My Web host HOSED me!

Latest post 01-22-2009 6:39 PM by Christian_SEO. 4 replies.

My Web host HOSED me!

01-21-2009 12:30 PM

I have a fistful of Web sites hosted by a local ISP and Web hosting service. After doing a general site update for one big NPO client two weeks ago I received a query from a site visitor. I pulled up the site and, WHOA! Somebody must have hacked into it and changed a bunch of stuff.
 
I flew to the phone and called the ISP tech, nearly in tears I was so freaked out. I mean, how can somebody access my stuff, my site and change links?!?!?
 
The tech pulled up the account and said, "Oh yes. They called and changed the password."
 
"WHAT? It's my Web site."
 
"But you created it for them."
 
"But, nothing. They haven't paid me yet."
 
"Oh. Well, we don't really get into that sort of thing."
 
And, thereby, this local provider thoroughly hosed me.
 
So much for shopping locally.

Advice, anyone?

Re: My Web host HOSED me!

01-21-2009 1:02 PM

This is quite unfortunate, I must say.

You say this is *your* site. Did you put down your own name as the domain's admin/technical/contact person in the WHOIS lookup for the site? Anyone else in the organization have access to the password in addition to you?

I'm curious to know who is the owner of the domain.

Anything else you can tell us?

Yann

Re: My Web host HOSED me!

01-21-2009 2:30 PM

I'd be happy to provide some advice and even help if someone has abused or taken advantage of you. but there is two sides to every story, so I have some questions and you can reply here in the forum or in a PM (personal message):

1) Who pays for the hosting on the account you were locked out of?

2) Who owns the domain of the site in question?

3) Did you talk to the client? If so, why did they change the password? If they have not paid you, why not?

Depending on your answers to these questions, your host may have only don't what their customer asked them to do. The issue may be with your client and you and not the hosting provider at all.

It seems strange to me that you are complaining about the hosting provider, and not talking about the client that requested the change in the first place.

If you need someone to help in this situation please let me know. But the best option is for you to contact the client and try to resolve the problem with them.

 

Re: My Web host HOSED me!

01-22-2009 12:54 PM

I am the Registrant Name and Admin Name. Yahoo is the Tech Name. Yahoo bills my credit card for the annual domain name renewal and the NPO reimburses me.

What upset me so much is learning my ISP can jerk the rug out from under my feet so easily. They didn't ask me if the change was okay nor even look at the whois info. For crying out loud, it's hard enough to make a living.

The NPO finally cut me a check, but the contract is broken.

Thanks, TechSoup folks, for lending my an ear to chew on and a should to cry on!

Re: My Web host HOSED me!

01-22-2009 6:39 PM

I'm glad it's resolved. I don't know why some hosting providers think that they can just let clients change things in the accounts they pay for without notifying the web developer, but some still do..! I'm glad you got paid and it worked out.