I have contacted CLASSMATES.com via email (and attempts by phone) for the past several months. All copies of correspondence have been saved.
I've basically got the same complaints as all the others: unauthorized charges on credit card. However, my complaint goes further in that Classmates.com has verified IN WRITING VIA EMAIL that I am NOT a Gold Member, and am a "free/basic" member (which is odd given that I have tried SEVERAL times to cancel my ENTIRE account). Either way, point remains that they themselves admit that I am NOT a paying customer even by THEIR records. Yet I continue to be charged!
Secondly, and most importantly: My first membership was done sometime in late 2003 or early 2004. Once it expired, I reverted to the free account, as I only needed a membership so that I could retrieve info about an upcoming class reunion (in 2004).in I received a message from an old class friend who used classmates to send it.in order to RESPOND to their message (non-members are not privy to the email address of the sender of the message), I had to become a member. I chose the minimum 3 mo membership for $15.00 per month.
I continued to be charged the Gold Membership fee, even after many efforts to have the charges stopped. I demanded my account be cancelled, and they wrote and confirmed that it WAS cancelled... And for 2 quiet months, I had no more charges to my credit card.
Then, on Sept 8 - another charge from CLASSMATES.com appears on my credit card!!!
What this tells me is that they are using an expired credit card number. I complained to my bank, since the expiration date for the card I had originally used to CREAT a Gold Member account (so that I could respond to my friend's email message), was from 2005. My present credit card expires at a different date, as I had been issued a NEW card (w/new exp. Date) in 2006.
THIS TELLS ME that Classmates.com is toying with expiration dates in order to continue with their fraudulent charges!!!
I am now in the process of filing a dispute. I am disappointed in my bank's responses up to now, as they have been very hesitant to encourage a dispute being filed. When I read the recs. From consumer complaints.com (which is to tell my bank that I am aware of Fed. Regulations, etc), I suddenly got a much more receptive response, but unfortunately the dispute office is not open until Monday (it's Sat.). I intend to follow through with this on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, I am searching for ways to publicly notify classmate.com customers/users of the fraudulent practices of Classmates.com. I am considering a website to expose them - based on MY experience (putting our correspondence online for all to read).
I would like to know of any class action suits being brought against this company if anyone knows of any.
Thank you.
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