Complain About Hotspot Shield - learn how to file a complaint

It's bad enough when your VPN slows you down, but it's infuriating when it doesn't work at all. And it's not just you. Hotspot Shield's parent company, Aura, has an 'F' rating from the Better Business Bureau. Seriously. They've racked up over 111 complaints in the last three years, with many users flagging major problems with billing and the product itself. If you're tired of connection drops, surprise charges, or support that goes nowhere, you're in the right place. It’s time to get this sorted.

Published on 23 Jul, 2025
Olivia Harper, Content Manager
8 min read

How to Complain About Hotspot Shield

Best ways to complain to Hotspot Shield

Getting a hold of a real person can be tough. They funnel you towards their online system, but here are your main options.

Contact Method Details & Availability Why use this instead...
Support Ticket Official Support Portal. Available 24/7. This is their main channel. It creates a documented record of your complaint, which is crucial if you need to escalate later.
Social Media Message them on Facebook or @HotspotShield on X. Use this for public pressure. Companies often respond faster when their brand image is on the line. Best for general issues, not for sharing sensitive account info.

Best ways to complain to Hotspot Shield

⏱️ Estimated Response Times from Hotspot Shield After Complaining

Don't hold your breath. Getting a quick reply can feel like a lottery.

Method Expected Wait Time
Phone Not Available
Email / Support Ticket 24 - 72 hours (or longer)
Chat N/A
App N/A

Estimated Response Times from Hotspot Shield After Complaining

🔍 Tips to Get a Quicker Response from a Complaint

  • Be Hyper-Specific: Don't just say "it's not working." Say, "I cannot connect to the New York server on my Windows 11 laptop using app version X.X.X."
  • Screenshots Are Your Best Friend: A picture of the error message or the incorrect bill is worth a thousand words. Attach everything.
  • Keep It All in One Thread: Don't submit a new ticket for the same issue. Reply to the existing email chain to keep all the context in one place for the support agent.

Tips to Get a Quicker Response from a Complaint

How to Escalate Your Complaint

If Hotspot Shield is ignoring you or gives you a useless response, it's time to go over their head. First, reply to your support ticket and ask to have your issue escalated to a manager. Be direct.

If that goes nowhere, take it outside. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a solid next step. You can file a complaint on their website. It's not a government agency, but companies hate having unresolved complaints on their BBB profile, especially when they already have an F rating. Aura (their parent company) usually responds to BBB complaints. Prepare to wait a bit, but it often works when direct support fails.

How to Escalate Your Complaint

Email Template to Complain to Hotspot Shield

Subject: Formal Complaint: Unresolved Billing/Service Issue on Account [[Your Email Address]]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing again to resolve an issue with my Hotspot Shield account. Despite contacting support on [[Date of first contact]], my problem remains unsolved, and honestly, my patience is wearing thin.

On [[Date of incident]], [[describe the problem clearly, e.g., I was charged $XX.XX for a renewal after I had already cancelled my subscription, or, the VPN service has been consistently unable to maintain a connection for more than 5 minutes, making it unusable for its intended purpose]].

This has been incredibly frustrating and a complete waste of my time.

To resolve this, I require you to [[state your demand clearly, e.g., issue a full refund of $XX.XX immediately, or, fix the technical issue and provide a credit for the month of service I could not use]].

Please be aware that if this is not resolved within the next 72 hours, my next step will be to file a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau and initiate a chargeback with my credit card provider.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

[[Your Name]]

Email Template to Complain to Hotspot Shield

Additional Helpful Tips to get Your Complaint Resolved

  • Quote Their Ads: If your connection is slow, remind them their website promises "the fastest VPN." Using their own marketing language against them can be surprisingly effective.
  • Mention 'Chargeback': This is a magic word for many billing departments. The process is a hassle for them, so they are often motivated to resolve the issue before you go to your bank.
  • Try a Different Tactic: One user on Reddit mentioned they got ignored on the support portal for a week, but got a refund within an hour after posting on Hotspot Shield's Facebook page. It's a long shot, but worth trying if you're stuck.

Additional Helpful Tips to get Your Complaint Resolved

Let Pine AI Help Raise the Complaint to Hotspot Shield

Tired of writing detailed support tickets just to get a canned response from Hotspot Shield two days later? It's exhausting. You explain the problem perfectly, attach screenshots, and they reply asking for information you already gave them. Sound familiar? Pine AI can take over this whole frustrating process. We handle the persistent follow-ups and deal with the pushback so you don't have to. No more checking your inbox for a reply that never comes. Let us handle the headache.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hotspot Shield Complaint Filing

What if Hotspot Shield doesn't reply?
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Can I escalate my complaint legally?
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Are there lots of people leaving Hotspot Shield?
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Is this the right phone number to contact Hotspot Shield?
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What's the easiest way to cancel a subscription with Hotspot Shield?
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Other ways that I can contact the Hotspot Shield?
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Why does Hotspot Shield keep disconnecting?
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Olivia Harper

Olivia Harper

Content Manager

Olivia Harper, a Content Manager with nine years of experience, creates user-focused guides on subscription services. Featured in Digital Consumer Reports, her work simplifies subscription terms and cancellations.

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