Classmates.com
Unauthorized billing, deceptive practices

I have attempted to cancel' this service twice. The first time was last fall when I went to my online account to change settings so I no longer received numerous emails. I was no longer using the membership and it was due to expire in 2009. I noted that my account was set to automatically renew, which I was unaware of. I changed this to manual, even though the card on file expired in December. Because I made this change, I did not change my email options alone. I have no documentation regarding this, as it was done online at their website.

I saw the charge on my card's February statement and went online to classmates.com again. My account was still set to automatically renew. I changed this again and I sent the cancellation request included in the attachment. I did this using the email form in the classmates.com help section, as instructed.

The page linking to the email form displayed a notice that I could terminate by contacting Member Care Services or by ceasing to use the site. Either way, my account would continue through until the next billings period (two years) with no refunds, as per the agreement. I disagreed with such and agreement and note this in my cancellation request. My account is still active as of this morning (04/01/09).

Additionally, according to the email acknowledging' my cancellation request, unless I personally change the automatic renewal, I will continue to be charged even though I have canceled my membership. It is unreasonable and unethical business practice to refuse to refund 23 months of a 24-month renewal membership charge, particularly when the renewal charge should not have occurred in the first place. And it is unreasonable and unethical business practice to continue to bill a customer because of a vendor-imposed automatic renewal after the consumer has changed it to manual, and after a consumer has canceled a membership.

This agreement' is undoubtedly deceptive and unethical. Parts of it are intentionally buried in fine print and not included in the section a reasonable person would expect to find it. References to not refunding unused memberships is NOT located in Section 8: Termination/Cancellation of the Terms of Agreement, but under another section titled Additional Terms, subtitled Subscription Services and Automatic Renewal.

I have several issues here: 1) I previously changed the automatic renewal to manual but my account apparently never made this change; 2) Classmates.com charged against an expired card: 3) Classmates.com is deceptive about renewals and cancellations; 4) The only effective way to cancel a membership is to request cancellation THEN change the automatic renewal billing.

A web search using specific terms complaint classmates.com' returns 32,100 hits and includes numerous complaints filed with Consumer Affairs, BBB and other official organizations. Nearly all of these are regarding unauthorized billing practices. I certainly will be filing my own complaints regarding this company.

Company: Classmates.com
Country: USA
State: California
City: Woodland Hills
Site: www.classmates.com

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