Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : Hostgator, too easy on suspends

[xtrac568]

I did order one of those hostgator shared offers, they recently announced new plans where bandwith and disk space are "unlimited", it's ofcourse funny when you see that for 10 bucks a month, and you of course can't use all of it (whatever the hosts says, there's always something in the their TOS they can use as a reason), but let's order and see how much exactly you can use.

Ok, the order was completed using Paypal, then i've received welcome and billing emails confirming my order, some time after i received an "your hostgator account information email" when i see that my account setup is complete and i have my login details, then i've checked it all, it was working fine (cpanel, ftp....) and i've uploaded some files just to see how it all works afterall.

After about 7 hours email comes saying that i have to verify my account...
"In order for us to setup your account, we will need you to call us and verify your account."

And my account was already working, so they need to setup what?

3 minutes later one more email comes saying that they have issued a refund to my paypal, and my hostgator account got suspended.

So what i understand here, is that i need to confirm my account by calling them now, and then to send them money again and at last to have my account unsuspended. This is totally wrong, they shouldn't even setup my account before verifing if they so despretly need it to be verified.

This is just a waste of time, and they are too easy on "Account Suspend" button. So in my case, testing of those hostgator shared accounds ends pretty quick right here.

[viratshah]

Well,
this verification process is wierd...
how can they expect the client to call them
It should be they who call up the client to verify the account
Anyways...YES...that was the problem
you should have given them a call...
Dunno why they introduced such a system
I did not need to get my account verified with a call when i'd signed up with them

[xtrac568]

Originally Posted by viratshah

Anyways...YES...that was the problem
you should have given them a call...

maybe i would give them a call if they didn't issued a refund and suspend my account 3 minutes after asking me to call them, i mean wtf?

[UH-Bobby]

That's definitely an odd way of doing things. I've heard of companies doing verification of the accounts, but usually most hosts call the client, not the other way around. I would understand if they suspended your account until it's verified, but issuing a refund is a little odd.

[Brian-de-vie]

I suspect there must be some confussion / assumptions going on here
(I have in the past used hostgator & they remain on my 'good list').

Now I do not want to read minds, but is it possible that the word 'account' has 2 meanings in this situation.
Firstly you have the 'hosting' account,
Secondly you have the 'billing' account
you can see the potential for confusion !

Now put yourself in there shoes for 1 moment,
maybe there 'normal' approach is to create the hosting account (send you the info asap to look good) put it in a 'suspend mode' untill your 'billing account is verified, then us-suspend.
They may have no 'method' in place for the 1 in 1,000 chance of the customer, uploading files 'in between' setting up & suspending (awaiting billing confirmation).

I'm probably totaly wrong, but maybe you can see there is scope for missunderstang.

IMhO you should talk to hostgator to sort it out, it would be helpful for both parties to 'learn what went wrong'.

[UH-Bobby]

That does make sense, and that's what I thought they were doing. The only thing that I didn't understand or thought was odd was the fact that they wanted the client to call them, not the other way around. I would think that the host should call the client.

[~ServerPoint~]

If the reason of argument is customer and cuatomer understands it. Why not?
But mostly I agree with you web hosting company must call customers.

[xtrac568]

Originally Posted by Brian2006

Now I do not want to read minds, but is it possible that the word 'account' has 2 meanings in this situation.
Firstly you have the 'hosting' account,
Secondly you have the 'billing' account
you can see the potential for confusion !

cPanel account is suspended and billing account aswell. The email they have sent looks like template email they might have start using (becuase some of you have said it wasn't case before to verify accounts like this). If you ask me, this way of doing things is just odd and stupid and a waste of my time, and i want to know is it only me or you may feel the same.

here is the email:

Hello,

Thank you for your order with HostGator.com!

In order for us to setup your account, we will need you to call us and verify your account. If you are not able to call, you can also respond to this ticket with a scanned copy of a Photo ID such as as a passport, or drivers license. Also please include a scanned copy of the credit card that was used in purchase, if you purchased a hosting account with a credit card. If you paid with Paypal please provide a copy of a current utility bill. Please do so at your earliest convenience to ensure that your account with HostGator is setup as soon as possible.

Toll-free: 1-866-96-GATOR
International: 011-713-574-5287

We are available 24/7, so please feel free to call us at your convenience. We apologize for any inconveniences. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

And 3 mins after this email, just baaam, account suspended and refund, you don't even have time to call, nor to see email and then do those things they ask you to do.

[UH-Bobby]

I'm suprised that they did the refund, because that part doesn't make sense. Now, I do understand why they suspended, but I think they meant to suspend before they sent the e-mail. I think it's just the order of events that happened.

[Brian-de-vie]

I wonder if this is also 'agrivated' by your location 'Europe' ?
Hostgator have to abide by US trading laws, when dealing with 'non US customers'
Very much think you should try to talk to them.

[BrentOfHG]

The majority of accounts do not need verification so they never get suspended. The account creation process is 100% automated which is why you were suspended after it was created.

The few accounts that we do require verification on get suspended until verified. The reason for this is since most are fraud and end up spamming shortly after signing up. Please pm me your domain with us and I'll be happy to take a look at it. I'll give you a free month for your trouble, and thank you for your patience.

[extenddigital]

This is a very odd confirmation process. I agree that if additional verification is needed the business should contact the customer, especially since the customer is paying them. Wonder how they keep clients. Hope you have better luck next them

[xtrac568]

Originally Posted by hostgator.com

The majority of accounts do not need verification so they never get suspended. The account creation process is 100% automated which is why you were suspended after it was created.

The few accounts that we do require verification on get suspended until verified. The reason for this is since most are fraud and end up spamming shortly after signing up. Please pm me your domain with us and I'll be happy to take a look at it. I'll give you a free month for your trouble, and thank you for your patience.

well, i did order this just for testing the services you offer, and frankly this all was not what i expected from well known host like hostgator and i don't want to bother much with this whole procedure or whatever you like to call it.... paying, refund, paying again and so on... this isn't usual at webhosting business, isn't it?

however i will send you an pm with my hostgator account details including domain name, but you don't have to give me a free month because like i said, it was meant for testing.

the reason for this thread is that it could be useful for someone in the future.

[BrentOfHG]

Hello,

Your account was flagged for the following reasons....

Your distance to billing is over 5,000 miles. You live in a high risk country.

Your domain has privacy block.

You paid via paypal yet paypal.yu doesn't exist.

Please pm me answers to the following questions....

What is your site going to be about?

Your country doesn't seem to have paypal how did you get a paypal account?

If you do not wish to answer these questions please fax in a copy of your passport or some type of government issued id. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience. We wish we didn't have to do this but due to all the criminals out there we have no choice. We receive over 50 fraudulent orders a day from stolen credit cards and paypal accounts.

If it was as simple as making a phone call we would, but unfortunately many of the criminals have no problem with cheating this verification method.

[Amy-T]

Originally Posted by hostgator.com

The majority of accounts do not need verification so they never get suspended. The account creation process is 100% automated which is why you were suspended after it was created.

The few accounts that we do require verification on get suspended until verified. The reason for this is since most are fraud and end up spamming shortly after signing up. Please pm me your domain with us and I'll be happy to take a look at it. I'll give you a free month for your trouble, and thank you for your patience.

you are top notch