NameCheap.com

[NameVisual]

I own over 100 domain names at Namecheap,com and last year I issued a few charge backs that I tried to resolve with customer support. They are trying to charge me $200 per charge back and they attempted to hijack all my domain names.

I got them to unlock all my domain names that they tried to steal and they told me I couldn't use any of their services until I paid their ransom demand.

I thought it was resolved after I told them I was not paying their ransom and that charging for a charge back is very unethical.

In the last week, I starting receiving more threatening emails informing me to not use their service and after my domains expire, I would have to transfer them out. They didn't like my response to their threat so they are now saying I have to transfer all domain names out by tomorrow or they will once again hijack them from me.

What is everyone's thoughts on this?

Do I need to hire a domain name attorney?

Thank you.

 

[anantj]

Honestly, I really don't see where I did anything wrong here since there is no law that states that a chargeback is unethical. As I said before, I made sincere efforts to resolve the issue and it would have been very easy for Namecheap to do so but, they didn't.

There is literally no law that says penalizing chargebacks is unethical

 

[anantj]

If you wanted to buy a domain from me and pay with paypal or a credit card, I would decline because I know there is a risk of chargeback due to buyer's remorse. I am not sure I would want to engage as a buyer either.

Thanks Kate. That's exactly and literally the thought that just came to my mind. Have reservations now in doing any deals with OP because of this fear

 

[anantj]

After the charges went on my credit card, I made sincere efforts to get a refund because there were a lot of renewals all at once so I was not expecting a bunch of whois gaurd charges (my mistake) because I thought they were free.

I'm seriously asking this question. What exactly entitles you a refund if the merchant does not offer it? Why should you be an exception? Again, a honest and serious question

 

[NameVisual]

I'm seriously asking this question. What exactly entitles you a refund if the merchant does not offer it? Why should you be an exception? Again, a honest and serious question

Nothing entitles me and Namecheap doesn't have to give refunds but after trying to talk to them and explaining that I couldn't pay for all the whois guard charges, it would have been a nice business practice to refund me.

 

[NameVisual]

Thanks Kate. That's exactly and literally the thought that just came to my mind. Have reservations now in doing any deals with OP because of this fear

Noted.

 

[NameVisual]

There is literally no law that says penalizing chargebacks is unethical

You're right, there is no law but it is ethical? Is it ethical for them to charge me more for what they were charged and make a profit? Should I pay them $200 if they were charged $20, $50 or $100?

Banks charge merchants $20 to $100 for a chargeback (I didn't know this before this dispute) so the merchant doesn't want to pay that and that's understandable. But should the merchant expect the customer to pay more than the banks fee? How is that ethical?

 

[anantj]

You're right, there is no law but it is ethical? Is it ethical for them to charge me more for what they were charged and make a profit? Should I pay them $200 if they were charged $20, $50 or $100?

Does support not cost NC? Don't the support staff have to be paid? Isn't that a cost that should be added to their penalty? Also, as previously explained, a chargeback does not cost a business the exact amount of the chargeback. It also increases their cost of doing business.

 

[NameVisual]

Does support not cost NC? Don't the support staff have to be paid? Isn't that a cost that should be added to their penalty? Also, as previously explained, a chargeback does not cost a business the exact amount of the chargeback. It also increases their cost of doing business.

I am also running a business as well so Namecheap is costing me time, cost and losses too.

Yes, their staff has to be paid and they are going to be paid the same amount either way. I don't think Namecheap is giving any employees extra money for this, so why should I have to pay Namecheap extra money and have them profit off something that is supposedly unethical? It seems to me that profiting off of something that is unethical would be unethical in itself. It seems hypocritical to me to recover losses and at the same time cause losses to another business or individual that they don't want done to them.

I'm sure you will say this opinion is also wrong and no matter what Namecheap does is right so there really is no point to debate this. You already made it clear that you believe I am wrong and Namecheap right.

 

[Rinkuji]

I recently buy 5 names with GoDaddy.
Forget to unchecked default Whois Privacy.
Later I see in my mail that they charge me around $2 for my one name as whois privacy.
I talk with their customer care and said "I don't want this whois privacy pls return $2"
They return me $2.

 

[NameVisual]

I recently buy 5 names with GoDaddy.
Forget to unchecked default Whois Privacy.
Later I see in my mail that they charge me around $2 for my one name as whois privacy.
I talk with their customer care and said "I don't want this whois privacy pls return $2"
They return me $2.

GoDaddy has great support and always wants to make the customer happy.

 

[Kate]

But GD will react exactly the same if you pull the same stunt. They are just as ruthless while being polite and professional. There are several threads on the forum about chargeback experiences with GD. It's just that their refund policy may be more lenient. However, it usually is a privilege and not a right. But GD have made a lot of unhappy customers too.
They have also locked down accounts for abusing coupon codes. They are certainly willing to go the extra mile - to protect their own interests (not blaming them though).

 

[NameVisual]

But GD will react exactly the same if you pull the same stunt. They are just as ruthless while being polite and professional. There are several threads on the forum about chargeback experiences with GD. It's just that their refund policy may be more lenient. However, it usually is a privilege and not a right. But GD have made a lot of unhappy customers too.
They have also locked down accounts for abusing coupon codes. They are certainly willing to go the extra mile - to protect their own interests (not blaming them though).

I'm sure they would but they gave the customer the refund, made him happy and that was the end of it. They have a returning customer, someone who will give positive reviews and they didn't have to deal with a chargeback. That way seems much easier to me for both sides.

Every business is going to protect their interest as I am protecting my interest regardless if I was right or wrong. No one is going to take away my property without a fight.

 

[NameVisual]

https://www.screencast.com/t/Uka0Iae4Db

There is no where in the screenshot above that says the whois will not be free after the first year. All it says is FREE and 1 year subscription.

It does not say that a second year subscription is not free. There is no * character that says to check the fine print with *.

 

[maxjohan]

Namecheap been very kindand professional to me. I've never filed for any charebacks and I never plan to, either. But I did register like 8 domain names on a binge once. And I told them I had regged them on impulse and told them about my ADD, and I wondered if they could delete the domains and give credit: They credited my account and deleted my domains.

I was told, it was a one time exception. But I had made the same mistake before with credits. So actually it was a two time exception. So I felt very blessed after this. This was like two years ago. I learned my lesson, as I quit impulse buy #PigeonS__t domains.

 

[NameVisual]

Namecheap been very kindand professional to me. I've never filed for any charebacks and I never plan to, either. But I did register like 8 domain names on a binge once. And I told them I had regged them on impulse and told them about my ADD, and I wondered if they could delete the domains and give credit: They credited my account and deleted my domains.

I was told, it was a one time exception. But I had made the same mistake before with credits. So actually it was a two time exception. So I felt very blessed after this. This was like two years ago. I learned my lesson, as I quit impulse buy #PigeonS__t domains.

That was very nice of them. Namecheap was always nice to me too until the whois charges. I made sincere efforts to resolve the issue to no success and I didn't want to issue a chargeback but I told them I didn't have the money for all the whois charges that I wasn't expecting and I would issue a chargeback if they couldn't give me a refund. Live support told me to "go ahead" so I did. It's an unfortunate situation and it is not helping either side.

I have around 75 domains with them right now and they expect me to transfer all of them out and pay all the transfer fee's. I don't have the money to do that and explained this to them but they are still threatening me to confiscate all of my domain properties.

I admitted to them I made a mistake and I did not know the second year was not free as it does not say anything about that. They automatically turn on auto renew for whois gaurd, offer no refunds for it like other registrars do.

So now I may have to contact my bank again and let them know that everything that I purchased from Namecheap that is already paid for, is being confiscated because of chargebacks that are not related to my digital assets.

 

[maxjohan]

That was very nice of them. Namecheap was always nice to me too until the whois charges. I made sincere efforts to resolve the issue to no success and I didn't want to issue a chargeback but I told them I didn't have the money for all the whois charges that I wasn't expecting and I would issue a chargeback if they couldn't give me a refund. Live support told me to "go ahead" so I did. It's an unfortunate situation and it is not helping either side.

I feel you man. But you mentioned that you charged back for three whoisguards? That's only $9! Do you happen to live in Bolivia? I don't understand how you can charge back such tiny amound. Chargebacks truly should be our last resort. I've lost $1000's to online gambling. And I've never made a chargeback.

Though, I guess you made a mistake here. And we all do.

 

[NameVisual]

I feel you man. But you mentioned that you charged back for three whoisguards? That's only $9! Do you happen to live in Bolivia? I don't understand how you can charge back such tiny amound. Chargebacks truly should be our last resort. I've lost $1000's to online gambling. And I've never made a chargeback.

Though, I guess you made a mistake here. And we all do.

No there were more but I didn't chargeback all of them, I just let it go on my credit card and I paid it all of in time. It was a lot of renewals.

Look at this screenshot:

https://www.screencast.com/t/Uka0Iae4Db

It does not say anything about the second year and that it's not free. It doesn't even say free for the first year only. And they conveniently offer no refunds for whois gaurd as other registrars do. It's a dishonest business practice.

 

[maxjohan]

It mentions 1-year subscription. Not lifetime subscription.

 

[maxjohan]

Besides, the problem is having a credit card instead of a debit card. With a debit card you can't get charged more than what's in your bank account.

 

[NameVisual]

Besides, the problem is having a credit card instead of a debit card. With a debit card you can't get charged more than what's in your bank account.

When I purchase a 2 year registration it still says FREE and there are no charges for the second year.

https://www.screencast.com/t/ZaO5vWv5rgX4

No disclaimers at the bottom of the page either. So a year later you are hit with a bunch of WhoIs gaurd charges.

Yes, a debit card would be better since Namecheap feels that they are entitled to your charge your credit card later when you're not expecting it. Imagine if you gave 50 or 100 renewals and are charged for WhoIs on each one.

 

[NameVisual]

So I went to log in my account and my username doesn't exist on the site. I thought they would have just locked the domains like they did last year so now I can't get in my account to finish transferring them.

It's war!

 

[NameVisual]

HeHe..... Sorry was skiing today and locked into my mobile phone. Those little buttons make typing a bit difficult.

I really don't have much more to add that has not already been said by you or the OP.

I think it's an unfortunate situation all the way around but a great topic to have on namePros so everyone can learn the consequences of a chargeback and how it might affect their relationship with their registrar.

I'm sure you will be happy to know that Namecheap deleted my username so I can't log in to finish transferring my domains. I had some that couldn't be transferred yet because they are less than 60 days old.

 

[NameVisual]

I'm not sure. Maybe NameVisual can answer this. I think he posted here to practice and strengthen his arguments against NameCheap. Trying to find out what might fly and what won't. He does admit to being stubborn though. Even when he's wrong I don't think there has been any meaningful dialog from him to NameCheap before he made these chargebacks. Just saying "No, I won't pay any money to you hijackers and ransomers. I'm going to make these chargebacks." is not meaningful dialog, in the context of the dispute. He doesn't see from his PoV that he has done anything wrong. But there is overwhelming evidence that he is in the wrong. We will see on the 19th Feb whether NameCheap will stick to their word this time. I think they have been way to generous with him. IMHO. He gives a bad reputation to all domainers. It's exactly because of people like this that Registrars have and need these strong chargeback policies.

Hey @stub, Namecheap deleted my username. Thanks for encouraging and supporting them to do this.

 

[MapleDots]

I'm sure you will be happy to know that Namecheap deleted my username.

@NameVisual

OMG, nothing could be further from how I feel. I would NEVER be glad that you lost any domains. In fact I am disappointed in how this turned out. I got a charge back on one of my businesses today and my TOS clearly states there is a $250 fee plus legal costs. I worked with the client and ended up charging him 50 bucks. We are both happy in how it turned out.

In your case.... happy is never a word I would use

 

[Bean]

You have to own up to your mistakes, simple as that.
What's unethical is you starting this thread in an attempt to discredit Namecheap for the mistakes you've made. Namecheap is one of the most reputable registrars around and their customer support is second to none.
Sorry to break it to you but you won't find many people here who'll side with you on this.

I think the problem is that you don't realize just how damaging chargebacks are to businesses, for you it's as simple as asking for a refund. For a company, however, instances of chargebacks never really go away, instead they accumulate, every single one leaves a permanent blemish on their credibility with the banks they deal with.