Complaints

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

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  Getty Images

  605 5th Ave S Ste 400 Seattle, WA 98104-3887

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  Getty Images

  6000 N Forest Park Dr Peoria, IL 61614-3556

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  Getty Images

  701 5th Ave Ste 4200 Seattle, WA 98104-7047

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  Getty Images

  5232 E Pima St Ste 200-C Tucson, AZ 85712-3659

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  Getty Images

  195 Broadway Fl 10 New York, NY 10007-3140

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:02/27/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  First off something needs to be done about not being able to reach a manager in all these businesses that are set up online. I tried to contact this company 4 times about refunding my money for an account that was created. I didnt notice that there was an account for a few months. Nobody over the phone would help with cancellations or returns. when i asked for a manager i was told i cant speak to one. when i asked why i was told they dont have a number. on the 4th attempt i refused to give my information yet again and asked for a manager. the rep told me she could transfer me after i gave her my info and told her what it was about. I told her to go ahead and transfer me as I have tried to speak to 3 other people and been hung up on when i started asking why i cant speak to a manager if they cant help me. its a constant issue now where people can not get passed the horrible customer service at these foreign call centers. we have no rights as consumers at this point. we can not fight back, and there is never any headquarters info to lodge a complaint with. BBB do your job and start standing up for people.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/06/2024

  Regarding ************************ subscription with iStock, initiated on December 27th, 2023, under the Free Trial offering, we acknowledge his concern. During the Free Trial period, ******************** utilized our service by downloading an image. Customers are provided with the option to cancel during the Free Trial period either through self-service or by contacting ***************** However, ******************** did not opt for either method.   He formally requested cancellation after the trial's conclusion on February 27th,2024. We processed his request, cancelling his subscription as per his instructions, and ensured no additional charges would be applied to his credit card.
  In accordance with our policy terms outlined at ********************************************************************************, ******************** is eligible for cancellation due to the absence of image downloads during the paid subscription period. It's important to clarify that our policy does not extend eligibility for a refund under these circumstances; however, because ******************** was billed twice and did not download any images following the free trial, as courtesy to him, we are refunding the most recent charge. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/27/2024

  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 signed up for a 30-day trial subscription on 1/25/24, and I missed the window to cancel the subscription. iStock them billed me $70 for the first month on 2/26, and I asked them to refund my purchase and cancel my subscription. They canceled my subscription and told me I couldn't get a refund. However, they then removed my monthly credits as well!!! I paid for those credits and asked them to put them back in my account. ********************** continues to refuse to provide a refund or my credits. So basically, they have charged me without providing any service or benefit to justify the transaction. I'd like a refund or I'd like the credits to be given back. Their choice.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/07/2024

  Regarding ************** subscription with iStock, initiated on January 25th, 2024, under the Free Trial offering, we acknowledge his concern. During the Free Trial period, ********** utilized our service by downloading 6 images.Customers are provided with the option to cancel during the Free Trial period either through self-service or by contacting ***************** However, ********** did not opt for either method.   He formally requested cancellation after the trial's conclusion on February 25th, 2024. We processed his request, cancelling his subscription as per his instructions, and ensured no additional charges would be applied to his credit card.  Its important to clarify, ********** did not sign up for monthly subscription in which credits are pre-paid.  He was charged for the first installment of an annual subscription.
  In accordance with our policy terms outlined at ********************************************************************************, ********** is eligible for cancellation due to the absence of image downloads during the paid subscription period. It's important to clarify that our policy does not extend eligibility for a refund under these circumstances.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed up for a membership and I was told if I canceled before the trial period I would not get charged. I unsubscribed today 2/26/2024 and I was charged the same day.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2024

  iStock is committed to delivering exceptional customer service and ensuring that our customers have a positive and satisfying experience with our products and services. We understand that circumstances change, and customers may need to make decisions that were not anticipated at the beginning of their subscription purchase. We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and can confirm.  **************** signed up for a free trial on January 26th, 2024, and was billed for the first month of the annual subscription on February 26th, 2024, according to the terms of his agreement.  Mr.  ******* subscription has been cancelled and there will be no additional charges to his credit card.    It seems that **************** might have also initiated a dispute with his bank, resulting in the return of the first month's payment.  This decision was made notwithstanding the information we provide clearly states that after billing commences, cancelation is not possible until the end of the committed period. We also advise customers via the confirmation email sent at registration, as well as in our Content License Agreement. This policy is clearly outlined in the FAQs.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/23/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Their subscription cancellation policy is completely unfair, and in my opinion, unethical. They are - as they will tell you - up front about their policy, but most people don't read all the fine print. If you don't cancel before the free trial you are automatically locked into a one-year contract at the high price of $90/month. You are told when you go to cancel that you are not allowed, however they do give you the option to pay out half of the contract at $300+! I can't believe this is legal in ****** or *******. When I called to complain, the phone message says they will not take calls relating to subscription cancellations. The only option is to continue through their online email/chat function.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2024

  iStock is committed to delivering exceptional customer service and ensuring that our customers have a positive and satisfying experience with our products and services. We understand that circumstances change, and customers may need to make decisions that were not anticipated at the beginning of their subscription purchase. We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and have cancelled ******************** subscription and there will be no additional charges to her credit card. This decision was made notwithstanding the information we provide clearly states that after billing commences, cancelation is not possible until the end of the committed period. We also advise customers via the confirmation email sent at registration, as well as in our Content License Agreement. This policy is clearly outlined in the FAQs.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/23/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  iStock offers an option to buy a subscription that you are supposed to be able to cancel anytime, but this doesn't seem possible. There is no phone number or a way to contact anyone on their team by online chat or any other way to cancel this service except through a form. We have filled out that form 3 times in the past 3 weeks and we have not received any response. In the meantime, we continue to be charged on a montly basis for services that we do not want and would like to cancel.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/04/2024

  **************** actively signed up for an annual subscription, not a free trial, on December 14th, 2023,agreeing to the terms and conditions of the subscription, and has downloaded 9 images since signing up.  We understand that circumstances change, and customers may need to make decisions that were not anticipated at the beginning of their subscription purchase. We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and have cancelled ****************** subscription and there will be no additional charges to his credit card.   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/15/2024

  Hello *******,

  Thank you for message. I'm glad to say that we have not been charged again. We should have been charged yesterday March 14th, but we did not receive an invoice and I just checked our account and there are no new invoices, which should mean that they in fact cancelled our subscription. 

  Many thanks for your help! I'm extremely thankful, but also happy to see that it is possible, through your help, to fight these malpractices from corporations, which clearly are trying to trick people into unwanted long term contracts. I just hope that this does not continue to happen to others. There are MANY complains about iStockphoto and their questionnable polices and practices.

  Thanks again and have a great day!

  F

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/22/2024

  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.

  It sounds like this is this company's regular practice to rope people in with a free 1 Month trial and then charge for 1 year if you aren't able to cancel before the trial. I actually thought I did cancel my trial, so I was surprised when I received the charge. I immediately went onto the site to try to cancel right away, but there is no option to cancel anywhere! You have to send a message through the site. So I sent a message. I also tried to call them, but the automated message specifically says that they can not and will not process cancelations over the phone, so you are forced to wait. The automated email said they "strive to respond within 1 business day" (was 2 days for me), so even if you were to remember to cancel before the month trial (let's say Day 29), the only way to do so is to wait for them to respond to you, by which time it will be too late because they will have charged you, and it is non-refundable. Not only is it non-refundable, even though you've basically paid for the month, they cut off your access immediately and refuse to refund you - how is this not stealing? This is such a deceptive practice - to offer a free trial and the only way to cancel is to reach out to them and you have to wait for their response, which took 2 days in my experience, by which you've been charged a non-refundable charge. Given that all of the complaints on this site are virtually the same, I don't understand why this business is still allowed to operate in this way.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/06/2024

  Regarding **************** subscription with iStock, initiated on January 17th, 2024, under the Free Trial offering, we acknowledge his concern.During the Free Trial period, ************ utilized our service by downloading an image. Customers are provided with the option to cancel during the Free Trial period either through self-service or by contacting ***************** However,************ did not opt for either method.  Mr. **** was charged for the first installment of his annual subscription on February 16th.  Subsequently,he formally requested cancellation after the trial's conclusion on February 20th,2024. We processed his request, cancelling his subscription as per his instructions, and ensured no additional charges would be applied to his credit card. In accordance with our policy terms outlined at ********************************************************************************, ************ is eligible for cancellation due to the absence of image downloads during the paid subscription period. It's important to clarify that our policy does not extend eligibility for a refund under these circumstances.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/19/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I cancelled a free trial to istock photos. Istock proceeded to charge my credit card despite confirming that they cancelled my free trial. In the email they use the language "we are cancelling your Free Trial."The now are refusing to refund the fraudulent charge.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/28/2024

   This is in reference to ****************** subscription with iStock, initiated on January 16th, 2024, under the Free Trial offering.   During the Free Trial period, **************** availed himself of the service by downloading two images.  During the Free Trial period customers can cancel via self-service or by contacting Customer Service.  **************** did neither. Subsequently, he submitted a formal request for cancellation post the trial's conclusion on February 16th, 2024.  His subscription was cancelled as requested and there will be no additional charges to his credit card. In accordance with our policy terms, as detailed at *******************************************************************************************; **************** is eligible for cancellation due to the absence of image downloads during the paid subscription period, however,our policy precludes any eligibility for a refund under these circumstances.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/28/2024

   
  Complaint: 21317152
  
  I am rejecting this response because a cancellation was made during the free trial period. A  fraudulent  charge  was placed on and remains on my card.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/19/2024

  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 am writing to bring to your attention a troubling issue I've encountered with iStock, a subsidiary of Getty Images. On February 19, 2024, I inadvertently signed up for a free trial with iStock (order number **********), intending to explore their services. Regrettably, I overlooked the cancellation terms, and I am now locked into a year-long subscription that I have no intention of utilizing.It is deeply disappointing to discover that iStock operates with what I can only describe as dubious business practices, where the primary commitment seems to be the acquisition of funds rather than the provision of transparent and fair services. The lack of clarity regarding the cancellation process and the automatic transition to a paid subscription is concerning and unjust.Therefore, I am formally requesting a refund of the $70.00 charged to my account, representing the cost of the subscription. Additionally, I request that no subsequent charges be applied, as I have no plans to use the service moving forward.Furthermore, I am deeply concerned about the security and privacy of my personal information held by iStock. In light of this experience, I request that my iStock account be immediately deactivated, and all associated personal information be completely scrubbed from iStock's databases. I believe this is a reasonable measure to ensure that my privacy is protected, considering the circumstances.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2024

  iStock is committed to delivering exceptional customer service and ensuring that our customers have a positive and satisfying experience with our products and services. We understand that circumstances change, and customers may need to make decisions that were not anticipated at the beginning of their subscription purchase. We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and can confirm Mr. ********** subscription has been cancelled and there will be no additional charges to his credit card.  In accordance with our policy terms outlined at ********************************************************************************, ********************** is eligible for cancellation due to the absence of image downloads during the paid subscription period. It's important to clarify that our policy does not extend eligibility for a refund under these circumstances. ********************** can request removal of his information by emailing  ******************************.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/19/2024

  Type:Order 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.

  We signed up to a free trial for this service which made it seem like it would rollover into a month-to-month contract. Instead, this rolled over into a Premium annual subscription. The website is quite deceptive, as indicated by other complaints online.We asked to cancel this, or simply revert to month-to-month, but were told we had to agree to the full term, or pay for half of the year, up front. The service offered is such that monthly usage is metered, meaning there is no way that we could have accessed a years-worth of value from this service, and simply want to cancel due to our mistake. We have been denied any ability to cancel without paying for half of the year for immediate cancellation. We contacted the seller 11 days after purchase. We would simply like to cancel our service and cease any further payments -- we have been clear with the iStock team that we had no intention of signing up for this, and that it was a mistake. Their support staff seems to be strong-arming us into completing a contract that we did not intentionally enter with them, and are unwilling to honourably conduct business and make things right.As mentioned above, this is not an uncommon story, as a cursory ****** search will show. We hope that this can be remedied, and that others can avoid this repeated behaviour on the part of *************************************************** you for your help!

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2024

  iStock is committed to delivering exceptional customer service and ensuring that our customers have a positive and satisfying experience with our products and services. We understand that circumstances change, and customers may need to make decisions that were not anticipated at the beginning of their subscription purchase. We have carefully reviewed the circumstances surrounding this matter and have cancelled Ms. ****** subscription and there will be no additional charges to her credit card. This decision was made notwithstanding the information we provide clearly states that after billing commences, cancelation is not possible until the end of the committed period. We also advise customers via the confirmation email sent at registration, as well as in our Content License Agreement. This policy is clearly outlined in the FAQs.  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/26/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/17/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I let a free trial lapse and was charged $75. The very same day I asked for a refund and cancellation. The refund was denied. Fine its my fault I let it lapse. But then I was denied any service or product t that I payed for. They say you lose access when you cancel. I wasnt told that before they cancelled and I had JUST paid the $75 that day. They will steal your money and give you nothing for it. I have the emails to prove it. Theyre scammers At iStock

  Business Response

  Date: 02/26/2024

  Mr. ****** initiated his iStock subscription on January 14th, 2024, under the Free Trial offer. Despite using the service during the trial, he did not cancel it before its conclusion on February 13th, 2024. Following his formal cancellation request, we promptly terminated his subscription without any additional charges to his credit card. As per our policy, outlined at ********************************************************************************, Mr. ****** qualifies for cancellation since no images were downloaded during the paid subscription period. However, refunds are not applicable under these circumstances.
  
  To clarify, upon cancellation, Mr. ******** access to the subscription services ceased. He originally signed up for a free trial that converted into an annual subscription, billed in 11 installments. This was not a prepayment model, nor did he opt for our monthly pre-paid credit pack or "pay as you go" option.