1and1...

Not quite sure if this should be in web hosting, but...

Anyways awhile ago I signed up for some hosting with 1and1, it was pretty cheap. So eventually that credit card was canceled, and I must have missed canceling that account with 1and1. the payment of $30 was due on the 22nd of september, and obviously was declined. Now they just sent me a letter from their collector for $30, plus a $20 "late fee" (wtf?), and they want it in 10 days.

Now let me sum up the communication I have recieved from them up until this time about this, they have my email, address, and my phone.
Email: nothing
Phone: nothing
Letters: This threatening letter a month later.

Now my question is can i tell them to suck my d*ck?
or should i just pay up and avoid a hassle, its only $50.

Either way this is pretty poor practice, how difficult could it be to send some communication...

Read their ToS. If there's no mention of late fees you can tell them to suck it.

It's up to you really but the collection agency will hound you for the money. Once it is contracted out to them, 1and1 really has nothing to do with it. I've received a few of them over the years when I forgot to update CC info and just ended up paying the $20.

Ok I cant see the late fees mentioned, but I bet its there somewhere.
Also, if the account is canceled mid billing cycle, they offer a refund i think. Maybe pay them then demand a partial refund?

They make it pretty clear that you are going to be billed in a certain cycle and that you get the services renewed until you cancel. When you don't cancel, they continue to give you all the services in your package and give you a chance to pay your bill without disabling your business. You get the billing statements emailed to you, you get the declined payment email sent to you, there are messages in your control panel, your control panel gets locked.

They do a pretty good job of trying to warn you which is why I have always paid the $20...I consider it my fault for being an idiot. The only thing I wish they would change is that they should send you an email about the CC expiry date before the failed billing happens.

I tried to cancel 1 hosting plan during a 3 month billing cycle and they said no sorry, you paid for 3 months, you get 3 months. They said to just go in and put the cancel request in before the next cycle happens.

Actually if you don't pay 1and1 will leave your service on for about 2 weeks. If you pay within 1 week of your CC being declined they will not even charge the late fee so instead of calling them a scammer perhaps you should just pay your bills?

BTW I use VCCs for them so its always declined and I have to change it every 3 months. They will send an email right away and another about a week later than a final one if you get shut off.