Carfax Inc

CARFAX's refund policy is in full compliance with the FTC rules as cited by the complainant.  Refunds are given by CARFAX for any reason.  It does not matter if the reason for the refund request is that the customer is dissatisfied, didn't like the information provided, had a technical issue, or simply because a refund request was available and the customer wanted to get free CARFAX Reports.  This refund request is not be denied based on the reason.  The refund request is being denied because two many CARFAX Reports were run, which is stated clearly in the terms of the refund policy, to which the customer agreed.  If CARFAX had rejected the refund based on the customer's reason for requesting it, the customer would have a valid complaint.  However, since it is not being rejected based on the reason, the complaint is not valid.

CARFAX receives electronically -submitted data records from over 80,000 data sources, and loads these records directly into its Vehicle History Report database as they are received.  Because CARFAX does not receive any paper documents or perform any data entry, an error made by a data source...

may occasionally display on a CARFAX Vehicle History Report.All data disputes are handled in the order they are received.  I see that the customers dispute was acknowledged on 10/30/2014 and was notified the same day that her research was initiated and that her dispute was being researched and she will be contacted the moment an update is available.

A CARFAX Vehicle History Report is not an assurance that a vehicle is free from damage.  When no damage has yet been reported to CARFAX, the CARFAX Report states that no damage has been reported to CARFAX, and also states that not all information, including problems, is reported to CARFAX, and...

therefore the CARFAX Report should be used along with a pre-purchase vehicle inspection to check for prior damage or hidden repairs.

On November 18, the customer informed CARFAX that he would work with the police department in getting the police report corrected.

CARFAX received a copy of the corrected police report in the evening of 8/21/2014, and updated the CARFAX Report the morning of 8/22/2014.

[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 Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:  This response is absolutely unacceptable and ridiculous.  I indeed replied to the email that was sent to me, many times.  I did NOT draft new emails . 
I did not choose to use their service, nor ever would or will. Car dealerships use this product to get reports on vehicles.  Consumers are at the mercy of the this product and the service. Even the dealer replied to me that most of the time the report is wrong, and all it does is reduce the value of the cars. He apologized, but given the volume that he sees, I imagine this is a common issue. This was my experience, and it cost me $2000 and a car I wanted.  
A bigger issue is if the report shows no problems, but there actually was.  
Again, the service is irresponsible, given the power it has on the marketplace.  This power comes with responsibility, which they are avoiding and hiding from.  It is not OK.
Regards,
[redacted]

CARFAX received the customer's voicemail on 11/17/2015, and responded via email on 11/18/2015.  We sorry that the customer apparently did not receive our email.  We received a follow up email from the customer 2/4/2016 at 10:14 AM, and responded via email the same day at 10:48 AM...

confirming that the refund was issued.  The customer acknowledged receiving our email two minutes later.

[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 Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
I clicked on get a FREE CARFAX on a vehicle I wanted more information about, only when I clicked on get the FREE CARFAX it was not FREE.  You should try it and see for yourself. It is very misleading.
Regards,
[redacted]

The South Dakota had issued a "Damage Disclosure" title on this vehicle around the time the vehicle was totaled by the insurance company.  The damage disclosure displayed on the CARFAX Report.  Due to age, South Dakota stopped reporting the damage disclosure which is how the vehicle was...

able to receive a clean title, but CARFAX continued to report the prior damage disclosure.  In 2013, a new source began reporting total loss information to CARFAX, which is why the total loss was not reported to CARFAX in 2001.  Every CARFAX Report states that it can only report the information reported to CARFAX at that time, that other information including problems may not yet have been reported, and therefore the CARFAX Report should be used as a tool along with a pre-purchase inspection and test drive to assess the condition and value of the vehicle.  
CARFAX did report the damage disclosure title, recommend a pre-purchase vehicle inspection, and gave notice that other information, including problems, has not yet been reported.  CARFAX was not unable to report the total loss prior to 2013 because it had not yet been reported to CARFAX.  Because CARFAX did not miss a branded title, and because it adequately disclosed its limitations, it cannot offer any compensation.

[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.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

[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 Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
What a big lie!  The Carfax order page is clearly showing big bold text " UNLIMITED CARFAX REPORTS only $54.99". Please tell me WHERE in the order page or in the Customer Agreement states the "UNLIMITED" reports only include FIVE vin reports.
I can tell you that there is NONE.  If your website does not clearly state only 5 vin reports, I will call this absolutely FALSE ADVERTISEMENT.
Regards,[redacted]

[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 Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
I have taken it up with [redacted], as Carfax does not seem to have the ability to provide customer service even with proof from their own customer agreement of their incorrectness.  I have no interest in your account at this point, I have already purchased a vehicle using one of your competitors products to run VIN ID's as cars on car lots do not have license plates.
I can only make sure others know of Carfax's fraudulent marketing practices and non existent customer support by providing links to this Revdex.com complaint and sharing my story every time I have the opportunity in the many car forums I frequent.    
Please close this complaint rejected.  I do not need a response from Carfax again.
[redacted]

We appreciate the customer's feedback about the order page.  As the customer confirmed, the order page does specify that the plan is unlimited using the U.S. license plate in the product selection box, as well as the customer agreement also on the order page.  It is also listed in the...

purchase confirmation and receipt email that it is a license plate plan.  Since the customer has continued to use the account, and has since run all the VINs in the account, the account no longer qualifies for a refund.

CARFAX, its...

agents or employees, would never contact anyone under false pretenses, and especially would not pretend to be an interested consumer in order to get the seller to buy a CARFAX Report.   I assure you that whoever contacted you is not affiliated with CARFAX in any way.  Please contact our customer support team and we will be happy to issue you a full refund.  http://support.carfax.com.

The
CARFAX Vehicle History Report is a dynamic service that is updated regularly
with information received from current and new data...

sources. Sources of
accident data are not required to report information to our company, so the
reporting of events is based on a source's willingness to participate with us
and when they begin providing information to us thereafter. Since not all
accident sources provide information to CARFAX, we continuously contract with
new data sources for historical events in addition to receiving additional
records from our existing sources that can date back several years.  We
understand your concerns regarding the timing involved but despite our best
efforts, sources can take up to several years before agreeing to supply their data
while others may never report information to CARFAX. When we receive new
information from participating sources, we work as quickly as possible to
update the information on our report.
Our
company never promises consumers that it has a complete product, but, rather,
mentions that is based solely on information supplied to us. Every report
suggests using our service as one important tool along with a physical
inspection in the car buying process. Since not all accident and damage sources
report their information to CARFAX, we do not guarantee accident and damage
records therefore we do not offer compensation for missing accident and damage
records.
On
Every CARFAX Report it states, “This CARFAX Vehicle History Report is based
only on information supplied to CARFAX and available as of [the date and time
the Report is generated]. Other information about this vehicle, including
problems, may not have been reported to CARFAX. Use this report as one
important tool, along with a vehicle inspection and test drive, to make a
better decision about your next used car.”  This is located at the top of
every Report in regular text.  Each CARFAX Report also states, “Not all
accidents / issues are reported to CARFAX,” as well as “CARFAX DEPENDS ON ITS
SOURCES FOR THE ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF ITS INFORMATION. THEREFORE, NO
RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED BY CARFAX OR ITS AGENTS FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN
THIS REPORT.”

The airbag deployment disputed by the customer was reported to CARFAX by the police department.  CARFAX has contacted the police department and asked them to verify the airbag deployment and send supporting documentation.  Once the documentation arrives, CARFAX will conclude its research...

and contact the customer.  The customer can only provide a copy of the police report to speed up the process.

CARFAX is not reporting frame damage on the subject vehicle.  However, structural damage was reported by the data source.  We requested the customer provide a copy of the final estimate from the repairs in order for the customer to dispute this further, but no such document has been...

provided.

CARFAX resolved this matter with the customer on 7/21 via a compromise of adding a repair record to the CARFAX Report.

CARFAX does not advertise that its reports are only available using the VIN, nor is using the license plate considered an alternative.  CARFAX neither offers nor advertises unlimited CARFAX Reports by VIN.  The CARFAX website shows that CARFAX Reports can be obtained using either the VIN...

or the plate.  
CARFAX does offer three packages.  The Single CARFAX Report and the Five CARFAX Reports packages are run using either the VIN or the license plate.  The Unlimited plan is unlimited using the U.S. license plate, and while it does include 5 CARFAX Reports by VIN, it is a license plate plan.  The details of the plan are clearly stated in several places before, during, and after purchase.  On the order page, while the details are listed in the Customer Agreement (the customer is required to check the box indicating that they read and accept it), but also plainly listed in the product selection box.  It states "Unlimited CARFAX Reports only $54.99 / Unlimited Reports by U.S. License Plate / Valid for 60 Days."  During purchase, the details are listed on the purchase confirmation page as well as sent to the customer in the receipt email.  After purchase, the account clearly displays unlimited license plate searches and five searches by VIN.
I am sorry if the customer was unaware of the details of the plan they purchased, but CARFAX did notify the customer of those details twice before purchase, twice during purchase, and every time the account was used thereafter.  We would be happy to discuss the customer's account, please contact our Customer Support through our Help Center.  [redacted]

Date: Fri, Aug 26, 2016 at 5:22 PMSubject: RE: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania complaint #[redacted].To: "[redacted]" <[redacted]>Mr. [redacted],The system will not let me respond to this...

complaint. However, the structural measurements provided by the shop actually indicate that the vehicle is NOT within manufactured specifications and actually has current, unrepaired structural damage.  We have attempted to reach out to the inspector for clarification, but he has not gotten back to us. Best regards, Vince L