Entire GoDaddy account repossessed!

[LordMomo]

Hi everyone,

Really in need of some help here...
So I changed payment methods about a week ago at GoDaddy. A day or two later I got an email from their Verification Office requesting that I submit some additional documents:
ID, Bank Statement showing latest transaction, Back and Front of card.

I did so.

Since I received that first email, my account has been locked. I get an update a few hours ago (after submitted all documents) saying that my account has been reviewed and is not eligible to be unlocked.

Around the same time I see the WHOIS on my domains being updated to [email protected] and I have still been locked out of my account.

In all honesty, I have done nothing wrong, and I am unable to speak to someone regarding the reinstatement (I only get computerized responses and the Call center can do nothing).

Does anyone know what I can do as I have spent a lot of money on some of the domains in that account (it is my primary account)?

I would really appreciate any advice.

Momo

 

[Domains - Wanted]

very interesting case. there is something very very wrong here

Agreed!

Second that!

 

[Joe Styler]

Sorry for the delay. I've been slammed with some things such as names con. I have about 50 alerts and 10 messages.

I can look into it for him and have asked for the domain. If you are flagged for a fraudulent transaction it's pretty easy to remedy.

When they repossess the domain name they send an email saying so and saying they would like to figure it out. They ask for some info such as your ID and proof you can use the credit card etc. Nothing very hard for someone who is able to use the credit card to provide.

You can easily contact the fraud department since they send you an email and tell you how to resolve the issue. They and support provide you with the email address to use. Your answers from support sound unusual.

If you are flagged your payment method is automatically refunded. So I am not sure why you say you have no refund, but again I am able to look into it once I get the domain. Even if your credit card company thinks the card was compromised and cancels it we still are able to give the money back to that issuing bank and they in turn to you on the new card account.

 

[LordMomo]

Sorry for the delay. I've been slammed with some things such as names con. I have about 50 alerts and 10 messages.

I can look into it for him and have asked for the domain. If you are flagged for a fraudulent transaction it's pretty easy to remedy.

When they repossess the domain name they send an email saying so and saying they would like to figure it out. They ask for some info such as your ID and proof you can use the credit card etc. Nothing very hard for someone who is able to use the credit card to provide.

You can easily contact the fraud department since they send you an email and tell you how to resolve the issue. They and support provide you with the email address to use. Your answers from support sound unusual.

If you are flagged your payment method is automatically refunded. So I am not sure why you say you have no refund, but again I am able to look into it once I get the domain. Even if your credit card company thinks the card was compromised and cancels it we still are able to give the money back to that issuing bank and they in turn to you on the new card account.

Thanks for the response Joe.

As stated a bit earlier in the thread, the transaction which was flagged, was refunded. The issue is that I have done many other transactions (6/7 in the last 3 months alone). I have lost both the money spent in those transactions as well as the products bought.

Also my documents have been sent through about a week ago now.

Momo

 

[Kuffy]

I bumped this to see if there are any developments.

 

[Name Trader]

I bumped this to see if there are any developments.

It's the weekend. I don't suppose we'll hear from @Joe Styler until after the weekend. But it's probably too late for this case since @LordMomo has already filed a chargeback claim. IMHO.

 

[deez007]

I'm a little confused here now.

If we look at the response from Godaddy screen grab posted on this thread it completely contradicts what @Joe Styler is saying.

See Screen Grab Here: https://postimg.org/image/f58ezxcsv/

That response from the support team is shockingly arrogant and insensitive. Imagine if your investment broker, whom you have invested a small fortune with gave you a response like that? How would you feel?... exactly the same scenario here.

If this is how the support team has been trained to handle clients then I'm sorry to say @Joe Styler ,something is seriously wrong and it needs to be addressed.

 

[Name Trader]

I'm a little confused here now.

If we look at the response from Godaddy screen grab posted on this thread it completely contradicts what @Joe Styler is saying.

See Screen Grab Here: https://postimg.org/image/f58ezxcsv/

That response from the support team is shockingly arrogant and insensitive. Imagine if your investment broker, whom you have invested a small fortune with gave you a response like that? How would you feel?... exactly the same scenario here.

If this is how the support team has been trained to handle clients then I'm sorry to say @Joe Styler ,something is seriously wrong and it needs to be addressed.

I agree with this basic tenent. But I was giving @Joe Styler a chance to respond. Maybe he can work some magic. I've seen him do it in the past. I have confidence in him. But as I said. It might be too late with a chargeback already in place.

 

[DomainZombie]

In a company I worked for a few years a go, there was a chargeback fee for customers, who filed a chargeback and still wanted their domains. Not sure, but GD might have the same.
BTW chargebacks can be reversed and/or canceled

 

[deez007]

I agree with this basic tenent. But I was giving @Joe Styler a chance to respond. Maybe he can work some magic. I've seen him do it in the past. I have confidence in him. But as I said. It might be too late with a chargeback already in place.

I totally agree dude, I'm sure @Joe Styler would be able to work some magic and sort this out.

The issue I have is the intial response by the support team. Surely they should not be replying to customers telling them outright that this is it, end of the road, kiss your domains goodbye, not negotiable. However, when the matter is escalated to Joe we find out it's not a major issue and it can be resolved.

 

[platey]

i have read a few of the early posts in this thread etc and will read the rest of them later

i know nothing but only trying to work out why gd would do this etc like everyone on here is trying to do etc

from.my unerstanding of the posts i have read etc

who opened the gd?

what name was on the original account?

whose name was on the original card?

did the name on the orignal card match the details to the original account?

have different cards been used during the time the account has been open?

gd and their staff must see many 1000's of gd accounts and the behaviour patterns of each account which is natural as every individual is different etc

i can only imagine gd are seeing irregularities appear somewhere

i am only trying to understand why gd would do this

 

[Domains - Wanted]

I'm a little confused here now.
If we look at the response from Godaddy screen grab posted on this thread it completely contradicts what @Joe Styler is saying.
See Screen Grab Here: https://postimg.org/image/f58ezxcsv/

My reaction exactly!

Kudos to @Joe Styler for his involvement and assistance. His justified (IMO) optimism notwithstanding, something's obviously rotten and, frankly, very scary, at GoDaddy

 

[Name Trader]

I totally agree dude, I'm sure @Joe Styler would be able to work some magic and sort this out.

The issue I have is the intial response by the support team. Surely they should not be replying to customers telling them outright that this is it, end of the road, kiss your domains goodbye, not negotiable. However, when the matter is escalated to Joe we find out it's not a major issue and it can be resolved.

Yep. I agree with that. But these aren't the support team. They are the end of the road, Fraud Squad They have their own rules, like closing you account permanently, and telling you it will never, ever be opened again. Without any chance for appeal. It sucks. Big Time. I don't think @Joe Styler, will be able to change that attitude. IMHO. It's in-bred.

@LordMomo would not have started the chargeback, if the email he has received wasn't so convincing that he would never get his account back. It's part of the Fraud Squad's intentions. To completely convince the customer that he has no chance of ever getting his account back by stifling all argument. As I've said before. I thought my account was gone too. So there MUST BE some wiggle room. Which makes their statements dishonest. IMHO. As alluded to by Joe, who thinks this is so easy to resolve.

Of course it's giving the benefit of the doubt to @LordMomo, Innocent until proved guilty. No the other way around.

 

[Domains - Wanted]

...They are the end of the road, Fraud Squad They have their own rules, like closing you account permanently, and telling you it will never, ever be opened again. Without any chance for appeal. It sucks. Big Time. I don't think @Joe Styler, will be able to change that attitude. IMHO. It's in-bred...

Arrogant ba$&ards, aren't they? Well...

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall
(Proverbs 16:18)

 

[Kenny]

Give the man a chance to do his job

Peace,
Cy

 

[Nerevar]

If the topic starter was not a forum member and did not know about Joe Styler who can work magic sometimes, he would lose his domains forever. Therefore, there are other domainers, more solitary and less well connected, who probably have lost their domains forever. They did not know they can appeal to Joe Styler or to seek the support of the domaining community. GoDaddy really has to build an appeal system, so that Joe Styler, who has helped us numerous times, does not have be so often our "deus ex machina".

 

[LordMomo]

Thanks for all the responses and help guys.

I'm sure starting the credit card chargeback is probably a deal breaker and yes it can be cancelled. I'm not willing to cancel it though as I cannot be given a 100% guarantee that I will get my domains back.

The support staff and call center agents I have dealt with were seriously appalling. I have been in correspondence with Joe, and he has been the first person from GoDaddy to be of help and deal with my situation on its merits.

I'm going to take a break from domaining for a while, see how this issue plays out, and hopefully come back in a couple months with a better registra.

Best regards and happy domaining everyone.

Momo

 

[Kate]

Registrars will usually treat charge backs as fraud, and promptly close accounts and repossess domains. Godaddy is not the only one doing this.

 

[wwwweb]

Yes, a chargeback usually an act of war, and things are rarely resolved after the fact.

What I saw in that email, was pretty strongly worded, not sure what was said prior, but the op has many other choices.

 

[Arca]

If the topic starter was not a forum member and did not know about Joe Styler who can work magic sometimes, he would lose his domains forever. Therefore, there are other domainers, more solitary and less well connected, who probably have lost their domains forever. They did not know they can appeal to Joe Styler or to seek the support of the domaining community. GoDaddy really has to build an appeal system, so that Joe Styler, who has helped us numerous times, does not have be so often our "deus ex machina".

Exactly. Getting fair treatment as a GD customer, notwithstanding their many ruthless and senseless policies, should not be contingent on Joe's intervention.

 

[Kuffy]

I was going to move 50 names over to GD. I'm just waiting to see if it's better to pay in Sterling or US Dollars - I've got accounts for both. I guess I should move them to Name Silo instead to see if I feel comfortable with them. I probably won't do it until we trigger article 50 though. Hopefully NS will throw up a promo in a month or so.

 

[MasterOfMyDomains]

Namesilo is a much better choice. I was just playing with one of their for sale pages. Their awesome, have support here, and their online support system is first class. Domain link manager, I have all names there and get notifications of names expiring at other registrars. And you can turn whois on or off, if you need to do so. This can't be done at goodaddy

 

[jaydub]

Yes...NameSilo is very robust and I get the same or better pricing as I do with GD's Domain Discount Club

 

[anantj]

I agree with this basic tenent. But I was giving @Joe Styler a chance to respond. Maybe he can work some magic. I've seen him do it in the past. I have confidence in him. But as I said. It might be too late with a chargeback already in place.

While I agree, it isn't sustainable. Joe is a fanstastic guy and extremely helpful. But for those who don't know of him or aren't on NP to try and create awareness about such issues, they will likely lose domains and or money in domains. GD's behavior in this case is highly concerning and this is only one of the probably many cases that we're aware of. What about all the other cases which might not have come to light but might have been suffered a similar situation due to an error on GD's part?

 

[Arca]

While I agree, it isn't sustainable. Joe is a fanstastic guy and extremely helpful. But for those who don't know of him or aren't on NP to try and create awareness about such issues, they will likely lose domains and or money in domains. GD's behavior in this case is highly concerning and this is only one of the probably many cases that we're aware of. What about all the other cases which might not have come to light but might have been suffered a similar situation due to an error on GD's part?

Yes, the fact that Joe's personal involvement has become essential to getting many GoDaddy problems fixed is not reassuring for domain owners. The GoDaddy employee who handled this cases noted that OP's account had been “permanently locked and … never eligible for reinstatement” - A lot of domain owners would probably just have given up after reading that verdict, because not every domain owner knows that GD has a reasonable employee that has a forum presence here at NP that we can appeal to, and who has the power to undo these kinds of senseless action (even though GD says they are permanent). Taking ALL the domains in your account just because you used the credit card of a relative is ridiculous. Not that the amount or value of domains should matter at all, but what if that account housed the domain your business operated on? Or the domain you used for emails? Or 10,000 names? This kind of thing can cause major damage, and it's frightening how such a small thing can trigger GoDaddy to take such a hugely destructive step. And as they have 100,000+ domains in "repossessed by GoDaddy" status right now, that seems to indicate that quite a few people have been subject to this kind of thing, probably wrongfully in many cases. I have also used the credit card of a relative at GD, and I guess I have just been lucky to not experience this kind of thing. With these stories of GD repossessing domains, or even just stealing domains right out of accounts if they feel like it, it just seems to indicate that they have very little regard for the domain ownership rights of their customers.

 

[Name Trader]

Registrars will usually treat charge backs as fraud, and promptly close accounts and repossess domains. Godaddy is not the only one doing this.

According to @LordMomo. There were no chargebacks in this case, UNTIL, after he received the permanent closure message with no possibility of reopening his account, from GoDaddy. At that point, he decided there was nothing to lose from reclaiming the money he had spent on prior purchase transactions. which were in his account, but no access. He also claims there were no chargebacks on the transaction which created this "storm in a teacup".

IMHO. He was too quick with his chargebacks. But I can understand, why he did that, when they tell him there is absolutely no possibility to re-open his account. That sounds pretty final to me also.