Complaint Review: Network Solutions LLC - Heardon Virginia

I am a Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist who just got scammed by Network Solutions. My story is below. If there is someone out there launching a class-action against Network Solutions, I would like to be contacted. Here's my story: When I signed up with the company for two domain names, they talked me into buying a hosting package for a website, at a reduced cost, because then I could have unlimited emails etc. But I don't need a webpage and never created one. So last June 2013 when they started bombarding me with emails to renew the hosting site, I called Network Solutiosn and asked them to cancel the hosting package and provide me only with email. The person who took my call in the "hosting" department told me he had canceled the hosting package as I requested but said I had to talk to the "email" department to keep my two email addresses. After waiting 15 minutes, I talked to somebody in the email department who sold me my emails/domains. I figured everything was fine. Then this week I started getting notices that one of my email addresses was about to expire, which I couldn't understand since I'd renewed it for multiple years. So I called the "email" department today and was told that in June 2013, contrary to my wishes, the Network Solutions "hosting" person retained one of my two emails within the "hosting" package and renewed the entire package at a cost of $582.75 in order to maintain that email. The "email" person said this was done incorrectly, BUT that if I didn't renew the email today, I would lose the email address I have had for five years. He then charged me approximately $200 to renew my email address and domain for two years, and then provided me with a Reference No. which he said that -- upon transfer to the "hosting" department -- would document our conversation and -- he reassured me three times -- would cause a refund to be issued for the unwanted hosting package.

After a 15 minute hold, the "hosting" department answered. The lady said they had no clue what I was talking about when I provided the Reference Number. She called up my account, and said there was no documentation of the phone call I had just had with the "email" department. So I told the story all over again, but was told by this Network Solutions employee that all she could do was request a refund from the "billing" department which would send an email to let me know its decision. However, she noted that there was no "cancellation number" on file for my hosting package, signaling that it was unlikely I would get a refund. I asked if I could speak to anyone in billing to explain what had occurred, so they could take my account into consideration. She said she didn't have their number. I asked if I could speak to someone in the Compliance Department. She said she didn't have their number. I aksed if I could speak to someone in the Legal Department. She said she didn't have their number.

This is not an isolated incident. I have a friend who had a similar experience earlier this year -- she tried to cancel the hosting and keep the email, then got charged for both -- not once, but twice. They finally issued a refund on the double charge (after lots of effort) -- then yesterday they called to say her business email (just renewed in January) is about to be canceled unless she pays again! Network Solutions is set up in manner that it allows it to rip off customers. Step one is to offer services they don't need. Step two is to set up everything with different expiration dates (domain name, email, extra box space etc so as to keep things confusing). Step three is to batter the consumer with warning emails about expirations. Step four is to set up the customer service infrastructure in a way that there is no accountablility by anyone. Do not use this company, particularly if you are a small business or solo practioneer who will lose time and money dealing with these people, their long hold times and their deceptive business practices.