Network Solutions has auto-enrolled one of their customers in some sort of new “WebLock” program, and will soon charge his credit card $1850. Furthermore, this is a program where the customer is auto-enrolled in the program. They have to call Network Solutions in order to opt out of the program, thus not be auto-charged $1,850. This is for two domain names that the customer owns.
Brent Simmons received an email from Network Solutions:
To help recapture the costs of maintaining this extra level of security for your account, your credit card will be billed $1,850 for the first year of service on the date your program goes live. After that you will be billed $1,350 on every subsequent year from that date. If you wish to opt out of this program you may do so by calling us at 1-888-642-0265.
He notes on his blog that he was auto opted-in to the program.
Wanting to know whether or not the program was a Phishing attempt, he contacted @netsolcares on Twitter, who told him that it was real, and not a Phishing attempt. He had to call Network Solutions to get out of the program and not be charged $1,850.
According to Simmons, this is for 2 domains that have been registered since the 1990s. Lots of comments and a discussion on Hacker News.
As you might recall, Network Solutions has a history of some unusual business practices (to say the least). I once wrote about Network Solutions front-running domains and then another time where they allowed people to find a domain owner and bypass the privacy set on a domain name.
Update: January 22, 2014: Domain Name Wire found that WebLock is a program by Web.com (who owns Network Solutions). If your domains are within the top 1 percent of domains based on traffic, you are going to be opted into their program, which costs $1,850 the first year and $1,350 after that.