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

  601 N 34th St Seattle, WA 98103-8603

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  Getty Images

  313 1240 20 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2G 1M8

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  Getty Images

  55 E Monroe St Ste 1700 Chicago, IL 60603-5724

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  6000 N Forest Park Dr Peoria, IL 61614-3556

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:02/01/2024

  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 free Trial with istock photos and forgot to cancel the free trial when it ended. I was not too concerned when I was charged a $89.25 for the first month. I was however shocked when I checked my account and was told that I had been automatically enrolled into a 1year subscription and there was no way to cancel it. I contacted their support team and the best they could offer me was cancel the subscription and charge me half a year upfront. This is downright robbery and I don't think any reputable company should conduct itself this way. My last resort is to take this to court just to proof a point, but I want to try other avenues first. They have been charging me for the past 3months.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/09/2024

  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 Mr. *********** 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:02/01/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On December 14, 2023, our small business started a free trial with istock as we were looking for different options for image providers.We downloaded one free item and have not used it since.In January, both my husband and I got very sick and missed cancelling our subscription as the service was not what we were looking for. As soon as I got the invoice, exactly one day after the free trial ended, I immediately contacted iStock and was told that I entered in to a year long contract when I signed up.Absolutely no where on their website does it say that you were bound to the contract without the option to cancel for an entire year In their email response they told me that they would basically settle for $425 but that there was no way I could cancel my subscription.Their way of doing business is underhanded and not transparent.I have done some research and have seen that others have cancelled their credit card but I really would prefer not to do that.I'm reaching out to you today as I feel that these business practices are not acceptable and I would very much appreciate your assistance in cancelling my subscription and if anyway possible, a refund of the money I've already paid.Thank you very much for your assistance and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.*******

  Business Response

  Date: 02/09/2024

  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 ****************-Coulls 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: 02/11/2024

   
  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:02/01/2024

  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.

  Hi BBB,This is in regards to Customer Number: **********, like so many others here reporting against Getty Images, have fallen victim to their 'iStock' subscription scam after trying out their Free Trial offer. I originally began the Free Trial on November 27th, 2023. I was subsequently charged two payments: 1) December 27th, 2023, and 2) January 27th, **** - both in the amount of $89.25CAD. I have never used the subscription at all since the Trial ended, and only became aware of these charges after reviewing my Credit Card statement.While I was happy to try out their offer and explore their product, I had absolutely no intention of long-term subscription commitments. I contacted them to let them know I turned off the 'auto-renewal' prior to trial end date, but was informed by their Support that this 'auto-renewal' refers to their annual commitment, and not the actual subscription itself, and that I was 'locked in', even though I had no desire to do so. They said the only way I could cancel was to pay 'half the amount of full subscription value', a cost of $382.50CAD. This is not in any way a fair or sufficient compromise, for a product subscription I NEVER actually wanted to commit to in the first place.iStock Support will quickly point out the technicalities of their purchase process, along with referencing terms and conditions. However, the overwhelming number (in the thousands) of real people online that feel completely robbed by their deliberately misleading process goes against all consumer rights. The groups and reports of similar stories online, even on this very BBB site, is clear evidence that iStock's unethical tactic, hostaging people who have sincere interest in their product, in an ugly 'trap' forcing them to pay for a product they may or may not have truly intended to purchase.Please, do the right thing, and cancel my subscription, and refund my payments for a product I never wanted or used.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/09/2024

  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 Mr. ****** 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:02/01/2024

  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.

  On November 29, 2023, I signed up for a "free trial" for the Getty Images iStock website. This was advertised as a 1-month free trial, and I wasn't initially concerned. I tried to cancel the free trial in early December and assumed everything was in order. However, I only realized on January 29, ****, that I had been charged twice already for 2 months of this service ($96.05 per month, totaling $192.10 so far). I emailed iStock **************** and explained my confusion, asking to cancel the subscription as I originally wanted. I didn't have high hopes that I would be able to get the $192.10 refunded, but I asked if this was possible.To my dismay, iStock responded and told me that it actually wasn't possible to cancel my subscription - and that by signing up for the free trial, I had automatically agreed to pay $96.05 every month for a year. This was not made clear in their initial messaging at all. In their email response, iStock offered to let me only "pay half the remaining amount of [my] full subscription value", which would be $382.50. I declined this request and attempted to continue working with Customer Success on finding a resolution. I have been unsuccessful, and if I don't accept this $382.50 charge by my next billing date (February 29), the offer will expire and I will be stuck paying the $96.05 fee monthly until next year.I don't know what to do other than cancel my credit card - I don't want this service. I am very unhappy that their messaging was manipulative, as I was not aware that it would be impossible to cancel when I signed up for a free trial for a monthly subscription. I just want to be released from this subscription. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/06/2024

  I recently submitted a complaint under the email ******************** However, this address is the one associated with my claim and my iStock account: ****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 02/08/2024

  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: 02/08/2024

   
  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:01/31/2024

  Type:Customer Service 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 accepts monthly payment. They have the user menu ************************ to be elusive purposely as they do an automatic yearly renewal. I asked for to close the account in January, and they said their user agreement locks me into an annual agreement and I have no option to cancel unless I check a box that is not accessible easily on their user menu. They sent me a link and said, here is the box you need to uncheck. They said I am not getting out of this agreement for another 11 months. I want the account canceled and out of this agreement.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2024

  ************ joined us with a yearly subscription back on December 29th, 2022, agreeing to our subscription terms. Ever since her subscription renewed, she's been enjoying downloading images from iStock.com.We've made sure to keep her informed about our cancellation policy and given her easy steps to turn off auto-renewal. This way, she can have full control over whether her subscription renews at the end of the term. For more info, you can check out our cancellation policy outlined in detail in our license agreement at *************************************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/14/2024

  I am not satisfied and don't wish this to be closed. The company made a rude reply, nothing was resolved. 
  

  what do you suggest I do?

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/31/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

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

  Answered:

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

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I subscribed to iStock's services, initially enticed by their offer of a free trial period. After the trial period ended, I found that I had been automatically billed a total of AUD ******, despite not having used iStock's services since the trial. I contacted iStock to address this issue, expressing my concerns and citing potential violations of Australian consumer law. My correspondence highlighted that this practice seemed unfair and possibly unlawful, especially considering the lack of clear disclosure regarding any exit or administration fees for early cancellation of the subscription.I requested an immediate cancellation of my subscription and a full refund of ******* ****** billed, emphasising the lack of service usage post-trial and the potential legality of it. I indicated that failure to resolve the issue satisfactorily would lead me to escalate the matter to the **** and BBB and consider pursuing a chargeback through my bank.As of now, the issue remains unresolved, and Im sure theyll still be charging me monthly for a service I do not use prompting me to file a complaint on bbb.org

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2024

  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 his 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: 02/07/2024

   
  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:01/31/2024

  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.

  To whom it may concern Thank you for taking the time to review my case.On November 28, 2023, I signed up for a free trial of Getty's iStock. During the month of testing, I downloaded two or three vectors. Then I looked for the cancel subscription button, I thought the disable auto-renewal button was the right button since I didn't find any other visible cancellation button.Unfortunately, time passed, they never notified me by email about the end of the free trial and on December 28 they debited me $29 for the first month of a one-year subscription. I just lost my job, I don't have a steady income to continue paying that amount for a year. I contacted customer service and they asked me to pay an amount of EUR ****** to cancel the subscription, which in dollars would be $142.Unfortunately I don't have that amount of money, the only month I downloaded content was the month they debited me. Since then I haven't downloaded any more material, I haven't even used all the credits.I strongly request that my subscription be canceled and my istock account deleted, I no longer want to be part of the platform and will no longer use its content.Thank you so much.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2024

  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 his 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: 02/06/2024

   
  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:01/30/2024

  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.

  On 29th December 2023, I was working on my thesis and thus ended up on iStock. In need of one image, I started the supposedly free-trial subscription, the price for the plan presented as 29,00 EUR. Unfortunately, I forgot about the subscription as there was no email reminding the end of the period. On 29th January I received an email informing me that a 34,00 EUR payment had been taken off my card. Immediately I approached Istock through email complaint trying to cancel my subscription. Their solution was to cancel the subscription immediately only if I paid half of the subscription 145 EUR, otherwise I would have to continue to pay the whole annual subscription. They say that all of the terms are clearly stated at the checkout. In my opinion, it is very immoral and misleading as they say it is possible to cancel your subscription in your free-trial period but it doesn't state it is not possible to cancel it after the period. They mention 'At the end of the first month of your Free Trial period, your subscription will automatically enrol in auto-renew, which you can turn off anytime.' suggesting that you can unsubscribe anytime. Also, it is very unreasonable to pay 145 EUR for cancelling a subscription. They even use phrases such as 'risk-free' while using obscure tactics such as presenting important information in small font and mentioning monthly fees while binding the customer to an annual contract.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2024

  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.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2024

  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 enrolled into the free trial and got automatically put onto a yearly subscription without me realizing. I was not using the service but saw a 97.13$ charge on my credit card. This is honestly a pretty big amount of money to pay monthly for a service I don't want to use. I contacted them to see what could be done to resolve the issue. Their answer was that I needed to pay 450$. It is a sum that is not disclosed anywhere in the terms on the website. I think this business has predatory behaviour and tries their best to cash in on unsuspecting good people. When I emailed back and tried to find an agreement, they expressed that I had to pay this amount or carry on with paying close to 100$/month for the rest of the year.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2024

  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 his 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:01/29/2024

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  Tried to take advantage of a free trial business use, I cancel within the first week of the trial to avoid auto renewal. I still was charged $75.78 and i immediately contacted them via email, he canceled the account, took away the remaining credits and refused to give a refund. Now filing a dispute charge with my bank because I technically paid for a service I didnt receive anything for now. This company is fraudulent and will steal your money.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2024

  This is in reference to Ms. ******* subscription with iStock, initiated on December 19th, 2023, under the Free Trial offering.   During the Free Trial period, **************** availed herself of the service by downloading ten images.  During the Free Trial period customers can cancel via self-service or by contacted Customer Service.  **************** did neither. Subsequently, she submitted a formal request for cancellation post the trial's conclusion on January 21st, ****.  Her subscription was cancelled as requested and there will be no additional charges to her credit card. In accordance with our policy terms, as detailed at ********************************************************************************   **************** is deemed eligible for cancellation due to the absence of image downloads during the paid subscription period. It is imperative to note, however, that our policy precludes any eligibility for a refund under these circumstances.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21215560
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I DID cancel online after before the trial ended, as I, and many other have ALSO experienced a fault in YOUR system. 

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