1&1 THREATENS me for not renewing a domain with them

[JuniperPark]

Got the usual notices of a domain there expiring that I didn't intend to renew, so I ignored it. They have an expired credit card on file there.

Today I get an email threatening to TAKE ME TO COLLECTIONS if I don't give them my new credit card info, IN ADDITION to an $18.95 penalty!

So I email them I want to cancel - they refuse to do it. I log in and try to cancel - go through the screens to cancel (like THE F'ing steps!), THEN confirmation emails, THEN I get another email saying they "won't accept my cancellation unless I ACTIVATE MY ACCOUNT", which I can do by sending them my new credit card number!

This is complete and utter BS, and a violation of the terms if use of Visa.

Here is my I email to them after requesting a customer service person cancel since I can't do it online:

======

"You must do the cancellation yourself, we do not cancel accounts for
people. " Is this what you call "Customer Service"???

And your company has the nerve to threaten me with "Please be aware that if this matter is not resolved, you may be sent to a debt collection agency. If the account is sent to a debt collection agency an $18.95 charge will be added to the unpaid balance."

F YOU. I have made very clear that I do NOT want to renew the domain, and you can be sure that because of your threats and incompetence, I will NEVER do business with your company again, and advise others in the domain business as well.

You have now been repeatedly told, in writing, that I do not want to do business with you. You web site's failure to allow me to log on does not negate in any way that you have been ordered to CANCEL MY ACCOUNT AND ALL BILLING.

If your company causes me any harm by falsely sending my name to a debt collection agency, you will be sued as well. Any further attempts to bill my credit card will result in a copy of this email to sent to your merchant account provide as evidence of fraud and a violation of the terms of use of the Visa logo, as well as law enforcement for prosecution of online fraud.

Is there ANY part of the word CANCEL that you do not understand??

===============

 

[draggar]

I just dropped some w/ 1&1 with no issues.

http://cancel.1and1.com is where I went.

Edit: I'm assuming you had autorenewal off? If it was on with no form of payment on file, then they (and most registrars) would do something like this.

 

[Theo]

Would you trust a company that falsely advertises their 20th anniversary in the business? They were in a completely different sector as a different entity 20 years ago.

 

[nameadvertising.com]

I do a lot of business with 1and1. Their terms state that your domains will be renewed automatically and you will be re-billed. You ignored the terms when you ignored their renewal notifications, as stated by you.

You could have easily logged in then and had the domain(s) canceled. They have a standard process for everyone including cancellations. Nothing unusual or illegal.

When you do business, there are certain obligations both parties must adhere to.
If it is just 1 domain, I doubt they will send it to collections. I won't sweat over it. Pay up and renew it without going through all that stress. Not worth it.

 

[JuniperPark]

I do a lot of business with 1and1. Their terms state that your domains will be renewed automatically and you will be re-billed. You ignored the terms when you ignored their renewal notifications, as stated by you.

You could have easily logged in then and had the domain(s) canceled. They have a standard process for everyone including cancellations. Nothing unusual or illegal.

When you do business, there are certain obligations both parties must adhere to.
If it is just 1 domain, I doubt they will send it to collections. I won't sweat over it. Pay up and renew it without going through all that stress. Not worth it.

Nope. I can't log in because my account "is not active", and therefore I cannot cancel.

I DID step through the absurd multi-step process, only to be told AFTER all of this and AFTER I did the 'final' email confirmation that "my cancellation request would be voided in 7 days" unless I re-activated my account by giving them a new credit card AND AGAIN agreed to continuous non-stop billing!

It is illegal for a company to refuse to stop billing you after you have cancelled, and no contract can force you to pay 'forever' while they ignore requests to cancel. Any to then demand you pay more (their $18.99 fee) is extortion, plain and simple.

NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THIS RIPOFF COMPANY.

 

[Theo]

They cannot renew the domain, therefore their cost is zero. What will they send you to collections for? A service they didn't provide? It's like Restaurant A threatening to sue because you didn't eat at their establishment on a given Sunday of the month because you chose not to.

Total idiots.

 

[acronym007]

Do a search over at NP and other forums too. 1and1 is one the worst companies out there. They tried to send people collection notices for all the free info's years back. LOL. They are horrible, from top to bottom.

 

[reliable1]

1&1 is the ultimate power player from Europe. I used to be a web host. Not a reseller but our own equipment network etc. They put a lot of small hosts and some larger ones in the U.S. out of business because they had years of cash in reserves and essentially bought the market by intentionally losing money on hosting for several years and luring in customers with terms and rates that nobody else could match without likewise losing money on each account. This says nothing of customer service but it was a Microsoftesque move that paid off for them.
I got out of hosting for different reasons but generally speaking small hosts have always been leaps and bounds superior to large mega-corporation hosts. Maybe you pay a few bucks more per month but you get what you pay for. Nobody wants to hear that and the general perception is that size=quality but nothing could be farther from the truth. Size = red tape, no personal service, unmotivated employees who are only in it for the paycheck and benefits and a company that will only go as high on those terms as they can get away with. And with large companies most of your top people exist at the top because of their ability to navigate politics and keep their job rather than any skill or quality at doing their job. It is promotion by longevity rather than promotion by quality. The best people in huge corporations don't last long because there is always a bigger and better deal for them to move on to and only a limited amount of spots in any one corporation to move up to.

Support your small business people that represent the largest segment of US GDP and you help the economy as well as get better quality of service.

 

[DOTCA]

Is this really true.. can one be penalized for not renewing a domain in this day and age????

 

[acronym007]

Is this really true.. can one be penalized for not renewing a domain in this day and age????

They are wrong. Let's see, all other registrar's let it expire but they send it collections? Hmmm. Nothing more than a scare tactic. I'm sure some pay out of fear.

 

[nameadvertising.com]

I am not sure why ICANN won't step in to make 1and1 change their business practices far as domain renewals and customer rights. I mean, I have had no issues with them, but yes there are horror stories across the web on their business practices.

Yes, they can't hijack your account and have you pay for a renewal you did not want. Although they can claim that you were notified and that they closed your account per terms.

But all in all, not the right manner in which to conduct business. They MUST allow their customers a choice to renew automatically or have a domain registered on a yearly basis and not force it on them with renewals.

In my earlier pm I mentioned that you are better off paying up if you have a single name. Not worth the collections and credit rating jeopardy.

If you have a greater amount, I am not sure what you can do best. Perhaps another forum member may shed light on this.

Hope your case gets settled without any further duress.

 

[domain newbie]

lol- thats funny - just click "spam" - and forget about this

p.s. always make sure you renew your ccards every three months or so - lots crappy co's does that

 

[katherine]

Another good reason to read the fine print & T&C
Anyway 1&1 is famous for this type of behavior and is best avoided.

 

[GAMEFINEST]

I've cancel couple of domains there with no issue...

 

[draggar]

I have renewals coming up with 1&1.

They've sent me emails (1-3, about 40-45 days in advance) about renewals coming up and some I've been able to renew or cancel them with no issues.

I've also
been able to transfer domains out of 1&1 with no issues, either.

 

[HasRob]

Thankfully, I read all the horror stories long ago and never opened an account there. I keep all my domains at godaddy and never ever had a problem.

 

[evilbunny]

But you didn't read all the horror stories about GoDaddy?

 

[robmac]

1 & 1 total crap

 

[newvista]

In my opinion you may have a legal case against them for harassment. To avoid this in future, always set your domains to manual renewal.

 

[tetrapak]

.AT (Austrian cctld) also penalizes if a domain does not get cancelled via signed fax 1 month before expiration. There are several people owing few k$'s to the Austrian registry.