I hope you find this information useful. I look forward to receiving help from you in a timely manner.Sincerely, ******* (****) *********

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  Complaint number: 23254320
  Consumer name: ******* *********
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. ********* in connection with her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Ms. ********* of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms. ********* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on October 18, 2024 in the amount of $10.80. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ********* was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged the standard full term price of $21.60 US for each renewal period, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal status at any time. Ms. ********* was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the 50% discounted purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic"to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The No Refund Policy section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ********* would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account, which is the same email address associated with her consumer complaint. This email contained Ms. ********** membership registration number, the amount Ms. ********* paid for her membership subscription, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee was refundable. A representative copy of the receipt emailer is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top righthand portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term,the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  On January 8, 2025, Classmates sent Ms. ********* a notification to the email address associated with this account that her introductory pricing term was about to expire and that her membership subscription would renew for the full term price of $21.60 on January 18, 2025 unless she cancelled her paid membership subscription prior to that date. The email also contained information on how to cancel her paid membership and a reminder that no portion of any membership subscription fees are refundable. A representative copy of this email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ********* is attached for your review. 
  
  According to our records, Ms. ********* did not opt out of the automatic renewal program prior to her renewal dates. As a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $21.60 on January 18, 2025, and $21.60 on April 18, 2025 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2024 initial purchase.
  
  A review of our customer communication logs indicates that ************ contacted Classmates a total of three times: once on October 18, 2024 and twice on April 26, 2025.
  
  In response to Ms. ********** October 18, 2024 request to delete her paid account she would have promptly received an automatic email response with the subject line How to cancel your membership (Your Action Required) with instructions of how to cancel her automatic renewal and set her paid account to expire at the end of her then-current term. As noted above, Ms. ********* did not take any action to cancel her paid membership subscription, and her paid membership subscription remained enrolled in the automatic renewal program.
  
  Following Ms. ********** October 18, 2024 request to delete her paid account, she received an automatic response email with the subject line How to cancel your membership (Your Action Required) with instructions on how to cancel the automatic renewal and allow her account to expire at the end of its term. However, she took no action, and her subscription remained in the automatic renewal program and renewed on its next renewal date(s).
  
  On April 26, 2025, Ms. ********* responded to a Classmates *************** Announcement (MSA) email. The *** was a transactional email sent to all members to inform them about the new ad free experience for CM+ members, which is a new paid membership benefit. The *** email, bearing the signature of the president of Classmates, constituted a generalized communication distributed to all members. Ms. ********** reply to this email was therefore directed to the Classmates *********************** rather than to the president of the company for response.
  
  On April 27, 2024, a *********** Representative provided ************ with confirmation that her paid membership had been removed from the automatic renewal program and that her paid membership would lapse on July ******* and would then revert to a free account and a reminder of the no refund policy.
  
  A copy of the full communication history between Ms. ********* and Classmates is attached separately for your review.  
  
  Per the Classmates Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided Ms. ********* with a one-time only refund of her last membership subscription fee in the amount of $21.60 on April 28, 2025. Per her request, I have also deleted her Classmates membership account and removed her information from the Classmates website. Ms. ********* may continue to receive residual emails from Classmates over the next **************************************************************************************************************************** ********* should feel free to disregard these emails.  
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ********** consumer complaint. If your office or Ms. ********* have any additional questions,please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/06/2025

  
  Complaint: 23254320
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  If any company [ClassMates] receives a direct communication from a customer demanding that the company immediately cancel their service [ClassMates subscription], the company should do so.
  
  Based on the statements presented by Classmates in their response to the BBB, ClassMates knowingly refused to abide by this basic and fair business principle and continued to charge me for services I had explicitly requested them to cancel when they submitted the following statements:
  
  Ms. ********* purchased an introductory 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on October 18, 2024 in the amount of $10.80.
  
  A review of our customer communication logs indicates that Ms. ********* contacted Classmates a total of three times: once on October 18, 2024 and twice on April 26, 2025.
  
  In response to Ms. ********** October 18, 2024 request to delete her paid account she would have promptly received an automatic email response with the subject line How to cancel your membership (Your Action Required) with instructions of how to cancel her automatic renewal

  
  Let me reiterate:
  ClassMate acknowledges that On October 18, 2024 they received an email from me to immediately cancel my service.  ClassMates also acknowledges that they failed to do so.
  
  
  I will add more details explaining how the events unfolded and why problems I experienced (and perhaps many other of their subscribers also face?) prevented me from canceling my ClassMates paid subscription and allowed ClassMates to knowingly charge me (and probably many others) for service I DIRECTLY TOLD THEM TO CANCEL.
  
  Prior to October 18, 2024,  I followed ClassMates online directions to cancel my online subscription and I received error messages from their system which prevented me from being able to do so.
  
  Then, in an additional effort on my part to find yet ANOTHER way to cancel my subscription, I reviewed the ClassMates website hoping to find a phone number to contact a customer representative directly.
  
  After careful review of the ClassMates website, I did not find any way to speak directly to a real customer representative for help.
  
  The last option I could find to cancel my subscription was to use ClassMates website to send a complaint email, which is exactly what I did.  My email requested for THEM TO CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION.  They should have immediately done so.
  
  Instead I received an email from ClassMates regurgitating the exact same instructions that did not work in the first place.
  
  Again, the problems I experienced from ClassMates business which represented failures on their part were (1) receiving system errors from the ClassMates website, (2) lack of direct customer support agents, (3) continually receiving the same email messages from ClassMates automated system response giving me the exact same directions over and over again, which kept giving me the same error messages over and over again and (4) ClassMate refusing to cancel my account even though I had expressly sent them a written request to do so.
  
  All of this made me want to pull my hair out. I was completely frustrated at this point and did not know how to stop this company from charging me for services that I obviously did not want and yet had no way to prevent them from continually charging me.
  
  When customers are placed in such a position, what are they supposed to do?  Just give up?
  System errors, no representatives, failure to cancel a service when specifically demanded to do so.  Why did sophisticated computer scientists at ClassMates design and build their customer support system to make it so difficult for customers to cancel their subscription?
  
  To ClassMates own admission, I was only able to resolve this issue because I inadvertently received an email from the PRESIDENT of the company.
  
  On April 26, 2025, Ms. ********* responded to a Classmates *************** Announcement (***) email. The *** was a transactional email sent to all members to inform them about the new ad free experience for CM+ members, which is a new paid membership benefit. The *** email, bearing the signature of the president of Classmates, constituted a generalized communication distributed to all members. Ms. ********** reply to this email was therefore directed to the Classmates *********************** rather than to the president of the company for response.
  
  It was only after I was able to reply to this unexpected email from the President of  ClassMates, requesting again, that I want  ClassMates to cancel my services, that I was able to get the support I needed to finally cancel my subscription.
  
  To resolve this issue with the BBB, I am only asking to be fully reimbursed for all charges occurring after January 8, 2025, which is when ClassMates acknowledged that they received my request to cancel my subscription and failed to do so.
  
  This includes that I am reimbursed not only for the charge on
  April 18, 2025 for $21.60,
  but also for the charge on
  January 18, 2025 for $21.60
  and any other future charges that may appear on my credit card statement due to errors by ClassMate billing issues.
  
  I think my request is fair.
  
  Sincerely,
  ******* Sprietsma 

  Business Response

  Date: 05/19/2025

  Complaint number: 23254320
  Consumer name: ******* *********
  
  We are in receipt of the rebuttal response filed by Ms. **********
  
  As outlined in our previous response, Classmates clearly informed Ms. ********* during the paid membership process that her 3-month membership subscription would automatically renew at the full-term price of $21.60. We also provided details about our no-refund policy and instructions on how to cancel her membership.
  
  These billing terms were presented on the membership purchase page and reiterated in the email receipt sent on October 18, 2024. Additionally, on January 8, 2025, Classmates sent Ms. ********* an email reminder about her upcoming automatic renewal for the full-term price of $21.60 on January 18, 2025 to ensure she remained informed. Representative copies of these webpages, email and email send history were provided in our initial response.
  
  Ms. ********* indicates in her response that Prior to October *******, I followed ClassMates online directions to cancel my online subscription and I received error messages from their system which prevented me from being able to do so. Ms. ********** paid membership was purchased on October *******. Prior to this date, the Classmates website would not have provided her any cancellation options for automatic renewal, as her paid membership subscription had not yet been purchased.
  
  Classmates has no record of any website errors or reports from other members regarding online cancellation issues on October 18, 2024, or at any other time alleged in Ms. ********** response. Additionally, she noted difficulty in locating contact information to speak with a *********** Representative. This information can be found on the main page of the Classmates *********** under the first link under the Promoted Articles titled How do I contact Classmates.com ***********? Once a member clicks on this link they are taken to a webpage that states:
  
  If you need assistance canceling your paid membership, please click here to email our *********** Team or call us at ************,Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time. Holiday hours may vary.
  
  Many questions can be answered quickly by utilizing our *********** where you can search by topic to find the answer to your questions or contact us directly if you dont find the answer you need.
  
  A screenshot of the Main Help Page and the How do I contact Classmates.com ***********? Help Article are attached for your review.
  
  On October 18, 2024, after she completed her purchase, ************ emailed Classmates to request a cancellation of her paid membership subscription. In response, she received an automatic email titled How to Cancel Your Membership (Your Action Required), which included step-by-step instructions on how to turn off automatic renewal and allow her membership to expire at the end of her current term. However, she did not complete the necessary steps to disable automatic renewal, and her subscription was renewed on January 18, 2025 and on April 18, 2025 each for an additional 3-month term according to the Terms of Service she agreed to when she originally purchased her paid membership subscription.
  
  Ms. ********* did not contact Classmates again until April *******, when she emailed us twice more. A *********** representative responded the following day and explained the no refund policy and confirmed that ************* paid membership had been removed from the automatic renewal program and that her paid membership subscription was set to lapse and revert to a free account on July 18, 2025.
  
  Lastly, as noted in our initial response, I provided Ms. ********* a one-time only courtesy refund in the amount of $21.60 on April 28, 2025 and deleted her Classmates account per her request. Ms. ********* should note this refund in her financial account within the next 30 to 60 days (or sooner if she banks online) depending on her financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policies.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ********** consumer complaint and Classmates now considers this matter closed.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  www.classmates.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  Even though I do not agree with Classmates response, I have reviewed the statement made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and no longer want to pursue a fair resolution.  Per Classmates admission, I will be expecting a refund from the most recent billing cycle.  Additionally, based on Classmates statements, I do not expect to be billed by them again.
  

  If Classmates, does not honor either of these commitments, i.e., if I receive any additional charges or if I do not receive my refund, I will need further support from the Better Business Bureau to help  hold Classmates accountable to their stated agreement.

  I genuinely appreciate the support the Better Business Bureau has provided me, which has allowed me to receive a partial refund, which is  more than I would have received without your help.

  Again, thank you so much.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/19/2025

  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 have, on several occasions, attempted to cancel my subscription with Classmates. I thought that I had finally accomplished that several months ago. I contacted their customer service via their chat line. I also reported my bank card missing so that I could obtain a new debit card number, so they would have no access to my bank ************* there is yet another $60.00 charge taked out of my checking account.This happened before and I figured that I was stuck paying for another subscription. I am reporting this to my bank also.I feel helpless against companies like this.Thank you for your time.**** ***********

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2025

  Complaint # ********
  Consumer:**** ***********
  
  We are in receipt of the complaint filed by Ms. *********** regarding her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  According to our records, Ms. *********** has duplicate accounts with different email addresses:
  
  Registration No. *************: This account was created on January 24, 2024 with the email address ************************** account is currently a free account and was last accessed on April *******.
  
  Registration No. *********: This account was created on December 3, 2001 using the email address ****************** and was last accessed on April 19, 2025. This account has a paid membership subscription associated with it that automatically renewed on April 18, 2025 and is the subject of this complaint.
  
  According to the notes on each account, ********************** requested that Ms. ********** provide information to us to indicate which account she would like to keep on January 26 and January 30, 2024. Since Classmates is upgrading our internal systems and registered members will no longer be able to have two separate Classmates accounts,I have deleted the account Ms. ********** created most recently on January ******* with the registration number *************. The account with registration number ********* remains an active CM account.
  
  ********************** provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Ms. *********** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms.*********** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 1-year automatically renewing paid membership subscription on April 3, 2021 in the amount of $24.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. *********** was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged $48.00 for each renewal, and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. *********** was presented with language on the same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each).
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic"to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. *********** would have received a paid subscription confirmation receipt email sent to the email address associated with her account. This email contained Ms. ************ membership registration number,the amount Ms. *********** paid for her paid membership, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates navigation drop down menu in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account,they will see an "Account & Billing" link. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal,they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Since 2017, Classmates sends all members in a 1- or 2-year paid membership an automatic renewal reminder (AR30). A review of our email logs indicates Classmates sent this AR30 email reminder to Ms. *********** on or about February 22 or 23from 2022 through 2025 to the *** email address associated with her account. 
  
  These AR30 reminder emails provided information that Ms. ************ 1-year paid membership subscription would renew each year on April 3rd unless she changed her renewal status prior to its renewal date as well as instructions on how to change her automatic renewal status online. The 2022 renewal reminder provided notice that the 1-year paid membership price was increasing from $48 to $60 and the price increase would take effect at her next renewal.
  
  The most recent AR30 email renewal reminder also included a phone number to call Classmates as well as a link to email the Classmates ********************** if she needed assistance in canceling her automatic renewal status prior to her renewal date. A representative copy of the most recent AR30 reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. *********** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. *********** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program,and, as a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $60.00 on April 3, 2022, and every year thereafter in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2021 purchase. Ms. ************ 2025 renewal utilized her updated credit card information provided by her financial services company via their credit card updater service, which delayed processing of the payment until April 18, 2025.  
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, since Ms. *********** had duplicate accounts, I have provided her with a one-time courtesy refund of her last membership fee in the amount of $60.00 on April 29, 2025. Ms. *********** should note this refund on her financial institutions billing statement within the next 30 to 60 days (or sooner if she banks online) depending on the financial institutions billing cycle and internal refund policies.
  
  This paid membership has now reverted to a free Classmates account, and she wont be charged for any additional subscription fees unless she proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ************ complaint. Should your office or Ms. *********** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/18/2025

  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.

  I purchased a subscription several years ago and did not realize it would auto renew. When I saw the charge the same day it hit my credit card, I called to cancel and was told they have a no refund policy. How is this legal? I called the company, who later emailed me and said they had sent me a renewal email. I searched my email and could not find it. I suppose I missed it with all the other emails they send. Someone sent me a message. Yes - two years ago, but I still get emails about it. Someone visited your profile. Sure, several months ago. It is deceptive. I would like a refund. I called the same day I saw it on my credit card. I should be allowed to cancel. I don't use the site often enough to pay the charge.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  Complaint number: 23223983
  Consumer name: ****** ******
  
  We are in receipt of the Better Business Bureau Complaint filed by Ms. ****** regarding her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Ms. ****** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms. ****** purchased an introductory 50% discounted 2-year automatically renewing paid membership in the amount of $48.00 (plus applicable tax) on April 15, 2023. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ****** was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged $96.00 (plus applicable tax) for each renewal, and that she could visit the Accountportion of the website to change her renewal preference at any time. Ms. ****** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the discounted 2-year purchase page is attached for your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic"to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ****** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with her account.This email contained Ms. ******* registration number, the amount she paid for her subscription membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless Ms. ****** chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee was refundable.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmatesnavigation drop down in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" link. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  Classmates sends all members in a paid membership subscription term one year or longer an Automatic Renewal Reminder (AR30). A review of our email logs indicate that Classmates sent Ms. ****** this AR30 email reminder on March 6, 2025 to the email address associated with her account, which is the same email address as listed in her complaint.
  
  The AR30 reminder email provided information that Ms. ******* 2-year paid membership subscription would automatically renew on April 15, 2025 in the amount of $96.00 unless she changed her renewal status prior to her renewal date and instructions on how to change her automatic renewal preference.The renewal reminder also included a phone number and a link to contact Classmates if she needed assistance with changing her automatic renewal status prior to her renewal date. A representative copy of the AR30 email reminder as well as the email send history from Classmates email systems to Ms. ****** is attached for your review.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ****** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact Classmates prior to her renewal date and,as a result, her paid membership subscription was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $96.00 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her 2023 purchase.
  
  A review of Ms. ******* membership record also indicates she has used her paid membership benefits to send a Classmates private message to another Classmates member on April 26, 2025.
  
  Per the Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. I can confirm that Ms. ******* paid membership subscription has been removed from the automatic renewal program and unless Ms. ****** takes any proactive measures to extend her current paid membership subscription term, her Classmates+ subscription will lapse on April 15, 2027 and then revert to a free Classmates account.
  
  This information should resolve Ms. ******* complaint. Should your office or Ms. ****** have any questions or need additional information,please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/12/2025

   
  Complaint: 23223983
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I had surgery two weeks ago.  I have high medical bills and have a month off of work at 60 percent of my pay.  My car died a month ago and I had to replace it.

  I do not appreciate this company taking more of my money when I am already struggling.  They say I had warning, I cannot find it.  This is a totally unfair practice for your customers.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/15/2025

  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.

  This company had an option to upgrade services which I did some time ago. after awhile I decided I would just keep the free account, they continued to bill my ****** account after I chose the "manual option" for renewing the upgraded account. When I questioned them they cited their no refund policy

  Business Response

  Date: 04/28/2025

  Complaint number: 23209775
  Consumer name: ***** ********
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Mr. ******** in connection with his Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Mr. ******** of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Mr. ******** purchased an introductory 58% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on December 5, 2023 in the amount of $9.00. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing his purchase, Mr. ******** was specifically notified that his membership fees were non-refundable, that his membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless he chose to cancel, that his payment method would be charged the full membership price of $21.60 for each renewal period, and that he could visit the Accountportion of the website to change his renewal settings at any time. Mr. ******** was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, he agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the 58% off discounted purchase page is attached of your review.
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current,non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic" to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  The "No Refund Policy" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:  
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us, you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Mr. ******** would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email address associated with his account, which is listed as a gmail account. This email contained Mr. ********* registration number, the amount he paid for his subscription membership, the renewal date, and a reminder that his paid subscription would renew unless Mr. ******** chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to his renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee is refundable. A representative copy of this receipt email is attached for your review.  
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmatesnavigation drop down in the top portion of the webpage. Underneath the heading Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" link. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term, the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  According to our records, Mr. ******** did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact the Classmates ********************** about his membership subscription prior to the end of his membership subscription term. As a result, his membership renewed for an additional term and his payment method was charged $21.60 on March 5, 2024 and every three months thereafter, in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that he agreed to during his 2023 purchase. Additionally, a review of his membership record indicates that Mr. ******** has utilized his paid membership benefits over the course of his paid subscriptions to view who has visited his profile.
  
  On April 14, 2025, Mr. ******** contacted the Classmates *********** team and requested a refund of all of his paid membership fees. A representative responded and confirmed that his paid membership has been removed from the automatic renewal program and that his paid membership would lapse at the end of his current paid membership term on June 5, 2025 and would then revert to a free Classmates membership. The email also reminded Mr.Venechuck that he was notified of the automatic renewal program and no refund policy at the time of his paid membership subscription purchase.
  
  As noted above, Classmates has a no refund policy per its Terms of Service. However, as a matter of courtesy, I have provided a one-time pro-rated refund in the amount of $8.92 to Mr. ******** on April 28, 2025. Mr. ******** should note this refund in his ****** account within the next 3 to 5 days depending on ******* internal refund policies. Mr. ********* membership has reverted to a free membership and he will not be charged for any additional membership subscription fees unless he proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Mr. ********* complaint.Should your office or Mr. ******** have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/15/2025

  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.

  The date of initial transaction was Jan 13, 2025. I purchased what I was lead to believe was a one-time purchase for a 3-month subscription of Classmates services. I realized shortly after that I woulddn't be using it as much as I thought I would which is why I turned it off. I was very surprised to see it on when I got a late-night notice of auto-pay from ****** and went to inspect my account. The date of auto-pay was April 13th, 2025 during sleep hours. The auto-draft pulled $21.60.The auto-draft purchased a 3-month subscription that I did not approve upon my initial purchase on January 13th. I received an e-mail about the auto-pay and what it would do after that purchase, not before. I had turned off the auto-draft at some point prior to April, but was surprised to see it on. I was not asked to confirm a subscription renewal prior to purchase on January 13. I did reach out to Classmates directly about this. The business has not tried to resolve this at all, but insisted that they have a no refund policy that I somehow agreed to even though no one has provided a piece of evidence to me showing that I signed on for a recurring subscription prior to purchase on January 13.On April 13, 2025, I did go into my Classmates account and turn off the auto-pay again. I'm unsure as to why it was on at all. To my knowledge, I did not agree to a recurring membership in January and distinctly recall this being a one-time purchase. Classmates claims to have a signed agreement on my account (liste in the order/tracking section here), but I can't access it to actually look at it, so I am unsure as to what it states. I do know that, again, I was not presented with a recurring membership agreement upon checkout.I would like a refund as I not only did not agree to a recurring membership but also did not want another 3-month subscription. I believe that Classmates is acting in bad faith as a result.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/24/2025

  Complaint number: 23208323
  Consumer name: ***** *******
  
  We are in receipt of the consumer complaint filed by Ms. ******* in connection with her Classmates+ paid membership subscription.
  
  Classmates does not offer trial memberships or ala carte membership subscriptions. All paid membership subscriptions are automatically enrolled into the Automatic Renewal program. Additionally, Classmates provides clear disclosures within the paid membership process that fee-based memberships will automatically renew. Below, I have outlined the process and the various places in which Classmates notified Ms. ******* of the Automatic Renewal Program.
  
  Ms. ******* purchased a 50% discounted 3-month automatically renewing paid membership on January 13, 2025, in the amount of $10.80. On the payment information page of the paid membership purchase process, prior to completing her purchase, Ms. ******* was specifically notified that her membership fees were non-refundable, that her membership would automatically renew for the same term each time it reached its expiration date unless she chose to cancel, that her payment method would be charged the full term price of $21.60 for each renewal period,and that she could visit the Account portion of the website to change her renewal settings at any time. Ms. ******* was presented with language on this same page stating that, by clicking the button to purchase, she agreed to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (with hyperlinks to each). A representative copy of the 50% discounted 3-month discount purchase page is attached for your review. 
  
  The "Automatic Renewal Program" section located under the *************** portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  "Upon your acceptance of an offer for the purchase of any subscription-based ************** you will be enrolled in our automatic renewal program to help ensure that there is no interruption in your access to such ************** Under this program, you authorize us to automatically renew your subscription at the end of the term of the subscription you purchased, and each subsequent term, for the same term length of the subscription you initially purchased (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted). Unless you change your renewal status as described below, at the time of each such renewal you authorize us to charge your designated Payment Method at the then-current, non-promotional price (unless otherwise stated in the offer you accepted) for the renewal of your subscription. If you no longer want to be enrolled in our automatic renewal program, you can change your renewal status at any time by logging onto the Account portion of the Classmates.com Website, clicking on "Account & Billing" and changing your renewal option from "automatic"to "manual." Please note that completing these steps will only stop future automatic renewals of your current subscription and will not impact any automatic renewals that occurred prior to the date that you completed these steps.
  
  And the No Refund Policy section located under the ***************portion of the Terms of Service states:
  
  All fees relating to ************** including the initial fees and any subsequent automatic renewal fees (as described above), are non-refundable. If you initiate a chargeback or otherwise reverse a payment made with your Payment Method, we may in our discretion cancel your ************* immediately. If we successfully dispute the reversal, and the reversed funds are returned to us,you are not entitled to a refund or to have your ************* reinstated.
  
  Shortly thereafter, Ms. ******* would have received a paid subscription confirmation email sent to the email addresses associated with her account. This receipt email contained Ms. ********* membership registration number, the amount Ms. ******* paid for her membership subscription, her renewal date, and a reminder that her paid subscription would renew unless she chose to cancel by visiting the Account portion of the website prior to her renewal date and that no portion of any subscription fee was refundable. A representative copy of this receipt email is attached for your review.
  
  The "Account" section is accessible from nearly every page of the Classmates website and is located under the My Classmates drop down navigation menu in the top righthand portion of the webpage. When a member clicks on Account, they will see an "Account & Billing" section listed on the page. Once the member logs into their account, they are presented with information about their paid account, including the length of the term,the expiration date, and their renewal option being listed as Automatic. If they wish to switch to manual renewal, they simply have to click on the Turn off automatic renewal link.
  
  According to our records, Ms. ******* did not opt out of the automatic renewal program or contact the Classmates ********************** prior to her renewal date in connection with this membership. As a result, her membership was renewed for an additional term and her payment method was charged $21.60 on April 13, 2025 in accordance with the disclosures and the Terms of Service that she agreed to during her January 2025 purchase.
  
  Per Terms of Service, Classmates has a no refund policy. However, as a matter of customer courtesy, I have provided her with a one-time courtesy refund of her last membership fee in the amount of $21.60 on April 24, *******. ******* should note this refund in her ****** account within the next 5 to 10 days depending on ******* internal refund policies. This paid membership has now reverted to a free account and she wont be charged for any additional subscription fees unless she proactively purchases a paid membership subscription in the future.
  
  This information should successfully resolve Ms. ********* complaint. Should your office or Ms. ******* have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me at *******************************************
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****
  Associate Director, Compliance & IP
  ****************************** 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/08/2025

  I wanted to follow up with you. My apologies for not responding to your previous correspondence. Upon reading the company's response, I am satisfied with the outcome. I do feel, however, that the manner in which the company went about securing the subscription looks and feels unethical, as the subscription was not presented to me at the time of purchase to my memory. I was also unable to locate any payment option or information on the Classmates.com website. I had to look into the ********** website separately and found it quietly set to "on" in my subscription renewal section. Without presenting clear and concise information, this does look unethical to me and, apparently, to many others. In any event, I appreciate their willingness to grant me the refund I sought. Thank you again for reaching out to me. 

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