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Globat Nightmare – Part 5

In case you missed my rants about Globat, it started here.

After my email confirmation with Edward Gaa, their VP of Sales and Marketing, AND a conversation over the phone with their customer service rep, that they will no longer have me on this rediculous opt-out list, I felt this was finally resolved.

But I noticed a new link in the administration screen of my account that would let me opt-out of their mailing programs. Sure enough, it showed that I was still on ALL 4 of their mailing lists.  What a joke.  No matter.  I calmly clicked on all 4 choices and opted out of all of them.  Nice.  Problem solved.  So I thought.

Keep reading. Yes, it’s hard to believe, but after all the complaints, changing the settings on their website, and calls I’ve gone through over the last year with Globat, they have the balls to send me yet another opt-out upgrade program for $49.95 for an online website WYSIWYG editor that I would never use in a million years.

But this time, it comes with the following message:

= = = Important: This Is an Automatic Upgrade = = =

Since we began our upgrade program, we have received lots of feedback from our customers who only heard about these upgrade promotions too late or through a friend. Many customers then suggested that we utilize an automatic upgrade process along with some form of an additional incentive to initiate these upgrades. Well, we have listened to your feedback and we are acting on it!

It’s impossible, I know. They are actually trying to convince me that their customers are knocking down their doors for this opt-out automatic upgrade program that they continue to use to rip off their customers.  Is this not illegal?!  If not, it should be.

To me, this is like a robber, trying to convice me that other people convinced him that we all wanted to be robbed. It’s so disingenuous on so many levels, I don’t even know where to start.

First off, let’s see those feedbacks from customers who wanted this feature. I want to see them. All of them. With the names of the people and their email addresses. Oh, you don’t have it available? No, kidding.

Hey! But what about those settings I set in my online account with Globat? What happened? Take a look.

WTF!!!??? As you can see, somehow ONLY the “Marketing E-mails” and “Automatic Upgrade Program” opt-out boxes are no longer checked. Isn’t that just amazingly convenient that just those 2 options are now checked off.

It would have been a little less creepy if all the 4 boxes were checked off. Then, I might have thought their database “accidentally” got cleared out. But when only the top 2 are checked off, then I know it was on purpose. Bastards. I hate them. I hate them with a passion.

No, it didn’t cost me anything (this time). Yes, it was just a few minutes of my time to read the stupid email and opt-out of the useless upgrades for $49.95. But that’s not the point.

The point is, Globat is ripping their customers off and I’m sure many of them don’t even know it,  Moreover, they have no understanding of what customer service is about.

Well, I’ve already opened a new account at 1and1.com. I have until May to move all my data over. It’s a lot of work to move.  But there’s no way in hell I’m giving Globat another penny. Not one penny. That would be rewarding them for running their business so badly.  And I surely don’t want to do that.

More rants: Globat nightmare Part 5 – The final countdown

2 comments

  1. I faced the same problem and I used the free promo offer from another website. If you google globat opt out you will see a lot of complaints. I think these guys a scamsters and should be shut down. Please let me know if you’ll have any ideas.

  2. I contacted them about this on June 30, 2008 as follows:

    “Regarding the unwanted “Automatic Upgrade” notifications that keep arriving, please consider the following statement carefully:

    You are unambiguously UNAUTHORIZED to charge the account on file for unrequested services or upgrades. Any such action on your part will be handled as FRAUDULENT AND UNAUTHORIZED abuse of my bank account. I do not have time to constantly monitor my inbox for charges to opt-out of, in order to avoid having funds stolen from me.

    Stop doing this to me now. I will NEVER willingly accept an automatic upgrade, and have stopped recommending your services to others, as this greedy and unethical practice of yours has already tainted one friendship.”

    I received the following reply via email:

    Dear John,

    Thank you for contacting Globat.com.

    We do apologize for the inconvenience. We have gone ahead and opted the email address –@tinydog.com out of our marketing database. You were not charged for this upgrade. You will no longer receive automatic upgrade offers and charges or any type of promotional emails. Let us know if there’s anything else we can help you.

    Should you have any further billing questions, please do not hesitate to email us at billingdesk@globat.com.

    Regards,

    Jaime
    Globat Billing Support
    http://www.Globat.com Web Hosting Made Easy®

    Today, August 4, 2008, I received another bulk email from the company titled: “Important: Automatic upgrade charge of $49.95 for http://www.xxxxxxxx.com” part of which is excerpted as follows:

    “= = = Important: This Is an Automatic Upgrade = = =

    Since we began our upgrade program, we have received lots of feedback from our customers who only heard about these upgrade promotions too late or through a friend. Many customers then suggested that we utilize an automatic upgrade process along with some form of an additional incentive to initiate these upgrades. Well, we have listened to your feedback and we are acting on it!

    As one of our most valued customers and based on our customer feedback, we are absolutely certain that you want to take advantage of this opportunity. For years, our customers have been looking for something like this, and we’re excited to finally be able to offer it. You do not want to miss out on this opportunity.

    For that reason, we will automatically upgrade your current hosting package by adding GloBackup and charging the $49.95 access fee to your account on file on Thursday, August 14, 2008, unless you specifically tell us not to upgrade you by clicking on the link at the end of this e-mail.”

    I contacted the company once again this afternoon, and remain uncertain whether they will honor my request to stop doing this to me. This was my third request to them regarding this matter. I also filed complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission.