My Domain Name is Expiring but I Can't Update My Credit Card

Fred Bunzl The headline above is the message I received from one of my customers a few days ago.

As we all know, completing online forms isn't always easy. Some forms are not as helpful as they might be and return an error without explaining that all you need do is remove the spaces in that credit card number or the comma in the address.

And it's even more frustrating when your precious domain name is about to expire.

I quickly replied to my customer with a few tips which I'm mentioning again here as I'm sure she's not the only one needing to get this sort of annoying problem out of the way quick.

So here are six quick tips to help ensure a successful renewal of your domain name when you have a problem updating the credit card data in your domain account ...

Tip 1. If it's been a whole year since your last payment, then it is possible that your bank has meantime issued you a new card. Just make sure you've updated your account information with the new expiration date, even if the card number has not changed.

Tip 2. Check your billing address. Due to the high risk of fraudulent transactions, many registrars have introduced an address verification system. This system checks your billing address against the information on file with your bank to ensure accuracy. If this information doesn't match then the domain renewal order won't be accepted.

Tip 3. Look at your most recent bank or credit card statement to ensure that the billing address information associated with your credit card matches the address to which your statement was sent. There are a few things that you might want to leave out to make the address verification process go smoothly. For example do not include your apartment number, suite number, or other additional numbers in your street address. Although this number may be present when your bank mails your statement, it is really only the street address itself that is used for address verification purposes. E.g. 1324 Main St., NOT 1324 Main St. Suite 567.

Tip 4. Remove any foreign characters. Try removing any non-english characters or symbols such as # or &. Sometimes these characters cause errors.

Tip 5. Check your Card Verification Code. Most bank's now require the 3-digit card verification code. This is located on the back of your Mastercard or VISA credit card. For American Express it is a 4-digit number on the front. Be sure that this Verification number is present in your billing information. Sometimes this number can be faded and hard to read on the back of your card. If you have any doubt, contact your bank to verify the number. If you have an older card that does not have a verification code on the back, you should contact your bank for advice on what should be entered in this field.

Tip 6. Some countries don't use postal codes in their addresses. If your billing address is in one of these countries, try entering NA or 00000 instead.

That's about it. But remember that if you are one of my customers at DomainsNow4U.com or at CheapToRegister.com, you can always contact me and I'll do my personal best to get your problem resolved quickly. About The Author - Copyright © Fred Bunzl - All Rights Reserved. Fred Bunzl has more than four year's experience in the domain name business, being partnered with three of the Web's largest ICANN accredited domain name registrars through his sites: DomainsNow4U.com®, CheapToRegister.com and 1stDomainNameServices.com. Fred is a member of the International Council of Online Professionals, i-cop.org, dedicated to promoting online business ethics and integrity. For more information about Fred Bunzl's services, visit http://www.domainregistrationtips.info This article may be reproduced provided that it complete content and author by-lines are kept intact and unchanged. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.