Web Hosting Scam Be Damned: Top 5 Questions You Must Ask About in a Host

Don't be the next victim of yet another web hosting scam, or misleading web hosting ad. Ask these simple, specific questions, and no host will be able to trick you. How is that, you ask?

Well, the way most hosts scam their customers is by one of two methods: making you buy into features that you either don't want or didn't know cost extra; and with "traps" - little technicalities that they rig across their system to snare an unsuspecting customer in.

Arm yourself with these five simple questions, and web hosting bliss will be yours. Or something like that.

• The Question: What customer service comes with The Plan [the one you chose]? And what premium service can I buy?

The Proper Answer: first, the premium service can't be much beyond The Plan. Anything more than getting bumped up in line a little [they answer faster], and you need to start looking elsewhere. Why? Because often the basic plan will be insufficient; you'll find yourself "having" to pay extra to get an accurate answer or needed help. The Plan should also come with at least a toll free tech support line [NOT a sales or "customer service" line] & ticketed email support; I also recommend chat support for those questions on the go, although it's not a requirement.

• The Question: What is your money back guarantee?

The Proper Answer: I recommend an insisting on an "anytime" or "whenever" [different terms for same service] money back guarantee. Why? Because a web host whose service is subpar, or a web host who's configured to scam you out of your money will not - and cannot - offer such a guarantee. The unscrupulous frauds and scammers are banking on getting you caught in their contractual netting, where you can't escape and are therefore forced to put up with their victimization.

A guarantee that allows you to leave at anytime is a dangerous prospect for the host - because they could lose the sale at anytime - and therefore makes the website hosting service always on their toes. This contrasts with the 30 day guarantee, where users of the overworked & less than honest will often find the service quality dramatically dropping once the final day has passed.

An anytime guarantee means that you can get back the money you paid for any unused hosting time - NOT the full price you paid [all hosts require at least one year up front]; these guarantees are usually coupled with a 30 day full price money back guarantee.

• The Question: Do you charge extra for domain name anonymity [where a whois search will not reveal your name]?

The Proper Answer: "Yes, we charge extra." Huh? - you wonder? Well, many web hosting cheats [including at least one big name in the industry] register your domain under their own company name, ostensibly to "protect" your anonymity, but then if you decide to sell it or change hosts, they insist on charging you a large fee because "it's under our name, so we own it". Not all internet hosting companies that offer standard anonymity do this; and charging extra is not a guarantee. But it makes it highly unlikely, in that it's not an institutionalized company scam - and trust me, you're much better off avoiding this one from the start.

I know one website operator whose host tried to sell him back his own domain for thousands of dollars, saying it was worth that because of all the work he had done promoting his site (!). Lesson: Buyer Beware.

• The Question: Do you offer unlimited upload/download bandwidth AND webspace?

The Proper Answer: Yes.

True, there are many technical questions you should ask [You can read more detail in "Oops! Web Hosting Scams Be-Gone: The Technical Questions You Forgot to Ask"], but I'm going to make it easy for you. Like the previous question regarding the anytime money back guarantee, this question serves as a benchmark: hosts that offer this, the most expensive and profitable feature, invariably offer all the other features you'll need. So ask one question instead of ten. Told you I'd make it easy.

• The Final Question: How much do you charge to transfer my domain to another host?

The Proper Answer: Nothing up to around $15 dollars. Anything more, run like they had ebola.

Yes, I've saved the best for last. Why? Because I can. Hosts that lace their service with hidden, exorbitant fees, always start with this one. It's practically their calling card. Why? Because making leaving very difficult to impossible is the first and most important step to a fee trap host.

For a quick overview of what to do and what to avoid, check out my Web Hosting Bullet Point Breakdown.

Or cut it short, and check out the Best Host anywhere - and this is from someone who weeds out scams, no less - here http://www.ipage.com. They are not just good on technical points, but they have the best customer service, the best price - $3.50! -and the most Free Stuff, including over $100 in free google/facebook ads. I spent over a month weeding out the scammers, and this one is definitely the best - check them out!!

Oh, wait - I forgot one more question. It's very critical. Here it is: ask your host - and carefully repeat this after me verbatim - "Will you feed my ice cream in bed every night and then give me a..." woops, nevermind, wrong subject.

OK, so we're done here! Yeah!! Now back to that ice cream...

Oops! The Technical Anti-Web Hosting Scam Questions You Will Regret Not Asking

Don't fall victim to the oldest web hosting scam in the book: The Technical Trap. It's true - so many unscrupulous hosts defraud unsuspecting customers by making an attractive, cheap offer, only to scam you out of your money with missing "extra" features.

It happens all the time. You get offered a free domain, only to discover that if you want to leave, your web host will tell you "oh, by the way, your domain is registered under our name, so if you want it, it'll cost you. Bigtime." And, yes, this is an actual, perpetrated scam - with multiple complaints.

Or a web host will offer an unbeatable price, with a 30 day money back guarantee - now what could be better than that? Only on day 31, [or 2 or 3...] you run into a problem - and guess what? Customer service? Oh, yeah, they don't, like, answer. But the web host will helpfully offer you "premium" service, for a premium price, of course. Again, this is a real scam, with real complaints - not hypothetical.

Luckily for you, you've got me on your side. And I'm packing - granted, they're double D's, but packing's packing. I've got the key questions that you will need to ask your web host about - those simple details that will make all the difference and help you avoid getting scammed. And to make it even easier, I'm not only including the proper answers AND an explanation, I'm even throwing in "catch all" questions - those simple queries that indicate so much more about a web host. So you don't have to get lost in a sea of technical jargon. Talk about getting a cheat sheet.
Oh, yeah, and do me a favor: please check out my recommended host - hey, a girl's gotta eat. Somehow.

One more note: ask all the questions, verbatim if necessary, even if you have zero idea what's being said - even if the words are effectively gibberish to you. These are semi-technical questions that you will regret not asking later on.

Got it? Good. Now lets jump in.

The Questions:

• How many gigabytes in uploads and downloads do you offer per month? If you're running a blog: 100gb upload/download per month is fine.

If you're running any other kind of site: I recommend unlimited downloads/uploads. This is necessary because while your site's text may not amount to much, if you have graphics, photos, or ads, you may run out your bandwidth much sooner than you think - and end up paying the price.

• How much disk space comes with an account? Its best go for unlimited disk space; photos and videos can eat up an unexpected amount of space - even on a blog. You don't need surprises.

• How many domains can I host on one account? If you're starting out, you probably think: wait a minute; I'm only doing one site, so why would I need more domains? With some sites, you won't. But wait.

Once you have some success, you may want to buy up domains that are similar to yours; buy up domains that have particular keywords, so you'll rank higher in searches; perhaps start similar sites, etc. Basically, 20 domains is usually sufficient for a small business or hobby site; if you are running anything larger, go for unlimited.

• How many emails am I allowed with each domain? How many employees/email accounts do you expect to have? If you find a host that offers, say, 25 emails, and you only have 2 full time employees, you may think to yourself "25! That's waay plenty!" Only it's much closer to full than you realize.

How? If you're running a business and want to seem professional, you'll want separate email addresses for things like hiring, sales, customer service, management, etc; then everyone will want an email with their own name@yourdomain.com. And what happens when an employee leaves? You have to keep their email working because old contacts will still send to him/her. Add to this temporary employees, special emails, project accounts, emails for newsletters, no response addresses, filters, etc., and you'll discover that 25 names can be used up pretty quickly.

So, generally, for small companies - 25-50 could be adequate, depending on number of employees. Anything bigger, cut it short and go for unlimited email accounts.

• Is an ftp account included? This is critical to upload your website. Don't accept a host that doesn't have a free ftp account included with their service.

• Is webmail included? Webmail is where you can access your account from the web. Although some people like to have their mail in their company server, I find it necessary to have webmail access. Bottom line: if you're already set up and use outlook/similar exclusively, then lack of webmail is ok; otherwise, it's a must - don't leave this feature out.

• Do you have any spam protection/filters? Without spam protection, you'll be wading in a morass of ads for a certain blue pill, and the like.

• Do you have any malware protection (for the site)? Not only should they have malware protection, but also they should have a frequent scan for malware (usually daily).

• Is a shopping suite included - including ssl and a shopping cart? If you think you'll ever want to do something like this, even down the line - sell t-shirts associated with your site, for example - then get the proper tech specs now. You'll save yourself so much trouble later.

• What tech support is included? Standard tech support should include a 24/7 toll free number [NOT a sales line - ask specifically, and check out, to ensure that the phone number is for TECH SUPPORT - so many people see an 800 number and think "alright!", when in fact it's closer to "all wrong;"].

Other points to watch out for are excessive "premium" support [more than just bumping you up in line] and average wait time. Trust me, when your site is finally starting to take off - after so much work, and then the whole thing comes crashing down, and your host won't answer your emails for days on end, you'll wish for a working number - if only to curse someone on.

• What's your money back guarantee? I tell everyone who will listen - go for a guarantee that allows you to cancel anytime, and get the remainder of your money back. This one point by itself will almost ensure a smooth hosting experience - more than anything else. Why? Because a host that can lose a customer at anytime is a host that's working hard not to all the time.

Words of wisdom to live by.

OK, so there you have it. Now you know the technical details and questions that you need to ask your host. And with this knowledge, you also now know how to avoid getting scammed on technicalities by a web host.

For a quick overview of everything else, you can check out my Web Hosting Bullet Point Breakdown.

Or cut it short, and check out the Best Host anywhere - and this is from someone who weeds out scams, no less - here http://www.ipage.com. They are not just good on technical points, but they have the best customer service, the best price - $3.50! -and the most Free Stuff, including over $100 in free google/facebook ads. I spent over a month weeding out the scammers, and this one is definitely the best - check them out!!

So anyway, enjoy your life. Make money. Go home happy. Oh, yeah, and don't forget about me, thank you very much.

Web Host For Real? Three Cool Tricks to Weed out The Cheats

Separating quality web hosts from the incapable and the cheats can be very difficult - because they all put on the same face, make similar promises, and pretend to be just as reliable and qualified as the next guy.

Luckily for you, I've got three cool tricks that will separate the time wasters from the good guys, and make you smile.

At least that's the plan.

• Trick Number One: You're Not a Customer, But Play One on the Phone
  

Perhaps a little devious, but call up their tech support line, pretending to be a customer. See how long it takes for them to answer. Yes, they have confirmation questions to determine if you are actually a customer, but those don't come into play until someone picks up the line.

Be careful to call the tech support line not their sales or a generic number, which will answer quickly. If someone else [not tech support] asks for confirmation info, tell them you aren't comfortable giving out this information to someone other than tech support; insist, and they will give in.

Remember, web hosting scam companies, as well as the lousy & overworked, will have much longer wait times, if they pick up at all.

• Trick Number Two: The Rich Buyer Who Doesn't Give a Damn
  

Speak to their sales rep pretending to have a lot of money and not caring about price, but wanting "all the bells and whistles". Keep pushing for more add ons and extra services [which the agent will gladly give you, because most make commission off the sales], throwing out statements like "yeah, I just want the top of the line" and "is that the very best?" and "how many years can I get that for?"

Why? The number one trick unscrupulous web hosts use to scam customers out of their money is by "extra features" or "premium services." These are either features that you don't need that they sneakily tack on, or necessary features that should be standard [such as customer service that actually answers] but that you discover you must pay for after you are under contract.

Legitimate web hosts don't make money off of extras, which requires their "standard" service to be lacking. If your prospective host is offering a lot of extras, especially ones that seem like they should be standard, then run like hell - in the opposite direction.

• Trick Number Three: Robots, Be-Gone! We Want Humans!
  

Did you know that more and more of the corner cutters - those web hosts that you don't want to deal with - did you know that they are using artificial intelligence to power their online chat support? It's true. So how do you discern between A.I. [which is nothing like the movies] and a real live person? Who is probably working out of Hyderabad or Delhi, and doesn't necessarily speak good English? Or get little cultural references?

Well, there are a couple of tricks to tripping up A.I. First, ask complex, abstract questions, without any "keywords" - words that pertain to any aspect of your hosting. Steer clear of words like "billing" "not working" or "domain," so the algorithm won't be able to pick up on what you mean, or make a close guess.

Second, do the opposite - ask questions loaded with keywords that have nothing to do with the answer you want. Something like, "If I buy a new domain after I'm billed and after your 30 day money back guarantee, can still I transfer my other non-working domain's pages to my computer without accessing the CP panel, or not?" [This is a question about your "other" host, not the current one.]

If they give you a quick canned answer [say, detailing domain name transfer procedures], and repetition of the question doesn't give a more human, imperfect answer variety, then you know you're dealing with R2-D2 without brains.

• Bonus: Shortcut

To separate the scams from the legitimate companies: ask if they have an anytime money back guarantee. Too many hosts will pull off dirty or underhanded tricks, such as canceling your account after 30 days [the end of the money back guarantee] while keeping your money, saying you violated their terms of service, or just plain unauthorized billing. You never really know if one's going to do this or not, until it's too late.

Except with an anytime money back guarantee. Such a guarantee ensures your web host won't scam you, because they can't. It's just not profitable, taking your money, making you mad, then giving it back to you. Kind of dumb, actually.

So there you have it, three cool tricks - plus one bonus shortcut - to separating the web hosting scammers from the trustworthy. I hope you found this helpful.

And please, if you need hosting, check out this host.[page. com] They are top rated - with an anytime moneyback guarantee - but they also have the most [free] features, and currently the best
price of any legitimate host [as well as over $100 in free google/facebook ads].

Nasty Multi-Faceted Scam

Here's a pretty nasty scam that several readers forwarded to me.

It involves an organization pretending to help treat alcoholism, while in fact being a set up to milk people from their money.Check it out, and as always, if you see or hear about a shocking or big name scam, please email me at jessicasmom23@gmail.com.
Thanks!!

SHOCKING FRAUD AND PRIVACY ALLEGATIONS: FTC, Florida Say Alcoholism Cure Corp. Used .Org Domains, Threatened To Disclose Members’ Drinking Problems If They Canceled Program

By PatrickPretty.com


The FTC and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum have charged a Florida company that “touted a phony cure for alcoholism” with false advertising claims, false efficacy claims, false privacy claims, false claims about professional qualifications, unauthorized billing and deceptive trade practices.

Among the allegations in a civil lawsuit against Alcoholism Cure Corp. were that it offered tiered programs depending on the severity of a member’s involvement with alcohol — and if a member wanted to pull out of the program, the company threatened to expose the member’s alcohol dependence publicly.

Alcoholism Cure Corp. also did business as Alcoholism Cure Foundation and used at least two .org websites to sell its program, according to court filings.

Among the other allegations in the case were that the company disclosed health information about its customers to bill collectors, credit-card companies and the Better Business Bureau in a bid by the firm to win cases when customers disputed charges.

The company, which is operated by Robert Douglas Krotzer, also placed restrictions on how clients could cancel.

“Defendants require consumers to submit ‘Proof of Continued Drinking’ to prove that they are not cured,” the FTC and McCollum said in court filings. “Defendants state the submission should include, among other items, notarized notes from the consumer’s doctor and five friends stating that the consumer continues to drink, liquor receipts from the previous two months, and several kinds of laboratory testing.

“Unless consumers meet all the requirements set forth in this paragraph, Defendants deem them ‘cured’ and claim the consumers owe the full cost of the Program, which differs by consumer but generally ranges from $9,000 to more than $20,000,” the complaint alleged.

Litigation threats against customers occurred routinely, according to the complaint.

“Defendants warn consumers that failure to pay the demanded amount could result in litigation and the attendant ‘unwanted publicity,’” the complaint alleged. “In fact, Defendants have filed at least eleven cases in Jacksonville, Florida small claims court against consumers who registered for the ‘Permanent Cure’ Program seeking several thousand dollars each. In the cases, Defendants reveal the consumers’ personal and health information, including the fact they are alcoholics, by not filing the court pleadings in a nonpublic manner.”

Read Rest Of Article Here

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Beware - Top 5 Web Hosting Scams Exposed

Before picking a host, beware of these top web hosting scams that defraud people everyday, from unfulfilled web hosting services, to web hosting domain-name traps, to credit card scams - to other methods that take advantage of your trust and unawareness.

Scams are not just "let me take your money and run", but also include the time and energy - draining agony surrounding a website that won't work, customer service that is unresponsive or useless, unauthorized "extra" charges, and the like.

In all cases, you lose - whether money or time, or just the ongoing pain of seeing your efforts come to naught - and in all cases you are scammed, in that these web hosts promise you one thing to take your money, but then don't give what they promised.

So what are the scams?

• Bait and switch: this is where the company promises one cheap price for everything, and then after you pay you discover that basic, critical services are "extra".

Examples: Uploads/Downloads - after a little usage, your host tells you that your site isn't viewable without payment. Why? Well, there is a limited amount of information that can be downloaded [viewed], and your host made that limit very small, taking advantage of your lack of expertise. Other features: webspace, number of emails, tech support [often extra, or only the "premium" service actually works].

How to avoid: Ask point blank about specific features and whether they are included. Points like max allowed upload/download bandwidth, number of emails allowed with account, & what kind of tech support is included. You can learn more about this in my article "Avoid Web Hosting Horrors: What you must ask about in a Host".

• Fake Reviews: These are sites that pretend to be impartial reviews of hosting plans, while in fact they are surreptitiously promoting one or more hosts, often by rigging the "reviews" to make the paying host come out on top.

Beware that some of these sites will promote a web host with very good features and price, which is actually a front for a scam or disreputable company.

How to avoid? Take everything with a bucket of salt. If you must, use the hosting review sites to familiarize yourself with different plans and sites, but nothing more.

• Domain Name Trapping: this is where you register your domain name with the host, but if you decide to leave them later on they refuse to allow you to keep the domain without paying a large fee, saying that since its registered under their name, they own it.

How to avoid? Insist on having your domain [yourname.com] registered under your name, not the hosting company's. Are you a newbie?

OK, here's a trick to figuring this one out nice and easy: ask if they charge extra to have your domain registered anonymously.

If they do, then your domain will be at your name. Otherwise, tell them you don't want it to be anonymous; you wan it in your name [unless you want anonymity].

If all this seems too much for you, avoid headaches later on and just buy your domain from the beginning. Use the free domain a few hosts provide for a pet project, for example.

• Credit Card Scams & Unauthorized Charges: Outright credit card number stealing scams are rare, although not unheard of. If you do your basic homework, and don't pick a host on price alone, that shouldn't be a problem.

Unauthorized charges are, however, more prevalent, even with certain big companies. This scam will often involve the host telling you that you clicked on or requested some feature that you didn't, and that either it can't be cancelled, or there is an exorbitant fee associated with doing so.

How to avoid? If you have an American Express credit card, use it. And do your homework. Regardless, don't hesitate to call your credit card company asap. When you speak to them, be clear and don't sound hesitant or unsure. Tell them that such and such charge is fraudulent and unauthorized, and you want it cancelled immediately. If you are point blank about the charge being fraudulent [use the term] they will usually reverse it within 24 hours.

Bottom line when picking a host is this: get a recommendation from someone who has real experience, not just a superficial user. Do your homework - check out the host, compare plans, get educated. Keep in mind that customer service comes before price. And if possible, find a host that allows you to cancel anytime.

Of course, you could avoid all the trouble and reap the fruits of my labor. You could use the web host I finally found, after so much searching. You could use the host that's better, cheaper, and more reliable. You could. If I feel like telling you about them. Hmmm.... Oh, what the heck, check them out here.

And How can I say they are the best?

See below. Trust me, you don't know what you're missing.

The Goods:

THE Most free stuff - free domain, free unlimited uploads & downloads, free unlimited webspace, free shopping suite, free $100 in google/facebook ads [$50 each] free unlimited emails, free

online storage, free site builder... and lots more

THE Best Price - $3.50 month!! - better than GoDaddy & every other host!

THE most trustworthy host - top rated by pc magazines and customers, over 1 million of them

THE Best service - 24/7 toll free tech support/ 2 min. max response time/ no overseas agents,

24/7 chat support, 24/7 email support - all free with hosting

THE BEST because I use them - after trying others out - and they are significantly more attentive and trouble free

Anyway, good luck, and remember - Ferrrets up!!!

My Experience Distilled: Bullet Point Web Hosting Recommendations

All that time and energy spent researching a host, and finding what was written about it online, and discovering the various scams - as well as the reputable hosts, and so on and so forth - well, I'm going to make your life easier and distill it all for you here. In bullet points. Quickly. To the Point.
You get the idea.


OK, here it goes:

Don't:

• Don't use GoDaddy to do domain name searches [see article here]
• Don't Use any of their affiliated companies for the same [wild west domains, instantdomainsearch.com, domainsbyproxy.com]
• Don't Use CNET to as a review of hosts [see article here]
• Don't Use any review site with "geeks" in the name

Do:

• Get a recommondation from someone you trust [I recommend this host - more below]
• Check Out The Host
• Put reliability before price. So many complaints come from people who found a super cheap host, then ended up with an ordeal which cost more in time and money.
• Know that Anything below $3/month is JUST NOT WORTH IT. Period
• Know that most hosting review sites are BULL!! They are designed to surreptitiously promote one company or another. Do your homework!!
• USE COMMON SENSE

Get: These Basic Features

• Get unlimited webspace - or live to regret it
• Get 24/7 toll free tech support
• Get at least 100 gb download bandwidth [if you're planning on a small visitor stream]; otherwise, I would strongly recommend getting unlimited download bandwidth
• Get a "whenever" or "anytime" money back guarantee [reimburse unused hosting time]; this is the best way to ensure an attentive, trouble free host - they risk losing you at anytime

My Recommendation

This is the best host I found - in quality, price, support, & technical features.

Why?Simple:

THE Most free stuff - free unlimited uploads & downloads, free unlimited webspace, free shopping suite, free $100 in google/facebook ads [$50 each] free unlimited emails, free

online storage, free site builder... and lots more

THE Best Price - $3.50 month!! - better than GoDaddy & every other host!

THE most trustworthy host - top rated by pc magazines and customers, over 1 million of them

THE Best service - 24/7 toll free tech support/ 2 min. max response time/ no overseas agents,

24/7 chat support, 24/7 email support - all free with hosting

THE BEST because I used them - after trying others out - and they are significantly more attentive and trouble free - please, check them out!

For further technical recommendations, check out my CNET Scam page.

And Remember, Ferrets Up!
Thanks!!!

BP PR Scam: "Help Fishermen" while in fact helping pleasure boaters

Bp has talked [and talked, and talked] about how they want to help the fishermen harmed by their spill, even setting up a program to employ out of work fishermen to put up oil boon, but it has been discovered that instead of employing fishermen, they are in fact employing rich pleasure boat owners - lawyers, doctors, and the like, while the fishermen sit idly by.

It is unclear why this is - is it an effort to get into the good graces of the important locals, or is it mismanagement, or what?

For this I'm not going to give more than a Two Bite Scam Furrrdict rating [out of five], until I get more info.

Full story is below.
Original story is here.

As Gulf fishermen suffer, a BP program to hire cleanup boats has resulted in windfalls for rich pleasure-craft owners, a Daily Beast investigation reveals. Rick Outzen on a growing outrage.

As the black tide of BP crude oil moves toward the Florida Panhandle, thousands of fishermen are trying to salvage a way of life. BP's lifeline: Vessels of Opportunity, a program designed to hire the fallow charter and commercial fishing boats to clean up the very mess that has caused untold numbers to lose their livelihood. But a Daily Beast investigation reveals that this much-touted program is far more effective as a PR stunt than a financial savior. Specifically, a large number of the 1,900 contracts BP has issued across the Gulf have gone to the owners of pleasure boats: doctors, lawyers, and the like, who use their vessels for Saturday fishing trips or family outings, rather than the decimated commercial fishermen.

Click Image to See Dramatic Photos and Video of the Spill

"We have these weekend warriors taking away jobs from those who fish for a living," says Biloxi boat captain Tom Becker, an officer of the National Association of the Charterboat Operators, who estimates that as much as 90 percent of the BP contracts in his Mississippi harbor had gone to pleasure boats. "Every day I see the boat trailers fill the parking lot as the pleasure boats get their assignments for day while the commercial fleet sits idle. This is like stealing. These jokers are taking money away from those who are trying to feed their families."

• John Kao: Wanted—A National Disaster SWAT Team As I sit among one of the largest charter boat fleets on the Gulf Coast, in Destin, Florida, Scott Robson, president of the Destin Charter Boat Association, echoes the same message. "Vessels of Opportunity is a fiasco," he says. "We have nearly 100 charter boats in Destin, only 13 boats are on contract. The rest are pleasure boats—people being paid for their boats who don't make their livings on the water."

• Nicole LaPorte: Obama’s Gulf Fashion Faux Pas In Panama City, Florida, the reports were similar, though Bob Zales, president of the Panama City Boatmen's Association, couldn't come up with an estimate. ("I can tell this," he says. "We have had two meetings on [BP's program] in Panama City and about 450 people attended each meeting—there aren't 450 commercial fishing and charter boats in our county.")

Real money is at stake: Vessels of Opportunity pays the boat captains $1,200 to $3,000 per day depending on the size of the vessel—their deckhands are paid $200 each per day while they are under contract.

"We've got guys trying to make payments on their boats, tackle, and dock spaces who could use the $2,000 a day BP is paying," says Robson. "Instead, it's going to these private boats."

So what's going on? BP spokesman Graham MacEwen acknowledges the complaints, and says that changes have been made to the program to favor fishermen over weekend warriors.

But my sources say their interactions with BP haven't been so amicable. "When I tried to point this out at the meetings, BP shut me up," says Zales. "In my mind, one pleasure boat is too many."

"We've suggested an easy fix to this problem," adds Becker. "There are several federal and state databases available that identify who the licenses commercial fishing and charter boats are."

In Pensacola, emotions are running high as bank accounts are drained. One wife of a charter boat captain, with two boats carrying a mortgage of $500,000, describes how BP hired a boat owned by a chiropractor, with purple and yellow flames on its hull. "They have activated freaking ski boats," she cries, "while my husband, who has been in the charter business for two decades, sits idle."

What makes matters worse is the randomness: There is no established protocol for who is under contract or how long they stay under contract. Some boats have been approved by BP weeks ago, but have yet to be called into duty, which may involve transporting supplies, assisting wildlife rescue, or deploying containment and sorbent booms. Others are approved and immediately put on contract—Robson said three sailboats somehow got approved by BP, though they were eventually dropped when the errors were discovered. The consensus among the captains isn't that BP has pursued favoritism or insider deals, but rather acted incompetently.

"We've had three different BP reps in our area since this all started," says Robson. "Each says they're going to talk their bosses about it, but nothing happens. We get no answers, nobody is in charge."

Robson and his association has proposed that BP give every vessel a number and rotate the charter boats through the Vessels for Opportunity program, which would give every boat a chance to make a little money to supplement the loss of charter income.

"People would know where they are on the list and could arrange their charter bookings accordingly," says Robson. "Right now you're only given 24 hours when they call you."

Meanwhile, those who have gotten the contracts gripe that BP has been slow in paying. One captain, Steve Vrondran, who owns two charter boats in Gulf Shores, Alabama, says he's been activated for a month in the Vessels program, and has yet to be paid. "We were told to submit our first invoice after the first week and then every two weeks after that," says Vrondran. "Payments were to be made within two weeks. I've been calling every day for the past two weeks. I was first told I had to resubmit my invoices. Now I can't get anyone to return my freaking phone call." Vrondran says that the holdup apparently surrounds BP's approval of the $200 per day pay for the deckhands.

"Don't tell us you're paying the captain and crew, if you don't mean it," says Vrondran. "My employees expect to be paid. And I don't really have the money to do it."

Rick Outzen is publisher and editor of Independent News, the alternative newsweekly for Northwest Florida.

link to original article

BP PR Bait and Switch: Buying Keywords then redirecting readers to their own site

BP Has Opened a new chapter in its effort to try to control the damage that its environmental
catastrophe has caused: now it has bought up search terms to redirect searchers looking for info on the spill - to their official company website, which will of course try to put their company in the best light possible.

Yes, sure they have the right to purchase anything they want to, etc; and as a reader, you need to be vigilant and try to ensure that the info you get is from an impartial source.

But BP is a large company with deep pockets and that means it has more responsibility than the average company. To use its size and money to give people the impression that they are getting unbiased info while in fact they are getting the company line is not fraudulent, but still qualifies as less than decent.

What do you think? Read the article below and email me/comment.

Read this article from abcnews.com below [more content follows]

BP Buys 'Oil' Search Terms to Redirect Users to Official Company Website

BP Spokesman Acknowledges Purchase 'To Make It Easier for People to Find Out More About Our Efforts in the Gulf' and Other Ways to Help

Be careful where you click, especially if you're looking for news on the BP oil spill.

BP, the very company responsible for the oil spill that is already the worst in U.S. history, has purchased several phrases on search engines such as Google and Yahoo so that the first result that shows up directs information seekers to the company's official website.

A simple Google search of "oil spill" turns up several thousand news results, but the first link, highlighted at the very top of the page, is from BP. "Learn more about how BP is helping," the link's tagline reads.

A spokesman for the company confirmed to ABC News that it had, in fact, bought these search terms to make information on the spill more accessible to the public.

"We have bought search terms on search engines like Google to make it easier for people to find out more about our efforts in the Gulf and make it easier for people to find key links to information on filing claims, reporting oil on the beach and signing up to volunteer," BP spokesman Toby Odone told ABC News.

But several search engine marketing experts are questioning BP's intentions, suggesting that controlling what the public finds when they look online for oil spill information is just another way for the company to try and rebuild the company's suffering public image.

According to Kevin Ryan, the CEO of California-based Motivity Marketing, research shows that most people can't tell the difference between a paid result pages, like the ones BP have, and actual news pages.

"If you look at it from BP's perspective it's a brilliant move," Ryan said. "The other option BP had was to just not do this and let the news interpret what's going on.

"But they're getting so much bad press that directing traffic to their own site is a great PR strategy," he said.

Terms related to the spill, from "oil spill" to "gulf disaster" to "BP," have consistently remained in the list of most-searched terms on Google since the spill began in April.

"If they're not buying that link that goes back to their message, they're kind of leaving the universe to kind of decide for itself," Ryan said. "It's actually pretty proactive for the brand."

see original article here



more on BP

Please see next post for Info on a New BP PR Scam - this one's pretty bad

GoDaddy domain name search aliases - AVOID Using - A Domain Stealing SCAM!!

Here are the Domain Name search aliases that Godaddy uses, DO NOT USE THEM!!! - they could steal your domain name ideas and then try to sell them to you!!!!!!

wild west domains
instantdomaninsearch [.com]
domainsbyproxy.com




Here are the links to some of the complaints on the other post:

"took my domain after typing it"
"Steals your domain name ideas"
"wild west domains is sister company of godaddy, they cheat off each other"
"criminals" "fraud company" "avoid at all costs"
"avoid like the plague" "take your money and domains"



So where do you go for an honorable domain name search? This is a very hard question, since ICAAN, the official internet body, doesn't do domain searches. I couldn't find any other official body that does searches either.
The best company I could find is here - its a whois/domain search, from a company that sells domains, but not hosting. [whois.net - they call themselves the domain name based search services.]
If you know of someone better, please tell me about it.

And please visit the best hosting company I could find, ipage.com.
I need all the help I can get!!!!!

I'll be posting on this issue later - there's still more to be said!

And remember, until next time, Ferrret's Up!!!

Beware! GoDaddy domain stealing SCAM - true??

Is it true that GoDaddy - the giant web hosting service - "steals" your domains? I.e., if you search for a domain without buying it, then comeback to buy it tomorrow, will you find it for sale at a high price because they detected that your interest and therefore are trying to rake you for whatever cash they can?

Here's my quicktake, followed by more in-depth info, including examples:

Bullet Point Breakdown:

• Many people have said that they searched for a domain with godaddy or a related site and then came back to find their domains for sale at an higher/exorbitant price. [Complaints below]
  
• GoDaddy has had numerous complaints surrounding their domain name services - registration, transfer, etc - with all saying that GoDaddy is using less than scrupulous tactics to make money.[Quotes below]
  
• Bottom line: while its possible that any one complainant is wrong, there are too many people saying the same thing

The ScamFerret FurrrDict: Do Not Do any Domain name search with GoDaddy or a related site - listed below - you will live to regret it!!!!

So, exactly how does this work?

Here's how it works: They operate sites under different names to "help" you search
for a domain name. People who have searched and found their domain name available, when they come back to buy it - a short time later - they discover that it has been registered to godaddy just after they searched for it. Huh!

I can't speak for the veracity of the people who post their complaints online; however, it's an unusual complaint, and it has been repeated online against GoDaddy too many times for it to be just coincidence. Furthermore, there are numerous other domain name related complaints against godaddy - most involving godaddy trying to scrape customers for a few bucks.
This would indicate to me a shortsighted corporate culture focused on squeezing out every penny from the customer, and would fit the profile of a company that would try to pull off such a domain stealing scam.
I would say possibly losing your domain name ideas is not worth going to godaddy or a related site.

Anyway, here's what the victims of this and other GoDaddy frauds are saying:

"took my domain after typing it"
"Steals your domain name ideas"
"wild west domains is sister company of godaddy, they cheat off each other"
"criminals" "fraud company" "avoid at all costs"
"avoid like the plague" "take your money and domains"

To check a domain, go here [whois.net], the closest thing to an official domain name search site.
If you need hosting, try this host.[page. com] They are top rated - with an anytime moneyback guarantee - but they also have the most [free] features, and currently the best
price of any legitimate host [don't know how long this will be, though].

Please alert others to this scam, because GoDaddy uses search engine
techniques that make it difficult to find their complaints online.

And remember, until next time, Ferrrets Up!

The CNET web hosting reviews is a FRAUD!! Their system gives SCAMS and good co's EQUAL ratings - BEWARE! Othes have gotten SCAMMED!!!

Everybody, BEWARE!! The CNET web hosting review system is a FRAUD - they are being paid by the web hosts, so to be "impartial", they give them all equally high ratings, regardless of service or quality. Three stars for everyone [20 hosts! - check it out here] including SCAMMERS.

Shame on you, CNET!

I have received complaints from irate customers - including a number who got OUTRIGHT SCAMMED - their money taken from them - all from people who used the CNET web host reviews site. This review is NOT to be trusted. Buyer BEWARE!

I did a little research to confirm what people are telling me, and at least one of the listed companies - three stars & TOP TEN rated - is an outright scammer [webhostingpad.com], with a history of taking credit card numbers, overcharging, bad customer service, crashing servers - and all the things you'd expect to avoid by reading CNET hosting reviews.

You can see some scammed customers' quotes below.

Also, here's a link to their page on ripoffreport, and here's one to their page on complaintsboard.

I'll try to add more links later.

I found complaints against at least two others, although I'm not going to name them until I can confirm that its not just a few noisemakers.

We go to CNET for impartial web hosting reviews - to know who is better and who isn't. To give outright CHEATS equal ratings with reputable companies is the definition of a fraudulant review.

CNET should know better than to do that, although I guess money can corrupt anyone.

Here's My "How to Avoid Hosting Scams" Bullet Points:

• Get a recommondation from someone you trust - then check out the host. [I recommend this host - more below]. Its your money and time - use it wisely!!
• NUMBER ONE is reliability - BEFORE price. So many complaints come from people who found a super cheap host, then ended up with an ordeal which cost more in time and money.
• Money is important too - but anything below three dollars a month you will live to regret. Period!
• Any site with a name like "web hosting geeks" or "hosting geeks" is a front for a paying company, masquerading as an impartial review. Many of those promoted hosts are OUTRIGHT scammers or just unreliable.
• Most hosting review sites are BULL!! They are designed to surreptitiously promote one company or another. Do your homework!!

What I found: When I searched for a host for my daughter's site [no, I won't plug it here], I spent over a month checking out different companies. Ultimately, I settled on Ipage because they have excellent customer service/reliability, the best price, and TONS of good features/freebies/etc. - just plain great "stuff"!

I have yet to find anything better. If you do - TELL ME ABOUT IT! Please! You can email me at jessicasmom23@gmail.com.

Anyway, here's some of the features that a host should have, and the ipage comparison:

1. Reliablity:

• Anytime moneyback guarantee - you can get your money back anytime you feel like it
• Lots of users before you - that way any problems they have will show [they have a million + sites hosted]
• 24/7 toll free Tech Support [not just a sales number]
• Check the number out to see if its answered in a timely manner [their guarantee is 2min]
• Chat/email support - email is probably the best if you're busy
• All this must come with your BASIC plan [no discovering its a premium service later]
• Preferably highly rated [they were number one in something or other]
  

2. Price/Freebies

• Their price is $3.50 [month]. All the cheaper ones I found ALWAYS ended up to either have complaints against them, a front for another company that has complaints against them, incomplete features, or accounting tricks [Free! But the domain is expen$ive]
  
• Free advertising with Google and facebook [$50 each][Yahoo ads too, but they were not very useful/a pain to set up]
  
• Lots more stuff I don't remember

3. Technical:

• Unlimited: bandwith, domains you can host on one account, emails, and space to store your site
• Security stuff - to prevent malware, etc
• Site building software
• Script library
• Shopping/online store
• Someone to tell you about their experience - what CNET is supposed to do!! [I honestly had an easy time with my host - no problems, and when I need help, I email and they answered my questions]
  

Whew! I can't believe I remembered all that - I do my homework!

Please check out their site for more info because its late and aI'm getting tired and don't want to write anymore.

Victims quotes are below.

And remember, until next time, FERRET'S UP!

Some quotes from the VICTIMS. I'll try to put up quotes from others if I have time:)

This is about WebHostingPad, a three star, first page, top ten choice on CNET. What a FRAUD!!

1. MAR 25TH, 2010
   

   Webhostingpad.com is the worst web host scam in the world… Two years ago, I made the mistake of signing of for two years of hosting. Three months later, I cancelled my account (lost all of my money I paid for two years)… and I went to a much better web host. Then, I just discovered they illegally billed my credit card again for another two years without my permission. I emailed them about this, and they responded in their typical fashion- rude and ugly. I reported this fraud to my credit card company and had the charge removed. I have filed a complaint with the IC3 and the FBI. I also filed a report with the Secret Service, and am working on a report with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau.

2. MAR 20TH, 2010 (SHAWN)
   

   These guys are sleazy, filthy criminals. Keep charging me, even though I cancelled two years ago and got a cancellation number.

3. MAR 16TH, 2010 (VISION)
   

   It was the same problem that i too faced as many have faced here..

   A month ago i subscribed to webhostingpad.com. They deducted a one time fee of abt USD$100 for my 3 years of subscription. 2 days ago, i realised that they deducted another USD$160 from my account. When i emailed them and asked about the additional charges, they told me that i clicked on some 30 days trial add-ons. Within that 30 days, if you did not call to unsubscribe the add-ons, they will auto-renew for you and deduct the payment from your bank account.

   I mailed them several times but they stopped responding.
   I spoke to the credit card company people, they asked me to fill a charge dispute form n submit.
   Will that help? Is there anyone who has got their money refunded through the company??

   1. FEB 19TH, 2010 (ONEHEART)
      

      A month ago i subscribed to webhostingpad.com. They deducted a one time fee of abt USD$100 for my 3 years of subscription. 2 days ago, i realised that they deducted another USD$160 from my account. When i emailed them and asked about the additional charges, they told me that i clicked on some 30 days trial add-ons. Within that 30 days, if you did not call to unsubscribe the add-ons, they will auto-renew for you and deduct the payment from your bank account.

      No matter how i tried to reason out for them, i told them to terminate the add-ons for me and ask for a refund. They just insisted that it is not refundable. The manager whom i corresponded with listed a few things that cost only $12 when i asked why i was charged an additional $160, they did not list down the add-on features. I find that it so such a dodgy sales tactics that they are using to cheat ignorant customers.

      If ever i did click to a 30 days trial add-ons, they should ask me if i want to renew it and not jus deduct from my account without my knowledge!

      I made several calls to the IUS Webhostingpad call centre from Singapore and they insisted that they cant do a refund. Finally after reasoning out with the customer service officer, he refunded me part of the charges. In the end i still had to pay the additional $50 USD.

   2. FEB 7TH, 2010 (SHEANA DE LANEROLL)
      

      Please beware of using your credit card with these guys they add additional stuff into it without your authorization. Please don’t register with them for ANY trial FREE stuff as one the trial is over they charge and keep charging you!!!!!! It is some kind of trickery. I am waiting for a year to finish for me to move my client’s site to somewhere else. Please be careful with these guys. Their billing basically gave me a “tough luck” answer when I informed them.