Avangate Now also apparently in GERMANY as kundenservice@1und1.de Trying to charge software renewals illegally New York, AMsterdam and Karlsruhe in DE US, UK, NL and

1 - I received a notice of IOLO software renewal. It was originally ordered 12 months ago without renewal commitment.. Avangate stated they would debit my payment card with 141 Euro. (the software value was GPB 35.00 pounds i.e. 42 Euro max.)

I will decline to accept the shipment, advise the credit card co. of unauthorised collection.

2 - I immediately disputed the charge with an e-mail to customer@avantgart.com.

This was replied to with a request to open an account against the old order reference so it could be followed up. This in turn led to a long-winded procedure which I would not complete.

3 - On the same evenig, I received a new, almost identical request from a company in Southern Germanmy, Karlsruhe, again asking me for 141 Euro for software to be despatched which was not even specified.

This company appears a copy cat operation of avangate. Its e-mail is Kundenservice@1und1.de

Again I have disputed the intended charge.

A very slick operation, clearly fraudulent. Will pass this to UK Consumer Protection Authority. Will ask colleauges in Germany also.

Don't by software over the Internet unless you have watertight information about the vendor. Any "fulfilment" company is a risk.