ComplaintsforHubzu

• Initial Complaint

  05/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We bid on a property through our Realtor and the website clearly placed fake bids to raise the price. It went through several cycles of auctions ending with the same initials each time. On this last round our realtor placed a bid for us and no one else had bid well then I noticed a separate bid with my personal initials and several charges on my credit card. Hubzu placed a fake bid using my information which was used by our realtor to place an additional bet and drive the price up. In addition to this they have not refunded the multiple .50cent charges for placing bids on our credit card after several auction cycles. This site is a fraud and you unable to reach anyone by phone or online chat.

  

  Business response

  06/07/2024

  June 7, 2024
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  *************************
  ********************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 21766988
  
  Dear ****************,
  
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I am providing this response to the above-referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website on May 28, 2024. AOA manages Hubzu, which is an online real estate marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns and assure you that we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Allegations in the Complaint:
  
  You allege that Hubzu placed fake bids to raise the price.
  You allege that your credit card has been charged $0.50 multiple times.
  
  Investigation results:
  Upon receiving your complaint, we completed a full investigation of your allegations. Our findings indicate that your agent participated in two auctions; however, your offers were not accepted because they did not meet the ******* reserve price. Your allegation regarding fake bids lacks merit. No fake bids were placed on Hubzu to increase the bid amount. It is a normal business practice to protect the identity of each user by masking their user ID. ********************** charges a non-refundable $0.50 credit card verification fee which is mentioned on the bid deposit screen and sent via email to the user explaining the charge. We have verified that the bid deposit hold on your credit card has been released and the only charges on your credit card are the credit card verification fees explained above.
  
  Resolution:
  
  Your request to refund the non-refundable charges on your credit card have been respectfully denied.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  
  *********************** | ******** ***************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. Box 105460
  **********************-5460
  www.Altisource.com

  Customer response

  06/07/2024

   
  Complaint: 21766988
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  my credit card which was submitted on my behalf by our realtor was used later on in the auction to place a fake bid. Altisource claims it was a coincidence that the bidder had the same initials however I had a hold placed on my card at the exact day and time. The .************* charges were supposed to be refundable if your bid was not accepted. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  06/14/2024

  June 14, 2024
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  *************************
  ********************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 21766988
  
  Dear ****************,
  
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I am providing this response to the above-referenced rebuttal received through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website on June 7, 2024.
  
  As previously stated, we have fully investigated your complaint and deny your allegations. The bid deposit hold is released in full when a bid is not accepted but the $0.50 credit card verification fee is non-refundable; however, as a customer service ****************************** has issued a $1.00 refund to you.  Regarding your additional allegation, our records indicate that there was another participant with the same initials as you, so your claim that Hubzu placed a fake bid with your name is not correct.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  
  *********************** | ************************* Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. Box 105460
  **********************-5460
  www.Altisource.com
  

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was logged into the website to place a bid on a property they had listed for auction on 9/13/23. when i clicked the button to place my bid the website kicked me out and i had to log back in but by the time the website let me back in the auction was over. I proceeded to call hubzu.com and they said that the house (which is a foreclosure house) was no longer active on their website and i had to call the owner of the house. the house was owned by a bank so i called the bank that owned the house and they said that that house was never supposed to be for sale or for auction and they never listed it on the hubzu.com website. this website is nothing but frauds trying to steal peoples hard earned money for their benefit. this website needs to have legal action taken on them because they are wrong for doing "business" in that way. BBB needs to deal with these people that are frauds and listing peoples properties illegally and trying to make a profit off of them.

  

  Business response

  09/21/2023

  Good afternoon, Were still researching these allegations and Im requesting an extension to submit the response to this complaint.  

  Customer response

  09/21/2023

   
  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

  07/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Moved during the month of April 2023 to relocate for work. I was informed today that my house, which I am still paying the mortgage on, was on auction on Zillow.com.Listing site is Hubzu.com. I have never dealt with them, have never been in contact with them, or agreed to any such auction. It is completely fraudulent.Listing is for ********************************************

  

  Business response

  07/27/2023

  July 27, 2023
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  ***************************
  ***********************************
  *******, ** 46902
  *******************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 20347969
  
  Dear **********************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on July 20, 2023.   AOA owns the Hubzu.com domain name on which the Hubzu platform is hosted. Hubzu is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  
  You state that your house was being auctioned without authorization and that the listing was fraudulent.
  
  Investigation results:
  
  Upon receiving this complaint, we immediately removed the listing and investigated your claims. Our records indicate that the contract that you signed with the seller contains an authorization to market, which details their intent to sell the property, to include auction. The contracts are generally 30 days with an option for another 14 days, as long as the parties communicate their intent to continue the 14 days.  In this case, the contract had expired.  We have reviewed our process to ensure issues like this are not repeated.
  

  Resolution:
  
  Hubzu has removed this property from the market.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | ************************* Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. Box 105460
  *******, ******* 30348-5460
  www.Altisource.com

  Customer response

  07/27/2023

   
  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

  06/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company should be investigated for deceptive business practices as a previous complaint stated. I am a ********** ******************** Broker who has been practicing for 12 years. I bid on a property online on behalf of my husband and myself who are serious buyers. Hubzu charged my credit card $.50 for each registration- at least 8 times, even when they canceled out my bid or refused to accept an offer. When I did finally get acceptance, they didnt put me as an agent on the purchase contract. I was advised to sign the contract and it would be added later, without an accompanying addendum. When I asked for property disclosures i was given very few even though the property has been in post foreclosure for over a year. I was forced to ****** for more information and was not happy with what I found. When I chose to cancel and not proceed with the deal, this company charged my credit card $2500. I disputed it via the link on their website and never heard back. Its been over a month and a half now they have also refused to respond to my credit card provider when I contested the charge. I requested assistance from the company contacts I have, listing agent and contract contact and was told it wasnt their department. I have purchased multiple properties online via Auction.com and Xome.com and have never dealt with issues such as this. Trapping buyers into one-sided contracts is not how real estate is supposed to be done in ********** - or anywhere in *******. I believe there is intentional misrepresentation and concealment and possible fraud- actual or constructive - going on. I would like my $2504 refunded and am happy to speak with any attorneys or other parties who might be interested in pursuing a class action lawsuit against this company.

  

  Business response

  07/12/2023

  July 12, 2023
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  ***************************
  ******************************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 20234006
  
  Dear *****************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above-referenced complaint (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on June 25, 2023.  AOA manages Hubzu.com (Hubzu), which is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Allegations in the Complaint:
  
  You participated in several online auctions on Hubzu and paid $0.50 to register for each auction cycle.
  Your last bid to purchase the property was accepted by the seller but you decided not to proceed with the transaction.
  Your credit card was charged a bid deposit after you elected not to honor your offer to purchase the property. 
  
  Investigation results:
  Our investigation shows that you participated in several auction cycles for the same property. Hubzu clearly states in its terms and conditions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs),which you accepted when you became a Hubzu user, that bidders are required to pay a non-refundable verification charge of $0.50 for each auction cycle. Hubzu uses this mechanism to verify the participants intent as a serious bidder. Our records indicate that you placed bids in 8 different auction cycles and that you were charged $0.50 each time you participated in a new auction. In addition to being discussed in the FAQs, this $0.50 charge was also disclosed to you on the bidding page before you placed your first bid in each new auction cycle.  
  
  With respect to the bid deposit, that process is also described in detail in the Hubzu terms and conditions and FAQs that you accepted as a Hubzu user. Our records show that the seller accepted your last offer to purchase the property, but you decided to back out of the transaction because the property was occupied. The occupancy status of the property was clearly disclosed in the listing, however, as the property was marketed as occupied, and you were well-aware of this fact before placing your first bid to purchase the property. Accordingly, the bid deposit hold on your credit card was converted to a charge when you elected not to proceed with the transaction. Both the bid deposit and the verification fee were charged in accordance with the terms and conditions that you accepted as a Hubzu user. 
  
  Our office was informed that you filed a credit card dispute on June 27, 2023. We provided evidence to your bank on June 28, 2023 validating the charges. Our system shows that your bank is currently reviewing the evidence and will respond directly to you once they make their decision.
  
  Resolution:
  
  The complaint was fully investigated and the request to refund the bid deposit and the verification fee has been respectfully denied.  
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | ************************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. Box 105460
  *******, ******* 30348-5460
  www.Altisource.com

  Customer response

  07/12/2023

   
  Complaint: 20234006
  
  I am rejecting this response because the sellers withheld material facts about the property. False misrepresentation invalidates the contract. I will accept a $2500 credit charge reversal to resolve to this matter.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  07/17/2023

  July 17, 2023
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  ***************************
  ******************************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 20234006
  
  Dear *****************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the rebuttal received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on July 12, 2023.  
  
  As stated in our previous correspondence, the bid deposit hold on your credit card was converted to a charge when you elected not to proceed with the transaction. Both the bid deposit and the verification fee were charged in accordance with the terms and conditions that you accepted as a Hubzu user. 
  
  The complaint was fully investigated and the request to refund the bid deposit and the verification fee has been respectfully denied.  
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | ************************* Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. Box 105460
  *******, ******* 30348-5460
  www.Altisource.com
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hubzu.com Chat said they would remove my House Bid reqOnuest number SR93318 and Hubzu never removed the Bid and there still 2 days left in the House Auction is plenty time Hubzu to remove the Bid.I 100% never Purchased anything by Auctions and had difficulty registering and in frustration accidently placed a bid I tried to remove rite away Saturday Knight and contacted Hubzu on Sunday 12:30 PM Hubzu said removing Bid no Problem

  

  Business response

  05/05/2023

  May 5, 2023
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  *********************
  20521 **********************************************************
  ********************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 20005975
  
  Dear ******************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on May 4, 2022.   AOA owns the Hubzu.com domain name on which the Hubzu platform is hosted. Hubzu is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  
  You state that you accidentally placed an offer on the Hubzu website.
  You state that you were informed on Sunday that that your bid offer would be withdrawn.
  
  Investigation results:
  
  Upon receiving this complaint, we realized that this issue was initially received and resolved on Tuesday May 2, 2023.
  Resolution:
  
  We sent you an email on May 2, 2023 with an image to show that the bid you placed had been withdrawn.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | ************************* Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. Box 105460
  *******, ******* 30348-5460
  www.Altisource.com

• Initial Complaint

  08/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I participated in an online auction on Hubzu and did not win the auction. However hubzu placed a hold on my credit card and the dropped it. A few days later another hold was placed on my card. I called customer service was told that seller hasnt accepted an offer yet and that there was a possibility that my bid got accepted. No time frame on how long this might take. I asked to be withdrawn from consideration and to cancel the hold. They refused and said they have to wait on the seller (bank) to decide. Not fair!!!

  

  Business response

  08/09/2022

  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  *****************************
  9163 ***********.
  *************, ** 21042
  ******************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 17653427
  
  Dear ******************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on August 2, 2022.  AOA owns the Hubzu.com domain name on which the Hubzu platform is hosted. Hubzu is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  You state that you participated in an online auction and did not win.
  You state that the bid deposit was released and reauthorized a few days later.
  You state that you requested to have your offer withdrawn.
  
  Investigation results:
  Our investigation shows that you participated in an auction cycle that started on July 12, 2022 and ended on July 19, 2022. Once the auction ended, all offers were sent to the seller for review. The seller is now working with a special servicer to make a decision, a process which can take as long as a few weeks to complete. Bid deposit holds reauthorize every 6 days and remain in place until the seller makes a decision. If the length of the auction and decision process requires reauthorization of the original bid deposit, it might initially look like an additional hold. However, the reauthorization simply replaces the original bid deposit hold.  We are unable to withdraw your offer at this time since the auction has already ended and the seller is now reviewing the offers.
  
  Resolution:
  
  The bid deposit will continue to be on hold until the auction cycle, inclusive of the sellers decisioning process, has fully ended. If your offer is not accepted,the bid deposit will be released within 4 to 7 business days.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | Customer Experience *********** ***************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************ | ext: ****** |M: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. *********************************************************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I bid $47,000 for a property on April 26th, 2022 through Hubzu. The listing agent reached out to me on April 28th, 2022 to inform me the bid did not meet the seller's reserve price and they were asking for highest and best offers. I informed the listing agent on May 1st that $47,000 was the best offer on the property and pointed out issues with the property that were causing it to deteriorate quickly and therefore the offer would only be good if they could close by May 8th. On May 2nd the listing agent thanked me for the information and told me the house was being relisted on Hubzu and to bid if I was still interested.I bid on $39,000 for the property on May 6th. On May 11th the listing agent informed me the seller had accepted my offer of $47,000. I replied to the listing agent on May 11th that my previous offer had expired and been rejected. I bid $39,000 for the property and that was the only offer at that point. Hubzu changed the status of the auction from pending to saying offer accepted. On May 12th I received a 53 page purchase contract for the property listing the contract price at $39,000. The final page of the contract was an amendment saying the seller and buyer had reached an agreement for a selling price of $47,000. I reached out to Altisource (Hubzu parent) regarding the issue and forwarded the previous exchanges with the listing agent. I asked if they would be sending a new contract and was informed that the contract would expire as it was only good for 48 hours. I declined to sign on Doc-u-sign and stated the reason as the amendment at the end was false as no such agreement had been made.On May 16th I received notification from Hubzu that my $1,000 bid deposit on the property had been converted to a non-refundable fee for failing to sign the contract. I contact Hubzu that day through the web option and via phone to dispute the charge. I was informed it would take **** business days for a response. It has been 12 days and I have not heard back.

  

  Business response

  06/09/2022

  June 9, 2022
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  ***********************
  202 E Washington St
  *********, ** 48880
  
  ********************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 17302517
  
  Dear ****************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on June 2, 2022.  AOA owns the Hubzu.com domain name on which the Hubzu platform is hosted. Hubzu is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  You state that you submitted your highest and best offer, but it was not accepted by the seller.
  You state that your second offer was accepted but the contract reflected a higher amount, so you did not sign the contract.
  You state that the bid deposit was charged because you didnt sign the contract.
  
  Investigation results:
  We received your complaint on June 2,2022, and immediately began an investigation.  Our investigation shows that your $47,000 offer was not accepted by the seller, so the property underwent another bidding cycle. During this second cycle, you participated in the auction but offered a lower amount. At the end of the auction, your highest offer was still below the sellers reserve price and the seller, through the listing agent, requested your highest and best offer.  In error,the listing agent submitted your previous highest and best offer instead of the latest highest and best offer from the second auction cycle. This caused the contract to be issued in the amount of your initial offer and triggered an addendum to raise the selling price to $47,000.  The thorough review of this complaint confirms that the transaction fall out was not a buyer error so your refund request was approved.  Upon beginning the refund process we confirmed that you had also filed a credit card dispute for this charge so we had to wait for their resolution before we could move forward. The next day, the bank confirmed that the dispute was resolved in your favor.
  
  
  Resolution:
  
  The bid deposit refund was approved by Hubzu but no action was required on our part following the result of your credit card dispute.  We take this matter seriously and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | Customer Experience *********** ***************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************ | ext: ****** |M: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. *********************************************************************************************************

  Customer response

  06/09/2022

   
  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 in this situation. I feel the business practices of Altisource are set up for this type of fraud to be common place and only addressed when government oversite is brought in. The selling agent and Altisource agent were made aware of the issue during the contract period and never indicated a mistake had been made or offered resolution. Altisource did not respond to my complaint until BBB was brought in. I believe it is Altisource's standard procedure to take the money as fees and ignore complaints unless an outside party is brought in to force a response.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I won an auction with this company and was the selected bidder. The seller later refused my offer due to prior fallout and refused to give me a purchase contract. My card was still charged for the bidder deposit even though I did not violate any terms or conditions listed on the bid deposit contract for this sell.

  I was the high bidder for a property. First I received an email saying I was the selected buyer, then they emailed me saying my account was suspended and this led to the seller canceling my offer. I replied in protest because my account was never suspended if it had been I would have been able to place a bid. They responded to that by claiming the seller cancelled due to a prior fallout history and the sell was cancelled and the property was relisted. Then the bid deposit was changed from a pending charge to a hard charge even though the sell was cancelled by the seller. I never received a contract or anything nor did I fail to complete any requirements for this sell that would have led to me be charged according to the bid deposit agreement. ( I tried to attach bid deposit agreement but system will not upload it for some reason)

  

  Business response

  05/19/2022

  May 19, 2022
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  ***********************
  11158 **************
  ********,** 63136
  *******************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 17194478
  
  Dear ****************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on May 12, 2022.  AOA owns the Hubzu.com domain name on which the Hubzu platform is hosted. Hubzu is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  You state that your offer was selected by the seller, but it was rescinded before a contract was issued.
  You state that the bid deposit was charged although you allege that you did not violate the terms and conditions.
  You state that your account was never suspended.
  
  Investigation results:
  We received your complaint and immediately began an investigation.  Our investigation shows that you initially opened an account in 2009 under a different email address than the one you used on May 3, 2022. You placed offers from October 2015 to August 2016 and your offer was selected 8 times but resulted in zero successful transactions. As a result of you not following through any purchases, your account was suspended in 2016. You utilized a different email address in 2022 to gain access to the bidding process in an attempt to circumvent the suspension. Your offer was selected by the seller but when your information was verified to create the contract, it was found that you had a previously suspended account and that your offers never resulted in a purchase. Given the history, the seller did not want to move forward with your offer.
  
  Part of the terms and conditions state that Sellers may also place restrictions on who may purchase their properties and may choose not to enter into an agreement with a person or entity who appears on certain exclusionary lists (e.g., Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Lists, Suspended Counterparty Program lists, ******* Mac Exclusionary Lists, etc.) or who may be considered an employee of or related party to the Seller or its affiliates. The bid deposit was retained because you entered an offer utilizing a different email address while knowing that your previous account had been suspended.
  
  
  Resolution:
  
  As a result, we did not find any errors in the bidding process or disclosures. Your request to refund the bid deposit has been respectfully denied.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | Customer Experience *********** ***************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************ | ext: ****** |M: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. *********************************************************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company employs deceptive practices. I am a broker and they charge a bid fee but they do not disclose that they will send the potential buyer a very detailed contract that is very one sided. They do not disclose that they required you to sign their contract as is without any negotiating without any changes. They will not provide you with a warranty deed and have many outs for the seller and disclaims everything for the seller. They will not pay any closing cost. They send you about 40 pages and require you to sign it and return it to them within a few work hours. It is impossible to accomplish and have it reviewed. The buyer is taking on too much risk and expenses and there is noting in their contract that states they will provide you a warranty deed. They will then try and force you to sign their very one sided contract while telling you that they will keep you bid deposit. My significant other is a lawyer thus will handle this cases if needed and if they try and keep my bid deposit. Their actions amount to Deceptive Trade Practices.

  

  Business response

  04/05/2022

  April 5, 2022
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  
  ***********************
  4718 **************.
  ******, ** 75034
  ************************************
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 16966024
  
  Dear ************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on March 31, 2022.  AOA operates Hubzu.com, which is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  You state that Hubzu does not disclose the contract specifics.
  You state that buyers are required to return the signed contract within a few work hours.
  
  Investigation results:
  Contrary to the assertions in your complaint, a sample Purchase and Sale Agreement is located on each property details page and available to all bidders to review. Before placing a bid on Hubzu, bidders must confirm that they understand the terms and conditions of the auction, including the purchase and sale agreement, and agree to them. Failure to follow through with the transaction after the seller has accepted a bidders offer will result in a bid deposit charge, a fact that is clearly disclosed on the Hubzu website. Under frequently asked questions, bidders are notified that [t]he bid deposit is a hold placed on your credit and not a charge, unless you fail to fulfill certain obligations if you are chosen as the bidder to proceed with the transaction. If you are the selected bidder and you fail to deliver your signed PSA and ******* money deposit within the required time frame, the hold will be converted into a nonrefundable charge on your credit card in the amount of the bid deposit. 
  
  Resolution:
  
  As a result, no errors occurred in the bidding process or disclosures with respect to your transaction, and the bid deposit was correctly charged to your credit card. As a customer service gesture to you, however, we have agreed to refund the bid deposit. The refund was processed on March 31, 2022.
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below. 
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | Customer Experience *********** ***************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************ | ext: ****** |M: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. *****************************************************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I used my credit card to bid on a property in bucatini *************. The company Hubzu. I lost in the auction. Higher bidder won. I was sent a letter I was getting my $1500 credited along with a $15 fee. They refuse to honor the letter. Claim all types of rules and lies. Now ask me for the letter. Im not giving it. Either my money is returned asap or its court

  

  Business response

  02/18/2022

  February 18, 2022
  
  Via Better Business Bureau Portal
  *********************
  183 *************
  ********,** 11598
  **************************
  
  
  RE:  Better Business Bureau Case No. 16682773
  
  Dear *****************,
   
  On behalf of Altisource Online Auction, Inc. (AOA), I would like to acknowledge the above referenced case (the Complaint) received through the Better Business Bureaus (BBB) website on January 27, 2022.   AOA owns the Hubzu.com domain name on which the Hubzu platform is hosted. Hubzu is a marketing and technology platform that allows sellers and listing agents to market properties and manage offers. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns and assure you we have reviewed the matter fully to provide you with a comprehensive response.
  
  Assertions in the Complaint:
  
  You state that you did not win the auction.
  You state that you received information that the bid deposit would be refunded.
  
  Investigation results:
  
  When we received your concern on January 27, 2022, we had already provided a decision on this issue in June 2021. Upon receipt of this recent complaint, I partnered with the Hubzu team to thoroughly research your concerns. Our documented research shows that the Buyers offer was selected by the Seller but then the Buyer decided to not move forward with the transaction. The credit card was charged according to the terms and conditions mentioned below and your initial request for a refund was denied. We then received confirmation that you submitted a credit card dispute which resulted in our favor.
  
  Bid deposit information is on our website under our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page and under the section During Bidding and the tab Bid Deposit Hold. If you are the selected bidder and you fail to deliver your signed PSA and ******* money deposit within the required time frame, the hold will be converted into a nonrefundable charge on your credit card in the amount of the bid deposit.
  
  In addition, prior to submitting their bid and credit card information, the user has to agree to the following message, I understand that if I am the selected bidder and I placed the initial hold with my credit card, Hubzu has the right to charge my credit card if I fail to complete the transaction pursuant to the bid deposit. Hubzu also has a sample agreement attached in the documents section of the page so that anyone can review the agreement prior to placing a bid.
  
  Following the credit card dispute, a customer service team member informed you, in error, that the dispute was found in your favor. The bid deposit was charged according to the terms and conditions you agreed to when you submitted your bid deposit but we will honor the erroneous information provided to you by our customer service member.
  
  
  Resolution:
  
  Following a thorough review of your bid and the bidding cycle we did not find any errors.The bid deposit was charged according to the terms and conditions you agreed to when you submitted your bid deposit. However, in order to amicably resolve this matter, the refund has been approved and it will be processed according to the settlement and release agreement you signed on February 11, 2022. 
  
  Should you or the BBB have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at the phone number or email listed below.  
  
  Respectfully submitted,
  
  *********************** | Customer Experience *********** ***************** Customer Experience Management
  *********************************************
  P: ************ | ext: ****** |M: ************
  Altisource
  P.O. *****************************************************************************************

  Customer response

  02/23/2022

   
  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,
  
  *********************

*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. ↩