# Network Solutions Slapped by FTC over Deceptive Refunds



## drmike (May 12, 2015)

The FTC recently slapped hosting giant Network Solutions for deceptive advertising and defrauding unhappy customers who cancel.  Simply said, Netsol promised 30 day money back guarantee, but read the fine print at the bottom of the page which takes you elsewhere that says if you cancel, such refund is subject to fees.

Network Solutions is now under 20 years of probation via the settlement.

The FTC ruled that:

"The acts and practices of Respondent as alleged in this complaint constitute unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act."

Source: https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/150407networksolutionscmpt.pdf

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2015/04/ftc-obtains-settlement-network-solutions-llc-misleading-consumers


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## tdale (May 12, 2015)

No Comment.


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## tdale (May 12, 2015)

Ok whatever ill comment just because. So the reason they do this is to recover the fee on the domain name. No it doesn't cost them 34.99 to reg a domain however there is a cost there. If they put in the terms that they keep your domain name and put up a page saying " Unfortunately it didn't work out, Network Solutions owns your domain for the next year" that would of been a lot more comical. I remember being on the phones with people complaining about such fee. They would call tech support to cancel instead of billing for whatever reason. Anyways my lead would always refund the customer instantly because he thought the fee was bullshit. I'm waiting for the Class Action Lawsuit for all the customers that took the hit now. SOON TM I Suppose.


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## DomainBop (May 12, 2015)

My comment:



> Web.com
> 
> 
> Our Brands:
> ...



The FTC could just put those names on a dartboard and slap whichever brand the dart landed on and there'd be enough for the FTC to issue some hefty fines and penalties.



> So the reason they do this is to recover the fee on the domain name


No, in this case the reason they do it is their parent company's sleazy corporate culture which has infected all of its brands.


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## tdale (May 13, 2015)

DomainBop said:


> My comment:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


To be fair, Netsol was a good place to work before Web.com stepped in. They used to do a lot of stuff for there employees. After Web.com they cut a ton, stopped giving raises unless you were promoted and other employee perks. They've also lost a lot of talent and run around blind for the most part. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw them fall.


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## Gang Starr (May 13, 2015)

Fees to cancel? This is, sorry for my language, totally utter shit. No serious company would ever want money from to you to cancel the contract within the offered period of 30 days or whatever. Damn even cancellations after that time should always be free. I don't cancel shit to pay more for it.

20 years of probation? They should add up a hefty bill to it and tell them to give people their money back.


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## HalfEatenPie (May 13, 2015)

Wasn't Network Solutions that one company that did Domain registrations for 50 dollars a year? 

Ehh....  I have no strong feelings one way or the other.  I never really used Network Solutions nor did I really care for it so I never went with it.


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## tdale (May 13, 2015)

Network Solutions i believe was the first domain registrar... Ever...


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## drmike (May 13, 2015)

Yeah as a senior citizen of this stuff I can say Network Solutions use to charge hefty fees for registrations.

$50 a year I don't recall.  I know it was about $35 a year though at some point when I spent with them.


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## DomainBop (May 13, 2015)

tdale said:


> Network Solutions i believe was the first domain registrar... Ever...


They had a monopoly on registrations until 1999 when ICANN opened it up to other companies.  Register.com was one of the very first to take advantage of the new rules in 1999 and they were actually a really good registrar for a few years until >> venture capital purchase >> sale to Web.com >> RegisterDotShit.



drmike said:


> Yeah as a senior citizen of this stuff I can say Network Solutions use to charge hefty fees for registrations.
> 
> $50 a year I don't recall.  I know it was about $35 a year though at some point when I spent with them.


Pricing went like this:

1991-95 free. 1995-1997: $100 for 2 yrs and NetSol gets sued for antitrust in 1997 and forced to lower prices to $70 for 2 yrs.  After ICANN was formed in 1998 and NetSol was forced to separate the registry business and registrar business wholesale prices for .com got set at $6 in 1999.


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