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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    12801
    Posts
    4

    Where can I report an abusive hosting company?

    I am not going to get into the petty behaviors of this company over the last 2 or 3 months except to say that they went in and changed all of the Registrant Contact info as well as Billing and Administration info on my 5 domains that they host as well as the 35 domains I have parked with them to reflect their company and not mine.

    They have moved my e commerce sites 3 times in the last 2 years without my approval and each time causing the sites to be down for 3 - 5 days each, costing me money. The just sent an over inflated bill for their services including web hosting until the end of the year.

    I paid it with a credit card on Friday July 26th, but said that if they accepted payment they were agreeing to correct all the domain registrations of my hosted and parked sites and have the info propagated onto www whois within 120 hours. They have corrected all of the domain registration info but they still have access to the info with a password that I can not change.

    Now all of my sites are gone. What can I do, please?

    Who can I complain to? Who can I report them to? They are a small company and have their own servers.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Downunder..
    Posts
    2,612
    If the host is based in the U.S, www.bbb.org

    You are doing the right thing by posting on WHT..

    1 angry user will spread bad word to more people then 1 happy user

  3. #3
    It doesn't sound like they are going anything illegal, just being poor businessmen. That's not unusual in this business - since many of the people who start up web hosting companies have no other business experience.

    To fix one of your problems though, if you are the admin email contact for your domain names, you can probably transfer them to another registrar without any problem - unless they are registered with Joker, or another registrar who requires you to actually use the control panel to enable a transfer.

    You should always ensure you have complete control of your domains separate from your web hosting company so you are not held hostage by them and can easily move when you need to do so.

    -t
    myOstrich Internet - OpenSRS Domain Names & Digital Certificates
    http://www.myostrich.net

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Posts
    288
    Yep www.bbb.org (or similar if not in the US).

    My question though is, why are you still with them and why have you paid for more hosting, if you have been unhappy with them for the last 2 years?

    Please don't be offended by this, but that would be like me complaining about a headache, while bashing my head against a brick wall. If I stopped the headache stops. Some thing, if you have been unhappy with them for over 2 years, why not move elsewhere?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    720
    1. What is the name of the company? Maybe they will reply here.
    2. BBB what a joke! All they can do is write a letter maybe.
    3. If you cannot move your domains because of them, I might try a charge back. You say your sites are not up, so it appears you did not get what you paid for?
    Money is the way to strike back and I would inform them of that unless they get it right, you are going to do a charge back.
    How many people check out a host with the BBB?
    To easy for a host to change their name and back in the ballgame they are.
    No, hit them where it hurts! $$$$$

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    12801
    Posts
    4

    Why am I still with an abusive hosting company?

    I am still with this host because they would not change back the domain or web site registration information so I was unable to move anything. I have been asking for 6 months to change back the registration information so the sites and domains were back in my name but they wouldn't, probably because they knew the first thing I would do would be to change hosting companies.

    How were they able to legally change the registration information from my name to theirs in the first place?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Kalamazoo
    Posts
    33,412
    We don't have enough information, Martha. At least, I don't.
    Did you purchase the domains 'from' them?
    Did they purchase on your behalf from somewhere else?
    Did you purchase them somewhere else and list them as administrative or technical contacts?
    Can you tell us the domain names?
    There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Posts
    852
    I agree, the BBB is worthless, they only get involved if there are mucho dinero involved.

  9. #9
    I've had the Better Business Bureau write a letter on my behalf to a business and had the issue resolved - and it was not over "mucho dinero" at all. I was pleasantly surprised. The business was local, not overly large, and responded quickly to the BBB leter.

    It's not all bad out there.

    -t
    myOstrich Internet - OpenSRS Domain Names & Digital Certificates
    http://www.myostrich.net

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    12801
    Posts
    4

    Domain Sites

    I have been on line with some of these sites since 1997 and transferred them all, along with my 35 domain names, to this hosting company 2 years ago, to have everything under one roof.

    The first was http://NichesWork.com. Then came
    http://RealEstateProspecting.com. Then http://RealtyTags,
    http://DomainPlates.com, and finally BuildersPromoPlates.com

    I have known this person for 4 years and everything was fine until about 2 months ago when my sites were all down again for anywhere from 3 to 5 days. I'd had enough and told them to update and correct all registration information. They stalled and it was not until this past Friday afternoon that the registration information was updated with whois and only after I paid an inflated invoice.

    Now, of course I want to move them, but I had wanted to do a backup first, and now they are all down. She says it is a dns error or 'further down the backbone', but I notice her own sites are still up and humming right along nicely.

  11. #11
    Well, the contact information is in your name on these domains, however the Registrar Lock is enabled, so you won't be able to transfer away until this is disabled. That means you need the login information at eNom to take full control of these domains...

    -t
    myOstrich Internet - OpenSRS Domain Names & Digital Certificates
    http://www.myostrich.net

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    720
    Originally posted by thewitt
    I've had the Better Business Bureau write a letter on my behalf to a business and had the issue resolved - and it was not over "mucho dinero" at all. I was pleasantly surprised. The business was local, not overly large, and responded quickly to the BBB leter.

    It's not all bad out there.

    -t

    The key word is local here, not internet.
    Where are these people at, the hosting company?
    Let them know you are posting here and telling the world about them.
    Just a shot in the dark............

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    1,210

    Re: Where can I report an abusive hosting company?

    Originally posted by Martha
    Who can I complain to? Who can I report them to? They are a small company and have their own servers.
    The Attorney General's office of the state the company is located in is who you need to contact.

    Don't waste your time with the BBB unless this company is a member. Even then, they're not terribly effective.

    -Bob

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    15
    With you posting here on WHT, you are alredy getting the word out. WHT is a powerful tool for making this type of information available.

  15. #15
    Bob is right - don't bother with the BBB in this case if you want to get the situation resolved. Contact the Attorney General/State's Attorney office, or get a lawyer. Alternately (or additionally), you might want to at least attempt contact with VDI, although part of your problem is probably them, since they're down right now.

    Rather interesting page your host has up at their (old) main site. The new domain doesn't even come up. Just how many names do they use?
    Annette
    Hosting Matters, Inc.
    Superior service. Sensible price.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    12801
    Posts
    4

    Annette - Who is VDI?

    and which page are you referring to as their main page or site, please?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    New Orleans, LA "Nawlins"
    Posts
    1,131

    Re: Why am I still with an abusive hosting company?

    Originally posted by Martha
    I am still with this host because they would not change back the domain or web site registration information so I was unable to move anything. I have been asking for 6 months to change back the registration information so the sites and domains were back in my name but they wouldn't, probably because they knew the first thing I would do would be to change hosting companies.

    How were they able to legally change the registration information from my name to theirs in the first place?
    Martha,
    Really, who is you host? Looks like a reseller of a reseller of a reseller, which is usually bad news all around.

    Does the name FiveStarWebHost.com ring a bell
    or MPC Internetworks, Inc. (MyMPC.com)

    I see your domains are at:
    NS.SERVER791.NET 66.78.26.98
    NS2.SERVER791.NET 66.78.26.99
    which are registered to a no name with admin@mympc.com
    PO Box 5782
    San Bernardino, CA 92412
    US

    nameservers track back to the NetBlocks of:
    Virtual Development INC (NETBLK-NETBLK-VDI-3)
    1373 Broad Street, Suite 306
    Clifton, NJ 07013
    US

    MyMPC.com is registered to
    MPC Internetworks, Inc.
    PO BOX 5782
    San Bernardino, CA 92412
    US
    and is at:
    ns.FiveStarWebHost.com 209.204.209.33
    ns2.FiveStarWebHost.com 209.204.227.168

    nameservers track back to the NetBlocks of:
    OLM,LLC (NETBLK-OLM-02)
    3080 Ogden Ave
    suite 100
    Milford, CT 06460
    US

    California Corporation Records
    MPC INTERNETWORKS, INC.
    Number: C2115985 Date Filed: 7/23/1998 Status: active
    Jurisdiction: California
    Mailing Address
    PO BOX 5782
    SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92404
    Agent for Service of Process
    JAMES WILLIAMSON
    1585 SOUTH D STREET STE 205
    SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408

    Better Business Bureau
    1 to 2 of about 2 Matches.
    Record 1 http://www.labbb.org/scripts/cgiip.e...ID=1&hAddrID=1
    MPC INTERNETWORKS, INC. also dba More Profits.Com, No Monthly Fees, and NoMonthlyFees.com
    337 South Arrowhead Avenue
    SAN BERNARDINO, CA
    Based on our standards, we rate this company as having an unsatisfactory business record. An unsatisfactory rating is given when a pattern in the company's customer complaints causes us concern, when the company does not respond to complaints, or when it will not substantiate its advertising claims. In this case, our complaint history for this company shows that although the business has responded to some customer complaints brought to its attention by the Bureau, others remain unanswered. A Better Business Bureau report is based on our file information and experience with an individual company over the past three years. The Bureau does not endorse, recommend, or disapprove of any company, product or service.

    Record 2 http://www.labbb.org/scripts/cgiip.e...ID=1&hAddrID=1
    MPC INTERNETWORKS, INC.
    1585 South D Street
    SAN BERNARDINO, CA
    Based on our standards, we rate this company as having an unsatisfactory business record. An unsatisfactory rating is given when a pattern in the company's customer complaints causes us concern, when the company does not respond to complaints, or when it will not substantiate its advertising claims. In this case, our complaint history for this company shows that although the business has responded to most customer complaints brought to its attention by the Bureau, one remains unanswered. A Better Business Bureau report is based on our file information and experience with an individual company over the past three years. The Bureau does not endorse, recommend, or disapprove of any company, product or service.

    If this is who you are dealing with, then you will have to get in line. If you dealing with a reseller who is their client, then it is up to them to do something for you.

    Also it is up to you to intiate the charge-back, never wait for the seller to take action.
    intellec
    ....you get what you pay for and you pay for what you get....

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    344
    get enom on the phone, get control of your domains, and RUN.
    Ronnie T. Moore, Founder/Owner
    AlwaysWebHosting.com Friendly, feature-packed Cpanel hosting, that can't be beat!
    cPanel 11 Fantastico Multiple-Domain hosting (Host up to 25 domains with one account!)
    Sales/Support via phone, email, help desk, forums, FAQ's, instant messenger, live chat

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    720
    A good lawyer in Riverside which is close to San Bernardino is Danny Inskeep, ex-DA for Riverside.
    Do not know if he takes internet stuff.

  20. #20
    Martha, as intellec lists, VDI is the place where your sites actually sit on servers. They are currently down, which means your sites would also be down. The page to which I am referring is this one:

    http://mympc.com

    The other domain attached to them, fivestarwebhost.com, has nameservers listed at OLM, but does not itself come up. I'm curious how anyone would contact this host in the first place.
    Annette
    Hosting Matters, Inc.
    Superior service. Sensible price.

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