Product: Domain and Hosting Service Provider

Company: Register.com

Location: 12808 Gran Bay Pkwy West
JACKSONVILLE, FL, 32258, US

URL: www.register.com

Category: Internet Services

I have tried for at least six months to cancel a domain that I registered through Register.com. Before I used the company's service, I checked with the terms of service to make sure I would be able to cancel at any time, and according to those terms, all I would need to do is log into the account management section and un-select the auto-renew option *at any time.*

Problem number one: There is no option to cancel auto-renewal as Register.com clearly states there is. Instead, the account management section gives a customer service phone number to call for cancellations.

Problem number two: Nobody answers the phone. I've spent hours--literally, hours--trying to get through to a person, but I've been placed on endless hold and even cut off while trying to get through. So I emailed customer service.

Problem number three: Finding an email address for customer service is nearly impossible. I finally found an address months ago and emailed it. I got an instant automatic reply stating that my message had been received. And then...nothing. I did this several times, finally threatening to file a report with the Better Business Bureau. That one got a reply: I was instructed to call the customer service number to cancel the account. I don't need to explain again how that worked out.

I searched online for "Register.com fraud" and found hundreds of complaints about the exact same problems. So I went to the BBB website and saw that Register.com has an "A+" rating. I have no idea how that is even possible; several dozen complaints were noted, but all had been "resolved." That turned me off to filing a complaint because it appears that there is no real point if the BBB is in such direct contradiction to all the evidence available from a simple Internet search.

I just received another billing receipt signed by "Sandy Ross,

Sr. Vice President, Customer Service," and I replied to inform this person (evidently actually Alexander "Sandy" Ross: http://www.register.com/about/leadership_team.rcmx) that I expect never to be billed again and that I will be filing a BBB complaint for Register's fraudulent practices. I also will be asking my credit card to stop paying for these automatic billings.

I have never, ever witnessed or been part of such blantantly fraudulent customer service practices, and I've never been motivated to write up a public complaint like this one, but I am honestly shocked and disturbed by the way this company has completely disregarded my simple request to cancel a service as per the terms of service and to make doing so impossible. I will never patronize this company again, and I encourage anyone who needs to register a domain or host a website to find another option.