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Business Profile

Internet Services

Scribd

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

Find BBB Accredited Businesses in Internet Services.

Important information

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Scribd's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Find a Location

Scribd has 3 locations, listed below.

*This company may be headquartered in or have additional locations in another country. Please click on the country abbreviation in the search box below to change to a different country location.

    Please enter a valid location.

    • Scribd

      460 Bryant Street, #100 San Francisco, CA 94107

    • Scribd

      539 Bryant St Ste 200 San Francisco, CA 94107-1269

    • Scribd

      333 Bush St Ste 2400 San Francisco, CA 94104-2806

    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 195 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 41 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    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.

    Sort by

    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/23/2023

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 reached out to Scribd on 1/10/23 about a subscription that I never applied for and once I heard the response, I never heard back. I only noticed the account when they pulled $11.99 from my account. I tried to talk to someone about cancelling and receiving a refund and they sent me a general email about needing a copy of the receipt, my account information, etc. I did not have any of these things because I never knew this company existed. I have sent multiple emails to the company and no one is responding. This is absolutely ridiculous! I never signed up for this company and the idea that they are able to pull money from my account is alarming.

      Business Response

      Date: 01/23/2023

      We appreciate the user informing us here and sincerely apologize for the delay. I located their email in our queue and it seems the email they sent ** and replied to them requesting the information we need to help locate the source of their charges. I will be assisting them with this directly from now on, so please inform them to check their inbox (and spam) for my reply via email and I'll keep an eye out for their response. Thanks! -EC

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/19/2023

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      Upon reviewing my bank statement, I have noticed unauthorized charges from scribd.com. Checked through my email accounts and found unopened unresponded emails from 2022. I had never signed up for the scribd.com account, and my online account was not activated. It was never used during the "subscription" period that I had never signed up for. I tried reaching out to their customer support with no luck. I need to have the 3 charges (November 21, 2022 / December 21, 2022 / and the most recent January 19, 2023) refunded. This is a scam what they are doing, taking someone's card information and charging it without the cardholder's consent. Please help resolve this

      Business Response

      Date: 01/21/2023

      Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

       

      After further review, we are not able to locate the charges with the information provided this far. Please have ****** submit a ticket to our support team here: ********************* and include the PayPal transaction ID to help us locate the account. Once the ticket is submitted through that link, it will be escalated to a specialist who will follow up with her within 24 - 48 hours. 

       

      Thank you again! - MR

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/02/2023

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 recently found monthly charges to my PayPal account in the amount of $11.99 from August 28, 2022 to December 8, 2022. I used this service one time to listen to one Podcast and immediately cancelled. I have not gone back to their Website or used their services since. They offer no way to contact their customer service department other than a bot based loop that never gets you to an actual customer service representative. I couldnt find any email address readily available on their site either. This company should not be in business and after reading how many others have had similar complaints Im not sure why theyre still being allowed to operate.I am requesting a full refund for these charges as they were not authorized nor was their service utilized by me after my cancellation request. I have put in another request for cancellation. I would also like an acknowledgement that has been received and processed.

      Business Response

      Date: 01/03/2023

      Thank you for informing us.

      We located the users account via their email and can confirm it is not subscribed to **, however, we located a related account under a different email. That account is subscribed and resulted in their recent charges. 

      I have canceled and refunded that account. If the payment was still "pending" please inform them they need to allow some time for it to cancel, otherwise, refunds typically process within 3-5 business days. 

      I have also sent them a follow up email, so please inform them to check their inbox (and spam) for our reply via email and to reply on that message if they need any additional assistance and I'll help them out ASAP. Thanks! -EC

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:12/27/2022

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 two trial accounts on scribd last year and canceled each trial before ends. I know see that my credit card has been charged for more than a year, twice a month. In total my credit card is charged 25 times without me even knowing it.I want full refund.

      Business Response

      Date: 12/29/2022

      We apologize to the user for any confusion and we appreciate them letting us know. 

      We located the two accounts via their email address and we can confirm neither were canceled by the user until after their most recent payments went out. As explained in our Subscriber Agreement (**********************), charged are on a monthly basis and will continue until unless their subscription is terminated by Scribd or canceled by the user. 

      That said, we have refunded their most recent payments as outlined in our Refund Policy (**********************). If either payment was still processing. they need to allow time for it to cancel, otherwise, refunds typically post within 3-5 business days and they will not be charged again. 

      I have also merged their accounts together to prevent future confusion and sent them a follow up email containing more information on their merged accounts. If they have any additional questions or concerns, please advise them to respond to me via email and I will assist them there as soon as possible. 

      Thank you for your time and have a great day -EC 

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/29/2022

       
      Complaint: 18647982

      I am rejecting this response because:

      I clearly remember canceling both accounts prior the end of my trial. I even got a message that you still have x amounts of days to enjoy although you have canceled the accounts. If it has not gone through, I think it is an issue with your website (or the way you are handling the cancellations) 


      The fact that my subscription was still ongoing is beyond me. I am sure you agree that paying double the monthly fee from the same credit card for accounts that I canceled is not reasonable. I would need full refund for these accounts. 

      Sincerely,

      *********************** *****************************

      Business Response

      Date: 01/07/2023

      Thank you for bringing this to our attention. 

       

      After further review, we have confirmed that neither account was canceled which is why the user was billed on both accounts. That said, we went ahead and canceled both subscriptions as well provided a total of 6 month refund on each account. No further refunds can be provided as our billing system has a 6 month limitation. Please let ******** know if the charge is still pending, he will see the debit disappear from his bank statement. Otherwise, please allow 2-5 business days for the refund to process. 

       

      If ******** has any further questions, he is welcome to submit a ticket directly to our team here: *********************. Thank you again, have a great day! - MR

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:12/22/2022

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 recently went through bank statements and saw I was being charged $11.99 for Scribd.com. I looked it up and have never signed up for this service. I have gone back as far as OCT 2022 and saw a fee come out monthly, so far Scribd.com charged me three times, total fee charged on my account is $35.97. I tried to cancel a membership or speak to someone but can not talk to anyone.

      Business Response

      Date: 12/23/2022

      We apologize to the user for any confusion. ********************** is a digital reading subscription that brings subscribers monthly access to the best books, audiobooks, news, and magazines. The charge they are seeing is likely for our monthly subscription fee.

      We reviewed our system, located an account with their email, canceled and refunded it, and sent them an email with more information. Please advise them to check their inbox (and spam) for our reply and to email us back if they need any additional assistance. Thanks! -EC 

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:12/14/2022

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Resolved
      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 recently went through bank statements and saw I was being charged $11.99 for Scribd.com. I looked it up and have never signed up for this service. I have gone back as far as July 2022 and saw a fee come out monthly. I tried to cancel a membership or speak to someone but can not talk to anyone.

      Business Response

      Date: 12/15/2022

      Thanks for informing us. One of our agents already located, canceled, and refunded the subscription associated with the users email. We also emailed them back, so if they need any additional help from support, please inform them to email us back so we can help them out. Thanks! -EC

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/15/2022

      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:12/08/2022

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Resolved
      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 recently canceled my monthly subscription (11.99/month) and was charged for a yearly subscription ($119). *** recently contacted support asking for a refund and the automatic bot said I was ineligible. The phone number was just a recorded message asking me to email them and theres been no response to my email.

      Business Response

      Date: 12/09/2022

      Hello,

      Thank you for bringing this to our attention. After further review, we have located the subscription and can verify that the subscription was actually converted on 12/5/2022 to an annual subscription. Not to worry, we are always happy to make things right for our customers. We went ahead and canceled the subscription as well as provided a full refund for the annual invoice. Please let ****** know that if the charge is still pending, she will see the debit disappear from her bank statement. Otherwise, please allow 2-5 business days for the refund to process. 

      If ****** has any further questions, please have her reach out to directly to our support team here: https://scr.bi/assist. We are happy to further assist. 

      Thank you again, have a wonderful day! - MR

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/12/2022

      Better Business Bureau:

      Im glad I got refunded, however this business should not be supported. I am absolutely 100% sure that I did not upgrade my account (I didnt even log in that day). With nearly 300 complaints in the past 3 years it is clear this incident was not an accident and Scribd regularly scans people by charging them for things they didnt sign up for. Dont use Scribd.

      Sincerely,

      *****************************

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:12/06/2022

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 is a scam. I used it for a time and then cancelled. This company charged me 19 times since 2021. Then are going to tell me that they take up to 2 weeks to resolve issues. I want all my money back. How come someone cancels their subscription and they still take money out. Then they delete all the account information. Also, the fact that this happens to multiple people shows you that it is a scam!

      Business Response

      Date: 12/07/2022

      Thank you for informing us. We apologize to the user for the delay from support and any ongoing charges. We are working to improve our response times and, for now, we can help escalate their case per their request here. 

      That said, I located an account via the email they provided here, however, I can confirm it is not subscribed to our monthly subscription service. This means they likely have a duplicate account under a different email address resulting in their payments. 

      We replied to the email they sent us requesting the information we need to find the subscribed account, so please inform them to check their inbox (and spam) for our reply and we'll wait on their response. Thanks! -EC

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/07/2022

       
      Complaint: 18534116

      I am rejecting this response because:

       

      I have not received a response from them and it was not sent to spam either. Can they check if my other email: ************************* as used?

      Sincerely,

      ***************************

      Business Response

      Date: 12/08/2022

      Please let ******* know that the specialist responded through her inquiry which came through from her email ************************** We have a attached a screenshot for reference. 

       

      The specialist is still waiting on a response from *******. Please have her follow up with ***** directly through her ticket at her earliest convenience. Thank you!  - mr

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:12/03/2022

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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 took a subscription to Scribd.com to assist me in research for a writing project. After I had gathered all the relevant information I wanted to cancel my subscription. I went into my account and followed the instructions to cancel an account. I received error message. I repeated the process but continued to receive various messages that blocked my efforts. I cleaned my cache, defraged, and restarted my computer - more of the same. I tried a few days later, but the same go-round occurred. I accessed the FAQ's/Help page. It was useless. If your issue does not fit their 'canned' Q&A's, you are out of luck. There is no provision for any other form of contact (like a chat function that many online companies have; e.g., Amazon. I finally selected the 'pause your account option.' It allowed me to do this for a 3 month period (which ends 21 December). I am still unable to cancel my subscription, or to find any real help anywhere on the Scribd website. I need BBB to intercede for me before I incur an unjust charge to my card.

      Business Response

      Date: 12/03/2022

      Hello, Thank you for bringing this to our attention. 

       

      We are sorry for the difficulty **** has experienced! We would happy to help him with the cancelation of his subscription. Unfortunately, we are unable to locate the account with the information provided. As we will require additional information, please have **** reach out to our team directly via this link: https://scr.bi/assist. Once the ticket is submitted, a specialist will follow up with him within 24 - 48 hours. 

       

      Thank you again, have a great day. - mr

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:11/30/2022

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Answered
      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.
      $11.99 was taken from my PayPal account for monthly subscription fee on Nov 18. I did not authorize this subscription. I emailed ScribD 3 times requesting refund but received no response. This company has no phone support.I checked BBB complaint database and this Company has an egregious history of unauthorized ******** and not responding to customers requests for cancellations and refunds.Please help me resolve this by contacting this Company and explain they need to refund my $11.99 and cancel any existing subscription and recurring payments to them.Thank you very much *****************************

      Business Response

      Date: 12/03/2022

      Thank you for bringing this to our attention. 

       

      We are sorry to hear for the difficulty ********* has experienced. We would be happy to look into this for him as we can not bill an account without authorization upon signing up. That said, we were unable to locate an account or any open tickets with the information provided thus far. As we will require more information, we ask that ********* submit a ticket directly to our team here: https://scr.bi/assist. Once the ticket is submitted, it will be escalated to a specialist who will be following up within 24 - 48 hours. P

       

      Thank you again, have a great day. - MR

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/04/2022

       
      Complaint: 18487077

      I am rejecting this response because:

      Sincerely,

      ******************************

      Customer Answer

      Date: 12/07/2022

      I submitted a request for refund in the format Scribd suggested in their initial response to you. They did respond in a timely manner and issued me a credit of $11.99 as I had originally requested in my prior 3 emails to them. They gave me no explanation why they did not respond to my original emails.

      Thank you for your help in resolving this problem  for me. I believe it was your intervention which moved them to action. Thanks again and please close this complaint and **** it as satisfactorily resolved.

      *****************************

      Business Response

      Date: 12/08/2022

      We are happy to hear that the inquiry has been resolved. If the they have any further questions, please have them follow up through their ticket. 

       

      Thanks again, for helping with this matter. Have a great day! - MR

    Scribd is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.

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