Unknown company "Easy Web Hosting" taking over my web sites?

Nagle · #1 08-14-2008, 10:31 PM

I just received two e-mails which may be some new kind of phishing scam. Full text at bottom. The message describes the beginnings of a "site upgrade" for my web sites, but it's not from the company that does my hosting.

I received this for two sites that I have hosted with EZpublishing. I'm having terrible problems with EZpublishing; they lost most of my databases last Friday, have failed to respond to a trouble ticket, and phone calls divert to an answering service. I've filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. They may be going out of business and selling their remaining customers to another provider. So a message regarding migration to another host isn't unexpected.

But the message below looks phony. First, they know what my domains are, but they don't apparently have access to any of my customer account information. Second, "easywebpublishing.com" doesn't have a live web site at it, just a sort of "coming soon" page. The WHOIS info for the domain shows ownership by "Internet Names for Business". "megawebservers.com", from which the email originated, is sort of a skeletal web site that looks like a hosting provider, but doesn't have any real info. "megawebhosting.com" WHOIS info shows "Moniker Privacy Services", which usually indicates a bottom-feeder if not a scam.

Anyone else see anything like this?

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Message-ID: <694131.677129434-sendEmail@valkyrie>
From: "support@easywebpublishing.com" <support@easywebpublishing.com>
To: "nagle@downside.com" <nagle@downside.com>
Subject: Easy Web Publishing, Mail / Web Hosting Migration
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:39:16 +0000 (GMT)
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Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="----MIME delimiter for sendEmail-117234.400314377"
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------MIME delimiter for sendEmail-117234.400314377
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
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Dear Valued Customer,

At Easy Web Publishing we strive to provide you with the best products
and services available. As such, on Friday August 29th, 2008 we will
be upgrading our customers to an improved web services platform at no
additional cost. This upgrade will significantly improve the current
performance, features, and technical support service provided by Easy
Web Publishing.

New Platform Benefits

Reliability and Scalability

* Advanced server environment delivering 99.9% uptime guarantee
* High levels of fault-tolerance, system redundancy and backup in place
* 24/7/365 Technical Support - Toll free number, email and online chat
* Web-based WebsiteOS Control Panel - allows for real-time changes and
updates for all your web services
provided by Easy Web Publishing

With this newly enhanced platform, Easy Web Publishing also delivers
many new applications, which maybe
included in your current package. New applications including:

* EasySiteWizard Pro - design, edit and maintain a professional
website within your favorite Internet browser
* Photo Album - edit and share photos online with customers, prospects
and colleagues

What is the impact to my site?

There will be no impact to your production site(s). You will notice
new features and functionality in the
administrative interface. Once the upgrade is complete, you may want
to subscribe to additional features. More
news about this will be forthcoming.

The content of your site will be frozen between Wednesday August 20th,
2008 and Friday August 29th, 2008. This
means that any changes you make during this freeze period will not be
captured on your site. So please refrain
from making any web site changes during the freeze period (i.e. do not
FTP new web data during the freeze
period).

NOTE: The freeze period will not affect your mail or web services,
including the operation of your web site's
database (if you have one).

What's Next?
In the upcoming week, we will be sending additional information
outlining the upgrade and your account details.

We have developed an upgrade plan that ensures a smooth process.

Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and support for Easy Web
Publishing.

Sincerely,

Easy Web Publishing
support@easywebpublishing.com
www.easywebpublishing.com

------MIME delimiter for sendEmail-117234.400314377--

gameforever · #2 08-15-2008, 02:24 AM

Have not received a similar message, but very grateful for your information.

domaindemon · #3 08-15-2008, 10:47 AM

Quote:

WHOIS info shows "Moniker Privacy Services", which usually indicates a bottom-feeder if not a scam.

Careful where you cast such aspersions. My (absolutely legitimate) domains are with Moniker, and include their privacy add-on package which shows Moniker Privacy Services when queried through WHOIS.

Nagle · #4 08-15-2008, 11:44 AM

I finally got through to my current hosting provider's support person, "Robert". He tells me that EZpublishing is getting out of the web hosting business and is transferring their accounts to another provider. But he doesn't know who that provider is. I asked him to provide the actual business address of the company and the state in which they are incorporated, and he said he would get back to me.

Hostamina · #5 08-15-2008, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagle

I finally got through to my current hosting provider's support person, "Robert". He tells me that EZpublishing is getting out of the web hosting business and is transferring their accounts to another provider. But he doesn't know who that provider is. I asked him to provide the actual business address of the company and the state in which they are incorporated, and he said he would get back to me.

The "he would get back to me" part seems kind of fishy...he should at least know the business address, or at least the state!!!

Outlaw Web Master · #6 08-15-2008, 01:08 PM

Red flag here I feel.

I think the support guy does in fact know where the accounts are being transferred to but has been instructed to keep clients in the dark.

It doesn't sound too ominous.

Therefore, maybe you should seriously think about finding a new host.

owm

ldcdc · #7 08-15-2008, 07:31 PM

It's common practice for buyouts to not be announced until the whole transfer of ownership is done. The move to the new hosts platform is also routinely presented as an upgrade of sorts.

You were lucky that the tech did let you know that a takeover is in progress.

I don't think you necessarily have to change hosts, as the new provider might not be bad. It is advisable though to have an alternative host lined up, complete control over your domains, and recent backups always ready, just in case things turn sour.

Nagle · #8 08-15-2008, 08:58 PM

"easywebpublishing.com" now says: "
EZ Publishing is transitioning mail and web hosting to a new look,
"Easy Web Publishing".

Notifications have been sent out to EZ Publishing hosting customers
indicating that this will be completed by the end of August, 2008.

Please be aware that the new WebsiteOS (the hosting control
panel) and the new WebMail will not be accessible until after
Friday, August 29th, 2008."

Still no indication of who "Easy Web Publishing" really is. They're not in Dun and Bradstreet or California Corporation Search.

You can't take credit cards in California without a physical business address. (B&P code section 17538, six months jail max.)

Outlaw Web Master · #9 08-15-2008, 09:17 PM

http://whois.domaintools.com/easywebpublishing.com

Status: Locked

Looks like they maybe Canadian though.

As LDCDC says though..."I don't think you necessarily have to change hosts, as the new provider might not be bad. It is advisable though to have an alternative host lined up, complete control over your domains, and recent backups always ready, just in case things turn sour."

After all they might turn out to be more reliable than EZpublishing, because of the terrible problems you were having with them, EWH most likely will bring back stability.

owm

Nagle · #10 08-20-2008, 01:59 AM

Still no indication of who this "Easy Web Publishing" is. See their excuse for a web site at http://www.easywebpublishing.com/.

Back at EZpublishing, we have our databases back up. Now EZpublishing's SMTP server has crashed and has been down for six hours or so. No response to a trouble ticket, of course.

EZpublishing's web site still has no indication that they're exiting the business.

Our important stuff is now at APlus on a dedicated server. Only some low-traffic web sites remain at EZpublishing, and we could move those elsewhere quickly.

Nagle · #11 08-20-2008, 12:04 PM

Their SMTP server is still down, and now their site diagnostic tool, "Paul the Robot", has also stopped working. No response to trouble tickets at all. Our web sites remain up, though.

We still can't find out who "easywebpublishing.com" is.