ActBlue Reviews

I've used ActBlue hundreds of times. There have been only a few glitchs:
1) Once or twice, a "jumpy screen" changed my contribution from what I had intended. When I found out about it, I do what I always do when a merchant has done something incorrect with a credit card: I called my bank and told them there was an error somehow. Everything was straightened out in 10 minutes.

2) One time, I got an inquiry from the PAC using ActBlue, to check if the amount was higher than I had really intended. It was way too high ($500); so they regretfully but graciously cancelled the charge, and I issued a contribution for $50-still a good contribution from my point of view.

You should check your credit card statement to keep up on who's drawing on you; and one problem with approving a monthly contribution is that you might forget that you have already set one up before, and you could end up setting up multiples (as the Republicans in the Senate act more and more outrageously. But I've never had any problem or unpleasantness fixing a mistake with them.

Continually taking thousands of money without my conscent

Act Blue continues to take my money even when I cancel!! This sight shows up asks using an account I rarely use. When I cancel, it is ignored!!

FRAUDULENT DECEITFUL PRACTICES!

I AUTHORIZED $5.00 PER WEEK UP UNTIL NOV 3 FOR THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN - THAT IS ALL.
THEY ARE ALSO TAKING ANOTHER $6 A WEEK! HOW RIDICULOUS! IM A SENIOR ON DIS. HOW MANY OTHER SENIOR CITIZENS ARE DEALING WITH THIS, OR WORSE, NOT NOING ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE BEING TAKEN OUT OF YHERE ACCOUNTS!

ALTBLUE.COM MAKES IT FRUSTRATING, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A REFUND OR CANCEL DEBITS!

THE WEB "HELP" PUTS YOU ON A LOOP, PREVENTING THE EMAIL FOR THE MANDATORY SUBJECT LINE.

I AM AMAZED THERE ARE STILL COMPANIES OUT THERE USING THIS OBVIOUS LOOP TO FRUSTRATE AND DISCOURAGE THE REFUND/CANCEL EFFORTS.

IT SHOULD BE AS EAS TO CANCEL A IT IS TO SIGNUP, ALTHOUGH THEY SET THE ARROWS AND TABS IN A TRICKY WAY, APPEARANTLY CAUSING UNINTENDED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TAKEN OUT OF ACCOUNTS.

I demand all the $6.00 charges refunded, and accounts stopped immediately for all recurring transactions

AND MY BANK ACCOUNT IS NOW IN THE RED!!!!!!!!

additionally, want any applicable auto draft fees - $40!!

Stole my time and my rights.

Multiple daily text asking for contributions to a political party I’m not affiliated with. More specifically asking for money to defeat Donald Trump. They have called me every name except my given name. The website only allows you to donate money. There isn’t a way to unenroll for something I never enrolled in. Nor is there any way to lodge a complaint or talk to a human. It’s obvious they are trying to annoy me to the point I donate anything, something just to make it stop. They use at least three different numbers everyday so blocking isn’t an option. It appears to be information they received at the state level. I have only been registered to vote in Illinois for approximately four years. The last presidential election I was a resident of my previous state while working in Illinois. I should have stayed there. At least I would have an option to exercise my right to vote. Per a letter I just received from the Secretary of State: “Someone, a political figure” requested a mail in ballot on my behalf. I absolutely did not authorize this action nor was I even aware it had happened. Guess what never came??? Of course the said ballot. Wo that ballot, I can’t vote for anyone! If I want to vote in person, I have to have my mail in ballot with me. I’m assuming these never ending political texts are tied to the missing ballot.

I’m not affiliated with any party. I vote for people, not parties. It’s usually a pretty even spread. However, this is some next level shit, that isn’t coming from the Republican Party. I heard this state was shady and I knew the previous four governors ended up in prison, but I didn’t know scandal like this was even possible!

Jokes on you Illinois! I came here gainfully employed. Thanks to a new, full disability, I’ll think I’ll stay and mooch off the dimes you don’t have to spare! I’d keep complaining but I’m going to sign up for food stamps instead.

Sorry I don’t have the energy to re read and edit this. I’m sure no one else is going to read this, I need to save my last ounce of energy to take care of my basic needs.

Keep it classy Illinois.

The ActBlue donation portal is confusing and ineffective. The site seems more interested in collecting a tip than serving its primary purpose of accepting donations for candidates.

And good luck trying to get a response from ActBlue....

Excessive errors and charges

$1 donation cleared for 100, 5 charge cleared for 500 and 10 cleared for 1000. There were approx 1000 plus in unauthorized recurring donations. I would have caught this sooner but was in hospital? The account is closed. I am still asking for the money from them.

I have been making lots of donations through act blue and they aren't showing up in my contribution history. All I can get from Act Blue is an email telling me to be patient. Are they on the level?

Act Blue Took Money From My Account

I checked my account for transactions and found that Act Blue had withdrawn money from my account. I never gave permission for that. I don't even know how they got my account info.
I want my six dollars back.

Scam Act Blue

I gave a donation of 10.00 they took 1000. My bank won't stop charges. It was my entire social security check

The organization itself is effective. The trouble is that they sign you up for many of the other organizations they represent automatically if you turn on notifications for just one of them, including ones that do not align with my values. I support the Democrats retaking congress but I do not support the DNC. Unsubscribing does not work the first few times. They will lie in their advertising claiming no one donates to campaigns you have donated to, telling you in texts that you have not donated this year the very week after you donate, and have shady practices like promising to end campaigns if they do not make x amount of money in order to reabsorb them and redistribute the cash, so you effectively have very little control over where your donations are actually going. Overall they are good at helping Democrats in congress which is their mission, but due to a total lack of quality control and organization, they are horrible when it comes to donor experience. If you make the mistake of giving them money, your money will have the desired effect, but they will punish you for donating to them severely and frequently. I recommend buying a different phone and giving them that number whether you sign up for notifications officially or not. A burner e-mail is also recommended. Basically, never ever give these people any way to reach out to you directly, and understand that your money is going into a black hole.

I donated 5 dollars to ACTBLUE*JOHNHICKENLOOP. A 500 charge appeared on my credit card. I emailed ACTBLUE a number of times and received no response.
I also went on line and tried their costumer service, who directed me to a third party that wanted to charge me a fee for their service. In the meantime, as I go through previous contributions ACTBLUE, I find that I have been double billed. I will no use ACTBLUE ever again, but we instead send contributions directly to the candidate by mail

I have been donating to different political campaigns all week through ActBlue. Today it was for Katy Porter. Apparently all I have to do is check a box and hit send you ActBlue already has my bank account number looking straight at me. I called PayPal to get them to close whatever window that was open, and they said I had to contact ActBlue. PayPal gave me a phone number (615) 517-7600, unless you are now running your donation center from a design company, PayPal does not have your phone number. If I donate, I want to be the one to tell you my account numbers, I don't want you asking me which account of mine you can use. I want to get my account information closed from you. If I don't hear from you very, very soon, 1) no more donations, ever. 2) will contact every political party that I have donated to with a major complaint regarding your shady business practices.

Rip off

I donated $3 and they changed it to $25 SO I changed it back to $3. After I submitted my ‘receipt’ stated that I had been charged 500. I called MasterCard, cancelled my card and requested they investigate. I finally was able to get into my actual ActBlue according and the charge was not there! (However it was on my MasterCard! So bogus ActBlue scammers!?

Overcharged

I gave act blue $5.00
Within a minute I Was charged another 500.00 !!!!

Unauthorized charge

I wanted to contribute a small amount to a political campaign. BEFORE I finalized the contribution amount, an amount of $684 showed on my screen. I immediately closed out the screen and started over to contribute my correct amount of choice. The $684 charge was charged from my account anyway.

I keep being chastised for not donating On-Line to Act Blue and other Progressive Sites. There is no way to tell any of them, with the exception of NARAL Pro Choice America, that I do donate but not with a credit card and never On-Line. I donate via check whenever I donate.

I went to the website and started the process to make a contribution then quickly changed my mind when I realized how pushy they were being about making it a recurring contribution. Somehow they had ALL my Visa info, without my consent, and made a charge to my card. I'm trying to dispute it but their page conveniently won't load to allow me to. This is something I would expect the Trump side to do, not Biden! It's extremely upsetting and disappointing, and I'm already in touch with Capital Visa to fix it. How did Actblue get my Visa info, and why were they able to charge my card without me entering the three-digit security code?? Extremely upsetting!

I've had two credit cards hacked by someone hacking the actblue website.

I contributed online to Actblue on Saturday the 19th; just dollars; within the next two hours, charges kept appearing on my credit card...up to an extra 86 dollars. I cancelled the credit card and was sent a new one by Visa which was also hacked for 25 dollars. Actblue made right on the 86 dollars but not the recent 25 dollar charge.

I have used ActBlue for a number of years to make donations for political campaigns. I am sorry to say I have made mistakes in donation amounts in the past by as another reviewer mentioned, due to “fat fingers.” When I have requested a cancellation in the past, it was taken care of by the next day or two. I made a fat finger mistake again, for an amount I cannot afford as a retiree. I sent a request to AB to cancel the donation minutes after the mistake was made. This was a week ago. Despite the usual “confirmation we received your email” email sent to me, I have received nothing else. I have sent two more emails and a phone call. Still nothing. I just received a second receipt for the donation. I am hoping it isn’t going to be charged twice. I’m not sure what else to do. What is going on with ActBlue Support?

ActBlue Confusing Website Steal Money

I attempted to do a one-time donation to my favorite candidate but ended up contributing twice. I finished my first transaction but I never received a transaction completion confirmation. The page simply refreshed causing me to think the donation didn't go through. So I resubmitted and received a confirmation of my donation. However, when I checked my bank account, I was charged twice. I emailed them about the problem but haven't received a reply.

Yard sign not delivered

Responding to an ad on Facebook, I ordered a yard sign to advertise that I am voting for Joe Biden. I ordered it many weeks ago. I am still waiting. I paid $31, which was taken from my checking account. The facebook ad did not say that it was "Actblue." But that's who took the $31. I want my money back.

Banks usually refer incorrect online charges to their credit/debit cards back to the billing vendor. Cases of unknown charges from any business are typically a result of stolen or otherwise compromised accounts.

Regarding an unauthorized "tip" charge: ActBlue's donation webpage defaults to "No Tip," suggesting human error. Likewise with "double" or unanticipated recurring charges.

There is a 3.95% fee that issuing credit card companies charge vendors for the right for you to pay them using the company's credit card. It is a common practice for any vendor to pass this fee along to the consumer, and to advise prior to posting the charge. Those that do not incorporate the fee into the purchase price of goods and services. The consumer pays regardless.

Use a debit card or investigate other currency form providers' policies to avoid the fee. Can also write and mail a check. The fee is only 55¢ for the stamp.

Another option is to visit the website via a PC browser rather than on a smartphone, to improve visibility and avoid "fat fingers" using tiny keyboards. There is no APP.

Have been utilizing ActBlue for three election cycles without a hitch. It is a non-profit organization that has been operating for over 15 years. It is unlikely that the DNC would remain affiliated, or that an organization that collects donations on behalf of scores of charities could have remained in business if the disputes itemized here were commonplace.

As evidenced by the one reply listed here, purportedly from ActBlue in response to a refund complaint post, the refund in question was issued within 30 days.

Regarding ability to contact the organization for refunds or disputes: actblue.com has a pulldown menu atop the "Home" page. Choose "Help." There is a list of a dozen or so FAQs, including:
"Can I get a refund for a donation I made through ActBlue?"
There are instructions.

As with any business's refund policy, phone calls will not speed the process unless the instructions are followed; so stay calm.

Also note that ActBlue's donation webpage is a "https: URL" i.e., as secure as Amazon or any legitimate financial institution.

Richard

Somehow Act blue got my credit card number, and have fraudulently charged me $85.00. This seems to be quite common behavior for them. I am going through my bank and charging them with fraud. They are not legitimate, and basically just help themselves to money in your account. I will be getting my $85.00 dollars back even if I have to take them to court. DO NOT USE THIS SITE!

Communist site

I had an unauthorized charge of $100 on my credit card through Bank of America. I have never contributed to this organization and after a google search it appears they do this frequently. I am a registered Republican and would NEVER contribute to this organization. I have called the bank and had it removed. Very shady business practice.