Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  March 22, 2023 I called and cancelled subscriptions to two Cricket Media magazines. The refund amounts were $26.63 and $21.74 (total = $48.37). Since the credit card that I originally used was no longer in existence, I was told that the amount would be sent via check in the postal mail. I called again on April 13, 2023, spoke with ******** who said that the checks (one for each magazine cancelled) would be processed on April 23rd and I would receive the refund within four weeks.I called again on June 23, 2023, spoke with **** who said that their information showed that the refunds had been processed and that he would fill out a form to request that the checks be sent and that I would receive refunds in 2-3 weeks.I called again on July 27, 2023, spoke with ****, who said that the checks would be processed during the second or third week of September and I would receive the refunds by September 23.I called again on September 27, spoke with ******** who said that I would be receiving an email or a phone call by Friday September 30th letting me know the status of the ************* is Monday October 2, 2023. I have not received any phone calls or emails from Cricket Media. I have not received the refunds.Can you please help me with this?

  Business response

  11/03/2023

  November 2, 2023

  Dear Better Business Bureau:
  
  Cricket Media, Inc. is a well-regarded publisher of children’s media. By this letter we are responding to the Complaint submitted (ID ********) and received (on October 30, 2023) in connection with the Better Business Bureau’s letter dated October 22, 2023.
  
  The complainant ordered 2 magazines (2 year subscriptions) – Click for *** ****** on July 13, 2022 and Ladybug (original purchase was for Babybug on Sept 10, 2021) and transferred to Ladybug on Dec. 21, 2022. She paid $39.95for Click and $55.90 for Babybug/Ladybug at time of purchase. On March 23, 2023, she cancelled both subscriptions and requested refunds.
  
  We process refund checks in the order they are received, and we state to allow up to 16 weeks to receive. We apologize for her request taking longer than the 16 weeks to process. Her refund check is in process and should be mailed by November 10, 2023.
  
  Cricket is committed both to providing a fine educational product and responsive customer service, and respectfully requests that this Complaint (ID ********) be dismissed.
  
  Please let me know if you have further questions.
  
  Regards,
  

  Manager, Customer Service

  Customer response

  11/03/2023

  I received an email from ********************************* stating that Cricket Media would mail a refund check to me by November 10, and that if I did not receive the refund by November 20, I should contact her.

  I responded to ********************************* that I will await the receipt of the refund and will contact her on November 20 if I do not receive the refund by that date.

  I do not consider this resolved until I actually receive the refund from Cricket Media.

  Thank you for your assistance in this matter,

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

  Customer response

  11/14/2023

  Hello, I am very concerned about this.  I did reply to your message and said that I have not received the refund, though it has been promised by Cricket Media.

  Please do not close this case.  

  As I wrote in my previous message, I do not consider this closed until I actually receive the refund.

  thanks for your assistance,

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

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

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

  Business response

  11/16/2023

  Hello,

  I am writing to inform BBB that today I received the refund from Cricket Media.

  I now consider this case closed, and I am very grateful to BBB for assistance in this matter.

  ****** *****

  Business response

  11/16/2023

  Hello,

  I am writing to inform BBB that I have now received the refund from Cricket Media and I consider this case closed.  I also sent another message in response to a message from BBB.  I just want to be sure that BBB has this information.

  Thanks very much for your assistance, I am very grateful to BBB.

  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Cricket Media owes us $224.50 for duplicate payment on 5 subscriptions for our grandchildren. We were supposed to receive the check in November of 2022. On October 26, 2022, ****, a customer service supervisor confirmed that we were owed this money back from our account (I have all the documentation for the double payment) and that we would receive full refund within 2-3 weeks. After repeated calls and being told the "check is in the mail" I turned to calling the main office in Virginia. Customer service is offsite and doesn't even have access to a real person in the accounting office. They just "add the info to the file." I left two voicemails at the Virginia office with no call back. I even looked up and emailed the CFO of the company. No return call or email. Another example of a company happy to take your money and offloading your requests to a support team that has no real power. They hope you'll go away. The magazines are terrific but I would say "Buyer Beware" to anyone considering a subscription. In the event you have an issue, you won't have much luck getting help. Extremely disappointed, but at least I have this avenue to report to. (I hesitate to upload supporting document until I have a real person to speak to)

  Business response

  02/14/2023

  February 13, 2023
  
  Dear Better Business Bureau:
  Cricket Media, Inc. is a well-regarded publisher of children’s media. By this letter we are responding to the Complaint submitted (ID ********) and received (on February 10, 2023) in connection with the Better Business Bureau’s letter dated January 30, 2023. 
  The complainant ordered 5 magazines (2 year subscriptions) – Faces, Muse, Ladybug, Spider and Ask for Charlie, Rye and Wynn Canterbury on July 21, 2020 and then again on November 6, 2020. She paid $224.50 ($44.90 each magazine) at the time second order was placed. On October 26, 2022, she cancelled the orders done on November 6, 2020 and requested refunds. 
  We process refund checks in the order they are received, and we state to allow up to 16 weeks to receive. We apologize for her request taking longer than the 16 weeks to process. Her refund check is in process and should be mailed by February 17, 2023. 
  
  Cricket is committed both to providing a fine educational product and responsive customer service, and respectfully requests that this Complaint (ID ********) be dismissed.
  Please let me know if you have further questions.
  

  Regards,
  Barb C.
  Manager, Customer Service

  Customer response

  02/28/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  --------- Forwarded message ---------
  From: ******* ****** <*******@***.com>
  Date: Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 10:59 AM
  Subject: Complaint ID ******** Cricket Media Inc.
  To: <drteam@mybbb.org>
  
  Hi there,

  
  

  I received an update recently from you all but couldn’t find a place to respond with comments.

  There was a Cricket Media letter from one of the customer service people who claimed wrongly that I ordered two subscriptions. I want that communication clarified.

  I ordered 5 magazines for my grandkids in August 2020 and paid online with a credit card. Then they send me an invoice for the 5 magazines in October to pay within 30 days. I had forgotten that I paid online (I usually track with checks) and wrote them a check for the entire amount. Basically, I double paid for the subscription. I provided proof of both credit card and check payments and was told back in October to expect a full refund within 2-3 weeks.

  
  

  In the recent correspondence, Cricket Media said they it takes 4 months to process a refund (that’s nuts) and with my complaint with them in October, they would mail a check February 17th. I still haven’t seen a check. The email from you all said I had 10 days to respond in writing but there wasn’t a place to do that. The only two options for me to click when I received this news was 1) accept or 2) decline. I didn’t want to decline as I want our refund and I didn’t want to accept and have the complaint case closed without seeing a check.

  
  

  I would be so very grateful if you could help me continue to pursue recourse with Cricket Media. 

  
  

  Many thanks!

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

  Peace and Good Health!

  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******
  

  Business response

  03/10/2023

  ---------- Forwarded message ---------
  From: **** ********* <**********@cricketmedia.com>
  Date: Wed, Mar 8, 2023 at 1:59 PM
  Subject: FW: ****** - complaint id ********
  To: Dispute Resolution Team <drteam@mybbb.org>
  

  
  
  Just informing BBB that ******* ****** received her check for $224.50 and it was cashed on Mar. 6^th. What we stated in our letter is based on the transactions we saw in the system so there is no need to correct anything stated in our original response.

  Customer response

  04/04/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  

  ---------- Forwarded message ---------
  From: ******* ****** <*******@***.com>
  Date: Tue, Apr 4, 2023 at 3:18 PM
  Subject: Re: You have a new message from the BBB of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #********.
  To: Better Business Bureau <info@mybbb.org>, Dispute Resolution Team <drteam@mybbb.org>

  
  Hi there,

  I logged in to the complaint. I did receive a check for the whole amount from Cricket Media. I just can’t find a place to reply so that you all know the issue has been resolved.

  
  

  Thank you for your help.

  Best,

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

  
  Peace and Good Health!

  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ******  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My brother passed away last April 13,2021. Called cricket to cancel the subscription. Was informed my brother was receiving several magazines and I had a refund of $149.94. I was told I would receive the refund in 2 to3 weeks. I have called and asked a total of 13 calls since April. Every call they state the check is in the mail. Wait 2 to3 weeks. Called today January 9,2023. The same answer or get hung up on. Can you help me?

  Customer response

  01/16/2023

  The first time I had a problem with Cricket was 4/18/22. I've called numerous times since then and still haven't received a refund for my deceased brother's account with Cricket.

  Business response

  02/14/2023

  February 13, 2023
  
  Dear Better Business Bureau:
  

  Cricket Media, Inc. is a well-regarded publisher of children’s media. By this letter we are responding to the Complaint submitted (ID ********) and received (on February 10, 2023) in connection with the Better Business Bureau’s letter dated February 3, 2023. 
  

  The complainant’s deceased brother ***** **** had 6 subscriptions Click, Cobblestone, Cricket, Faces, Ask and Spider at the time of his death. On September 10, 2021, the complainant called to cancel these subscriptions and request a refund. Total refund for his subscriptions is $149.94. Since the cancellation call it has been noted on the subscriptions that the refund should be mailed to the complainant at her address.
  

  We process refund checks in the order they are received, and we state to allow up to 16 weeks to receive. We apologize for her request taking longer than the 16 weeks to process. Her refund check is in process and should be mailed by February 17, 2023. 
  
  Cricket is committed both to providing a fine educational product and responsive customer service, and respectfully requests that this Complaint (ID ********) be dismissed.
  Please let me know if you have further questions.
  

  Regards,
  Barb C.
  Manager, Customer Service

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered Spider and Ladybug magazines last October26, 2021 and sent my check for $35.90. I received another bill, on December 2, 2021 and sent another check for $35.90. I realized my mistake mid-January 2022, and called Cricket to request my refund of $35.90. I was told that said refund would not be sent until May 2022.I called in June to find out what happened to the $35.90 and was told it would be sent shortly. in two weeks.I have called September 12th, Sept.20, October 3rd and October 10th. The check is always coming in 2 weeks.I would like to have my refund. Meanwhile, I keep getting renewal notices.

  Business response

  10/28/2022

  October 28, 2022

  Dear Better Business Bureau:
  
  Cricket Media, Inc. is a well-regarded publisher of children’s media. By this letter we are responding to the Complaint submitted (ID ********) and received (on October 17, 2022) in connection with the Better Business Bureau’s letter dated October 10, 2022.
  
  The complainant ordered Ladybug and Spider magazines on October 26, 2021, for ***** and ****** ********. She paid $35.90 ($17.95 each magazine) at the time order was placed. She then received a promotional mail piece that offered her an early renewal on these subscriptions which she did on December 2, 2021, paying another $35.90. On Jan 4th, 2022, she cancelled the renewals done on December 2nd and requested refunds.
  
  We process refund checks in the order they are received, and we state to allow up to 16 weeks to receive. We apologize for her request taking longer than the 16 weeks to process. Her refund check is in process and should be mailed by November 4th.
  
  Cricket is committed both to providing a fine educational product and responsive customer service, and respectfully requests that this Complaint (ID ********) be dismissed.
  
  Please let me know if you have further questions.
  
  Regards,
  
  Barb C********
  Manager, Customer Service

• Initial Complaint

  09/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered Babybug Magazine from Cricket Media for my granddaughter on July 8, 2022. I have yet to receive an issue. My calls have not received an accurate response and emails have gone unanswered.

  Business response

  10/04/2022

  October 3, 2022

  Dear Better Business Bureau:
  
  Cricket Media, Inc. is a well-regarded publisher of children’s media. By this letter we are responding to the Complaint submitted (ID ********) and received (on October 1, 2022) in connection with the Better Business Bureau’s letter dated September 25, 2022.
  
  The complainant ordered Babybug magazine on July 8, 2022, for ****** ******. Her subscription began with the September 2022 issue which should have been received by September 15, 2022. The complainant emailed customer service  prior to September 15th and was told it should arrive by September 15th. On September 20th, complainant sent another email stating that the issue still had not arrived. She never heard back from customer service, but in checking the subscription record, I did verify that the subscription had been extended one issue for the missing issue. I called complatiant on October 3rd to see if the October issue had arrived and she stated it was received on October 1st. We discussed the timing of our magazines along with the mailing process. I have requested that customer service extend the subscription by another 3 issues for the time they spent trying to get this resolved. The complainant accepted this and knows she can contact me directly if any further issues arrive. I have also discussed the lack of response to email with customer service.
  
  Cricket is committed both to providing a fine educational product and responsive customer service, and respectfully requests that this Complaint (ID ********) be dismissed.
  
  Please let me know if you have further questions.
  
  Regards,
  
  Barb C********
  
  Barb C********
  Manager, Customer Service

*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. ↩