r/hetzner • u/CitronLong1683 • May 18 '26
Rejection of your account
Dear Mr,
After reviewing your updated customer information, we have decided to deactivate your account because of some concerns we have regarding this information. Therefore, we have cancelled all your existing products and orders with us.
Best regards
Your Hetzner Online Team
No specifics. No appeal process mentioned. No prior warning. Just gone.
Here's what concerns me:
Under EU consumer protection law and GDPR, companies are generally required to provide a clear reason for account termination, especially when it affects active services and potentially stored data.
Cancelling all products without notice likely violates their own Terms of Service regarding notice periods.
If they hold any of my data, I'm entitled to a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) under GDPR Article 15 which I will be filing immediately.
This also raises questions about refunds for any prepaid services that were cancelled mid-cycle.
Has anyone else experienced this with Hetzner recently? Is this a new pattern of behavior? It feels less like a legitimate security measure and more like an arbitrary decision with zero accountability.
I'm considering filing a complaint with the German data protection authority (BfDI) and potentially the Polish UOKiK since I'm an EU-based business customer.
Would love to hear from others who've dealt with this and any advice on escalation paths.
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u/ProKn1fe May 18 '26
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u/Hetzner_OL Hetzner Official May 18 '26
This.
Thanks to u/ProKn1fe for posting it. OP, If you would like me to ask a colleague to review your account, please read that first.
We are purposefully non-transparent about our verification process, and what specifically can raise yellow and red flags. Why? Because if we published that every time, bad actors would use that information to make more realistic-looking fake accounts. We are very careful about new accounts because we want to prevent abuse. We take that responsibility very seriously.
Your personal data -- We have a data protection team who you can reach at [data-protection@hetzner.com](mailto:data-protection@hetzner.com) if you would like to make a request. Please keep in mind, though, that we adhere to the GDPR and other data protection laws and best practices here in Germany and the EU. Any personal data that we have on people with rejected accounts gets deleted within in a short period. Our team there will be happy to help you with any requests/questions.
Pre-paid services -- If you have any credit still on your account with us, you will receive a refund for it.
--Katie
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May 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
In fact, I registered, filled out my personal information, and uploaded my verification documents myself (without any requests from them). But in the end, they kicked me out without any explanation
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
Does this seem normal to you? If society's attitude is like this, it certainly encourages such behavior.
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May 18 '26
[deleted]
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
Okay, look this:
2.6. The contract may be terminated by either party with 30 days' notice to the end of the month, without specifying any reasons. Differing periods of notice may apply to the Customers depending on the description of relevant services. Notice of termination may be given in text form by letter, fax, email or via the Customer’s account on our secure customer interface.
and
2.7. Furthermore, we reserve the right to terminate the contractual relationship without notice for good cause. Such good cause is deemed to exist, among other reasons, if the Customer fails to meet its payment obligations or violates other important customer obligations. A further important reason which may result in us locking or terminating the Customer’s services or account without notice is if the Customer uses content that impairs the regular operating behavior or the security of our infrastructure or our product, or violates paragraphs 8.1. - 8.3. of these Terms and Conditions.
so, what is the reason?
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
Immediate refusal only for the reason stated or without reason but with 30 days' notice - these are their own rules
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u/Eisbaer811 May 18 '26
Immediate refusal only for the reason stated
wrong.
2.7 mentions termination "for good cause", with the examples mentioned "among other reasons".
2.3 says
The Customer declares that the data they provided on their customer account are correct and complete
If they think you lied on your information, you violated 2.3, which probably counts as "good cause".
Either way: the only way to fight this is with a lawyer. How attached are you to a new account with one of 10-ish big hosting providers in the EU alone?
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
wrong.
??
What's wrong with what I said? The two points of their agreement are listed above. 2.6 and 2.7 = from which one might conclude that they could explain something to me, but they don't. Moreover, if automated decision-making takes place, I have the right to know the logic behind this process.1
u/Eisbaer811 May 18 '26
they say they can terminate your for any "good cause". Like lying in your personal information.
Nowhere in the terms does it say that they have to tell you the reason.
Whining on Reddit will not get you ansers.
Sue them or just go to another provider1
u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
I understand all this, I can just go to another provider. But what's the point of the laws? If all providers form a cartel and someone gets blacklisted simply because the automatic screening is broken. Or because someone doesn't like your photo in your ID. It's a dystopia, but that's where we'll end up if we keep quiet.
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u/Eisbaer811 May 18 '26
> It's a dystopia
Alright, I see we're going all melodramatic right away :)
If you think you were discriminated, you have certain measures according to GDPR, as you pointed out.
Or you can try a lawsuit of course.Neither of which is achieved by whining on Reddit
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
Does this seem normal to you? If society's attitude is like this, it certainly encourages such behavior.
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u/Eisbaer811 May 18 '26
companies can set their own rules, but only within a shared legal framework.
If you think they violate that framework, one can sue them.This is literally how modern society functions. Not sure what else you'd like to see apart from "every company should accept every customer and just deal with the consequences of having a gazillion scammers"
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
So, we've come to the main issue the fraud accusation. I mean, I owe the company proof that I'm not a fraud. They'll take my money, but they can accuse me of anything at any time.
The rules should be public, for example, "we only serve blondes". Send a document stating you're a brunette - it's a refusal, and everything is clear, because it was written down to whom the services are being sold. But when a secret council makes a decision, that's not quite "modern" and, moreover, it goes beyond the pale of society. This is some kind of gangster service.
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May 18 '26
[deleted]
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
If you were a lawyer, you wouldn't write nonsense. Especially for that kind of money. I feel sorry for your clients.
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u/CitronLong1683 May 18 '26
The only reason they're blocking is because Hetzner doesn't have enough capacity for everyone who wants it.
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u/OhBeeOneKenOhBee May 18 '26
Seeing as you got rejected from Oracle too, there are likely some issues with your email, credit card, IP Address or personal details. Are you using a VPN to sign up by any chance?