The Hidden Fees Scam: How Agencies Overcharge After You Sign

We’ve seen many ads like these:

“Professional website – only RM500!”

Looks like a steal…!

Until you realise they’re the one stealing from you.

Here’s the truth...

Some agencies lowball you at the start, then pile on “extra” charges once you’ve signed the contract and committed.

Let’s talk about the hidden fees scam, what to look out for to protect yourself from being their next victim.

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1. The “domain registration” hostage fee

Owning your domain is like owning your shop sign.

Shady agencies register it under their name, not yours.

Then, when you want to leave, they go:

“Sure… It'll be RM300 for the domain transfer and admin fee.”

What the heck?

You've paid for the domain all these while, and now when you want it back, you have to pay again?

That's what we call domain hostage.

✅ Always make sure your name is on the domain registration.
✅ Use your own account with a registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy.
✅ At the very least, make sure you have access to the domain's registrar once the domain is purchased

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2. The “mandatory hosting” trap

They insist you must use their hosting.

And of course, it’s 3x the market price.

Some even make it impossible to move your site to a new host without paying some “migration fees.”

✅ Always ask: “Can I host this anywhere?”

If they hesitate, that’s your first red flag.

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3. The “editing fee” nonsense

Check up with them on how editing works.

And no, we're not talking about the revisions they give you at the start only

What happens if you need things to be edited in the future?

Need to update your phone number? That’ll be RM200.

Change one photo? RM150.

Want to add a page? RM800.

These charges add up faster than you can say “this is daylight robbery.”

✅ Get clarity on edit limits, costs, and whether you can make changes yourself.

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4. The “SEO upgrade” upsell

Your site launches… but it’s invisible on Google.

Why?

Because they didn’t bother to make it SEO-friendly.

Now they’re telling you...

"Ohh, we didn't know you wanted SEO too..."
“We can add SEO for just RM2,000.”

Now you have a website, but no one can see it online.

Kinda like you got a new car, but without the keys to drive.

✅ SEO should be baked in from the start: proper titles, meta descriptions, mobile optimisation, and fast loading speed.

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5. The “exit fee” penalty

When you try to leave, suddenly there’s an “early termination” or “project closure” fee.

They might even refuse to give you your files unless you pay.

✅ Ask before you sign: “If I stop working with you, what happens to my site and files?”

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The best way to protect yourself

• Get everything in writing before you sign.
• Make sure you own your domain, hosting, and content.
• Understand the pricing structure for edits and updates.
• Confirm SEO is included from the start.
• Have a clear exit plan in your contract.

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Don’t fall for the bait-and-switch

🚀 At Schuah Solutions, we keep it simple:
✅ You own everything from day one
✅ Hosting at fair market rates
✅ Unlimited edits included
✅ SEO built in that outranks even the expensive competitors

Starting from RM375/month.

Fill in the form below and get a FREE website draft, so you get value first before spending a single cent on us.

Transparency wins. Every time.