Menu
Proactiv Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

Proactiv
reviews & complaints

www.proactiv.com
www.proactiv.com

Learn how the rating is calculated

2.9 119 Reviews

Proactiv Complaints Summary

55 Resolved
54 Unresolved
Our verdict: While Proactiv has an above-average resolution rate, there’s room for improvement. Investigate common issues reported by customers and understand how they were resolved. Be prepared to follow up on your queries if needed, and keep detailed records of all interactions.
Verified
The authenticity of the customer service contact information for Proactiv has been meticulously verified by representatives from ComplaintsBoard using our proprietary verification system.
Get notifications about new complaints and reviews of Proactiv. We promise not to send you any unrelated messages.
Share
Claim Your Business
Take control of your profile: address complaints and engage with reviews
Write a review File a complaint

Proactiv reviews & complaints 119

Filter reviews by rating
5
0 review
4
1 review
3
0 review
2
1 review
1
8 reviews
Sort by:

Newest Proactiv reviews & complaints

ComplaintsBoard
A
9:53 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv Internet Glitch about product

I recently ordered the 5 piece proactive kit of the 4 FL OZ face solutions and when i placed the order online it stated that it was only $29.90 plus tax with free shipping for the 4 FL OZ bottle. so i placed the order and they took out the appropriate fee's. The next month (October 2009), they took out an additional $29.90 out of my bank account and stated that when i signed up, i ordered a 2 month supply (which apparently was the 4 FL OZ bottle) and their website stated it was $29.90 per month (which it didnt at the time). So i called and spoke to a rep @ proactive who states that i am correct and their website didnt mention this at the time and they have gotten many complaints about this, and have even been threaten with law suites from angry customers. They didnt offer to give me my money back, and basically told me to join the law suite that would be coming. The moral of the story... i heard it from the reps mouth @ proactive himself, to Never order their product online as there are always glitches and it automatically enrolls you in their club so they can get more $$

Read full review of Proactiv
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
A
6:43 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv worst product

i Have bought proactive products through net.and i used that products 25 days before buy these products i saw an advertisment on tv i saw they sell this products with guarantee if consumer would not satisfied with their products then they can return the products and take the refund so i m not satisfied with the products and want to return the products so kindly help me out of this and tell me about this process
thanx
Amita Makker
[protected]
[protected]
[protected]
[protected]@iciciprupartner.com
C-6, C-7 ist floor
patel garden, dwarka mod
new delhi 110078

Read full review of Proactiv
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
N
1:45 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv fraudulent credit card charge

I was charged twice for the same shipment. They claimed that since I cancelled the autoship (which they asured me I could do after the first order), the original shipment was supposed to have cost twice of the advertised charge. This was never at any time disclosed to me when I made my order. How can a company claim for more than the advertised cost? In other words, they defrauded me.

Read full review of Proactiv and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
P
P
ProductReviews
, US
Jan 02, 2010 9:55 am EST

Below is Guthy-Renker Corporate Office contact information:

Guthy-Renker LLC
41-550 Eclectic St., Suite# 200
Palm Desert, CA 92260
[protected] ask for Customer Relations
[protected] ext#5001 for Customer Relations
www.guthy-renker.com

ComplaintsBoard
N
4:00 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv rip off

I purchased a trial size proactive kit for my Son in December of 2008 Well, they never told me that they would charge my debit card $50.00 every month after that. I canceled in January 2009 and told them I didn't want the product anymore, It took six weeks to get a credit to my account. Well, six months later I get another package from proactive, this time I get overdrawn on my account $30.00 plus the $50.00 for the product. Apparently instead of canceling my account they put it on hold for six months then started re-sending their product. I came unglued. When I called again they said they would credit my account in another six weeks but they wouldn't do anything about the overdraft fee.

They never tell you about the nice monthly fee or that when you cancel they may decide to put you on hold and start sending again whenever they choose. This is not only deceptive but downright Illegal in my opinion. People need to know that if they order something from proactive they are signing up for a monthly RIP-OFF!

Read full review of Proactiv and 6 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
6 comments
Add a comment
L
L
lckkam
Chicopee, US
Apr 14, 2010 5:14 pm EDT

I as well as many others was misled into purchasing this product on-line thinking I was purchaasing a one time trial package. Then I began having money deducted on a monthly basis from my paypal account. I called and complained and recieved nothing but poor customer service. I feel that I was misled and then basically told to deal with it. The hoops and circles I would have to go through to get refunded was ridiculous and not worth my time. A more satisfying approach I feel is to spread the word to other consumers on how bad there service is.

F
F
Faaak U
, US
Oct 25, 2012 10:34 am EDT

Folks, under threat of legal action pursuant to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, it is amazing what can be done. All of a sudden those who stated that they couldn't refund anything without the product being sent back, 60-day refund policy, etc., was BS. They IMMEDIATELY refunded the money to my credit card AND repaid the shipping expense. It should not have to come to threatening legal action, but if you know what you are doing, you can stop companies like this in their tracks. They are large corporations who would have to spend $300 an hour for an attorney to defend a small claims court filing of $100 - $200. Educate yourself about the law and your legal rights...it goes a long ways towards ending these deceoptive practices.

P
P
PO'ed in Wyoming
, US
Sep 21, 2011 2:34 pm EDT

I am having the exact same experience. I specifically purchased a trial pack with no obligation to continue. Now another $30.00 debit just came out of my account, and when I called to cancel, they told me that I still owe $67.00. These people are no better than a junkie who would snatch an old lady's purse. DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR BANKING OR CREDIT CARD INFO!

C
C
chris2119
La Marque, US
Jun 04, 2011 1:02 am EDT

Got me too! Good thing I check my bank account often! They never state that it is a membership and will keep shipping AND billing you forever! If I see one more charge on my bank statement, I file a lawsuit against these theives!

G
G
G-R Customer Service
Santa Monica, US
Apr 23, 2010 7:52 pm EDT

We appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We're sorry you had this frustrating experience. From your post, it sounds like your issue has been resolved, but if there's anything at all that is still unresolved, please email our corporate customer service team at customerservice@guthy-renker.com so they can make a special effort to look into your account and call logs and identify how we could have served you better. If you include a link to this post as well as your name and zip code (ATTN: RENEE), they'll be able to find your account records and contact you directly with a solution.

Again, we're sorry you experienced this and appreciate the feedback.

Corrie (Proactiv - USA)

S
S
shan0123
Calgary, CA
Mar 26, 2010 2:24 pm EDT

ha they did the same thing to me! 3 kits which I sent all 3 of them back. They sent me to collections on them too. They gave me credit for one so they get 2 free kits and im out almost $200.00. How is that fair? Also I bought Procraptive from a keeoks thing in the mall. The girl charged me twice. They wouldnt refund that either. Funny thing I called the next day and told them. They said "no sorry we cant give you the money". What the heck would I need 2 starter kits for purchased with in 30 sec of each other? And the girl didnt give me my reciept either!
So PROCRAPTIVE is a rip off no matter where you buy it!

ComplaintsBoard
N
6:22 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Proactiv Proactiv charge TAX on S/H

Proactiv Solution charged SALES TAX on Shipping & Handling! Other companies apply sales tax on products only. I didn't pay attention to their Invoice till I was being laid off in Feb this year and I've been paying their bills for at least 2 years!
Their club price is lower than you buy from booths, so you usually will buy from them via shipments.
$39.95 (3-piece kit) + $5.95 (shipping & handling) + $4.48 (CA sales tax 9.75%) = $50.38 (total charged to my credit card)
I talked to their customer service rep. and she also felt it's odd to apply sales tax on Shipping & Handling. Then I wrote to Proactiv to spot this out and on May 19, 2009 they replied as below:
"we encourage feedback from our customers as it helps us improve the quality of products and services we deliver. I will forward your suggestion on to the appropriate corporate department."
BUT 4 months later, no change!
I'm here to request someone to push them NOT TO apply sales tax on Shipping & Handling. They should refund all those unreasonable charges to all their customers!

Read full review of Proactiv and 1 comment
Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
P
P
ProactivHelp
Santa Monica, US
Sep 22, 2010 5:41 pm EDT

NoMore Wells Fargo,
I looked into this issue for you and it turns out we are required by some states (like California) to charge sales tax on shipping and handling. If you're concerned about the products you've received or aren't 100% happy with the results you've gotten using Proactiv, remember there's always the 60-day money back guarantee.
Hope this helps clear things up for you.
Thanks,
Kathryn (Proactiv USA)

ComplaintsBoard
A
12:51 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv scam

Beware of using the vitaclear through Proactive acne solutions. They offer you free 30 day trial with the option to cancel at any time. When I canceled through Proactiv it did not cancel the vitamins because they are a "seperate" business. I had to call a seperate number to cancel after receiving another 2 months worth that I didn't want. In order to return the product for a refund I had to deduct the cost they paid to ship it to me plus the cost for me to ship it back to them. I figured it wasn't worth it so I kept them making them aware I would never use their company or recommedn them to anyone again. Their business practices are sneaky in my opinion. A month later they debited my account again for another $34.30! I called to inquire why and they said they shipment I had recieved (that I didn't even want) was actually $68.60 and so they split the payments over a 2 month time frame. NO one told me that either when I had called originally. Asked for a supervisor but one was not available. This company is a scam!

Read full review of Proactiv and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
J
J
james leighton
Chicago Heights, US
Sep 23, 2009 6:18 pm EDT

Proactive is a real scam. I just had an experience just like the previous person. Don't ever give them your credit card number as they will keep charging it without sending you anything. Once I discovered that they were charging me, I called them up to find out what the problem was. I spoke to a nasty woman who goes by the name Savanna. She told me that my account was closed in February 2009, seven months ago but I owe them 45 dollars. I told them that I do not owe anything but I'm ready to pay what ever I they think I owe. She then said, ok if you make the payment we will send you a package and all that you need to do is to send it back. I said I don't need their package. On a second though, I told them, send it to me and I will through it away. I'm waiting to see that package. They are a scam! Don't buy their products . . . they don't even work so no need to even do the trial offer!

ComplaintsBoard
S
1:21 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv Charging without consent

Recently I got a strange transaction on my Credit card statement. The Transaction Marked:

GRC*PROACTIV SOLUTION, [protected], US, USD - 74.95 2, 489.59 which charged from my credit card $74.95.
I have never order anything from that company and I don't know why this company charge me.

What the hell is going on with that company?
Sovatha.

Read full review of Proactiv and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
P
P
pam61
, US
Sep 03, 2015 2:09 pm EDT

this company continues taking money from my account without authorization. I am calling my lawyer . I have repeatedly called them. I am a retired nurse and I am ashamed to have the two doctors who started this company in the same medical field as me. I had to cancel my credit card. but before the change went trough I was charged for a kit I sent back plus 13.00. two bad the people that have been traumatized by this company don't get together and sue them. pam

ComplaintsBoard
N
9:20 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv worst customer service

Proactiv has the absolute customer service I have ever dealt with. I used Proavtiv a few years back and it worked and was a quality product. So recently I decided to try it again. I think in order to cut costs they not only made the bottles they come in complete crap (the little plastic connecter on the top breaks on every single bottle and then the top doesn't shut and the product dries out), but I think they cut corners on the formula as well. I might as well have been washing my face with bar soap for all the good it was doing. So after a couple of months I gave up and started using something else (cheaper and sold in a store, not like this shady daytime tv infomercial crap) and it actually worked. I was busy with work and wasn't exactly sure when my membership was up, so when I saw the charge on my card one morning I immediately called to cancel. The girl on the phone told me that they wouldn't give me a refund until I received the product and sent it back. Now, I am positive that it hasn't gone out yet. No company anywhere sends a product out while the charge is still pending on your credit card. That's why they always charge you a couple of days before, right? Besides the fact that it takes the product 3 weeks after they charge me to get to me. There is no way that it takes that long. It's that they don't send it out right away. Anyway, I asked to talk to her manager and she was like "I can get you an account supervisor" which doesn't sound like a manager to me and when I asked if it was the equivalent all she would say is "that's her title". So I imagine now I am being transferred to the girl who sits next to her who has no more authority than she does. And I could tell as soon as this woman got on the phone-her name was Karen-that she was told beforehand not to give me anything. Sticking together against the rude customer and all of that. So she immediately tells me the same thing-that I have to wait to return the product to get my money back. So basically I have to wait over a month before they will refund me. To top it all off, she was rude, condescending, unprofessional, patronizing, defensive, inarticulate, and threatened to hang up on me. Even if this weren't $45 dish soap I wouldn’t buy their product just so as not to have to deal with the high school drop outs that this company hires for "customer service".

Read full review of Proactiv and 22 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
22 comments
Add a comment
D
D
disgusted5967
new york, US
Aug 17, 2010 4:12 pm EDT

Very, very shady company--should have realized this before ordering. Their website is deliberately circular and confusing to navigate. There is no way to terminate accounts online or even instructions as to how to go about doing so. They "cancelled" my account, but actually didn't, then continued to send out unwanted shipments charged at a higher, non-member price--which means that they received the cancellation! They are very unethical. I haven't experienced this kind of deceit since the notorious Columbia House CD club. Please avoid this company. Toxic ingredients aside, their customer service is terrible.

K
K
Kolby
, CA
Apr 27, 2011 1:21 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I had tried proactiv as I had a flare up of acne for a few months, needless to sya it did not work.. So i never bothered to reorder.. to my surprise i got charge with a second order, no notification and am now expected to pay shipping and handling for both ways if i was to return the product! I have sent numerous emails complaining and stating what I was, and one would think that $15 would not be a big thing to resolve but its been hell! I get the same script, irrelevant to my email as a reply. I have recently emailed head office about their customer service, so i will see what comes out of it.

J
J
J. Joe Craft
,
Jul 27, 2008 3:52 pm EDT

I ordered the 5 course Proactiv Solutions. They said they would send Vita Clear Vitamins free. I only received the Vita Clear and have never received the Proactiv which I paid for.

J
J
Janessajanessa
New Castle, US
Sep 20, 2010 6:50 pm EDT

I wanted 2 order ProActiv, but googled "ProActiv Complaints" 1st & saw all these negative reviews, but I decided to go on the website & see 4 sure if ProActiv really tells u about shipping u more products & to my surprise it did! So, I thought 'I can place this order, cuz it's telling me plain as day...whatever' Right before I submitted my order there's a paragraph saying something like you'll get shipp. every 90 days a 3 month supply for the MONTHLY price of 19.95 (shipp.$8)So I would assume thats EVERY month that I would be billed, but shipped every 3 months. So, I decided to call the website # online & claify this before placing my order & the women answered my question right away & said "yes, u r billed 3 monthy payments, basically so your not paying $60 at once- unless u want to of course. But this starts out as payments" So she was asking me my info. & I was letting her take a little bit of my order, while I asked questions (cuz I luv to ask questions) & she explained the whole "replenishment program" throughly telling me 'Ance is not curable & will come back if u stop using the product so thats why they continue to ship (which is something I never knew, I thought it was curable; silly me)& I'm an honest person; so I told her about going online & reading ppl being charged w/o knowing it...then she said b/c I gave her my email, I would get a e-mail confirmation telling me the order being shipped @ about the "replenishment" & my invoice when I get this in the mail, would actually say the exact dates of the next shipp. so I would know a month ahead of time when I'd be billed & she said I could CANCEL at any time even BEFORE the next shippment so I did NOT have to get the 90-day supply if I didn't want 2 & they have a 60-day $ back gaurentee (sp?) which I spent lots of $ buying over-the-counter products which I CANNOT return! bla, bla..so I let her take my order & I think the most annoying thing was, even though she explained the "replenishment"; recieving future shipp.in the beginning of the call...she told me again after she took my card # & Again at the end of the call, so I'm thinking, "if I already know about it lady, u don't need to tell me 3x's." which I said nicely (cuz I'm not going to be mean about it, u know, just make a joke)..so she tells me that she HAD to tell me twice! She said "legally" they HAVE to tell u before & after taking your card! Or they cant process your order & they'd have to cancel & she gave me the cust. service # at the end of the call. I wrote it down to have on hand..& guess what?...I got that email confirm. 2 days later & w/in a week, I got my Proactiv w/ an invoice telling me the exact dates of my next shipp.! so I called cust. service & had them put my next shipp. on hold untill I'm ready to call back to order more (2 see how well this works). Which the women in cust. service was nice w/ me & said she understood & put it on hold & reminded me about the 24/7 skin care advisors, if I have any questions about the products.(Which I would never have that option w/ any store brand products)So, I'm thinking are these ppl 'online' NOT reading the whole website (& maybe only reading what they want to read, aka, 'selective reading and hearing') or maybe your just talking to reps. from other countries who dont know how to speak english well, & u cant understand them so u say "ok" to everything...I'm confused...I only know 3 other ppl that use proactiv & upon questioning...they had nuttin bad to say cuz they read everything, understood what they were being told, paid attention...bla, bla. So I'll see how well this works for my face. I just dont like ppl talking trash when this info. was in my face & was told over & over about future shipp. and had it all laid out! I just set up my acct. online and reviewed everything on the website.

P
P
pakkak
Sky Valley, US
Nov 06, 2010 6:43 pm EDT

I believe Proactiv chose not to process my return until I called them to follow up. I'm guessing that's illegal. I contacted Proactiv for a return, and sent my product back on 8/25/10. When I contacted them 11/6/10 because I still hadn't received a refund, they said they had no record of receiving the product. When I gave them the tracking number, they looked it up, and agreed they had, indeed received the product, and then processed my refund. I honestly believe they knew they had received my product return, and were hoping I would either forget about the refund or not have a tracking number to prove it had been received. These people are seriously, seriously shady. And they were rude, to boot!

X
X
xKathryn
Ingram, US
Mar 22, 2010 9:00 pm EDT

LONG story short, they NEVER mentioned that there would be an automatic delivery w/ automatic debit set up after the trial version. They continued to ship product out and BILL ME after I "cancelled." When I called, they said that my debit card was removed from the system but my account was never closed. I was told to keep the last box or to "do whatever I wanted with it." After hearing that, I put it aside and assumed (after talking to about 10 different reps) all was taken care of. Boy, was I wrong. I started getting bills saying I had late payments and such. I called again and they said that since it had been past 60 days, I had to pay for the box I didn't even want. Even after I explained that not *one* of their employees mentioned the 60 day time limit, they still told me there was nothing they can do. I have sent them payments of $10 increments only to find out they "haven't received" any of them. I have been on hold for over 30 mins after finding out my outstanding balance is about to be turned in to collections! I hope this company falls to pieces and I will do whatever I can to discourage people from using their ### product! P.S. "doctors, " you aren't supposed to exfoliate every f*cking day!

C
C
ChrisBarron62
Palm Springs, US
Mar 23, 2010 12:27 pm EDT

Bought 19.95 special and did not notice automaic renewal - ok. After speaking with representative they said $33.38 charge and then it ended. I cancelled my account. Then they charged another $40 to my account saying it was actually $73.

They absolutely and blatantly lie!

Phone your government and your bank otherwise they will continue to get away with this!

http://www.dca.ca.gov/consumer/complaints.shtml

R
R
RyanWalk05
, US
May 17, 2010 11:40 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I was a ProActiv club member, but I would find success in the product, but I would need to stop using it after a few months, then restart. I was shipped a product that I didn't need, so I called to cancel my membership and ship the product back. However, I still received bills. I called and spoke to someone in customer service. She gave me conflicting dates on when calls were made versus when product was returned. The way she explained it to me, as long as I CALLED within 60 days to cancel, I was fine. Based on her dates, I did exactly that but they will not take a $57.94 charge off of the account. I was only told that I needed to ship the product back by writing RETURN TO SENDER on the box. NEVER was I given a due date. The CS rep even told me it would take "several" weeks for the product to arrive at the warehouse. I have family who were thinking of trying this product, but I have already given them another product to try, and told them that ProActiv has HORRIBLE customer service, and it is not worth buying ANYTHING from them. Some family members are canceling their memberships because they see the problems I have gone through. The worse part is that I cancelled my membership before when my face reached it's best level, so I was going to eventually need ProActiv again. Now, I will use ANYTHING before I spend my money with them EVER AGAIN.

J
J
just_saying
Boulder, US
Sep 22, 2011 3:17 am EDT

I thought I was doing something nice for my daughter in law and now these rip off artists will not refund my money for a package she never received. They cant give you a tracking number because "There is not a tracking number available for our shipments since they are shipped in bulk. If you requested rush shipping the shipping time is 5-7 business days from the time it leaves our warehouse." WOW that is not what their website says
Their customer service is some of the worst I have EVER encountered

J
J
just_saying
Boulder, US
Sep 22, 2011 3:16 am EDT

I should have read this board first ... I thought I was doing something nice for my daughter in law and now these rip off artists will not refund my money for a package she never received. They cant give you a tracking number because "There is not a tracking number available for our shipments since they are shipped in bulk. If you requested rush shipping the shipping time is 5-7 business days from the time it leaves our warehouse." WOW that is not what their website says
Their customer service is some of the worst I have encountered

ComplaintsBoard
J
11:52 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv attempt to return unopened product

The "guaranteed refund" is a farce.

I purchased the product from a kiosk at Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg, Md. When I looked the box, it turned out that the product has benzoyl peroxide, which I cannot use. I called Proactiv for a refund. They said I had to call the kiosk owner. I had to go back to the mall to get the phone number off the kiosk. The kiosk owner said they would not give a refund because it was over 60 days, even though the product was unopened. I also called Proactiv, who also refused to give a refund.

Read full review of Proactiv and 6 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
6 comments
Add a comment
G
G
Giang
abq, US
Apr 19, 2012 9:02 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

This is a long problem with https://www.proactiv.com. I ordered $99 purchase gift for a friend and then https://www.proactiv.com continued to charge me for another 3-month supply order three months after my first order using my account with them on my Master card. I talk to my credit card to get my money back, but I could never get anything back. Now https://www.proactiv.com sent me to a collection center to collect $99. Hope that all people out there read this and stop buying their stupid product as a gift.

D
D
dlivelli
Indian Harbour Bch, US
Nov 28, 2012 7:28 pm EST

We have had trouble with the way your company handles the financial aspects of payments. We pay and yet get at least 2 late notices. I can prove when my bank checks are delivered, and NO other people I pay online have such a problem, so that leads me to gather that it must be on your end. For example my bank says payment was received on Sept 28...yet you did not process it until Oct 29..? why the month long drag in time, while we are getting late notice after late notice.
2) My wife just spoke with a guy named Charlie. He sold her 4 4oz bottles of cleanser which was 51.80...now shipping was 7. 79.
She had a code from an email139638 which will give 20$ off of a 40$ order. The total then with shipping was to be $37.79. I just looked up my bank statement and see a charge for 59.79...can somebody please explain the difference? why would you have promotional discount codes but the discounts are not applied? We called again and got 2 more explanations as to why that happened...what are we to believe. I always go to what can't lie, the numbers...as it stands the charge is 59 dollars not the 37 it should be. Our acct # is040593170. We have been customers for over 10 years. I can tell you that as a business person myself, I would stay away from business practices like these. You have a very good product that works but maybe it is time to re-tool the business strategy. It is not building good trustful consumer relations when you tell someone they will be charged x amount, then when they see their actual charge it is much higher than expected, and we have to wait to get back money you were not supposed to take in the first place. I would like to talk to the CEO or CFO sometime tomorrow., to see if we can come to a lasting comfortable, equitable solution to this constant trouble. We have to say we love the product but your service to loyal and long time customers such as us is terrible. We were actually told to just order when the specials come out on the internet... After over ten years of faithful patronage to your company you would think we would get some kind of little perk as a small "thank you" for our loyalty and confidence in your product...To me it is not good to give a customer any type of bad service. Good customers are hard to find...even harder to keep, but well worth it in the long term. We don't want to wander, we would like to stay loyal but I would like to speak with someone about this. My cell is [protected] (Dave Livelli) you can call me anytime after 4 pm tomorrow night. I apologize for feeling the need to bring this to you but I thought it is something you should be aware of and hopefully deal with and correct.
Thank you for you time,
Dave Livelli

A
A
Abby Rockland
Gardnerville, US
Apr 06, 2011 9:35 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My son tried Proactive for about a year and it didn't help very much. I was told to be patient, and I was, however, a year is a very long time not to see results.
I started noticing that the info comercials have only older people on them, no adolescents. They do not show it working for teens with hormonal imbalances, and major acne.
Proactive knew I was buying it for my 13 year old son, and said it was perfect to start using it when a teen. IT DID NOT WORK! And then they would not take back my last shipment that I did not want. They said it was against their policy to help me out. I even talked to a supervisors, supervisor. Unless they were just saying I was.
I do not trust them and will never buy anything from Guthy Renker again!

P
P
Proactiv is a scam
Tucson, US
Jul 22, 2016 4:56 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have called Proactive customer service six time in an attempt to cancel my subscription. After the first time I called to cancel I received another package and was told it had already been ordered to be shipped to me. This package was returned unopened within days of delivery and after a while I was told my account was zero. This was several months ago!
Two months ago out of the blue I received another package! This package was again returned. Yesterday I received a past due notice for $98.84!
I recommend if want to try this product buy it a Kiosk at the mall, I am having a tough time canceling my subscription and discovered many complaints of Proactiv sending customers to collection agencies. DO customers have any recourse?

J
J
J-MK
Gaithersburg, US
Feb 24, 2010 9:40 am EST

Clarification: The product was bought from a vending machine. "Reading the receipt" would not have made a difference. The receipt did not have contact information for the vending machine owner. To my knowledge, the vendor was ProActiv, not the vending machine owner.

It's the same as if you bought a bottle of Coke from a machine on an out-of-state trip? If it turned out that the bottle had mold in it, so you could not drink it, would you expect to make another trip out-of-state to track down the vending machine owner? Or would you expect the Coca-Cola company to fix the problem?

D
D
diesel60
, CA
Feb 14, 2010 2:39 am EST

should have read the receipt

ComplaintsBoard
J
8:38 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv refer-a-friend scam

Proactive is now promoting Refer-A-Friend where customers are offered a "referral fee" when they refer a friend who is new to Proactiv. The new friend receives a free starter kit for the cost of S&H. Today, five ebay sellers are charging potential customers to collect their email address and refer and refer it to Proactiv as a new Friend, and collect their referral fee.
When brought to the attention of Proactive, they said they have no control over their customers and if they want to scam potential customers using Proactiv's promotions as their tool, that wasn’t their problem.
I asked Proactiv to at least go to Ebay and type in Proactiv Coupons and review the auction to determine if they were in violation of the Refer A Friend promotion. Again, they made it clear they didn’t care how they got the new customers, and if someone was stupid enough to pay for a free promotion then Proactive and the customer selling the promotion are ahead.
I was then told if I didn’t like Proactiv’s resolution to take it to the next level – Guthy-Renker – and the call was ended.

Read full review of Proactiv
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
W
12:53 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv return

a recent complaint by walter brock was unfinished. walter returned a package six weeks after receiving it and was told he had to pay for it anyway. he has received a notice from "north shore agency" acollections agency. why should he pay for a returned, unopened, therefor unused product? after only six weeks? why cant they just accept that he didnt want the product and cancel his account?

Read full review of Proactiv
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
W
12:17 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv a return

Walter Brock, a truck driver, ordered a starter package of Proactiv. He didn't like the product.When he was out on the road for three weeks, another package came in the mail. After returning home to find the package, he wrote on the package "return to sender" and sent it back. A month later he returned home to find a bill in the mail for the package. When he called to ask why he was being billed, the customer service representative told him the package wasn't sent back in an allowed time frame, so he had to pay for it anyway.

Read full review of Proactiv and 1 comment
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
1 comment
Add a comment
M
M
mewe
San Diego, US
May 17, 2011 9:49 pm EDT

Are you serious? I am about to return the package they sent the 2nd time. I think I have to block any charge from this scam product. P.S. The product not even work, only dry and wrinkle your skin. POOR (Extreamly)

ComplaintsBoard
D
11:21 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

Proactiv - Wont refund money

First of all be aware that when you order from Proactive you are now signed up for an AUTOMATIC billing and shipping program every 2 months!! Once they have your information they will continue to send out new shipments (and bill you before they are even sent)! Example: My last shipment was charged to my credit card (paid via Paypal) on 2-26-09 and I didn't...

Read full review of Proactiv and 16 comments
ComplaintsBoard
J
7:38 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv unauthorized charges

Proactiv started shipping boxes to us in May. We thought they were samples. The insert in the envelope says 'not a bill'. My husband took them to the local high school. Then after the 4th shipment, we called and found out our credit card had been billed $133.97. This product was never ordered.

My husband and I are retirement age and never suffered from acne and have no children at home. Proactiv claims we ordered the product on a specific date - which happened to be my birthday and we were not even in town. Seems to be a total fraudulent activity - maybe someone gets a commission for placing orders? No idea but be very wary of this company.

Read full review of Proactiv and 5 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
5 comments
Add a comment
C
C
Calvin
, US
Apr 12, 2010 4:10 am EDT

I made an initial order with Proactive and was charged March 11th 2010 in the amount of 29.95 and received my package March 15th. Two weeks later a charge was made to my account in the amount of 37.94 for an additional package that I did not request. I immediately called on March 30th to see why I would be charged for another shipment two weeks after my initial shipment. I was informed that the charge was for a shipment that I should receive in2- 3 weeks. Note: On my invoice the information indicates that I should be charged for a club membership shipment the week of April 5, 2010. However the invoice also states that because I ordered online that I would need to go to the proactive website to activate my club membership account. I informed the representative that I never signed up or activated the automatic shipments. The representative told me that I should not have been charged and that the charge would be cancelled, the membership would be cancelled and no further charges would be posted to my account. She informed me that if the shipment was delivered to simply return to sender. On April 8th I saw that Proactive had charged my account again for 37.94 and I called customer service. The representative assured me that that this was a preauthorization and that the charge should not post to my account. IT POSTED TO MY ACCOUNT. This charge resulted in my rent check being returned and me being assessed the following fees: overdraft from the bank, late fee from the rental company, and a return check fee from the rental company.

I called two times to speak to representatives (Jared and Sally) to avoid this situation and each time I was assured that no charges would be posted to my account. In both calls I requested to speak to a supervisor but was not put through to a supervisor because the representative assured me that the situation was handled and I would not receive any charges. On March 9th after the charges were posted and my account was overdrawn I was finally connected to speak to a supervisor (after 3 unsuccessful attempts). The Supervisor told me that a refund for the 37.94 was put in on April 8th after my last phone call to them disputing the charge and I should see that refund reflected on my account in 5-7 days. I informed the supervisor (Dawn) that the problem is that I was told two separate times that my account would not be charged and it was charged and this charge resulted in my account being overdrawn. The supervisor told me that I could fax in a billing dispute detailing the situation. I am writing this letter on April 9th after getting off the phone with your representatives. I have been charged two times for a shipment that I never requested and as of today have still never received.

G
G
Giggles67
, US
Mar 15, 2013 8:10 pm EDT

Just today I was sent a box in the mail stating they charged my acct of 21.30.. now I'm 12.00 negative in my checking acct. I've never ordered from these people before and don't know how they got my acct number?. So, I had them send me a new card and Proactive WILL NOT be getting the box they sent me back. I will keep it for the the frustration they have put me through.

R
R
Rafelito
, US
Jan 24, 2011 3:24 am EST

Please do not order from this guys
They just take all the money they can out of your account without your concent

B
B
butterfly426
Las Vegas, US
Jan 11, 2011 4:54 pm EST

The same thing happened to me. I cancelled them in May and they told me that I was "cancelled". So I wasn't worried about it. Then, they send me a yellow envelope from North Shore Agency that said that they had sent me to collections for forty-five dollars for a shipment in JUNE that I NEVER recieved because I had CANCELLED my account. I call them immediately after I recieve the notice and they proceed to tell me I never cancelled my account. That I only removed my credit card. So they said they had automatically shipped me a package.. THAT I THOUGHT I CANCELLED... and than charged me for it. I spent an hour on the phone with them talking to two managers that proceeded to tell me that they couldn't do anything about it. I paid those greedy mother F*****G scammers and told them that I recorded the phone call and I want my information deleted from their systems and if they ever contact me through phone, email, or mail I will sue them for harrassement. By the way you might want to call them up and tell them to delete all of your information as well because they sell your info. FULL OF SCAMMERS. Gunthy Renker I hope you and your company rott in hell for the bull S**T scams you create. Robbing innocent people for a product that doesn't work.

G
G
G-R Customer Service
Santa Monica, US
Apr 13, 2010 8:17 pm EDT

Calvin,

We're sorry you had this frustrating experience. We'd like to see what we can do to help you resolve it. Please email our corporate customer service team at customerservice(at)guthy-renker.com with your account number OR your full name and zip code so we can look into your account directly. Please include a link to this post and ATTN: RENEE in your email to ensure your case is handled quickly.

Thank you.

Corrie (Proactiv USA)

ComplaintsBoard
J
4:39 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv Charged for something i didn't order

They are liar. . . , they did same to me, i received on free mailer booklet speacial offer for $19. 95 and i orderd on line, there was no choice or any fine prints to worn saying " you will automatic enrolled as a member ", i received trial order month later and guess waht, not even two week and i see charge for $45. 85 whcih was not authorizes and when i called they were giving stories, what a scam. . . Never buy from this people on line or by mail, i called my cradit card company and informed them, will see what happens. I called proactive and argues a lot finally they said they cancel my acount and will refund but guess what. . ,. Another lie. . I suppose to received refund in 3 businesss day and when i called again they sad they posted $39. 90 cradit but neither i can see it or not my cradit card company, so they give you boolsit story, such frud. . . Never ever buy anthing from this people online or mail. Or you will have nightmare.

Read full review of Proactiv and 54 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
54 comments
Add a comment
M
M
Mrs French
, US
Feb 18, 2016 5:48 am EST

DO NOT BUY FROM PROACTIVE! This company will continue to bill you after you cancel. They will promise to discontinue payments when you cancel. DONT BELIEVE THEM! You will end up having to close your bank accts. I am reporting them to the news media investigative team. They need to be exploited about STEALING people's money.
Theresa

D
D
Di Jones
Bailey, US
Feb 18, 2010 12:15 pm EST

I have tried to cancel with PROACTIV Solution. I keep getting charged for the product. I have returned the product, unopened twice! Extremely frustrating.

J
J
janet sharkey
Plaster Rock, CA
Mar 10, 2009 9:54 pm EDT

i did not order this product and they keep sending it to me and charging it on my visa.

N
N
ntrainor3
Dildo, CA
Jun 03, 2014 6:07 am EDT

They charged me $89.25 and I certainly did NOT authorize it. Just sent them an email, hoping to hear from them today. It's still in my pending transactions so I can't stop it on my credit card until it goes through as a complete transaction =(
I only ordered once to try the product and hadn't intended on ordering again anytime soon. Anybody have any stories of this getting resolved?

G
G
Georgeorg
Fords, US
Mar 15, 2014 1:04 pm EDT

They are a scam, and no matter how much you talk to them they all sound the same, promise to send a refund and then they don't. When you finally find someone that says that they will refund the charged amount and you agree that it is the correct amount, the refund is only a fraction of what you have agreed on with the rep and you need to repeat the process again and again. It is frustrating and not worth the effort. Any product company that has trained their customer service to fleece the customers that they rely on must know that the crap that they are selling would not be purchased by anyone again after they have tried it..There is a myriad of good products on the market. No need to fall for false adverts..

K
K
kelseylee17
Southborough, US
Feb 10, 2014 2:35 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I cancelled my debit card so they would stop charging me a month ago and I JUST GOT CHARGED. This is ridiculous.

L
L
ladybug45
Toronto, CA
Jan 06, 2014 1:24 pm EST

December 28th 2013, credit card charge for $34.98 GRC Proactiv Solution, December 30th, 2013 Credit card charge for 39.54 GRC Proactiv Solution, December 31st 2013, Credit card charge for 39.54 GRC Proactiv Solution. On Dec31st 2013, I cancelled my card as per the banks suspicions. GRC Proactiv Solution tried ( and failed) 9 more times over the next 4 days to run charges through on my card. I have never ordered from this company, I didn't even know what this was, and the bank said it was a re-occuring transaction. Last time I used my credit card online was purchasing something from TLG Canada Dec 2nd. This is a fraudulent charge. I contacted TLG just to let them know I believe their site might be compromised. I am tempted to contact Proavtiv in the US, find out WTF?

R
R
Raulbruno
Melbourne, AU
Jan 02, 2014 6:18 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi Dear,
I have been charged again for a prosctive product which I did not buy and I didnt authorise you guys to deduct money from my credit card. It happens few months ago but then the amount taken was refunded back to my account. But today when I checked mu credit card statement it again happen. Could you pleAse solve this problem immediately and refund my money back.
Thanks Raul

B
B
bpc611
Monticello, US
Dec 28, 2013 7:26 pm EST

I was deployed overseas and was speaking to my son and he said he needed a refill of his proactive solution that we initially purchased from a vending machine. I was deployed overseas and quickly before an assignment jumped online and placed an order for it to be shipped to him at my ex wife's house. He received it with no problem except he said it was smaller than what we had purchased prior. I told him that I would give his mom money to pick up some from the mall in Lafayette when that ran out. I got home on leave for December and found a bill from proactiv solution. I didn't know what it was for so I called. I found out that the purchase was a membership for continued shipments. If I had not come home I would have been sent to collections and that could have had an impact on my clearances, my livelihood. I hate this type of practice and the whole reason they do it is for this reason. Guthy Renker is a rip off company anyway. I found something that works better anyway. Glyderm Gentle Cleanser and Glyderm Lotion Lite. Great product I was turned onto by my dermatologist. The skin store is where I got it and they have no Gunthy deceptive practice. I ask all American's to stand up against any company that practices this type of business.

M
M
Marc226
Montréal, CA
Dec 23, 2013 10:52 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi, I have the same problem here.
Charged on my credit card without my autorisation or my request. Now I ask you to cancel this order and give me back my money.
Thank you.
Marc-André Mercier-Roy (Canada)
Date de transaction Description Montant ($)
23 DÉC 2013 GRC*PROACTIV SOLUTION [protected] CA US 61, 92

ComplaintsBoard
T
8:39 am EDT

Proactiv Subscription without consent

Yesterday I received in the mail a box from Proactiv Solution containing their anti-acne solution and a receipt saying my credit card had been charged and that I was signed up for a subscription to their product. I had never heard of Proactiv before and had certainly not signed up for a subscription or given consent for my credit card to be charged. I have no idea how they got access to my credit card number (the last 4 digits were on the receipt).
When I called the company, they agreed to cancel the shipping charge and send me a label to send back their product, promising to cancel the charge upon its return. The charge has not appeared on my online credit card statement thus far.
I am really hoping that I will not have to go through the pain of canceling my credit card and getting a new one. Even then, the worry is that there is some unscrupulous third party that I do business with that is selling my information to Proactiv.

Read full review of Proactiv and 2 comments
Hide full review
2 comments
Add a comment
K
K
KKMA
Des Moines, US
Jul 28, 2010 3:03 pm EDT

Did it ever occur to anyone that maybe someone else stole your credit card and called the company and placed in order under your information. lf you are at all smart you would have contacted your credit card company and changed your card information anyone. Be more careful about who has your credit/ debit card information.

J
J
Jane
, US
Feb 14, 2009 9:47 am EST

The same exact thing happened to me yesterday -- when I called Proactiv I learned that the order was associated with a fraudulent e-mail address. I decided to cancel my credit card number, because obviously someone (presumably within the company) stole that number and now has access to it.

This is criminal activity. I believe this company operates out of California. Should I contact California's Attorney General? Any advice would be appreciated.

ComplaintsBoard
A
10:03 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv causes scars

The line works for me, except their 'miracle' acne-zapping mask dries out pimples but leaves scars and blackheads. Using the mask, my pimples were flattened overnight, but now I am left with red spots (scars) all over my face. It's like I have permanent acne now - which defeats the whole purpose! Some pimples zapped by the mask are now bumps with blackheads... Niiiiiice. Now I know why the before pics on their commercials are always taken without makeup and the after pics are taken with makeup on - to hide the scars left behind.

There is no easy fix, as I have learned, try prevention first and if you do get zits, leave them alone. Truth hurts...

Read full review of Proactiv and 2 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
2 comments
Add a comment
D
D
dfry26
virginia beach, US
Jun 09, 2011 8:02 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I used Proactiv in 1999. It made my face breakout, I kept using it thinking that it was bringing all the deep down dirt to the surface and with continued use would begin to clear up. I continued usage for two months and it just got worse. My mother commented to me about it, she is a RN and told me to stop immediately. It took me over two years to get my skin back to normal. The money I spent on dermatologists, Rx, skin care regiments, etc has been ridiculous. Do not use this product!

Z
Z
zoeyb
, US
Sep 17, 2010 10:00 pm EDT

Agreed. Proactiv seemed to work for the first few weeks, but I soon noticed scars and EXTREME dryness (I have oily skin)and dark chemical burns!Since my face was drying out and burning so bad, I decided to stop using it until my face got better. A week after I stopped using it, my acne got WAY worse. I honestly think the makers of proactiv put some kind of "addicting" substance in the product to make your skin become dependent on proactiv. Buying proactiv was a huge mistake. My face looks a lot worse than it was. It's been about 5 months since I used it and I still have horrible scars caused by proactiv. I've been using "equate daily face wash" from Walmart. It's about $3 and does help clear acne. As for the scars, I use cucumber juice and potato juice
(not at the same time).

Good luck to everyone struggling with the effects from using Proactiv.

ComplaintsBoard
V
4:14 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Proactiv Unauthorized billing

I ordered the proactive one time for my daughter so she could try the product. Two months later, the company sent me another package in the mail along with an invoice for $45.00 as though I had signed up for some kind of regular shipment program or something. I had NOT! At no time was there even a place to make such a commitment. When I told them they screwed up they insisted I send them the product back to them! I told them that they sent me a gift and I wasn't going to pay for it. It was their fault they screwed up and that their predatory practices bit them this time!

BEWARE PEOPLE, if you order something from this company they will send you other products and try to make you pay! Don't pay! You are not obligated to pay for something you did not order!

Read full review of Proactiv and 43 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
43 comments
Add a comment
C
C
cindy waldow
kenosha, US
Apr 28, 2022 2:38 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have been a member since 1995. my 3 piece kit was locked in at a member price of $35.90 for many, many years! Now they want me to pay $94.79 for the same 3 piece kit and they say that they have lost my data due to a system upgrade. I do not understand how a company can do this to a long standing customer like me. I am so very disappointed in this company.

S
S
Shelley Hunter
San Rafael, US
Mar 26, 2009 7:09 pm EDT

My daughter ordered proactive online through proactive.com. They continued to ship us boxes of proactive and bill me for it. I called them up and told them we did not order this. The customer service rep acted like i am some kind of idiot, because of course i did, because by ordering online, my daughter became a "member". I said that joining any kind of membership is not clear and you should be able to order a product with out becoming a member and this is targeted towards teenagers, who would not notice such a scheme. I told them i would not pay for it, nor would i pay for shipping. They can pick it up or pay for shipping themselves. There is a shipping form that comes with the package whereas you are the one to have to pay for it. After i ranted about the marketing scheme being a sham and deceiving and that i had no intention of giving them any money, he said he's send a shipping label. Do not order online! What a scam! I am ticked off!

F
F
FirePhoenix
New Carlisle, US
Aug 03, 2014 10:49 am EDT

Well, I am considering ordering this online. I am well aware that this is a membership and they will automatically take out of my account each month. I came on here hoping to get reviews, not complaints about where people screwed up by jumping into this century long enough to order something for a good price, then jumping back out when it came time for the next shipment. Seriously people, if you want something NOT taken out of your account, call your banks and tell them to stop any future purchases from them. It really isn't hard to do, takes all of about 10 minutes of your time.
That said, I think I might go find me some real reviews and then order.

J
J
JennPavlov
Chula Vista, US
Jul 07, 2014 5:03 pm EDT

Terrible.
I ordered a box of proactiv + for the first time an paid about $48 total.
For my orders, i specifically indicated to have a shipment every 22 weeks since i didn't want to pay for a box every other month or so. To my surprise i receive another box in the mail the following month. I checked my account and noticed they deducted $54 for this purchase - the same amount listed in my order history for all of the items, including their "free gifts". I figured i would keep this and call to cancel my membership. No sooner was i able to call them when i received a bill in the mail stating i owed another $88 for the same box! i emailed customer service and they indicated because they sent me a 90-day supply (never did i authorize a 90 day supply) the initial $54 was for shipping and processing fees, the remaining balance of $88 was the cost of the merchandise. Are you kidding me? No where ever did it say while i was purchasing this product that they would charge so much, especially for a product of which i indicated i only needed a 1 month supply at a time. While the product is decent at best, the billing/charging system is a total rip-off. Do not order from this place.

T
T
Tired_of_Fraud_Being_Ignored
Greenville, US
May 06, 2014 1:41 am EDT

Same problem here. Twice now I have contacted Customer Support and twice they have guaranteed me a refund for already debited charges, plus a confirmation email of my cancellation. I have yet to receive either. The employee ID number given to me at the time of cancellation was bogus. No employee with that ID number was employed by their company as I was led to believe. Can anyone say "Class Action"? Does anyone here have the number to a decent attorney that handles class action suits? I am more than willing to contribute toward attorney fees to see this issue get national attention in hopes to prevent others from being taken advantage of this way. This is a criminal act, no matter how you try to spin it!

A
A
Alfred
, US
Apr 07, 2009 5:11 am EDT

The good news is that Proactive Solutions worked on my adult acne. The best part of the kit was the Refining Mask. I had purchased three kits separately and paid the full asking price. Each time I got the Refining Mask along with the Repair Lotion and cleanser.

Thinking I'd get a better deal I joined the club and ordered the same kit. I got it, then as advertised, I started to receive replacement supplies, along with a bill for $62.68. Instead of the Refining Mask, I was stuck with the Daily Oil solution which I have found does not work. I paid for it, and when the next shipment arrived, I returned it. Two months later another shipment arrived and I returned that. The third shipment arrived with a 'Second Notice' bill. I returned the kit and bill.

Then I got a 'Third and Final Notice' letter with threats to send me to collections. I sent them a letter explaining what I was getting and that I had returned the products back to them. I told them to check their files for my returns and told them that the product did work and I was happy with it but I needed to stop their treatments, per my doctor's orders.

Think that worked? No. Today I got yet another bill with a collections threat attached and a promise never to send products to my address again.

If you are happy with Proactive Solutions, fine. But never join their club!

K
K
K masters
Millburn, US
May 12, 2011 12:50 pm EDT

I ordered Proactive over the phone and was told I automatically would be enrolled in their automatic shipping program. There was no way around that option BUT once i received the first box, I could call that day and cancel the auto ship feature. I got the order on April 11 and called on April 11. The rep was helpful and took care of it. Then on April 26 I got billed for a shipment! I called, the rep said it was mistake and she saw I had cancelled on 4/11/11. She said i would be credited in 3-5 business days. Well, today is May 12 and NO CREDIT. I called again and cant get anyone to help me...now what?

C
C
Consciouscool
Ny, US
May 21, 2013 10:18 am EDT

Same deal, 3 months later they reactivated my account. This is ILLEGAL. See following
Federal Law
These rules are codified in Title 39, United States Code, Section 3009. That section of the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 incorporates these protections for American consumers and makes the mailing of unordered merchandise unfair methods of competition and unfair trade practices under the law.

If you do not wish to pay for unsolicited merchandise or make a donation to a charity sending such an item, you may do one of three things (in each case, by law, you have no obligation to the sender):

If you have not opened the package, you may mark it "Return to Sender, " and the Postal Service will return it with no additional postage charged to you.
If you open the package and don't like what you find, you may throw it away.
If you open the package and like what you find, you may keep it for free. In this instance, "finders-keepers" applies unconditionally.
Furthermore, it is illegal for a company that sends you unordered merchandise to follow the mailing with a bill or dunning communication.

If you are aware of violations of the federal law prohibiting the mailing of unordered merchandise, or if you have personally had difficulty with such items--especially if you are sent statements demanding payment for the merchandise--you should contact you local postmaster or the nearest Postal Inspector.

P
P
Pissed@Proactive
Eden Prairie, US
May 14, 2013 8:00 am EDT

Same thing here.. I have canceled at least 5 times and even called back to verify the cancellation and a couple months alter they charge/ship again.. My bank even called them as part of a fraud resolution on the disputed charge and they LIED TO THE BANK and said I never canceled and am still an active member! What BS this is after canceling multiple times with multiple confirmation calls! PROACTIV is a POS company to deal with. A true world class slum shop!

J
J
JRiddle
Arlington, US
Feb 19, 2013 12:44 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Just a quick update. My contact at the FTC was very responsive and we are now in the process of opening up an investigation. ProActive should have really considered their subscription trap technique a little more carefully. If the investigation formalizes (which there is a good chance it will), this will likely have a big impact on Jessica Simpson's royalty check.

ComplaintsBoard
T
12:55 pm EST

Proactiv Your commercials have stars, but I still have scars!

Ok first off, this product has been hyped up by the media for a few years now and I must say, when I began using the product I became more and more disappointed. The basic package come with three small bottles of cleanser, toner, and an even smaller bottle of repairing lotion. I don't know about you, but when I wash my face, I like it to be clean. They recommend that you use a dime-sixed amount of the cleanser so I did that... and my oh my, my face still felt dirty and there were particles from the cleanser still on my face and that's hard to wash off. In a nutshell, this product is not for everyone, especially those who wear foundation. The supplies do not last more than a week if you're one of those people who wash your face twice a day. I've been using Neutrogena Deep Clean and I pay less than $7 bucks for it and it does the job and the bottle lasts for weeks!

Read full review of Proactiv and 4 comments
Hide full review
4 comments
Add a comment
F
F
FerriousMom
, US
Oct 11, 2023 9:08 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My underage son used the 3 step system and ended up with burns, infection, open wounds on his face, he is now scarred and suffers from anxiety and depression. i am going to do a lawsuit.

J
J
jenifer5
, US
Sep 13, 2010 8:29 pm EDT

this company sucks, the product is awful. the service is horrible. signed up for the "club", changed addresses after 2 months product was shipped to old address. canceled and was still charged after cancellation. if you have to buy this crap just get it from a vending machine

D
D
diesel60
, CA
Feb 14, 2010 2:32 am EST

First thing to your complaint: you don't use a cleanser to remove your makeup, you use a make-up remover
Second is: you are suppose to add water and damp your face with the cleanser, using more than the amount is useless
Third: Buy a bigger size then
Last=Scar does not equal pimples, they are hyper pigmentation, go google and learn

Please go learn something about how to clean your skin properly before putting any comments, it just makes you sound stupid.

K
K
Kristin
,
Mar 31, 2008 5:43 pm EDT

Proactive is a rip off, at first when I started using it my acne got better (after the like 4-6week for it to start working) then when it came time to get my next pack they automatically charged me and sent it without my permission! After receiving it and continuing to use it twice a day the product completely stopped working and my acne went back to the way it was! Maybe it's my skin type who knows but it's not for everyone and if you don't want it make sure you call and tell them!

Proactiv Customer Reviews Overview

Proactiv is a well-known brand that offers a range of skincare products designed to treat acne and other skin issues. The brand has received a lot of attention over the years, and there are many reviews available online that provide insight into the effectiveness of their products.

One of the most significant advantages of Proactiv is that it offers a comprehensive range of products that are designed to work together to treat acne and other skin issues. Their products are formulated with ingredients that are known to be effective in treating acne, such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.

Many Proactiv reviews highlight the effectiveness of their products, with many users reporting significant improvements in their skin after using the products. Users have reported that their skin is clearer, smoother, and more radiant after using Proactiv products.

Another advantage of Proactiv is that their products are easy to use and can be incorporated into a daily skincare routine. The brand offers a range of products that are suitable for different skin types, so users can find products that work for them.

Overall, Proactiv is a brand that has received positive reviews from many users. Their products are effective, easy to use, and can help to improve the appearance of acne-prone skin. If you are looking for a skincare brand that can help to treat acne and other skin issues, Proactiv is definitely worth considering.
Trust badge
Collect Your Trust Badge
Be recognized for outstanding customer service

Contact Proactiv customer service

Website

www.proactiv.com

Your Voice Matters: Our Commitment to Genuine Reviews

Empowering Real Experiences

At ComplaintsBoard, we believe in the power of true customer stories. Our platform is a space for authentic voices, where experiences, both good and bad, are shared openly and honestly.

Dedicated to Authenticity

ComplaintsBoard is vigilant in our fight against false reviews. Our team employs robust verification methods to ensure every review reflects a real customer experience, upholding the integrity of our platform.

Encouraging Detailed Feedback

ComplaintsBoard values reviews that come with real evidence. Whether it's a photo, a detailed account, or additional documentation, such substantiation adds credibility to your story, helping others make better-informed decisions.

Balanced and Constructive Conversations

We're more than just a complaints board; we're a community for balanced dialogue. ComplaintsBoard encourages reviews that not only highlight issues but also acknowledge positive aspects, fostering a fair and comprehensive understanding.

Free and Fair Platform

ComplaintsBoard's commitment to maintaining a free and unbiased platform is unwavering. Every review is treated equally, ensuring that your voice is heard and respected, regardless of the nature of your experience.

Is ComplaintsBoard.com associated with Proactiv?

ComplaintsBoard.com is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Proactiv Customer Service. Initial Proactiv complaints should be directed to their team directly. You can find contact details for Proactiv above.

ComplaintsBoard.com is an independent complaint resolution platform that has been successfully voicing consumer concerns since 2004. We are doing work that matters - connecting customers with businesses around the world and help them resolve issues and be heard.

Use this comments board to leave complaints and reviews about Proactiv. Discuss the issues you have had with Proactiv and work with their customer service team to find a resolution.