You're dealing with LoDaddy here, Maxwell, good luck getting refunded, normally it takes an acct manager who values and respects you as a client and that's only if you're some level of Premier. And I just don't think BloDaddy would reimburse you if you win the dispute either (katherine's comment) In fact, have you looked closer in your acct ? Go into Order Confirmations, you may have already been charged an additional penalty and not even been notified. I bet there's another fee of $20 for BloDaddy simply having received a C&D, it's standard practice to send a C&D to the registrant first (with a copy to the registrar), if not compulsory. Eve if a 6 yr-old contacts GD saying you're violating something of his, somewhere, for some stupid reason or no reason at all, GD assesses that charge and I could not get out of it. It costs someone $70 for the privilege of having GD as registrar when the challenge occurs. Look at the language (although scripted) in both their email responding to the C&D (telling you to respond to the claimant and send GD a copy), and the "up your ass" tone of the email you got when GD got its copy of the UDRP (your domain is now under registrar lock btw and GD will happily hand it over to your enemies if they win), it is disgusting how they treat loyal customers who've been taking all their bullshit for yrs. They tell you you're on your own, it's your problem, the registrar will not get involved, that they must listen to the arbitrating body and GD Legal has UDRP protocols that must be followed, etc
I was already pissed at MoDaddy when that UDRP happened and I almost left completely. Then I saw what I was dealing with as far as its competitors, cost, convenience for aftermarket, etc so I'm still with them but only part of my names are there, the most valuable ones are not. I was able to get assigned an acct manager for PremierGold based on volume, etc and for the 1st time I got a great one, but even he couldn't reverse many things GD had done to me and money they owed me, including this $70 as UDRP + C&D penalizations. I agree you should not choose a registrar based on whether or not they penalize you for receiving a dispute, or how much the charge is at different registrars (asfas' comment) UDRPs won't happen that often, hopefully. But technically any guy who hates your guts you can send 100 C&Ds to GD for no reason, they can do 20 for 20 of your domains, even if it's the same guy doing that, meaning GD will make $20 X 20 = $400 for just seeing a C&D, even if they're groundless (biggie's comment) A case I had involved a true moron sending GD a C&D for a numerical domain, and he did not even mention what domain/mark of his it was that my domain was infringing on. Not to me and not to GD, ever. I still don't know. I am not joking. And I got charged $20. For possibly "violating" an unnamed domain/mark of his. It did not go to UDRP, the scumbag did not have the required $1,500 or knew he had no claim at all
It was smart of you to read the fine print and find those clauses and GD will fight it, tho what you found makes sense. If you do a lot of business with them in terms of money, or just have a large portfolio even if you don't spend all that much or buy/sell on GD, then threaten to leave but they don't need us as customers, they're
#1 and have too many. As far as disputing the $50 charge with the cc, the moment GD finds out their charge was reversed you'll be blocked from accessing your acct until you pay it again. And some registrars have punitive fees for those action, ie they'll charge another fee just because you even did that. I thought of doing the exact same thing when my UDRP happened but knew what they'd do if I tried (once before I'd bought a name on GD and the jerk who listed it contacted me he didn't own it anymore and that he'd contacted GD, I thought making payment was useless, but even knowing that what I bought was not going to be given to me, GD still had me pay and to file a dispute with Auctions if I wanted to get into my acct) If you find a registrar with double auth sign-in and/or good security, prices you can afford, then move your names out. GD has many features in their CP you won't find in most others and that's to be considered, plus their marketplace works best if names are regged there. Their DDC also works if you do a lot of volume. I decided to grin and bear it and stayed in great part because of my acct manager, but moved out a lot of names. LoDaddy or BloDaddy is best know for its low blows lol, you're getting a taste of this, and I hope the other side loses ! (Hiring an IP lawyer or not is another dilemma, whether it's a valuable enough domain worth paying hefty legal fees for)
