Archives.com
Complaint 43819 Details

  • Date Occurred: 10/15/2013
  • Reported Damages: $39.95

The complaint is against an online dating profile

The complaint is a listing fraud posted on public forums or sites against an anonymous entity

The complaint is mobile text spam or smishing related against an anonymous entity

The company or person contact no longer exists

International boundaries

On or about Oct. 6--8 (and I believe it was Oct. 7, 2011) looking for a particular genealogical historical document I'd searched for may years to find, Archives popped up saying that they had it. In order for me to view it I had to sign up for their 7 day free trial which they state one can cancel at any time. In order to activate the free trial one must give up their credit card number for a 1 year subscription which may be cancelled with no charge with in that 7 days. With in minutes after I went to view the document I discovered it was a bait and switch. I went to "contact us", wrote them a nasty mesage, and cancelled my account. I got a confirmation screen stating that the account had been cancelled. I later got an e-mail stating it had been cancelled. I got my credit card bill and they billed me anyway on October 15, 2011 for $39.95. I thought since this charge was made on the last day of the billing cycle that the refund would be in the next and waited until this billing cycle. The refund was not there so I called Archives. They denied that I had cancelled. Said they were now cancelling my account so that I would not be billed further and NO THEY WOULD NOT REFUND MY MONEY. I went to my credit card company to complain. They wanted a copy of my cancellation via e-mail. Since that cancellation had occurred in October about the 6,7,8 -- and I think it was the 7th, that e-mail had been purged and I can't prove it. They are putting in a dispute with Archives but told me that since Archives denied to me that they received the cancellation even though they sent an e-mail that they may also deny it to them. Archives is a scam. They bait and switch and do not honor what they represent. They literally stole $39.95 from me and will not return the money to me.

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Comments

  • Chelsea-Archivescom
  • Chelsea-Archivescom SBID #dcb6b6392e
  • Posted 12/06/2013
  • Hi SEMH, I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience. We need a bit more information to locate your account so we can rectify the situation. Your satisfaction is very important to us, and we would be happy to offer you a refund. Please contact customer support at [email protected] and write "attention archives escalations" in the subject line for priority assistance. You can also call us at 1-888-896-4442. Sincerely, Chelsea-Archives.com
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  • cndada
  • cndada SBID #44f1f6a26e
  • Posted 12/06/2013
  • I phoned Archives.com and they are refunding the charge, They were not happy about it, but there were no e-mails as they insisted regarding the account or the cancellation. I used my search engine for their name all the way back to October 27 and there was no e-mail as they insist there was. But they were honest to refund the charge, I must say.
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  • SEMH
  • SEMH SBID #78864de681
  • Posted 12/06/2013
  • Flag this message
    Attention archives escallation
    Wednesday, December 7, 2011 12:50 AM
    From:
    "Sem Hedeen" <[email protected]>
    Add sender to Contacts
    To:
    [email protected]
    SEMH stands for Susan McConnaughey Hedeen

    You likely cannot find my account because I cancelled it on or about 10/07/11 the same day I opened my supposed 7 day free trial which could not be activated without my credit card number.

    1. I had done a google search looking for a particular historical genealogical document I had been in search of for some years. Archives pops up in the search engine with language leading anyone that it had the document. So I clicked in.

    2. I did a free search and the search as much as stated that the document was there and I could view it.

    3. I go to view it, but need to sign up for a 7 day free trial

    4. So I do that only to then be told that my credit card number was required; however if I cancel with in 7 days the credit card will not be charged

    5. So stupid me believes this is all on the up and up. I give up my number

    6. I go to view the document, not there; I browsed around what was there and it is information that nearly anyone can glean off the message boards for free. I'm furious.

    7. I go into the contact us, send you a confrontational message about the misrepresentation and cancel my account and demand that my credit card not be charged -- I am cancelling.

    8. A screen pops up stating the account was closed

    9. I subsequently received an e-mail stating the account was closed.

    10. I get my credit card statement for November billing cycle which ended mid October and on the charge is October 15 a charge for the 39.95 Archives.com.

    11. Knowing that this charge was levied at the close of my billing cycle and that I had cancelled the account I waited for the refund to show up in my December statement. It was not there.

    12. I called Archives and explained the situation to hear that Archives was denying that I cancelled the account; denied that they sent an e-mail; would now cancel the account so that I would not longer would be charged and would not refund my money.

    I am demanding that my money be refunded. I cancelled this account on Archives web site and did so with-in one hour after I opened it as it was very clear to me that I was baited in and switched and that you had absolutely no information which I found of any value what so ever. Further more I had voiced as much directly to your customer service on your site at the time that I cancelled.

    I am a 62 year old woman with 40 years of traditional genealogy and 1 year of genetic genealogy under my belt. I am one who has owned a business for over 30 years. I do not cheat my clients. I am honest with them about just exactly how I can service them. My clients get exactly what they expect they should and I do not bait and switch; furthermore, I am an honest person who would never not honor my debts; however this is not my debt as I did exactly what I was expected to do to cancel this account and on the same day that I discovered that I had been baited in with bogus representations.

    This complaint should never have had to have gone so far as this. Archives knows exactly what it is doing and not doing and I am certain that I am only one of very many who have had exactly the same experience. Archives banks on the high probability that people will be angry but embarrassed that they were stupid and got taken in and will just let it go. I will not let it go. I don't cheat, and I will not tolerate being cheated. Plain and simple.

    You do need to reimburse my $39.95 to my credit card.

    Sincerely, Susan Hedeen

    Dear Susan,

    Chelsea-Archivescom commented on a report you submitted on Scambook.

    Chelsea-Archivescom wrote: "Hi SEMH, I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience. We need a bit more information to locate your account so we can rectify the situation. Your satisfaction is very important to us, and we would be happy to offer you a refund. Please contact customer support at [email protected] and write "attention archives escalations" in the subject line for priority assistance. You can also call us at 1-888-896-4442. Sincerely, Chelsea-Archives.com"
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  • Chelsea-Archivescom
  • Chelsea-Archivescom SBID #dcb6b6392e
  • Posted 12/07/2013
  • We have processed your refund and emailed you a receipt. I am resending the receipt. Sometimes it can take a few days for the refund to show up in your account, depending on your bank's processing time. Please feel free to contact our customer support team if you do not see the $39.95 in your account in 5 business days.
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Business Profile Summary

  • Archives.com logo

Company Statistics

  • Complaint Against Archives.com
  • Complaints Filed: 424
  • Reported Damages: $24,090.81
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