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Business Profile

Digital Media

HBO

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 132 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 33 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.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/26/2023

    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 was recently looking at my previous credit card statements and realized that HBO Max had charged my credit card four times in the last six months. I did not sign up for HBO Max and do not have an HBO Max account. My spouse pays for HBO Max through our cable company, and I am not connected to that account in any way. I believe these charges are fraudulent. Here are the charges and dates: November 25, 2023: $144.50 (HBO Max says this is their annual charge)September 17, 2023: $144.50 (again, an annual charge)June 24, 2023: $57.50 June 21, 2023: $68.70 I spent about an hour in an online chat with an HBO Max customer service representative who claimed that because there was no account associated with my email, they could not help me. I asked multiple times to speak to a supervisor, and they ignored my request. I also asked multiple times why they couldn't locate the account with my credit card information and they also ignored that request.

    Business Response

    Date: 01/05/2024

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ************, in an effort to support his recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to ************ on 1/3/2024, and provided additional information via email.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

     

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/13/2023

    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 have attempted to cancel the Max streaming service on a number of occasion but have been unable to due to their poor customer service constantly transferring and disconnecting me. When I finally was able to cancel, I found out they will not refund me for the months not used. This is criminal. By refusing to refund me for the months not used, they are essentially stealing money. The account is canceled so max should do the ethical business by returning the money owed to the customer.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/13/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with **************, in an effort to support his/her recent BBB communication ##********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to **************** on 12/13/2023, and provided a resolution via email.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team


    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/21/2023

    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 and the matter has been resolved.  Max has agreed to credit me for the months not used as originally requested 5 times prior.

    Sincerely,

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



     

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/07/2023

    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 already had a subscription with this company, using PayPal for payment. I took advantage of an offer on 11/21/23 to receive a discounted subscription for $2.99/month for 6 months. No changes were made to how payment was processed. Today my subscription is not active. I inquired with customer service on 12/6/23 as to why it was not active and was told that my payment did not go through. I verified there are no issues with my PayPal account, nor the credit card that is connected to the PayPal account. The second representative implied that I was not good with my money. Even if that were the case, why was a credit card charged if PayPal was set up and no changes were made when I took advantage of the promotional offer? The representative would also not honor the offer.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/13/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ********* in an effort to support her recent BBB communication #********

    Max Customer Support reached out to ********* on 12/13/2023 and provided additional information via email.

    Thank you,
    Max Customer Support Team

    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/16/2023

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

    [Your Answer Here]

    I would like to keep this open for 30 days to ensure closure. I resubscribed to take advantage of the offer provided to me, however it was not clear that I could not subscribe through the app, with the payment going through Apple. The representative said to reach back out once this month's subscription is complete and resubscribe directly with Max. I plan to do so and want to ensure that resolution is complete before closing out.

     

     

     

    In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.


    Sincerely,

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




     

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:12/05/2023

    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 ordered a sweatshirt from *********** and it came with a warped print so I reached out to customer service and Im expected to pay for shipping on the return both ways! That is so ridiculous and not expected from a company like HBO. I will no longer be ordering from here again like I have been every year for christmas gifts. Such a shame.

    Business Response

    Date: 12/15/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ****** in an effort to support her recent BBB communication #********

    Max Customer Support reached out to ****** on 12/6/2023 and received her approval to share her inquiry with the appropriate team that manages the HBO Shop.
     
    Thank you,
    Max Customer Support Team

    Customer Answer

    Date: 12/18/2023

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

    Its been 2 weeks and I have not received any more communication with HBO besides them saying theyre looking into it  

     

     

     

     

    In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.


    Sincerely,

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




     

    Customer Answer

    Date: 01/03/2024

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

    [Your Answer Here]

    I will not waste my time returning a defective product, you sent me a return label one Month after I contacted you. 

     

     

    In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.


    Sincerely,

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




     

    Business Response

    Date: 01/30/2024

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ****** in an effort to support her recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support shared her additional inquiry with the appropriate team that manages the HBO Shop.
     
    Thank you,
    Max Customer Support Team

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/07/2023

    Type:Sales and Advertising 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 believe *********** are using deceptive practices in consumer marketing.Information from email received:No price change. Same great entertainment.Changes to Your Max Subscription Plan Hi there,Thank you for being a loyal Max subscriber. We wanted to inform you of upcoming changes to your subscription plan.On your next billing date, on or after December 5, 2023, the price of your subscription will stay the same, but some of your plan features will change. You can still stream all your favorite blockbuster movies, fresh originals, and iconic series.Heres what to expect:Current Plan Features: Ad-Free Plan Stream on 3 devices at once Full HD video resolution with select titles in 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos Download up to 30 titles to watch on the go New Plan Features: Ad-Free Plan Stream on 2 devices at once Full HD video resolution Download up to 30 titles to watch on the go If you would like to keep your plan, then no additional action is required. To find out how to manage or cancel your subscription, go to help.max.com/manage-subscription.Questions? Visit our Help Center.------Although the price and content will be staying the same there is a significant reduction in quality and consumption services. ------Be upfront and lead with something that highlights the lower quality and less ways to consume the same entertainment. ------"No price change" is very misleading as to have some of the services that are being taken away you will have to pay more.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/21/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ******************, in an effort to support his recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to ****************** on 11/21/2023, and provided additional information via email.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/22/2023

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

    [MAX wrote to me, which I don't see as part of this communication, I was not impressed with their inadequate response and have not heard from them since my response to them.]

     

     

     

     

    In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.


    Sincerely,

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




     

    Business Response

    Date: 02/08/2024

    Dear BBB
    Team,

    Please
    find below an update of our additional follow-up efforts with ** *******, in an effort
    to support his BBB communication #*********

    Max
    Customer Support reached out to the customer on 2/6/24, and provided additional information to assist with his concern. 

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

    Customer Answer

    Date: 02/23/2024

    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 and the matter has been resolved.

    Although the response is consistent with Section 3.5 that was not the perception that I had from this communication. In future perhaps you would consider how your communications will be perceived by your subscribers. 


    Sincerely,


    *** *******







     


  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/06/2023

    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 pay for monthly ad-free service, but hbo started showing ads out of no where and now I see ads for every movie/show. Impossible to contact customer support. ********************** now has a chat bot that just directs you to irrelevant links. I want refund, customer supports numbers, legal department to give me address and details where I can file suit by sending proper paperwork. Please email me this way we have everything in writing.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/14/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ****************, in an effort to support his recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to **************** on 11/11/23, and provided a resolution via email.

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support team

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/02/2023

    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 signed up for a 1-year subscription to HBO/Max on 6/14/22 with the understanding that my subscription would NOT be automatically renewed. Yet, HBO/Max charged me $149 for a renewal on 6/14/2023. I understand this to be in violation of the Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act (*****), which, under the purview of the ************************ (FTC), requires a merchant to gain AFFIRMATIVE OPT-IN prior to renewal and charging a credit card. HBO did not seek and I did not give any affirmative opt-in before HBO charged my credit card for the renewal. I did not get around to calling HBO about this until 4.5 months after the charge was made because I had not noticed that the charge was made until a recent review of my credit card statement. I therefore did not request a full refund (despite the ***** violation) but only asked to be refunded pro-rata for the remaining time on the subscription which I had cancelled, approximately 5.5 months. After 1.5 hours on the phone with three different customer service reps, none who were actually empowered to do anything, I was told that my refund request had been declined. I find this unacceptable given (i) HBO is in violation of the law designed to prevent this sort of abuse of consumers and (ii) subscription services commonly take the pro-rata refund approach for mid-period cancellations (and this particular subscription is not even one that I authorized!). While initially I was simply seeking a pro-rata refund, I now believe that due to the emotional distress inflicted upon me and personal time sucked up by this process, that a full refund is more appropriate. Also, note that I now receive HBO via Spectrum Cable's bulk service contract with my building's management company, who in turn bills me by an increase in the management fees of my building - no specific HBO invoice. This is yet another reason why I wanted to cancel the direct subscription (which I did not authorize!).

    Business Response

    Date: 11/03/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ******************, in an effort to support his/her recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to ****************** on 11/3/2023, and provided a resolution via email.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/07/2023

    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 and the matter has been resolved.

    Sincerely,

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



     

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:11/02/2023

    Type:Order 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.
    Despite being contacted on numerous occasions, in which its employers stated a discontinuation of service and guaranteed charges would immediately cease, Home Box Office **** (HBO) has continued to not only charge, but charges twice a month for its services. Due to the nature and irresponsibility on the part of HBO in cooperating with customer complaints and its escapism in automated technology while making contact with said customers, has become a major concern its customers, both at the present and in the future.

    Business Response

    Date: 11/07/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ****************, in an effort to support his recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to **************** on 11/7/2023, and provided a resolution via email.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team


  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/31/2023

    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.
    Continuously charged for a subscription i tried to cancel

    Business Response

    Date: 11/10/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ****************, in an effort to support her recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support has reached out to the customer on 11/9/2023 and we look forward to assisting further upon receipt of additional information at this time.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/30/2023

    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 cancelled my subscription 5 months ago and they continue to charge my accounts. It's impossible to reach them as their website doesn't get you to where you need to go.the website says I have no account but they keep billing me

    Business Response

    Date: 11/03/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our follow-up efforts with ****************, in an effort to support her recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out to **************** on 10/30/23, and provided a resolution via email.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

    Customer Answer

    Date: 11/09/2023

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because

    They haven't given me a refund and they want me to provide information that they do not send.  

     

     

     

     

    In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.


    Sincerely,

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




     

    Business Response

    Date: 12/12/2023

    Dear BBB Team,

    Please find below an update of our additional follow-up efforts with **************** , in an effort to support her recent BBB communication #********.

    Max Customer Support reached out on 12/6/2023, and again on 12/11/2023 to follow up further on her request.

     

    Thank you,

    Max Customer Support Team

HBO is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.

To become accredited, a business must agree to BBB Standards for Trust and pass BBB's vetting process.

Why choose a BBB Accredited Business?

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BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.

When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.

BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.

As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.