Complaints

This profile includes complaints for IONOS, Inc.'s headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  IONOS, Inc.

  100 N 18th St Ste 400 Philadelphia, PA 19103-2704

  
• 

  IONOS, Inc.

  100 N 18th St Philadelphia, PA 19103-2707

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/26/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Cancelled a service with them in Dec 2022. Was continually billed but went unnoticed as I have other products with them. Found out that not only did the billing continue but also had the price raised without notification. Tried again to cancel and request refund, transferred to the cancelation where I was left on hold over an hour. Requested a callback and eventually heard back. Was told that even though the service wasn't used there was no refund possible as I hadn't verified the cancellation previously.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/27/2023

  Dear ***********************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  Upon a thorough review of your concerns, we were unable to locate any case history that corresponds to the issues you mentioned. We understand how frustrating this can be, and we regret any inconvenience you've encountered. For further clarity, our services are billed based on allocated resources rather than usage. As such, the service remained active and invoices continued to generate as we did not receive a prior request for service termination. We understand that this may have caused confusion, and we apologize for any inconvenience. In March 2023, we advised of the upcoming changes to our pricing structure. Notifications about these changes were provided via email and were accessible in the notification center of your control panel. We apologize for any misunderstanding in this regard. To ensure clarity in the future, please be informed that you have the ability to request the deactivation of your services at any time through your control panel. For step-by-step instructions on how to process this, please visit: ************************************************************************************************************************************.
  
  As a measure of good faith, we are issuing a reversal of the relevant invoice to remove the balance from collections. Please rest assured that when a balance is passed to collections, it does not impact your credit score, as it is only forwarded after a 60-day period of non-payment.
  
  If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us here in the Executive Solutions Team via email to:  [email protected]. Once more, we apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  This is still completely unacceptable. All invoices are paid with the exception of the most recent one and you're telling me it was sent to collections.  That's ridiculous and completely unprofessional. No notice was given of that and even if it is being reversed, it still doesn't make up for it all the other charges. Also I don't understand how you're not able to find the account and issue but somehow are able to find the most recent bill. Please advise,
  
  *******************
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/01/2023

  Dear *******************, 
  
  We understand that the situation regarding the recent invoice and its handling has been frustrating, and we want to address your concerns.
  
  Please note, all communications regarding the account including but not limited to invoices and pricing structure updates are sent to the email address on file for the account and the notification center of the control panel. Based on the information provided in your complaint we were able to locate your account however, we were unable to locate any record of a request to terminate the service or correspondence with our support team regarding this request in December 2022.
  
  However, the invoice has been reversed and a credit invoice has been sent to the email address on file for the account.  We acknowledge the importance of transparent communication, and we constantly work to ensure that information is shared as effectively as possible and we are sorry to hear that this communication was missed. We apologize for any inconvenience caused, and we appreciate your understanding. We are committed to learning from this experience and improving our processes to prevent similar issues in the future.
  
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  **************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/24/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My ****** was charged $46.96 on July 4th. They claim it was never paid even though that amount has been deducted from my bank account. They claim they had a "billing error" and that if I pay them another $46.96 they will unlock my account and give me a refund for $46.96, which doesn't make any sense to me. They have now sent it to a collection agency which is demanding $65.91. I owe them nothing. They are holding my domains hostage and refuse to take the charge off my account unless I pay them first and now they want to charge me more? Absolutely not.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/01/2023

  Dear *******************************,
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  According to our records we were able to successfully collect the amount referenced, however we received notice of a chargeback dispute from your financial institution shortly after, which effectively removed the payment from IONOS and returned the funds to your financial institution. In doing so the balance became outstanding and was forwarded to collections after 60 days of non-payment. As a measure of good faith, we have issued a reversal of the relevant invoice to remove the balance from collections. Please note that when a balance is passed to collections, it does not impact your credit score, as it is only forwarded after a 60-day period of non-payment.
  
  We would like to confirm that the associated service is active and available for use at this time. 
  
  If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us here in the Executive Solutions Team via email to: [email protected]. Once more, we apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/01/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/20/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I've been a customer if 1 And 1 for 20+ years. Recently, and out of nowhere, I receive an email from Ionos saying that I have past due balances on 5 domains, 4 of which I haven't owned in 10+ years. They sent me a list of contract numbers with no real details about each one and no PDF Invoices or any documentation saying what I owe and why I owe on said contracts/subscriptions. They can only tell me that I have past due balances, all from 10+ years ago, and I'm just now hearing about them. Out of nowhere, they now want $154 for something they can't even give me detailed invoices / history on. They said they updated their billing system. This is the MOST unprofessional business practice I've seen in the world of digital services with Domain/Hosting providers. It seems like since the company changed to Ionos the customer service has gone out the window.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

  After going back and forth with several employees at Ionos I ended up paying around $75 for some of these 10+ year old bills from them. Now my account is back in good standing and I was able to add new products/services. This has been resolved.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/27/2023

  Dear *************************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  Upon a thorough investigation into the matter, we discovered that your recent order was halted due to an outstanding debt on several previous accounts. We understand the frustration this may have caused and acknowledge that our system did not halt new orders as per our standard account management procedure. Please allow me to clarify our policy on this matter.
  
  Any outstanding debt from previous accounts must be satisfied before ordering new services. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity of our services and to ensure that we can consistently provide you with the highest level of support and uninterrupted service.
  
  We sincerely apologize for the delay in halting new orders and advisement of outstanding debt. It is important to note that all notifications and communication related to your account are sent to the contact email associated with your account. This is designed to keep you informed about your account status and any updates or changes that may occur. We understand that there may have been miscommunication in this process, and we are actively working to improve our notification procedures to prevent similar issues in the future.
  
  We value your business and want to ensure your complete satisfaction. To facilitate this process, we have reviewed the accounts in question and as a courtesy, we cleared the debt on several accounts as a courtesy and removed billing restrictions. This means that you are now eligible to establish new orders with us immediately.
  
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced, and we appreciate your understanding  as we strive to improve our account management procedures. Your experience is of the utmost importance to us, and we are dedicated to providing you with the best service possible.
  
  If you have any further questions please feel free to contact us here in the Executive Solutions Team via email to: [email protected]. Once more, we apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/18/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I created an account with  IONOS (web hosting) on April 18, 2023. I transferred my existing personal domain to their service and built a new website. When my partner and I decided to start our own web design business, I purchased a second domain name with IONOS (*******.**) and attempted to add hosting for that domain to my existing account.  IONOS calls their offerings "Contracts" but does not offer any explanation as to what that contract is, how to manage/cancel only part of it, or anything else for that matter. When it became clear IONOS hosting would not meet our professional needs, I cancelled the "contract" that appeared to cover our business hosting. I then received notice that my invoice for the (cancelled) contract was overdue (?) and I was perplexed. I attempted to contact IONOS four (4) separate times and received zero response. I have record of the cancellation and hadn't used any of the hosting under the cancelled "contract," so I'm entirely baffled by their attempts to collect "arrears" for something that a) was prepaid so wasn't yet due; b) was cancelled and unused regardless. To compound my frustration, I've now received contact attempts from a COLLECTION AGENCY for the "overdue" amount (for a service that was cancelled). That amount, by the way, is $20.34 CAD. IONOS are jeopardizing my credit for less than twenty-one dollars that I DO NOT owe because cancellation was submitted and services were not rendered nor used. To this date, NOT ONE PERSON has personally contacted me from IONOS despite my attempts to reach them. And now account warns me, in red text, to deal with the collection agency directly. I have numerous transactional emails, including all the messages I wrote to support, and can forward them upon request.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/18/2023

  Dear ***************************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. Based on the information provided within this review, we were able to locate the account in question, unfortunately we did not come across any case history or correspondence that highlights the concerns you've described.
  
  We would like to extend our apologies for any confusion regarding the specifics of our contracts/contract management. We place great importance on transparency, and you can find comprehensive information in our help center by visiting this link: *****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  Our records indicate that the request to terminate the service in question was submitted (06/14/2023) after the invoice had been generated (05/29/2023), with an effective date of 6/18/2023, a confirmation email was sent to the email address on file. According to our terms and conditions, the correct procedure for terminating a service is to cancel the auto-renewal within the control panel. This prevents invoicing for an unwanted term. Please note, our services are billed based on allocation of resources, not usage. You can find detailed information on this process by visiting this link: ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
  
  Please be aware that due to non-payment, the outstanding balance was transferred to our collection agency. However, we want to clarify that this action does not result in a report to credit bureaus and will not impact your credit score. Since the contract has been terminated, I have initiated a reversal for the relevant invoice to clear the outstanding balance. Please note that the process of removing a balance from collections and updating our system may take 2-3 business days to complete. During this time, you might receive notifications about the outstanding balance, but you can disregard them.
  
  We appreciate your feedback, and if you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to our team at [email protected]. We're here to assist you.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/18/2023

  Better Business Bureau,
  
  I've reviewed the response offered by the business in question, Ionos, regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Although I disagree with the account provided by the company — which, for the record, fails to address why I was ignored by its Customer Service team repeatedly for weeks as I tried to resolve the issue in question — ultimately I'm satisfied with the resolution offered and trust the terms will be fulfilled.
  

  I very much appreciate the personalized response and willingness to help.
  
  Regards,
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/14/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  10-13-23 1and1 took my name off line then I called the next day I was told I have to pay 90 to git it back comes from a company that has pulled money out of my account when I told the no to what They were selling they did it even when I sad no. not I cant even fix this it gos from 17 to 90! all them big incs get away with so much yet nothing gets done! Its not right or fair 1 and 1 is not a good hosting provider as another provider helped me with out a 90 dollar fee. I am unhappy with 1 and 1 and this jest made it top.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/26/2023

  Dear *****************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  We have reviewed your account and confirmed that our support team has appropriately informed you about the sequence of events leading to the cancellation of your domain and the required actions to restore access to it. While we always strive to assist to the best of our abilities, our capacity to aid in situations involving unpaid services is limited. Despite sending multiple payment reminders, notifications of payment failures, overdue invoices, and impending service suspension to the email address on record, we did not receive payment or receive contact from you in a timely manner before your domain was canceled and placed into a redemption period. This Redemption Period typically occurs about 30 days after a domain's expiration date or cancellation. During this 30-day period following expiration, IONOS locks the domain to safeguard it from unauthorized transfers and grant the registrant the opportunity to recover the domain before releasing it to the public.
  
  Please be aware that the Redemption fee is not a penalty but rather an amount that covers the expenses we incur to reclaim domains from the domain registry. Given this cost, customers must agree to this fee before the reactivation process can proceed. Since this situation arose due to nonpayment, and not because of any actions on our part, we are unable to cover this fee on your behalf.
  
  It's essential for customers to manage their accounts responsibly, including monitoring invoices, updating payment information, and keeping contact details current. If you haven't been receiving our emails, please check your spam or junk folders and mark our email addresses as safe senders to ensure you receive all future communications, as email is our primary method of contact. Additionally, you can find all relevant correspondence within the control panel by selecting the bell icon located in the top right-hand corner.
  
  As previously mentioned, our support team has provided the necessary steps to regain access to your domain. We've sent an email to the address on file; please review it at your earliest convenience and respond directly. We're here to assist you further. If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to us here in the Executive Solutions Team via email to: [email protected]. 
  
  Once more, we apologize for any inconvenience, and thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I disagree with this I don't care what your system says when I started with 1and1 I had problem I had to pull my card from the account when
  1AND1  was taking out for promo stuff I never wanted. I had to call about that one 1and1 was calling me everyday sometimes twice a day to sell
  there services never mind about all the email I get from 1and1 not to my knowledge have I seen a email saying I'm going to lose my services when
  that day came I called and was told its to late. why is it you can pay 1and1 to call all the time but when the call was Needed 1and1 Never
  called. this would not be a problem if i had noticed it maybe it would be fine but the day it is out its already to-late! when I called about
  this the person on the line did not care to help I had to call twice to somewhat get some answers. Its a experience when you call me to sell
  something then it is when I call. I am done with this 1and1 wasted enough of my time I already had to move my servers to a another name. I
  will say this I will get my Domain back and I will be transferring the domain to ********* I have been with 1and1 before so there not New to me
  I fig they change there ways but I see there still not for there customers and are for the top ******* 1and1 prices when something like
  this is higher then all the outer ones and more pushy. I still fell like 1and1 did not do business the right way. I am jest little me I don't
  make money off this I jest run my own stuff and $100.00 to reactivate after ONE DAY being down I don't think its right and the fact I had NO
  call says you don't care. like I told the last person I talked to at 1AND1 bless her at least she did something and made me fell better about
  things but like I sad It was ONE DAY and no call.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************
  

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/15/2023

  Dear *********************, 
  
  We apologize for the inconvenience you've faced. Your feedback is crucial, and we understand the importance of addressing your concerns promptly. We have attempted to reach you via telephone and have sent an email to the email address on file on October 26, 2023 to assist you in  regaining access back to your domain. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach you and have not received a response. 
  
  I want to assure you that your feedback is taken seriously, and we are committed to improving our services based on your input. I apologize for any unwanted promotional activities and communication you received; this is certainly not the experience we aim to provide. We have initiated an internal investigation to review the details of your case, and we are actively working to address the issues you've raised. We value your input, and I want to assure you that steps will be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
  
  The domain in question is pending delete and will be released shortly. Once released, it will be available to the public for registration and you will be able to register the domain at the registrar of your choice. 
  
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and again we apologize for the inconvenience caused.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/16/2023

  I am jeat going to close this because we would jest keep going around and never fix the problem. You Never called me to tell me about this matter. The only emails I have from 1and1 is to sell me things you say you called I say no you never did about my domain name being dropped.  You wasted my time for something so easily fixed but for some reason you never listen in your ego is still too high in my opinion.  It's like you never even took the time to read what I wrote and jest send me some pre done letter. It's fine I will jest will NEVER do business with 1and1 and or any Affiliated company and I will pass the word along.  Talk care I hope you treat your customers better but I doubt it. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/05/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was trying to use the website-builder in May, apparently, around 10 contracts for use of the website builder were made on the page, which I was unaware of, as on my side, it showed errors. I have not been able to use my ionos account for the last 2 months and have not had any necessity to use it. Today, I tried to use it, and saw that they have asked a debt collection agency to bill me 66 US dollars.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2023

  Dear *****************************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  While we aim to help the best we can, we are limited in the type of assistance we can provide as the email address you are using is not associated with the IONOS account in question. For security purposes we can only make changes on the account or provide account specific information when contacted by the designated email address on file for the account. 
  
  Based on the information you provided in your complaint, it appears that the issue you've experienced is related to our standard billing process and the subsequent steps that were taken due to an outstanding balance. For clarity, when a payment is declined, we send an email notice, allowing time for resolution. If payment remains unaddressed, two past due invoices follow, with the second warning of service suspension. Importantly, in collaboration with our collection agency, we ensure no impact on your credit history or reporting to credit bureaus.
  
  For your convenience I have emailed the designated email address on file with more information regarding your request. You may simply reply to that email so we can continue to address your concerns. Alternatively, please feel free to contact us here in the Executive Solutions Team via email to: [email protected]. 
  

  Again, we apologize for the inconvenience caused and look forward to your reply. 
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/03/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to file a complaint against 1&1 IONOS, a web hosting and domain registration company. I have been a customer of theirs for 1 year but I am very disappointed with the way they have handled a recent billing issue. My contract number is ********. On July 26, 2023, I received a bill from 1&1 IONOS for $96. I was confused by this bill, because I had turned off autorenewal for my domain name. I was confused, so I assumed that it would just expire and I wouldn't have to pay anything. I attempted to cancel my domain name a couple days after that message, but I received an error message saying that I needed to cancel at least (x) days before my renewal date. This was very frustrating, because I had tried to cancel my domain name before the renewal date, but I had been unable to do so. On September 4, 2023 , I received an email from 1&1 IONOS threatening to send my bill to collections if I did not pay immediately. I was shocked and upset by this email. I am very disappointed with the way 1&1 IONOS has handled this situation. They have been dishonest and misleading in their billing practices, there customer service options aren't helpful as they only respond via phone, and they don't have email support at all. The services provided by 1&1 IONOS are not up to standard, and therefore I would like to see if this collections can be waived. Many of the text is hidden, and easy to skip when checking out.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/04/2023

  Hello,

  Please close the complaint. The company has a resolution that I have accepted. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  Dear *************************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  At IONOS, we pride ourselves on providing our valued customers and their businesses with a smooth renewal process that avoids any service disruptions. To uphold transparency and clarity, all our services are set up for automatic renewal in line with the terms agreed upon during the initial order. This information is clearly communicated during the ordering process, in the order confirmation, and is detailed in our terms and conditions.
  
  To ensure our customers stay well-informed, we send renewal notifications via the Notification Center in the control panel. These notifications adhere to our service terms and conditions and also include instructions on how to cancel the renewal if desired. Please be aware that, as per our standard protocol, we cannot terminate a service without explicit customer consent to prevent any potential issues related to data loss and domain ownership.
  
  In accordance with these policies, any fees associated with automatic renewal are considered valid and payable, as we did not receive a cancellation request prior to the renewal date. We want to emphasize that, as part of our commitment to fairness, any outstanding balance is referred to collections only after remaining overdue for more than 60 days within our system. Furthermore, we have established clear agreements with our collection agency to ensure that such actions do not adversely affect your credit history and are not reported to credit bureaus.
  
  Based on our records, it appears that your concerns have already been resolved by our team. Your account has been terminated, and all notifications regarding the outstanding balance and service cancellations have been sent to the email address on file.
  
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and appreciate your understanding. If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team directly via email at [email protected].  We are here to assist you further.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/02/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchase services through this company on 9/26/23. On 10/1/23 I reached out to the company to inquire why I had not heard anything from them and my my domain and email accounts had not been set up. They quickly told me there was a security issue with my account and that I needed to pay additional fees to unlock the account. I told them I felt this was a scam and that I really needed to talk to someone else in the company about the manner they put me on hold for over an hour until I finally gave up and hung up. Its a scam and Im just trying to help protect other people from this dishonest company.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2023

  Dear *******************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  We understand your frustration with the extended hold times when attempting to contact our support team. We are committed to delivering timely and efficient service to our customers, and your feedback has been shared with the relevant teams to explore potential process improvements. We would like to address a recent situation regarding your recent order with us and provide some guidance on how to prevent similar issues in the future.
  
  As part of our standard account management procedure, we would like to remind you that any outstanding debt must be satisfied before ordering new services. This policy helps us maintain the integrity of our services and ensures that we can continue to provide you with the highest level of support. 
  
  Recently, an order was placed using the same email address on file as an account with previous unpaid balances which caused the order to be canceled. We understand that this may have been an inconvenience, and we want to assure you that we take this matter seriously.
  
  We'd like to emphasize that all account-related notifications and correspondence are directed to the email address on file, which, in this case, matches the email used to set up new services. To avoid encountering such situations in the future, it's important to stay proactive. If you ever believe there is a discrepancy or if you dispute ownership of an account, we strongly encourage you to contact our customer support team immediately. Doing so will allow us to assist you in resolving any potential issues swiftly and effectively.
  
  We value your business and are committed to providing you with the best possible service. To demonstrate our commitment, we have cleared the outstanding balance on your account as a one-time courtesy. You are now free to purchase new services without any hindrance.
  
  We appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter. If you have any questions, concerns, or require assistance with your account, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team directly via email at [email protected].

  Again, we appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback. 
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a contract - ******** - with them that I chose not to renew. They charged me a total of $270 for a service I'm not using and no longer want. I've now been sent to collections by them for not paying for the next year of the service. I've never heard of this practice by hosting companies and want this charge reversed and the contract cancelled. My customer ID is *********.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2023

  Dear *************************, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  At IONOS, we prioritize delivering a seamless process for renewals to prevent any service interruptions for our valued customers and their businesses. To maintain transparency and clarity, all our services are configured to automatically renew in accordance with the terms agreed upon during the initial ordering process. This information is communicated at the time of the order, within the order confirmation, and is detailed in our terms and conditions. To keep customers informed, we send renewal notices via the Notification Center in the control panel. These notifications align with our service terms and conditions and, as stipulated in our terms, also provide instructions on how to cancel should you choose not to renew. This process remains consistent across all accounts, and according to our records, the autorenewal deactivation and activation process was successfully employed to handle undesired services on your alternate account.
  
  Please note that, in adherence to our standard protocol, we cannot terminate a service without explicit customer consent to avoid permanent data loss and domain ownership issues. In line with this, any fees associated with the automatic renewal are considered valid and payable, as there was no cancellation request submitted before the renewal date. It's essential to understand that, as part of our commitment to fair practices, any outstanding balance is only referred to collections if it remains overdue for more than 60 days within our system. We have also established clear agreements with our collection agency to ensure that such actions have no adverse impact on your credit history and are not reported to credit bureaus.
  
  We have sent an email to the address on file, containing additional information regarding the account in question. Kindly review this email and respond directly to us so that we can offer further assistance. We appreciate your feedback and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to work with you to address your concerns. Thank you for choosing IONOS.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/11/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  IONOS charged our business account $351.00 for domains we did not want. They did not give our company a warning that a renewal notice was coming up and since we are now within the 30 days of expiration we HAVE to pay the bill or our account will be shut down. Their predatory tactics must end. We are seriously trying to leave this company.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/15/2023

  Dear **. **** ****, 
  
  Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and on behalf of IONOS, I am truly sorry your experience with our company has not met your expectations. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.  Direct feedback from the customer is an important resource as it helps us focus on the aspects of our products and service that need the most attention. 
  
  At IONOS, we prioritize delivering a seamless process for renewals to prevent any service interruptions for our valued customers and their businesses. To ensure transparency and clarity, all of our services are set to automatically renew as per the agreement made during the initial order process. This information is communicated at the time of the order, within the order confirmation, and is detailed in our terms and conditions. To keep customers informed, we send renewal notices via the Notification Center in the control panel. These notices align with the terms and conditions of our services. Additionally, (as outlined in our terms and conditions), the proper process to cancel a domain or prevent it from automatic extension at the end of the term is to disable automatic renewal. Doing so ensures that the domain term automatically concludes on the specified date. You have the option to disable renewal up to 72 hours before the current term's end. Please note that once the domain term reaches its end, all connected services and applications, such as mailboxes, are disconnected and no longer available. We strongly recommend backing up your data before this point. A confirmation email is sent to the email address on file to note the deactivation date.
  
  In your case, since we did not receive a request to terminate these services, they were renewed on the scheduled renewal date. Consequently, the balance is considered valid and due. Please be aware that domain name registrations are non-refundable.
  
  We want to emphasize that it is the responsibility of each customer to manage their accounts, including canceling any services they no longer require and keeping an eye on upcoming renewal dates. We are here to support you in this process and are available to assist with any questions or concerns you may have.
  
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced, and we appreciate your understanding of our renewal process.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/17/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I did not receive an email for renewal. Your company sent an email for the billing. Your company sent an email for a satisfaction survey. Your company sent an email for correspondence. However, I receive NO EMAIL for renewal. I have no record of renewal for this account. Just an email showing that your company will be taking a payment out of my account. I do not want these Domains any longer. This response from IONOS also verifies your unwillingness to accept your actions and shows your tactics of not clearly notifying your customers when a bill is due. 

  Here is an example from my email showing you are making a price adjustments to my space domains. However, no emails 30 days out was sent showing a upcoming charge for my account. Except, the charge coming out my account.
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/19/2023

  Dear *** **** ****, 
  
  We regret any confusion regarding the method of delivering ********** renewal notifications. To provide more clarity, IONOS sends two domain renewal notifications to your control panel message board before sending the actual invoice for domain renewal. Email notifications are sent to the email address associated with your account to inform you about the upcoming expiration date of your domain(s). You can find the schedule for domain notifications outlined in detail here: ****************************************************************************************************************************
  
  When you register a domain with IONOS, the automatic domain renewal feature is enabled by default. If you wish to keep your domain and extend its term automatically, there's no need for any further action. Simply continue using your domain as usual. This information is provided during the ordering process, within the order confirmation, and is thoroughly explained in our terms and conditions.
  
  Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced, and we appreciate your understanding of our renewal process.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/19/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Your previous email did not solve my problem. I do not want a bill or owe a bill for domain names I do not want.

  No where in your previous email your company states that you are pulling the bill from my account. I provided proof of the email I received from your company showing that...that email was the only email I received from your company at that time.

  Are you IONOS going to resend the bill for $351.00? Are you going to continue to blame me...a customer with three different company websites websites under your business, who pays a monthly service for the past 2 years of $60.00 a month for a professional website service. Liable for this bill???

  Regards,
  
  **** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/29/2023

  Dear Star Fury, 
  
  In our prior communication, we have provided details about the schedule and notification process for domain renewals. For a comprehensive overview, please refer to the following link: ****************************************************************************************************************************
  
  We understand that you have raised the issue of an outstanding balance due on the account. In accordance with Section 4.9 of our terms and conditions, domain renewals are non-refundable, and no request to terminate services was made prior to the cancellation. Moreover, we have verified that the contact details provided in the review match several accounts within IONOS, indicating familiarity with our cancellation policies and processes.
  
  Regrettably, we are unable to clear the balance due on the account as per our policies.
  
  We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter. As we have provided all applicable information, we consider this matter closed.
  
  If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please feel free to contact our customer support team.
  
  Thank you for your patience and for choosing IONOS as your service provider.
  
  Sincerely, 
  
  ***************************;
  Executive Solutions Manager
  1&1 IONOS, Inc.
  *************************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: *******
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Good morning, this matter is not closed because I have provided evidence in my previous messages showing what I received in the email at his time. You have no authority to close a case if the customer still has a dispute about it. 
  
  Regardless of your policy, I STILL WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE BILL! IF I WAS NOTIFIED BY MY EMAIL CORRECTLY OR I I HAVE RECEIVED A PROPER NOTICE I WOULD HAVE CANCELLED MY DOMAIN ACCOUNTS. 
  
  As a long standing customer with many years with IONOS, I have dealt with your predatory tactics for far too long. I am formally requesting a resolution through BBB.
  
  Correction this matter is not closed. Furthermore, you already submitted my bill to a collection agency before responding to the BBB inquiry. Therefore, you as company knew that you DID NOT WANT THIS MATTER RESOLVED (Yes..I did contact your customer service on Friday 29th 2023 for a further resolution and that is how I found out what you did.
  

  For the record, again I want a resolution. Not IONOS RESOLUTION.

  THANK YOU.

  Regards,

  **** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/09/2023

  Dear *** *******,
  
  Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate your feedback, and we'd like to clarify the process for you.
  
  Domain renewal notifications are typically provided through the notification center within your control panel. Additionally, subsequent invoice and payment notifications are sent to both the notification center of your control panel and the email address we have on file for your account. We want to emphasize that it is the responsibility of each customer to actively monitor their accounts and take action to cancel any services they no longer require.
  
  Due to our internal domain dunning process, certain domain extensions, may be subject to termination due to non-payment in which the domain is automatically terminated and the associated fee is reversed due to the amount of time that has passed without us receiving payment. We have reviewed your case, and we found that all domains on the invoices in question except for the .space domain extensions are subject to this process. 
  We have sent an email to the email address on file with further instructions on how we can assist you. 

  At your earliest convenience please respond directly to the email. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

  Sincerely,
  ***************************
  Solutions Manager
  IONOS

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/10/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Good evening, Sir or Ma'am.

  Our initial complaint is for the entire balance of $351.00 (See attachment). Again, our organization did not receive a 30 day email notice about our prior bill before your company requested to take a funds out of our account. Therefore, we. our organization, request that the entire amount in question with this claim of $351.00 be reverse.
  

  Again, we are still your customer and we have multiple accounts with your company. And, we have seen your corrective action or we are no receiving notifications from IONOS 30 days prior to our business email account. However, we are still requesting that the entire amount on this claim be reverse.

  Regards,
  
  **** ****