I may be out $4000 at SnapNames! Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Dorkside]

I've had a very hectic few hours and I'm coming to the realization that I may be out $4000 at SnapNames. I'm looking for advice on the situation, even if you think I'm out of luck and down $4000 with SnapNames.

Let me explain what happened as best I can. I have a list of hundreds of domains that I keep on my Pending Orders list with SnapNames. I check it daily to see if any of the domains I'm interested in are pending deletion and then I decide if I want to keep the backorder or delete it from my list. I've done it this way since I first became a customer with SnapNames in 2006.

In that time, they've always given a few days notice from the time a domain is shown and is being pending deletion to the time the auction begins and you can no longer remove the domain from the list.

In the past, I've had domains in my pending list that were NOT registered to anyone. These do not get caught and do not go to auction as they cannot drop because they were not registered to anyone. I've had these domains in my list for years without issue. Until last night.

SnapNames charged my account for 56 domains (at $69 a pop, for a total of $3,864) that were NOT previously registered to anyone and had not been for some time, and many I believe have never been registered.

Now, maybe you think I'm stupid for having domains not registered in my pending delete list but SnapNames has never charged me for a domain that was not registered in the past (over 6 years as a customer) and now they've charged $69 a domain for 56 such domains all at once.

What's worse (and really makes me upset) is that they charged all $3,864 to my credit card automatically, less than 12 hours after they acquired the domains. In the past, SnapNames has ALWAYS given me a few days to settle payments on my own (I prefer to use Paypal) and they've never automatically charged a credit card like before.

I sent an e-mail to customer support this morning and still haven't gotten a response. I just got off the phone with their customer support, who were completely unhelpful, and it was suggested that I try calling them again tomorrow during their regular business hours.

So I'm hoping the community can offer me some advice. Or am I out of luck on this?

Please, any insight would be welcomed and thank you to anyone who took the time to read this post.

 

[Jawed]

I really don't understand one bit of your story. If the names were not registered by anyone, then why on earth were they included in your pending delete order list?

If they charged your credit card, it's not a big deal. Speak to your credit card issuing bank and report to them that it was an unauthorised transaction.

 

[Jeffrey]

In my experience, Snapnames would only wait for your move. If you don't pay, they would suspend your account.

 

[Aggro]

My sympathies are with you..

Happened to me...they simply registered a name on my list which was freely available to reg (and had been for at least a year)

Customer support were of no use.
They simply parrot the company line "the names were on on backorder. blabla. Per rule xyz of the agreement, you must pay for them..."

IMO it's a just new initiative to earn more $$$ from the unwitting

2 can play that game

You should simply do a chargeback :bah:

 

[buohcom]

I hope you get your money back.
Even if you file credit card chargeback, snapnames may still come after you. This is a big mess.

Did you try talking to a snapnames manager?

I don't know if there are any domain lawyers here, but hopefully they can give you some good advice here.

 

[FX]

* did they care to tell you they where gonna charge you $3,864 - nope!

* did they care if you went over your credit card limit - nope!

just do a chargeback buddy - don't lose sleep over it.

 

[procanic]

I would "Do the Charge back" ... Let the cards fall where they may! I don't think they will pursue a matter That clearly is underhanded .

Just my opinion.

 

[DEFLECTED]

The same thing happened to me a couple of months ago.NAMEJET charged my card for a back ordered domain that I never wanted.

So how is your situation turning out "Dorkside"?

 

[OnlineDomainCom]

Snapnames offered him to pay $15 for each domain.

 

[FPForum]

Before you do the chargeback you should give Snapnames one last chance. Speak with a SnapNames supervisor this time and give them the ultimatum..Either they can refund the money for registering names you didn't authorize them to. Or, you can call your credit card company and take it up with them.

As others have said, reversing the charges on your credit card should do the trick. But don't just jump to that - give SnapNames the chance to fix things before you go to the credit card company.

 

[carob]

As others have said, reversing the charges on your credit card should do the trick. But don't just jump to that - give SnapNames the chance to fix things before you go to the credit card company.

Check card's TOS - they may require you to show you have disputed it with the merchant before doing chargeback, and there is usually a time limit. Also use google to find the TOS the card company sets for the merchant - those TOS may be on your side, I once had to quote the card-to-merchant TOS to get a result.

 

[DEFLECTED]

Snapnames offered him to pay $15 for each domain.

OUCH! I guess no one is surprised that they are doing these underhanded deeds,Snapnames has a history of it.