Warning ExtremeIS hosting scam

[Mavol]

Hi there I just want to send out a warning for the hosting business: extremeis.com.

I had been a customer for 3 years until about a week ago, let me explain:

3 years ago ExtremeIS offered not only hosting but also domains. There was a control panel in place too. It is gone now.

The owner of the extremeis registered the domains I bought there under his own name, started renting the servers under his own personal name as well.

Now I asked very nicely to transfer the domains to me, my name. Apparently this was impossible. ExtemeIS owner claimed full ownership of the domain and said he had no obligation to transfer the domain to me.

A week ago he changed all passwords to the site. I'm now unable to access the server I paid for, the site I paid for and I don't even have my domains. Everything is in his domain and I have little to fight this brutal scam.

Moreover, ExtremeIS is currently continuing my site without me!! His ads are on every page, he has put up even more than I had...

I just want to let people know about this business scam. ExtremeIS waits until your site gets popular enough and then consumes it.

Do not sign up for hosting at ExtremeIS.com!!

 

[Matthew]

Do you have a domain name we can look in to? Feel free to PM it to me if you want to keep it private. We just need it to verify that the domain is hosted there etc...

 

[Mavol]

Sent email.

 

[Matt Midgley]

Any progress been made on this yet? It's a horrible situation to be in. I'd like to know any developments so I know how this sort of this is dealt with. Do you have much evidence left that you own the site? A local copy of the site is a good start but the domain makes it more difficult.

 

[Mavol]

I'm continuing my site under a new domain, the old domain and site is still up and run by ExtremeIS... That's how things are atm and don't see any positive evolution in the make.

Unfortunately there's not much I can do. I posted a warning here so other people would know the horrid truth. I have looked into taking this to court, but as a non-US citizen the cost is enormous and my proof (emails, chatlogs, etc) are all digital: meaning little legal credibilty.

If you have any suggestions or expertise in this though, I'm all ears.

 

[MelodyAnn]

I'm sorry this happened to you, you are definitely serving as a cautionary tale now! I keep repeating this wherever I go:
Always be sure to have your domain names registered IN YOUR NAME. A lot of people put their webmaster, etc. as the admin contact, and 5 years later they have no way to contact him and have no control over their name. It's a sad thing I see happen almost every day.

 

[Matthew]

We activly encourage users to have their own domain account. Sometimes we will register for them but then ask if we can open up a free godaddy account and transfer it under their control. We also set up all the contact details in their name.

But, we try avoid this service as much as possible.

 

[shade]

Why don't you register your domains with an ICANN-accredited registrar? netfirms.com or namecheap.com?

 

[Mavol]

Why don't you register your domains with an ICANN-accredited registrar? netfirms.com or namecheap.com?

Well after losing my domains I didn't make that mistake again.