Unauthorised transaction from 123-reg (auto domain renewal)

n00b1 · 19-01-2010, 12:51:16 PM

Hi,

I know it is always a bad idea to check emails when you're on holiday, but I did check and got a great shock that is stressing me out.

Anybody who is familiar with 123-reg.co.uk will know that when a domain is due to expire, there is a highlighted purple box saying that domains are due to expire. If you click this message, you are redirected to a page where you individually select the domains you wish to renew, and then pay the appropriate sum of money upon completion.

Having gone through this process, I was sickened to find that I have just been invoiced for the renewal of 5 domain names I never wanted renewed (totalling over �60). I never authorised this transaction, so this money was taken from me completely against my will using stored debit card details.

I have now found a tiny little link redirecting you to a page where you can tick the domains you wish to "let expire". It seems completely counter-intuitive to ask you which domain names you want to renew if they are going to automatically renew all your domains. I also would like to point out that there are unmissable purple highlights around the domains you want to renew link, but no such highlighting of the 'let expire' list.

I have contacted 123-reg, and unsurprisingly they were completely useless and don't want to issue a refund. I have now contacted them with 3 messages in total (I can forward you the transcript if required) and have received the same apathetic response from the same useless support agent.

It seems I am unable to login to my bank account to see if I can stop the transaction (if possible), and since I am in Hong Kong rather than the UK (and my bank is not HSBC), this makes contact by non-electronic means difficult.

I am unsure how to proceed, and any help/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

bensd · 19-01-2010, 01:06:31 PM

Similar story here: http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/domain...-part-2-a.html

fish · 19-01-2010, 01:34:06 PM

most registrars will automatically renew your domains unless you mark them 'not to renew'

as a business it makes sense to me
as a 'domainer' it also makes sense

you'd be spitting blood if your most prized domains were let to expire wouldn't you?

n00b1 · 19-01-2010, 11:21:37 PM

Well it doesn't make sense to let them expire, no... But as I said, I individually went through each domain to say which ones I wanted to keep. My most prized domains, so to speak. As it happens I have been charged a further �99 for another load of crap, some of which I already transferred elsewhere?! (mainly .info domains, which cost 10x more to renew than to buy in the first place) - so that's �160.

They didn't make it obvious that they would auto-renew my domains, I clearly didn't want them to do this, as I selected the domains I wanted renewing individually.

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

pugyrob · 19-01-2010, 11:24:58 PM

agree, i have spent fortunes autorenewing crap, this post reminds me to TAKE MY CARD OFF 123-reg!!!! It is a liberty i agree though.

19-01-2010, 12:51:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
n00b1 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 131 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (0% / 0)	Unauthorised transaction from 123-reg (auto domain renewal) Hi, I know it is always a bad idea to check emails when you're on holiday, but I did check and got a great shock that is stressing me out. Anybody who is familiar with 123-reg.co.uk will know that when a domain is due to expire, there is a highlighted purple box saying that domains are due to expire. If you click this message, you are redirected to a page where you individually select the domains you wish to renew, and then pay the appropriate sum of money upon completion. Having gone through this process, I was sickened to find that I have just been invoiced for the renewal of 5 domain names I never wanted renewed (totalling over �60). I never authorised this transaction, so this money was taken from me completely against my will using stored debit card details. I have now found a tiny little link redirecting you to a page where you can tick the domains you wish to "let expire". It seems completely counter-intuitive to ask you which domain names you want to renew if they are going to automatically renew all your domains. I also would like to point out that there are unmissable purple highlights around the domains you want to renew link, but no such highlighting of the 'let expire' list. I have contacted 123-reg, and unsurprisingly they were completely useless and don't want to issue a refund. I have now contacted them with 3 messages in total (I can forward you the transcript if required) and have received the same apathetic response from the same useless support agent. It seems I am unable to login to my bank account to see if I can stop the transaction (if possible), and since I am in Hong Kong rather than the UK (and my bank is not HSBC), this makes contact by non-electronic means difficult. I am unsure how to proceed, and any help/advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Last edited by n00b1; 19-01-2010 at 12:53:23 PM.

19-01-2010, 01:34:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
fish Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,211 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 45)	most registrars will automatically renew your domains unless you mark them 'not to renew' as a business it makes sense to me as a 'domainer' it also makes sense you'd be spitting blood if your most prized domains were let to expire wouldn't you? __________________ Fishing Reel \| Angler

19-01-2010, 11:24:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
pugyrob Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,451 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (98% / 59)	agree, i have spent fortunes autorenewing crap, this post reminds me to TAKE MY CARD OFF 123-reg!!!! It is a liberty i agree though. __________________ iva ReMortgage Quotes tenant loan criticalillnesscover.org.uk personal loans Factoring

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19-01-2010, 01:06:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
bensd Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 3,955 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (100% / 96)	Similar story here: http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/domain...-part-2-a.html

19-01-2010, 11:21:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
n00b1 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 131 No Classified Ratings Domain Trader Rating: (0% / 0)	Well it doesn't make sense to let them expire, no... But as I said, I individually went through each domain to say which ones I wanted to keep. My most prized domains, so to speak. As it happens I have been charged a further �99 for another load of crap, some of which I already transferred elsewhere?! (mainly .info domains, which cost 10x more to renew than to buy in the first place) - so that's �160. They didn't make it obvious that they would auto-renew my domains, I clearly didn't want them to do this, as I selected the domains I wanted renewing individually. Thanks for the replies so far guys.