Read the sequence of e-mails between Anywherehost and a representative of one of their customers..

2007-06-30T14:17:00.000-07:00

The following is an exchange between myself, as a representative of a company trying to gain control of a domain they registered through Anywherehost, Inc., a reseller for eNom, Inc., and an Anywherehost "representative" (more than likely, Jim Robinson, a partner of Robert Ricci, which I deduced from his name being listed as the administrative contact after he begin holding the domain "hostage").

Name : Sylvia M.
Phone :
Domain Name : goldenbonepets.com
Browser Info : Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.0.12) Gecko/20070508 Firefox/1.5.0.12

I am writing as a representative of Golden Bone Pet Products. We are trying to transfer the domain to GoDaddy for hosting, and Sophia's (Angela's) email address that is listed as the admin contact is no longer valid. I need to access the account to change the admin email so GoDaddy can get the verification e-mail to us. I need to know what your procedure is for retrieving lost login information when the email address you have on file is invalid. Do I need to have Sophia call? If so, what information does she need to have available?

Dear Sylvia M.,

Thank you for contacting Online Support.According to the public WHOIS information, the domain name goldenbonepets.com is registered through eNom, Inc. You will need to contact eNom for further information regarding changing the domain's contact information. We apologize for any confusion. If you require further assistance, feel free to reply to this email. You can also reach Customer Support by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 480-624-2500.

Regards,
Matt V.
Online Support Representative

My response:

Hello,

I contacted eNom regarding this, and they told me to contact you. Please see the e-mail message from their service department quoted below.

"Dear Nadia,

This domain is currently registered through one of our resellers, information below. You will want to contact the reseller for account information and domain assistance as you do not have a direct eNom account.I have copied the reseller on this email as well so they are aware you may need help with making DNS changes, unlocking a domain, or renewing the name. If you do not hear back within 48 hours, please let us know and we'll see how we may assist you further.

RESELLER INFO:
Organization: Anywherehost
Address: P.O. Box 41
Fawnskin, CA92333
Phone: +1.6262054033
Fax: +1.-
Email: domains@anywherehost.com

Thanks

Isabel"

ANY help at this juncture would be GREATLY appreciated. I have been running around in circles for the last week trying to get this taken care of. Everyone I contact seems to want to tell me it's not their problem. This has been endlessly frustrating.Thanks.

NO RESPONSE FROM ANYWHEREHOST ON THIS ONE....

From: goldenboneadmin
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 8:12 AM
To: admin@anywherehost.com; Anywherehost
Subject: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

This is my third e-mail to your company regarding the transfer of the domain my partner, Sophia Karma, and I use for our pet store (goldenbonepets.com). I am trying to get the domain transferred to GoDaddy so we have more control over it. Your company, as well as eNom, have been most unhelpful. Nobody wants to help us. Everyone keeps pointing fingers at each other. This has been ongoing for 3 weeks*, and it has been a nightmare. If nobody can help us, I am taking my complaint to the Better Business Bureau. WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE ASSIST US IN GETTING OUR DOMAIN TRANSFERRED?

* The three weeks encompassed the time during which GoDaddy attempted to validate the e-mail, and the time I spent talking to eNom, apparently this wasn't made clear enough, but I disgress....

Billing
Jun 28 (2 days ago) to goldenboneadmin
date Jun 28, 2007 2:56 PM

subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

This is your first email to use recently. Let me be absolutely clear: we have told you for three years to transfer your domain elsewhe4re. You have refused to do so. We continue to own the domain name until you do that. ANY complaints to ANYONE will result in legal action. Frankly, I am fed up with your noise. Quit making threats and get off your butt and take the action we have instructed you to take for three years. It is not now and has never been our job to transfer your domain. YOUR FAILURE to do so does not represent a failure on our part and I will take all necessary legal steps to protect my name. *

* I received the above e-mail at the same time I received another from one of Golden Bone's owners saying that the owner of Anywherehost called her on her cell phone and verbally assaulted her with a barrage of belligerent insults. Imagine my surprise that a business owner would willfully conduct himself in such an unprofessional manner.

Sylvia M
Jun 28 (2 days ago)
to Billing
date Jun 28, 2007 7:05 PM

subject
Re: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

Look, here's the deal. My name is Sylvia, and I am resuming administrative duties for the kind folks at Golden Bone Pets, customers that you have alienated and been blatantly rude to, which is both unethical and not grounds for legal action against them. Harrassment is not an acceptable means of conveying your point. I am quite disheartened by the manner in which your company has choosen to handle this.I have a copy of the e-mail I received from your service department just last week, as well as copies of the e-mails I have sent to your company.If you are indeed fed up with us, then we request that you kindly take the lock off of the domain, and change the administrative e-mail contact to this address (goldenboneadmin). If further action is required, please enlighten us, as we'd like to get the domain (goldenbonepets.com) tranferred as soon as humanly possible, but GoDaddy.com is unable to complete the transfer without a confirmation e-mail from the administrative contact listed on whois.We await further instructions.

-Sylvia M.
Administrative Contact, GoldenBonePets.com

Billing
Jun 28 (2 days ago)
to Sylvia M.
date Jun 28, 2007 7:38 PM

subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

YOU LISTEN AND LISTEN CAREFULLY. STOP HARRASSING US. WE OWN THE DOMAIN NAME. YOU DO NOT. YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING FOR FREE. GET IT? THREATENING MY COMPANY WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WILL GET YOU SUED. TRY ME. GET IT NOW? YOU DO NOT GET TO DEMAND ANYTHING. IT IS NOT UNETHICAL FOR US TO DEMAND THAT THE PREVIOUS ACCOUNT HOLDER INSIST THAT HER EMPLOYEES OR CONTRACTORS STOP HARRASSING US. GET IT? GET IT CLEAR BECAUSE AS THE OWNER I AM FED UP WITH THIS NONSENSE. WE OWN THE NAME. WE HAVE FOR THREE YEARS. IT WAS NEVER OWNED BY SOPHIA AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS TO IT UNTIL IT IS PURCHASED FROM US. FOR THREE YEARS WE HAVE COOPERATED AND KEPT IT ACTIVE AS A COURTESY AND NOW YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO DEMAND THAT WE GIVE TO YOU WHAT WE OWN? HOW SILLY DOES THAT SOUND? AS A COURTESY I CHANGED THE NAMESERVERS TO KEEP THE SITE RUNNING AND YOU HAVE THE ABSOLUTE NERVE TO THREATEN ME? IT WILL NOW BE TURNED OFF UNTIL PAID FOR AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSFER FEE PAID BY CHECK ONLY. YOU DO NOT GET TO DEMAND AND PUSH AROUND UNTIL YOU GET YOUR WAY. ONE PEEP OUT OF YOU WITH THE BBB AND I WILL SUE FOR DEFAMATION. TRY ME. YOU HAVE HARASSED AND THREATENED US FOR THE LAST TIME. IF SOPHIA DOESN’T LIKE WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE COMMUNICATED FOR HER. YOU OVER-STEPPED YOUR AUTHORITY AND WE WILL HOLD HER ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR THREATS. MAYBE NADIA SHOULDN’T HAVE THREATENED US. WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE.

DUE TO YOUR ARROGANCE, THREATS, AND DEMANDS, YOUR WEB SITE IS NOW OFFLINE:

Domain name: goldenbonepets.com

Administrative Contact:
Anywherehost
Jim Robinson (domains@anywherehost.com)
+1.6262054033
Fax: +1.-
P.O. Box 41
Fawnskin, CA 92333
US

Technical Contact:
Anywherehost
Jim Robinson (domains@anywherehost.com)
+1.6262054033
Fax: +1.-
P.O. Box 41
Fawnskin, CA 92333
US

Registrant Contact:
Anywherehost
Jim Robinson (domains@anywherehost.com)
+1.6262054033
Fax: +1.-
P.O. Box 41
Fawnskin, CA 92333
US

Status: Locked

Name Servers:
ns1.anywherevps.net
ns2.anywherevps.net *

* Yes, I actually received an e-mail that was written with the caps lock on. It was pure genius.

Sylvia M.
to Billing
date Jun 28, 2007 10:35 PM

subject
Re: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

These e-mails are all the evidence we would need against you in court. Your behavior is most unethical. Your reputation precedes you, as evidenced by sites such as www.anywherehostsucks.com .. As for our complaints, we are now dealing solely with eNom, for whom you are a resller, and all of the threatening e-mails you have sent, as well as our responses, will be forwarded to them, the Better Business Bureau, and posted to a multitude of public blogs. Your own e-mails regurgitated in a public forum cannot be considered defamation in a court of law.

Billing
Jun 28 (2 days ago)
to Sylvia M.
date Jun 28, 2007 10:48 PM

subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

Ms. Karma,

This is why you are liable for the actions of those that work for you.

******************

Do as you wish and we will proceed with legal action.

Anywherehostsucks.com is an employee that was fired. You figure it out. We host thousands of web sites and that is the best that you can come up with? Pay the termination fee and we’re done. Demand that we give it to you for free and you lose the domain name. It is that simple. YOU AREN’T THE CUSTOMER and have no standing here. Enom is fully aware of what has taken place and have noted the account.

We’re done here.

Sylvia M.
to Billing
date Jun 28, 2007 11:34 PM
subject
Re: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

I suppose these are disgruntled former employees, as well.

http://findabiz.info/install/?action=entry&id=1177841730

http://www.webhostingstuff.com/comments/AnywhereHostcom-3656.html

http://www.webhostingstuff.com/review/AnywhereHostcom.html

http://www.besthostratings.com/web-hosting/reviews/anywherehost_com-Reviews.html#hostreview4666

http://www.besthostratings.com/web-hosting/reviews/anywherehost_com-Reviews.html#hostreview4580

http://www.besthostratings.com/web-hosting/reviews/anywherehost_com-Reviews.html#hostreview4480

http://www.besthostratings.com/web-hosting/reviews/anywherehost_com-Reviews.html#hostreview4277

http://www.jubileestallions.org/reviews/anywherehost.com

Billing
to Sylvia M.
date Jun 28, 2007 11:39 PM

subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

Each of your emails have been forwarded to our legal department. You have no standing here and are only making it worse by harassing us further. Anywherehost remains the owner of the domain name. Period.

Review sites are all a scam. You won’t believe that. But look at the names and the duplicates. Then look at the advertisers and search for their negative reviews. You won’t find them because they PAY to advertise there. We’re done once again. Thousands of sites hosted and you can only come up with a handful.

Sylvia M.
to Billing billing@anywherehost.com
date Jun 29, 2007 6:37 AM

subject
Re: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

Very well.If you care to sell the domain and relinquish ownership, kindly provide us with the amount of the early termination fee and a mailing address. *

* This was a feigned attempt to be rational with this belligerent person.

Billing
to Sylvia M.
date Jun 29, 2007 7:42 AM
subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

We will deal only with Sophia. You are not authorized to do anything with this.

Sylvia M.
to Billing
date Jun 29, 2007 12:59 PM
subject
Re: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

Nadia (a partner in the business) requested that I contact you one last time to let you know that by disabling the website you are hindering the operation of an animal rescue project. You are endangering the lives of many animals who might otherwise benefit from her help. Quite frankly, it's a mystery to us all how you sleep at night.

Billing
to Sylvia M.
date Jun 29, 2007 1:03 PM
subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

Please do not contact us again. We have turned you over to our legal department, as have Enom.

PLEASE NOTE: I did not e-mail him again, and even after he insisted that *I* stop harassing him, he kept sending ME e-mails.

Billing
hide details
1:19 am (13 hours ago) **
to goldenboneadmin

cc Isabel Mourato
date
Jun 30, 2007 1:19 AM
subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

The domain name is now suspended. Anywherehost remains the owner of the domain name and may do as we feel necessary.

Please forward any emails from us where we directed you to Enom. To my knowledge that never happened and I have searched all email logs on this topic. I have checked for all emails from goldenboneadmin@gmail.com and nadia@goldenbonepets.com. I also searched for all emails containing goldenbonepets.com. None were located until after your threats began. Our information from Enom shows that you contacted them first on 6/22/2007 and they responded on 6/24/2007. At that time you were directed to us. We had received no emails from you until we began receiving demands and threats. You sent those to admin@anaywherehost.com and not domains@anaywherehost.com. You later claimed that you first contacted us three weeks prior. Please prove that. We don’t “park” domains anywhere and would never have told you that 1) we did, and 2) go to Enom.

I was informed that our attorney will be contacting you via mail.

** Note the time of this e-mail. What legitimate businessperson is up writing e-mails at this hour?

Golden Bone Admin
8:38 am (5 hours ago)
to Billing
date
Jun 30, 2007 8:38 AM
subject
Re: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

A new domain name has been registered for this business.

I have saved every piece of e-mail from you, including the ostensibly belligerent, and these will be used as documentation of your unethical business practices.

You will be receiving a letter from the company owners terminating any and all relationship with your "business," per your "policy."Do not harass us any further. Any contact from you, your associates, or your "company," with me, or the company owners will result in swift legal action for harassment, including but not limited to the release of every single piece of e-mail to the Better Business Bureau. There are more urgent things that must be tended to, and we simply haven't the time, patience, or energy to squabble with you. Right or wrong regarding the dispute of the domain itself, your appalling treatment of people in general is very unprofessional, and quite shocking. Willfully belittling, berating, and threatening customers, or the people who represent those customers, is not a good business practice no matter how you attempt justify it.

I have already copied this e-mail to both of the business owners, so there is no need for you to forward it. I have not overstepped my authority on this issue, all of my statements to you have been sufficiently representative of their sentiments regarding you and your "business."

Please do not contact me again.

Billing
10:21 am (4 hours ago)
to Golden Bone Admin
date
Jun 30, 2007 10:21 AM
subject
RE: Anywherehost - Contact Manager

You very much need to read your emails, because the harassment, belittling, threatening and everything else have come from your staff. I will emphasize once again that we can and will pursue legal action against your for defamation. We asked you to prove that we initially sent you to Enom and you could not do that. You lied to Enom and were trying to go around us. We know that and Enom knows that. Please do not contact us again. We don’t have a relationship with Sophia or Nadia since 2005 and that is the entire source of this issue.

Anywherehost is quite possibly the worst domain registrar / reseller to ever exist.

2007-06-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

I received this e-mail from Anywherehost's "Support Department" this eve.

YOU LISTEN AND LISTEN CAREFULLY. STOP HARRASSING US. WE OWN THE DOMAIN NAME. YOU DO NOT. YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING FOR FREE. GET IT? THREATENING MY COMPANY WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WILL GET YOU SUED. TRY ME. GET IT NOW? YOU DO NOT GET TO DEMAND ANYTHING. IT IS NOT UNETHICAL FOR US TO DEMAND THAT THE PREVIOUS ACCOUNT HOLDER INSIST THAT HER EMPLOYEES OR CONTRACTORS STOP HARRASSING US. GET IT? GET IT CLEAR BECAUSE AS THE OWNER I AM FED UP WITH THIS NONSENSE. WE OWN THE NAME. WE HAVE FOR THREE YEARS. IT WAS NEVER OWNED BY SOPHIA AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS TO IT UNTIL IT IS PURCHASED FROM US. FOR THREE YEARS WE HAVE COOPERATED AND KEPT IT ACTIVE AS A COURTESY AND NOW YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO DEMAND THAT WE GIVE TO YOU WHAT WE OWN? HOW SILLY DOES THAT SOUND? AS A COURTESY I CHANGED THE NAMESERVERS TO KEEP THE SITE RUNNING AND YOU HAVE THE ABSOLUTE NERVE TO THREATEN ME? IT WILL NOW BE TURNED OFF UNTIL PAID FOR AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSFER FEE PAID BY CHECK ONLY. YOU DO NOT GET TO DEMAND AND PUSH AROUND UNTIL YOU GET YOUR WAY. ONE PEEP OUT OF YOU WITH THE BBB AND I WILL SUE FOR DEFAMATION. TRY ME. YOU HAVE HARASSED AND THREATENED US FOR THE LAST TIME. IF SOPHIA DOESN’T LIKE WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE COMMUNICATED FOR HER. YOU OVER-STEPPED YOUR AUTHORITY AND WE WILL HOLD HER ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR THREATS. MAYBE NADIA SHOULDN’T HAVE THREATENED US. WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE.

DUE TO YOUR ARROGANCE, THREATS, AND DEMANDS, YOUR WEB SITE IS NOW OFFLINE:

Yes, the original appeared in my mailbox in all caps. Unbelievable? Unscrupulus? Unethical? Unprofessional?

Let me just start by saying that the only thing I was trying to achieve was the changing of the administrative e-mail (contact) address to transfer the domain name to GoDaddy. I really had no idea what I was in for. The owner of Anywherehost, whom apparently operates under a multitude of guises to create the illusion of a large company, incited a panic amongst the clients I work for by placing a telephone call to one of the company's partners. Not only did he threaten her with legal action, but he proceeded to berate and belittle her. This astounds me. Irregardless of what a customer has said to you, it is simply UNETHICAL and INAPPROPRIATE to telephone someone and treat them this way. I think the e-mail message above speaks volumes of the lack of professionalism and ostensible lack of scruples the owner of this company has.

The situation has been exacerbated by the company owner's continual threats to sue us for "defamation" if we report him to be Better Business Bureau, or even regurgitate his own words either in public forum or to eNom, the company for which he is a reseller.

I will be following this post up with cut / pastes of the e-mails we receive from Anywherehost as they are received.

Anywherehost is truly a nightmare, folks. Buyer beware.

Buyer beware of Anywherehost !

Read the sequence of e-mails between Anywherehost and a representative of one of their customers..

Anywherehost is quite possibly the worst domain registrar / reseller to ever exist.