Complaints

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:08/08/2024

  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 first enrolled in Safe Shepherd in 2016 and, at that time, it was run by at least two individuals who provided great customer service. You could even correspond directly with the business owners through email. They seemed to provide everything they promised - internet privacy services so that you dont have to worry or think about it, because they perform the monitoring. Then in 2019, I logged back into the system to update personal information, and saw that the Safe Shepherd website looked highly suspicious; it was just a bare-bones website that aimed to appear as if they were legitimate. I cancelled my account and deleted my payment information. I even started a different monitoring service with another company. Imagine my surprise when recently, on 7/14/2024, I noticed that Safe Shepherd charged my card $76! We can be sure how many other times theyve done this, and I have just been missing their charges! I then tried logging back into Safe Shepherd. They even allowed me to change my password. An account page appears to be loading, but then, NOTHING loads! NO account page is available, NO address, NO phone number is listed, and NO way to contact them is made available, because this company wants to continue stealing peoples money! The only address information found online is that Safe Shepherd is now apparently located in ***********?? Safe Shepherd needs to reimburse me, and stop billing me and all the countless other people they have been ripping off!

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2024

  Hi BBB & *****, 

  Thank you for writing in. As you will see by the screenshot I provided, this customer hasn't written to our support team in years. Had she written in and asked us any questions about her account or requested assistance with navigating the new and improved website (that we overhauled to a better, more user-friendly in 2020). Her account was showing an error, which is why she was getting a "white screen". It was not a "scam". Had our support team known she was dealing with this, we could have fixed it in two seconds and she would have access to her account again. Instead, she disputed her charge, and filed a complaint with BBB. 

  You can always contact us at ****************************** or sayhello@safeshepherd.

  Her membership has been cancelled, and she has received a refund.

  Thank you,

  SS Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/18/2024

   
  Complaint: 22110444
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  To Safe Shepherd,
  
  Thank you for the response; however, the dishonesty is unacceptable. The facts of the situation, as I have documented in detail in my message to BBB, remain unchanged.
  
  Is it any wonder to anyone, especially yourselves, that my experience and the experience of numerous other previous customers, is the same? One only needs to scroll through your BBB listing, or do quick research to see the many other complaints documented against you by others you have defrauded. As you do, I could also make up many lies in response to everything you say, if I wanted to.
  
  The bottom line is, please dont pretend to be an honest and responsible business. Honest businesses dont make it difficult for people to contact them, and then blame people for not knowing when mysterious changes to service are made behind their backs, and when fraudulent charges continue, despite no true service being provided. Also, your business phone numbers and email addresses are still not listed anywhere on your website, which is very deceitful to people whose money you are wanting, especially if you dont give people a trustworthy way to manage their own information online.
  
  Thanks only to BBB and my credit card company, I received a refund of the last charge that I noticed and will not be charged anymore. Because of their efforts, this matter may be closed. I hope that other people will be made aware and avoid being cheated. And to Safe Shepherd, For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 
  -Mark 8:36-37

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/28/2024

  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.

  I have been trying to cancel my account for YEARS! Their website is completely useless and it is not possible to stop the automatic withdrawals from the website. They said to email support, which I did, but I never got a reply. I want a refund for this year and last year ($95 in 2023 and 2024). Ripping people off appears to be this company's entire business model.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/22/2024

  Hi ********* and BBB, 

  We are sorry to hear you are unsatisfied with your membership and have had trouble getting in contact with us. As shown in the screenshot attached to this thread, we have not received ANY emails from this customer. Had we received any requests or inquiries, we could have assisted them with a bug on their account and/or issued them an immediate refund. We cannot help when we don't know there is a problem. Unfortunately, now that a dispute has been filed with their credit card, we are unable to issue any immediate refunds (normally, we are ALWAYS happy to assist our customers). 

  If you would like to discuss further, feel free to contact us at ******************************.

  Thank you,

  Safe Shepherd CS

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/18/2024

  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.

  This company (Safe Shepherd) has been charging my bank account a recurring fee, but I have not been able to access their website to cancel this subscription.The last charge was on August 23rd 2023 for $95.00 I want the subscription cancelled and the account closed.I tried contacting this business customer support, but they are not responding.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/26/2024

  We have gone ahead and issued you a refund. You should see the funds back in your account.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/29/2024

   
  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.

  But Please delete my account from your system, and do not charge my account anymore,  since there is no way for me to access your website
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/24/2024

  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've been charged for this service monthly but haven't gotten any information or protection of my identity from this company and have been unable to log into the website.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/31/2024

  Hi **** - We went ahead and cancelled your account and issued you a refund. It does look like your account was active, and does NOT look like you wrote in to our support team requesting assistance. We would have been happy to help fix an account, or cancel if you are not satisfied. Regardless, your account is cancelled and you won't be charged again.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/24/2024

  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 have no access to my account on their website. The website is broken. I cant access my payment plan or cancel my plan the site flickers to a blank screen when you go to login. I have been making monthly payments, including one that occurred yesterday for several years.It appears that the website is no longer working. And it looks like its been several months.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/31/2024

  Hi ****** -  Confirming your account is cancelled and you will not be charged again. We issued the refund for your charge that occurred last month. It's important to note, Safe Shepherd did not receive any requests for assistance or emails from you stating there were issues with your account. We would have happily issued you a refund right away and canceled your account. Our email is ******************************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/08/2024

   
  Complaint: 21342033
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I did email support and was told I did not but if I did they would have responded. This is in incorrect and dismissive. Denial of communication should not be an excuse and I need them to make it clear why the website was broken in the first place which was not addressed either. Also how long has those site been down? Was I getting the service during this time?

  This site manages sensitive and personal information, that is why transparency and integrity are essential. 

  Attached is the email I initially sent their support email. Im no longer looking for reimbursements as I have closed up anyway I could be charged, through my former bank. Im looking for answers and guarantees that my information hasnt been compromised. 

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

  Business Response

  Date: 04/08/2024

  Your information is absolutely secure on our platform. The site was not down, there was a bug on your individual account preventing you from seeing your privacy dashboard. Everything was still functioning behind the scenes. We will go ahead and delete your account permanently, which includes any emails, names, phone numbers, etc. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/13/2024

  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 December 9, 2023, I signed up for an account with ********************** for the Safe Shepherd Pro product ($29.95 per month). On December 18, 2023, I emailed ****************************** (the only contact information listed on their website) to cancel my service. I never received a response. I re-sent the email on January 9, 2024 and February 13, 2024. Much to my surprise, Safe Shepherd has not cancelled my account, and they continue to bill my credit card. For Safe Shepherd Pro, I was billed $29.95 n the following dates:12/9/2023 01/09/2024 02/09/2024 My total loss so far is $89.85. I just want to cancel my account and have my monthly fees reimbursed.As there is no person to contact at this company, it feels like a fraudulent company.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/31/2024

  Hi there, Our support team did not see this inquiry/complaint. 

  I just checked in on the account, and ******** has received ALL money back to her account (3 charges for $29.95). 2 charges were refunded in February 2024, and the other was refunded in June 2024. We received her requests to receive payment back and accepted the refunds, and also issued a refund for her charge in December. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience caused by us here, ********. Our company is not a fraudulent company, we are a tiny team working with all of our customers requests daily. Regardless, you have received all payments back. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/31/2024

   
  Complaint: 21288354
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I emailed the company several times with no response. I do not believe that all of my emails were just "not seen." Additionally, the BBB and FTC reached out to Safe Shepherd and either did not receive a timely response or did not receive a response at all. If your company is legitimate, you should provide a customer service phone number, so customers can contact you directly, instead of via email inbox. 

  Additionally, my Safe Shepherd account is still active. Please close my account and delete all of my information from your systems. 

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

  Business Response

  Date: 08/07/2024

  Hi ********, 

  Your account has been canceled, all money has been returned to you and your account has been completely deleted from our database.

  We apologize for missing your original email requesting cancellation, but have since fixed the issues and you have your money back in your account.

  It's important to note here, you can cancel your membership in your Membership Settings at ANY TIME. This stops payment immediately and you won't be charged again. Regardless, ALL money was returned and NO additional charges will take place as your account has been removed.

  At this point, what else would you like us to do?  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/07/2024

   
  Complaint: 21288354
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Though Safe Shepherd has finally cancelled my account and deleted my information, Safe Shepherd's response about easy cancelling is false. Safe Shepherd does not offer an "easy cancel method" as is claimed on the main home page. Once a membership is paid for, the only way to actually cancel is to email Safe Shepherd's support team (as mentioned in my complaint and several similar complaints). I was only able to downgrade my plan through the portal; I was not able to cancel my account and delete my information through the portal.  Additionally, there is no phone number where customers can actually call to resolve issues. My concern is similar issues like this will continue to happen with other Safe Shepherd customers. 

  I will be only satisfied with Safe Shepherd's response once the following conditions are met by Safe Shepherd:

  1. Provide the option for customers to view plans prior to inputting any information or creating login credentials. 

  2. Provide a working customer service phone number (on their website) for their service, so any other customers can speak to an actual person about any issues.

  2. Provide a one-click cancel option through the customer portal that actually cancels the service (not just downgrades the plan) and deletes customer information from **********************'s database. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/10/2024

  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.

  I subscribed to Safe Shepherd for privacy protection services years ago. The login at the site no longer works, and there is no information available to even contact the provider. I do not see any evidence that services are still being provided. I did try in Nov'22, and again in Jan'24 to send an email to their customer support (which I found through googling) asking to have the service cancelled and to stop billing me - I have received no reply, and have now been billed twice annually since requesting stoppage of service. I am seeking to have the billing, stopped, service cancelled, and am asking for a refund of the $95/yr they are fraudulently charging for bill in Jan'23, and the one in Jan'24 (so now $190 total). When I try to log on, the page simply goes blank - there is literally no way to contact this provider for me. Online research shows many similar complaints and experiences from others. I was shocked to see the bill occur again this January'24, even through the credit card that was previously used had expired and I did not give them new expiration date on the card (I had hoped that this if nothing else would stop the charges).

  Business Response

  Date: 03/31/2024

  Hi ****** - Confirming I went ahead and cancelled your account and issued you a refund. To clarify though, we did not receive any emails from you (please see screenshot). Our ****************************** email in your account as well with a big green button that says "Email Customer Support" (also attached in screenshot). Thanks.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/01/2024

   
  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.

  For the record - the screenshot that Safe Shepherd provided is misleading - to get to that cancellation option screen you have to be logged into the account - as I previously noted, my login stopped working and I was unable to contact Safe Shepherd to get it corrected - i.e. reset password did not work, and no other mechanism was available to contact them.

   

  I am satisfied with the account cancellation and the refund.

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

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/25/2024

  Dear BBB,

  I have not yet received the refund promised by Safe Shepherd - that refund is part of what they proposed and what I agreed to with respect to closing this complaint.  Please advise.  If unable to attain refund, would ask to reopen the complaint.

  Other question - is there a method for me to communicate with Safe Shepherd directly?  I still do not have any mechanism to contact them - no phone, email, etc.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/26/2024

  Hi there! This customer has disputed his charge with us, so we are unable to issue a refund as the funds have already been withdrawn from our account and likely back in his account. We also did not receive any emails from him stating he wanted a refund (see screenshot). We will go ahead and issue a refund for your 2023 charge. We are sorry for any trouble. 

  Business Response

  Date: 04/26/2024

  We have successfully refunded the 2023 charge. It should be back in the customer's account in 3-5 business days.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/29/2024

  Not sure what their screenshots are intended to show - if helpful, I can also attach the screenshots from my email at that address that were sent to them at that email address, which they clearly did not respond to.

  Regarding refund - I will wait the 3-5 days to confirm it is real, and if it comes through will happily respond and close the complaint then.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2024

   
  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.

  They finally issued the refund.

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

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2024

   
  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.

  They finally issued the refund.

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/02/2023

  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 have had an account with ********************** since December 2012 and have been charged $13.95 per month since that time. I was getting privacy alerts one of two times per year since ***************************** December 2018 even though I moved a few times. I cannot see the website when I log on both on my phone and my laptop and get a blank screen. I emailed the company to cancel my subscription and get a refund and haven't received a reply. If I dial the phone number listed, a message asks me to state my name and that the ****** subscriber is not available. I would like to cancel my subscription and get a refund of $837 which is for the past five years ($13.95 per month) of no service and no monthly alerts from the company. Safe Shepherd has basically disappeared but has been receiving my money every month for doing nothing and no monthly alerts or contact from them. They do not respond to emails and not even sure they are still in business. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/28/2023

  We have already agreed to issue a refund for the entirety of the year, but this customer has been receiving the service. We did a major overhaul of the website in 2020 and asked all our customers to sign into their account to update their information. Her statement that we have been collecting money and not been providing a service is untrue. I have attached a screenshot showing the refunded amount for 12 payments for $167.40. We have cancelled her account as well so she won't be charged again.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/28/2023

   
  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:11/23/2023

  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 purchased Safe Shepherd's Premium subscription in November 2022. Over the course of the last year, I have derived zero value from the service: They appear to have done absolutely nothing that they promise, to the point where I forgot I had subscribed. Then, earlier this month, they charged my credit card for the recurring annual fee--no advance notice or heads-up, no nothing. Had I been given a heads-up, I would've asked that my subscription be cancelled given I've gotten nothing out of it. So I went to their website to cancel my subscription, but that's not an option--they tell you to contact them via email in order to cancel the subscription. I've now reached out three times (11/13, 11/16, and 11/18) and have heard nothing. A ****** search suggests this business is now either defunct and/or a scam. I'd like a refund both for the recent charge ($99.95) and last year's charge ($99.95), because I've gotten nothing out of this service and am uninterested in renewing. I'd also like my account to be deleted and data scrubbed from their site.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/28/2023

  We have gone ahead and cancelled their account for future payments and also issue a refund of $99.95 to their account. They should see the refund back on their card in 3-5 business days.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 20910507
  
  I am rejecting this response because today is the 5th business day and I don't see a refund on my card. I'd also like an email confirmation that you've cancelled my subscription. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** Or

  Business Response

  Date: 01/23/2024

  The customer disputed the charge and we accepted the dispute, meaning the payment was refunded from our account and returned to their account. I have attached a receipt showing the status of the dispute. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/23/2024

   
  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:11/01/2023

  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 have had an account with ********************** for over a decade now. I am still being charged $13.95 per month but I can't see the website when I log on. This happens on both my phone and my laptop--I logged on and got a blank screen. I also haven't received a monthly privacy alert since October of 2019 even tough I've moved three times since then. I emailed the company last week and haven't received a reply. If I dial the phone number listed, I get a busy signal. I would like to be contacted by this company so I can find out what is going on. Thank you.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/03/2023

  Hi there,

   

  I responded to your message letting you know there was an error with your subscription and I have since fixed the issue. You should now be able to log in and see the scans in your privacy dashboard.

   

  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/05/2023

   
  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,
  
  *********************************