GoDaddy Account Terminated

[Brandon1]

I just had my GoDaddy account terminated. When I called to get it reactivated they said "you're done with godaddy auctions". I kept pressing him for info but could not get him to tell me what the reason was. All he said was I violated a part of their TOS and I would have to read it over. I always pay for my auctions as soon as they are done so its not that. I've bought 400 domains at auction with them over the past 3 years or so.

A few days ago someone who used to own one of my domains that I bought from GoDaddy auction called and threatened to sue me because his google maps listing was linked to my website and I told him to pound sand. Could this be the reason?

Also how easy is it to create another account and use that? Do I need to do it under a different name? While I do not wish to do business with godaddy anymore when certain domains I need in my niche drop I don't have much of a choice but to buy them there at auction and transfer them out.

 

[DU]

If you paid for access to the auctions they need to explain why the service has been revoked.

Call again and talk to someone else. Ask for someone in the right department because TOS issues I've had I needed to be transferred ..

but what did you do?

 

[Brandon1]

I honestly have no idea what I did. I don't do anything shady. The only thing I could think of was buying a businesses expired domain and setting up my own website on it. His business name was not trademarked and he's out of business. He called threatening to sue me and I eventually hung up on him. He did mention me buying the domain at godaddy expired auctions (this guy was an idiot and he could only figure that out by calling them). If he threatened to sue me he may have threatened to sue them.

I actually responded to godaddys email saying that if they cancel my account and can't tell me why they need to refund my auction account fees and godaddy domain club fees since I no longer am able to do business with them and they responded with this:

"Thank you for contacting AfterMarket Support. I regret having to report that your auctions account has been terminated as the result of activities not in compliance with the Terms of Service and the GoDaddy® auctions agreements. I am unable to provide additional information, and this decision is final, and it is not open for further discussion."

What department did you talk to? This issue the guy I talked to got ahold of the auctions department before giving me that answer.

 

[Brandon1]

I just found this after re-reading all of their TOS:

"Terminate your Services if your use of the Services results in, or is the subject of, legal action or threatened legal action, against Go Daddy or any of its affiliates or partners, without consideration for whether such legal action or threatened legal action is eventually determined to be with or without merit."

Would they really terminate an auction account just because someone threatened to sue them? I could see why they would not say anything for the reason of cancellation if it could possibly result in legal action.

 

[The New Guy]

Let me get this straight:
1. Customer doesn't pay for domain, either because they forgot or godaddy sent the renewal notice to the wrong place
2. Domain expires. Godaddy puts it up for auction.
3. You buy the expired domain from godaddy at their own auction.
4. Former owner contacts you and wants the domain. Since he has no legal right to it, he gets upset and complains to godaddy.

Now everything that lead to this guy losing his domain and getting upset with you was caused either by godaddy or this guy, but godaddy handles it by suspending your account?

And people wonder why I avoid godaddy. It's because of crap like this.

"But...they have coupons! I can register bad domains for $1.99!!!!"

 

[forge]

Not knowing all the facts being a caveat, to me it sounds like a raw deal. And likely why GoDaddy's policies have angered many.

Far as opening another account, I won't attempt to tackle that question.

 

[Brandon1]

I agree. I prefer directnic and moniker for my domains. All of my domains on godaddy are domains I bought from someone and they pushed them to me or domains I won on their auction. I'm going to transfer all of my domains out and close my account.

 

[TheWatcher]

If you need to move to Enom, send me pm or email em @ king.net

 

[NameOmnia]

Out of curiosity..if they suspend your account you can still access and use your domains can't you?

 

[Brandon1]

Yeah, technically wouldn't it be illegal for them to not give me access to my domains?

 

[NameOmnia]

I'd say so! I mean they can forbid you to be an auction member but they can't take your domains off you!

 

[Domainace]

I find it hard to believe, even for Godaddy, that they would close your auction account because a guy threatened to sue for a name that Godaddy sold to you. If there were some dispute over the domain name, why would they just cancel your auction account, and not put the name under lock? Are you sure there isn't something else - something specific to the auction process?

I'm not trying to put you one the spot, but having trouble seeing the connection between a crackpot who didn't renew his domain and your auction account.

 

[Ms Domainer]

*

I suspect we're not hearing the entire story...

*

 

[NameOmnia]

I don't know about it but I know that it sucks a lot when someone bids on your domains and that someone doesn't pay...if this is the case then I totally agree with the account being closed.

 

[Brandon1]

Yeah it doesn't make any sense to me either and I also find it hard to believe. I can't think of any other possible reason though. Not knowing bothers me more than the fact that I have to sign up for another account. I mean the $5 fee pays for itself in one transaction easily. I don't even know how to do anything shady with their auctions if I wanted to. I have a credit card on file so non payment would be impossible. I searched google for a while and all I could find was people who got canned for non payment.

 

[Domainace]

Seems you should try to get someone with a bit more info on the phone. Beyond their frontline customer service.

 

[carob]

From the stories we hear, Godaddy seems to operate a shoot first, refuse to ask questions later policy. I guess it saves them time but it does throw away customers. I think their TOS pretty much lets them cancel any domain registration if someone claims it offends them.

If their practice of selling expiring domains actually has a shaky legal foundation, cancelling a buyer's account will not let Godaddy off the hook if the original domain owner sues them - there is no way the buyer could have got the domain without Godaddy offering, selling and transferring (pushing) the domain, so Godaddy are still responsible.

They once threatened to close my account because I had asked them a factual question about how their free hosting works. And they hadn't even properly read or understood my simple question. Incredible.

 

[cdboard]

OP, if you buy and sell domains, don't close the domain account.

question about how their free hosting works

they recently removed the free hosting credits that were included with older domains.

 

[JB Lions]

With the amount of domains you've purchased, you don't have a GD rep you can call? I would be on the phone until I reached somebody who can give me a real answer. Is this the first time you've posted here or have you in the past under another name?

 

[The Grinch]

I wouldn't open another account with them. If I was treated like this by a company, i'd take my business elsewhere. Forget giving them more money.