Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Web Hosting : HostGator.com account verification

[jpmaster]

I bought a hosting service with them people, and even though they charged my CC, my site came available for about 10 minutes.

Now it says it is suspended.

I received an email asking me to call them to verify the info for the account but, guess what? Every time I call I have to stay on line for about 20 - 25 minutes. After that, when someone finally answers, they say they cannot hear me and hang up.

I have tried 3 different phone lines, even a cell and same thing.

Be aware of HostGator.com

I have asked for a full refund, as it is stated in their site. 45 days no questions asked, but they told me I will not get my money back because I failed to verify the info.

Don't do any business with them people. I warn you.

[HivelocityJJ]

They probably requested you call them to verify because your account was marked as possible fraud. Just because they like to play it safe doesn't mean they are scam artists. And, as stated in most terms of service agreements, if you fail to follow the rules and procedures, you are not eligible for a refund.

[jpmaster]

Well we have been HostDime customers for over 4 years without any problems, now with the last downtime, we decided to put mirror sites on other hosts.

We have called to verify the info and they fail to hear what we say over the phone.

[HivelocityJJ]

Originally Posted by jpmaster

Well we have been HostDime customers for over 4 years without any problems, now with the last downtime, we decided to put mirror sites on other hosts.

We have called to verify the info and they fail to hear what we say over the phone.

Have you emailed them regarding the phone problems?

[cpharry]

I have never heard of someone phoning a host company and them not being able to here anything because at the end of the day the hosts need customers to keep going and im not sure that they would do this avoidance on the phone deliberatly.

[[HB]Andrei]

Yea, their procedure is kinda weird, I know like a while ago when I bought hosting from HostGator to see their services, they activated my acc instantly upon my payment via PayPal and it also got suspended by the next morning... but I guess I was lucky cos I got ahold of them on the phone pretty fast... thx to skype low rates (which allowed me to hold on the phone for a while)...

I guess they should indeed be careful with so many internet frauds and chargebacks...

My suggestion is that you should keep trying to reach them via the phone and they'll activate your acc...

They may be major oversellers, but they're not scammers

[jpmaster]

Originally Posted by JohnJ

Have you emailed them regarding the phone problems?

We have just received and email stating they have issued a refund, cancelled the original invoice, and asked me to go again to their billing site: ttps://secure.hostgator.com/~billing/user.php?

and submit payment again. I called my bank but they have not received any refund.

I was able to login again into the billing system and got really upset, there is no evidence about the cancellation of the original bill and there is one more bill pending payment.

Scammers!

[cpharry]

Yes, I have to agree with [HB]Andrei because it just doesnt sound right that a large hosting company deliberatly ignores valuable customers so, yes keep trying to get hold of them because at the end of the day you have payed for a service you deserve it.

[cpharry]

Originally Posted by jpmaster

We have just received and email stating they have issued a refund, cancelled the original invoice, and asked me to go again to their billing site: ttps://secure.hostgator.com/~billing/user.php?

and submit payment again. I called my bank but they have not received any refund.

I was able to login again into the billing system and got really upset, there is no evidence about the cancellation of the original bill and there is one more bill pending payment.

Scammers!

I would give your bank a day or two because with big hosting companies they may say that the refund has been done but it is still probably in the works waiting to be done. I have a live chat center on my hosting site or i did anyways went all wierd but is there any other way that you can contact them because you shouldnt make accusations that arent true when they are being completly honest. Give it a few days and see what happens.

[jpmaster]

Originally Posted by cpharry

I would give your bank a day or two because with big hosting companies they may say that the refund has been done but it is still probably in the works waiting to be done. I have a live chat center on my hosting site or i did anyways went all wierd but is there any other way that you can contact them because you shouldnt make accusations that arent true when they are being completly honest. Give it a few days and see what happens.

Just to clear this out:

I opened a chat window with a sales rep, I started explaining what happened, when I told him that we were seeing two invoices with the same number, both saying PAID, and asking them very politely to explain to us HE TERMINATED THE CONVERSATION.

What does that tell you?

[cpharry]

That you need to take it to your bank, in my opinion the customer is always right and needs to be treate with respect that is why all my customers get 24/7 support, via, email, live chat and telephone all in the UK not in india or some remote place.

[zildjian2000]

Even looking from hostgator's end and assuming that this is all just a misunderstanding, hostgator should still refund the payment even if the client didn't go through the fraud process. The reason being is let's say it is fraud, that means it was a stolen credit card, so they are taking some random person's money.

So whether the person who signed up used their credit card or another's, it should still be refunded because either the customer isn't getting their account, or the person who's stolen credit card was used gets their money stolen by hostgator.

[cpharry]

I agree with zildjian2000, you should deffinatly get your refund mainly because you havent recieved the product that you promised to pay for.

[[HB]Andrei]

Originally Posted by zildjian2000

Even looking from hostgator's end and assuming that this is all just a misunderstanding, hostgator should still refund the payment even if the client didn't go through the fraud process. The reason being is let's say it is fraud, that means it was a stolen credit card, so they are taking some random person's money.

So whether the person who signed up used their credit card or another's, it should still be refunded because either the customer isn't getting their account, or the person who's stolen credit card was used gets their money stolen by hostgator.

If the verification of the account isn't done in a period of time, they will eventually refund the money. Like I said, they aren't scammers, I've never seen a HostGator review saying they stole money...

[cpharry]

Yes, but if the client has tried to verify the account but has been in-avoidably in-able to do that then the client deserves a refund immediatly.