My friend just discovered a new low in the webhosting business!

He has an open support forum for his hosting business and he found that some lowlife is using the private message function to snatch his clients by offering cheaper prices to his clients!

If you have an open support forum, beware of private messaging. There are lowlife around.

k....

If clients are happy with their current host, a promise of cheaper prices from a forum spammer is unlikely to make them move.

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
If clients are happy with their current host, a promise of cheaper prices from a forum spammer is unlikely to make them move.

I agree, or if you think that they may steal some of your customers, than make your support forums members only (your customers)

its the principle. i know of someone who used to hang around rackshacks icq room trying to grab clients. no matter how good the deal id never go with scum like that.

What is the URL of the host? ( the PM one?)

This issue is still being investigated by by friend and they are now exchanging correspondance. This may not be the right time to disclose this lowlife's name. We'll see how it goes. In the meantime, everyone be careful of your forums.

OK, btw nice site :)

Originally posted by richy
its the principle. i know of someone who used to hang around rackshacks icq room trying to grab clients. no matter how good the deal id never go with scum like that. I believe that is the way most any satisfied customer would think.
They would think the spammer as scum and not give up your service simply to save money.

Originally posted by Angel78
OK, btw nice site :)

Thanks. Its still not half done yet though.. my clients come first :)

Originally posted by SoftWareRevue
I believe that is the way most any satisfied customer would think.
They would think the spammer as scum and not give up your service simply to save money.

Yeah, the thing is, the pms are sent in a "non-spammy way".

ie. someone posts: "Woo-hoo! My Greyhound forums just signed up 16 members today! If this continue, I might have to upgrade my hosting account!"

lowlife's pm: "Congrats! You might want to move to ***.***, I know the admin and he loves Greyhounds. You could probably give you a special deal!"

Looks innocent enough, problem is he is doing that to many people. He only got caught when he did that to a personal buddy of my friend, and my friend started investigating this person's pm.

isnt that kind of thing illegal anyway in the states? not sure of the us law but something to do with unfair solicitation or something. damn well should be.

Originally posted by richy
isnt that kind of thing illegal anyway in the states? not sure of the us law but something to do with unfair solicitation or something. damn well should be.

yep, I've had the same insident happen on my forum.
I contact my lawyers and did what I had to do, the other firm is in the process of giving me a better settlement offer.

Seems that most people forget that there are laws in the USA about this. Also most webhost seem to forget that 65% of all servers in the hosting industry are in the USA. the others are in countries that have simular laws that are applicable.

from what I understand, the simular laws also work in Germany, Great Britain, and Denmark. but I have yet to have to press a case within those country's dealing with this topic.

Before you ask, No I can not disclose the last settlement offer given given to me and I can not disclose the other party.

Mike