Host removed my 10 websites!

FALSELY Accussed me of mass mailing

[kwasher]

I just had my web host suspend my 10 websites for 'mass mailing'

I have NEVER in my entire life sent out a mass mailing, and I've been online since mid-1990.

The sites were all pure html, no fancy php or anythying of the sort.

THree weeks ago, they told me that 'somehow their httpconf was changed'. (This isn't my department so I dont what happened)

I can't believe they have done this. Totally screws up my income and search engine positions. I KNOW that I did nothing wrong.

I'd love to post their URL but Im sure its against TOS, so suffice it to say it begins with '<snip>'. Have you ever been falsely accused of something like this? How am I supposed to prove I didn't do anything? Any thoughts? (man, the adrenalin is flowing)

[edited by: engine at 3:32 pm (utc) on June 2, 2004]
[edit reason] no specifics, thanks [/edit]

[Robino]

(This isn't my department so I dont what happened)

I KNOW that I did nothing wrong.

That seems contradictory.

You better ask around your office. Maybe someone is using your account for unauthorized activities.

[john_k]

As Robino pointed out, you need to ensure that someone else within your business didn't do this.

Ask the hosting company for their evidence. Tell them that no mass mailing was authorized and must have been done by a rogue employee. You need this evidence to help you determine who it was.

You should also inform them that the down time is costing you money and that, should it turn out that you (or anyone at your business) weren't responsible, that you will expect compensation to be made.

[kwasher]

I have a home office. Its just me.

And thats not contradictory. Its not my job to know about httpconf and such. Thats why I pay a host. I know that I never have and never would do any mass mailings. I hate them (mass mailings)!

I have told them and told them. They have not provided any proof. I will write mentioning compensation, thank you for the idea.

[jdMorgan]

If you sign up with a new host, start uploading your sites to the new servers now, and start the DNS switch-over process as soon as you have a home page up on each site, you could be back online tomorrow. Instead of treating the issues of resolving why this happened and getting back online as the same problem, treat them separately. Get back online with a new host, and then figure out if you have cause for action against the old host.

Jim

[kwasher]

I think they are being hacked. I found an IP addy from brazil 'looking' for files and I got some 'not found' emails.

200.177.162.185

--edit--
Thanks JP, you're advice is always sound. I have just signed up with a new reputable host and am awaiting the IP's for the name server.

[kwasher]

Here is a slight update, what do you think of this-

Emails are PARAPHRASED-

"we aren't compensating customers for account cancellations. Nor are we obligated to provide you with proof."

"Ken -- I should correct -- I am NOT sure of these were mass mailings. What I am sure of is that something on your site brought down the server .... TYPICALLY this would be a
php massmailer application."

Not sure? No wonder they cant provide evidence.

--Kenn
(Fingers hurt? Lets cut off the whole arm.)

[rogerd]

What I am sure of is that something on your site brought down the server

What a great host! You are apparently running a plain vanilla HTML site and he cuts you off because he thinks you did something to bring down the server (but has no clue as to WHAT you supposedly did).

He did you a favor, you are lucky to be gone from there. Good luck with your new host.

[Robino]

Sounds like another hosting company run out of someone's living room. What a joke!

Good luck with everything kwasher!

[anallawalla]

Yes, sounds like a school kid running the business. It could be that someone received a spam/virus laden email spoofed to show your domain and some recipient decided to complain to your host.

Move on to another host ASAP.

[kwasher]

Thanks to everyone!

[Llama]

"Yes, sounds like a school kid running the business."
I resent that statement.

I agree that you should switch hosts immediately. You want your website to be up as fast as possible. Don't let this false accusation cost you even more money.

[walkman]

"Nor are we obligated to provide you with proof."
customer service at its finest. Was this one of the $1.99 a month hosting services?

[mahlon]

Did you have a good relationship with your host? It's always nice to get to know each other really well, then they would know if it was a fluke or not, make sense?

[Robino]

It's always nice to get to know each other really well, then they would know if it was a fluke or not, make sense?

Excellent advice!

If you develop a good relationship, it can also help to get things done more quickly.

[kwasher]

Thanks again. The ultimate goal was to get the sites up on a new host as quickly as possible. Amazingly (after not sleeping all night), it has been done, and the sites are up and running on their new host as if nothing ever happened. (the new host is a lot faster too).

I was able to email with the person at the old host that I had the most rapport with. I essentially said, "If you can give me access to my most recent files, we could both put this behind us as fast as possible. Then both move on with our lives."

He let me in, I got the files, and all is now well. And I learned a few lessons too.

Now if I could just get to sleep... I've passed the point of being tired!

Thanks again.

[esllou]

Now if I could just get to sleep... I've passed the point of being tired!

don't think there is a webmaster on this forum who doesn't know the unadulterated delight of working on a website at 4.45am when the whole world and his dog are on Planet Pillow.