ZipDee

I had my bank account wrongfully debited by a webhosting company, streamline.net, that refused to cancel a three-month trial period then sneakily took a one-year premium hosting package cost from my account - I tried to indict for contravention of the Theft Act, but the Chief Constable of the area of the offence passed it to a subordinate who in turn passed it on to the Derbyshire Trading Standards Office and my money was bounced back into my account - it is illegal, a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison to wrongfully or deceitfully debit an account (and using steamroller pressure can be termed a form of deceit if use of the law is unfounded and becomes forcefully intimidatory : it is also illegal to use the law in pursuance of an offence, and the law comes down on this like a ton of bricks.

I now know that streamline.net were sellers-on of the talents of fasthosts.co.uk who bought streamline.net's customer base last May/June. I now know that fasthosts.co.uk sold out to United Internet AG for 90 million euros (£61mill) in 1999, or more to the point, sold out to Ralph Dummermuth, the German internet billionare who founded '1 und1' and who is the main shareholder of the owning company United Internet Ag.

Today I sent emails to the board members of fasthosts.co.uk informing them of my intention to apply for their indictment and the indictment of the actual instigators, for theft if they do not return money continually taken from my bank after I had cancelled my Distance Selling contract with them due to their poor support. Google the Distance Selling statute and you will see just how the steamroller these companies use is a cover, a camouflage for their ignoring the demands made on them by the statute and just how they have drifted into dangerous ground given the Theft Act - google this as well!

I also sent a copy of the email to rdummermuth@united-internet.de nlang@united-internet.de kdobitsch@united-internet.de mscheeren@united-internet.de mschap@united-internet.de (the board) info@united-internet.de presse@united-internet.de investor-relations@united-internet.de hostmaster@united-internet.de .

The greater the number of the more detailed type of emails the board and their minions receive from disgruntled customers that suffer because of the 'robust' methods for making a billion or two,they seem to have exported into the UK the US and not forgetting the poor sods in Germany who my research tells me have had it harder for a lot longer, the more Herr Dummermuth might come to realise the role that good old honest customer relations might play in him keeping a euro or two.

What say you?

aZooZa

I've just paid them £38 for an account with WebFusion that I cancelled months ago, but for which WebFusion demanded a handwritten cancellation request. I think they are part of Pipex? Anyway, had the Arvato nonsense and then that other collection agency mentioned trying to collect the same 'debt'. I thought I'd just pay it and make it go away -- wrong thing I suppose but I've not time for them. God help them if I hear from them or WebFusion again.

Details:

Dear Sir/Madam,

In regards to your email..

We have been advised by Web Fusion that the balance owing on the account is for the final invoice on the account.

Please be advised that this does not affect your credit rating as we don’t provided any information to credit reference agencies.

For further information or to arrange payment please contact us on 0870 125 8809

Regards

Arvato Finance



arvato finance services Limited
Block2
Willerby Business Park
Willerby
United Kingdom
HU10 6FE
www.arvatofinance.co.uk
collections@arvatofinance.co.uk
Tel: 0870 1258809
Fax:+441482 660605
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
arvato finance services is registered in England and Wales
(company registration number 555581
Registered office: The Hall, Lairgate, Beverley, HU17 8HL
Directors: Matthias Mierisch, Andrea Kaminski, Richard White


From: Dale Hubbard [mailto:mail@dalehubbard.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2008 2:04 PM
To: Collections, arvato finance UK
Subject: Your ref: 750000003620
- Hide quoted text -

Dear Sirs
Without prejudice.
I refer to your letter of the 21st inst.:
Creditor: WebFusion
Customer No: PIP801589
I am prepared to make this one-off payment if you can confirm:
1. This account will now be closed and this company will stop billing me for a service I have already told them I no longer require, and
2. There is no adverse effect on my credit record made by you or the claimant creditor to date or nor will there be in the future with regard to this specific matter, and
3. The payment is in full and final settlement.
Once I hear in the affirmative, I will call and pay you. Otherwise I will be happy take the matter to court and explain how this company has had many complaints by other internet users about the billing tactics they use; i.e. customers unable to close accounts.
Yours faithfully,
Dale Hubbard

ratboy

The 1&1 affiliate guys were at the A4U Expo. As I walked past the guy asked was I interested in promoting 1&1. I laughed.

Dreadful all of this. And now Pipex? God, glad Bulldog Broadband who I have been with for several years haven't just sold out to them... can't wait

__________________
I run Top Search Ltd - Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, Self Catering

rayg33

I also have received letters from this company for money's owed to 1and1, I have contacted the company 1and1, and have been assured that I do not owe anything, I have just contacted my local "Trading Standards" who are going to investigate this SCAM.

ZipDee

One Way To Get Your Money Back From An Obdurate Fasthosts.co.uk

bens

Hi Guys,

Sorry if i'm a bit late on this one.

I actually started reading this thread last year so when i cancelled my account in december 2008, i made a point of contacting the 1and1 billing department to makesure everything was cancelled. The lady on the phone assured me that there was nothing to pay on the account and so i asked her to confirm this to me in an email. Later that day (19/12/09) i recieved a email which said...

"Dear Ben S~~~~~~, (Cust: ~~~~~~56)

Thank you for your call.

PAYMENT FOR INVOICES -----------------------------------------------
If an invoice has been raised for domain names before you terminate it
will need to be settled even if you no longer require the domains. No
refund will be raised for domain names as they have automatically been
renewed under your name as they were still active at the time the
invoice is raised. Any unused hosting charges will be refunded but a
charge will stand from the date the invoice is raised until the date of
termination."
Not quite the response i was looking for but i had been through the cancellation process and was no longer able to log in to my account so case closed?

No!

I've now also recieved the dreaded Arvato Finance Letter this morning requesting a payment of £78.38 including a £15 late payment charge.

The first thing i did was to ring Arvato and told them that i had cancelled my account and had all the emails i needed to prove this. The lady said i would need to take this up with 1and1.

I then phoned 1and1 billing department and after a 5 mins on hold a lady picked up, told me the billing system was down and to ring back in a couple of hours and before i could get a word in she hung up. Charming!

I then rang again a few minuets later and held for the switch board. I asked to be put through to billing. The man asked for my account number and i spent a few minutes explaning my situation. After telling him all this he told me that the system was still down and there was nothing he could do.

I then called back Arvato and spoke to the same lady. I asked her who actually owned the 'debt' and she said it was 1and1 - Arvato were working on their behalf. I told her that 1and1 could not help at the moment which she logged on my record.

This is where the story ends for now. I'm going to write an email to 1and1 asking them to call me when there system is fixed. I'm going to ask them for proof that they have an outstanding debt on my account and details on the instructions given to Arvato.

I'll update you all with the outcome.

Skinner

I was sat with my solitors recently to talk about NDCs and I mentioned this as I have cancelled my only .me.uk 3 times and all 3 times now been renewed, so now that cards expired and I have saved the emails as proof of cancelling.

He said send them a letter with an invoice for the time it took you to write the letter, stationary, postage, travel costs (use bus fairs as a guide), and send the letter. He says £10 would be sufficient, give them 14 days to pay. write to the again this time include another £10 + Late Payment Fee (he suggests £12 the same as banks) and notify them of compounded interests and admin costs will be added to the next one, and pay within 14 days. This time send the total of the previoious 2, this time add admin costs £50, and notify that if not settled in 7 days, legal action will be actioned. By now they will own you around £200 and face small claims form, and they will look stupid over chasing you when you have proof off them you cancelled it.

Thats as best I remember it :P

__________________
Browse:

bens

Thanks Skinner.

I have just been in contact with 1and1 - their system seems to be working again now.

I actually managed to speak to a helpful person. (A lady called Saddiqi). She looked into my account and cleared the outstanding balance that i 'owed'.

I'm still a bit shocked and will believe it when i see it but hopefully that's it.

If anyone else has these problems, i'd be happy to help if i can.

Ben

deanperry

Hi,

Sorry to bump the topic, but I just received a letter from Arvato as well. Apparently I need to pay 1&1 £11.48 plus a further £15.00 for late payment. I am not happy. This is part of the reason why I bloody left 1&1.
I have now sent my 3rd email to the billing department over billing issues. 1st because of a declined card, 2nd because it said my PayPal account wasnt a 'merchant account'... even though I dont need a merchant account and 3rd saying that I have received this letter and want to know why even though I cancelled the account a few weeks ago. 22.06.09 to be exact.
Will try and phone 1&1 tomorrow and find out whats happening. WIll report on my findings

Dean

AAMinistry

I have just received a letter from Avarto myself, also stating I owe X amount to 1 and 1. I still have an open account with 1 and 1 which currently contains 1 domain registration with it's 'free' redirection. I purchased it for 2 years starting from 04/07/2008 which would mean it is due to renew in 07/2010. I cannot think where else these alleged charges may have come from. Obviously with the threat of legal action being taken, I have become very stressed. I will be contacting both 1 and 1 and Arvato in the morning to try and settle this and after that I will be cancelling my account with them.

I would just like to hear from anyone who had one of these letters to see if the matter was resolved. I need a little reassurance that I can sort this out.

Apologies for bumping.

Many Thanks

AAM