Miami, FL: Internet domain registration giant GoDaddy is facing a possible consumer fraud class action lawsuit over its allegedly illegal charges for private registration services it advertises as being free.
The lawsuit claims that while GoDaddy offers free private domain registration to customers who register five or more domain names at the same time, when those customers go to renew their domains they are charged at the regular price.
The lawsuit, filed by Florida company WineStyles, states "By suggesting that the value of 'FREE' Private Registration was $9.99/yr, and that the 'FREE' service had 'NO LIMIT!', GoDaddy represented that the 'FREE' Private Registration services would be for the lifetime of the domain name, and Plaintiff (and on information and belief, the Class) believed this to be the case."
The lawsuit also states that renewal notices sent to customers do not indicate that the privacy services would no longer be free upon renewal. And, the plaintiffs allege "Throughout the class period, GoDaddy provided wholly inadequate disclaimers on GoDaddy.com, which reiterated the 'FREE' offer but never mentioned to Customers that the Private Registration service would be automatically renewed by GoDaddy at the full price applicable to single domain name purchases, instead of for 'FREE.'"
The proposed consumer fraud lawsuit is brought on behalf of customers who registered 5 or more domains, received the "free"private registration, and then were charged a fee for the proxy services when they renewed between March 19, 2006 and the present.
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For those who lost money to GO DADDY'S (GD'S) auto-renewal SCAM. I disputed the charges with American Express (AE) & Visa (V) and initially lost which i anticipated, so I continued to dispute and requested certain documentation, got them and lost again which I expected, but I got the necessary documents to initiated a certifiable class action legal complaint that contains all the elements necessary to prevail, but more important is the fact that as soon as I file the class action complaint I'll file a discovery that will produce and reveal the names of every entity; every individual and/or business who has been defrauded by GO DADDY! If you want in, so state and join now. Respectfully, if GD got your money and you're not interested that is precisely how & why GO DADDY took your money! Google my name, Jobie Steppe. I sue big and small and never lose.
Posted by Cyrus Pakzad
on
Please place my name on any class action lawsuits against Godaddy.com. The company sends out unauthorized bills against site registrants who have their credit card numbers on file with this company.
Posted by D. Babcock
on
I was charged last month $141 for services I DID NOT use not asked for. I WAS NOT supposed to be on auto renew. My CC credited my account last month & said GoDaddy would have to dispute it in order for it to be reconciled. Well, They have RE-BILLED the $141 on my CC again this month. I'm so pissed. There's got to more I can do to stop this!
Posted by Laura
on
Godaddy suspended my blog. (for no fault of my own) ...
My godaddy account was hacked a few weeks ago from someone in Canada. I called Godaddy, and let them know that I did not buy any domains from Canada. (I am a US citizen) I had to call my cc company to reverse the charges and get another card. In the process they cancelled 4 charges that were for my hosting account on godaddy. ($36 mind you)!
I've contacted the credit card company and explained that those were 4 charges were valid and even had godaddy on the phone with them. MY cc company has paid that back, BUT Godaddy is refusing to turn my blog back on unless I pay them $200!!. Which I refuse to do.
Anyhow, I did not have a back up of site files and am unable to get help from Godaddy unless I pay them!
For 1, in my opinion this is Goddaddy's Fault!!! A person from Canada hacked my account and they should have caught that and red flagged it from the start!!
2. My cc company has refunded the measly $36 for the mistake made on their part, but GREEDEY GoDaddy wants $200 ($50 for each back charge)
3. None of this is my fault! I have been a loyal customer for 10 YEARS and all of this for $36! I am livid. I am moving all of my 20 or so domains, my hosting, and will never use Godaddy again!
Furthermore, I will be filing a complaint with the FTC, and if there are any class action lawsuits, I will be joining those too!
Posted by Suzanne White
on
I did not register five names, but essentially the same thing happened to me. I registered two names for half the regular price, did not know I was set up with an auto renewal contract (I set it up two years ago and have not even used it). Then six days ago, my credit card was charged $60 dollars for two domain names I don't even use. They refused to refund my money because I was past the "five day" rule. How could I even remember at this point if I had changed my account to NOT automatically renew two years ago? It seems like something I would do right away if their disclosures had been clear. How would I even know if they had changed it back without my knowing?
If you know of any class action suit that would capture my experience, please let me know.
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