Although my web hosting and protection are paid up until October of 2014, Hostmonster withdrew my website from the internet yesterday, June 20, 2014. Their excuse for depriving me of paid-for website hosting is because my credit card company contested double payment for software templates I ordered from Mojo, their "affiliate" site. Our credit card company simply asked them to return the $49.00 duplicate billing amount.
I had contacted Mojo immediately after noticing the mistake. They told me to contact Hostmonster, who told me to contact Mojo, etc., etc. In other words, I was given the bureauocratic run-around.
Today (6/21/14) when I called the Hostmonster billing department, they decided to close my account instead of reinstating the hosting. They would not reinstate the hosting until I removed the dispute and paid the extra charge for software of $49.00. They said that I had signed a contract to pay for their services, and if I did not, they would not only refuse to host my website, but remove all my data. Nowhere in the contract I agreed to did it say that they would rescind my hosting if I contested a double-billing by an "affiliate" account.
Because Hostmonster refused to host my paid in advance websites, I will lose most of the following I have built up. For example, in about September of 2013 Hostmonster removed my website and data because I didn't pay my bill. I never received the billing. My credit card had been hacked and I now had a new credit card number, so the auto-billing hadn't gone through. At that time, my computer was overcome by viruses and I could neither send or receive emails. I didn't find out about the nonpayment until my computer was back up, in October of 2013. Because my website was unavailable for about a month, my hits went from 2,000 to less than 100.
I'm just getting my following back, and Hostmonster has rescinded my hosting. For a small art gallery, losing my following is a disaster, as it would be in any business. Now I will lose it again. Although I started my website in 1999, and I will once again, 15 years later, virtually have to start over.
Using my website hosting services as blackmail to pay for a double-billing by an affiliate company is not only unethical, but probably illegal. I would advise all Hostmonster customers not to buy anything from Hostmonster's affiliates. They also need to know Hostmonster does not value its customers. They told me either I had to pay the extra $49 or close my account rather than fixing the over-billing. Hostmonster will turn away customers and drop hosting if an inaccurate billing is contested by your credit card company, even if the billing mistake is by an "affiliate." If you drop Hostmonster, be sure you already have another host in place.
I would also like people to know that both charges of $49.00 for the same software on my credit card were paid to Hostmonster, although they deny financial responsibility for Mojo.
Hostmonster Reviews
Although my web hosting and protection are paid up until October of 2014, Hostmonster withdrew my website from the internet yesterday, June 20, 2014. Their excuse for depriving me of paid-for website hosting is because my credit card company contested double payment for software templates I ordered from Mojo, their "affiliate" site. Our credit card company simply asked them to return the $49.00 duplicate billing amount.
I had contacted Mojo immediately after noticing the mistake. They told me to contact Hostmonster, who told me to contact Mojo, etc., etc. In other words, I was given the bureauocratic run-around.
Today (6/21/14) when I called the Hostmonster billing department, they decided to close my account instead of reinstating the hosting. They would not reinstate the hosting until I removed the dispute and paid the extra charge for software of $49.00. They said that I had signed a contract to pay for their services, and if I did not, they would not only refuse to host my website, but remove all my data. Nowhere in the contract I agreed to did it say that they would rescind my hosting if I contested a double-billing by an "affiliate" account.
Because Hostmonster refused to host my paid in advance websites, I will lose most of the following I have built up. For example, in about September of 2013 Hostmonster removed my website and data because I didn't pay my bill. I never received the billing. My credit card had been hacked and I now had a new credit card number, so the auto-billing hadn't gone through. At that time, my computer was overcome by viruses and I could neither send or receive emails. I didn't find out about the nonpayment until my computer was back up, in October of 2013. Because my website was unavailable for about a month, my hits went from 2,000 to less than 100.
I'm just getting my following back, and Hostmonster has rescinded my hosting. For a small art gallery, losing my following is a disaster, as it would be in any business. Now I will lose it again. Although I started my website in 1999, and I will once again, 15 years later, virtually have to start over.
Using my website hosting services as blackmail to pay for a double-billing by an affiliate company is not only unethical, but probably illegal. I would advise all Hostmonster customers not to buy anything from Hostmonster's affiliates. They also need to know Hostmonster does not value its customers. They told me either I had to pay the extra $49 or close my account rather than fixing the over-billing. Hostmonster will turn away customers and drop hosting if an inaccurate billing is contested by your credit card company, even if the billing mistake is by an "affiliate." If you drop Hostmonster, be sure you already have another host in place.
I would also like people to know that both charges of $49.00 for the same software on my credit card were paid to Hostmonster, although they deny financial responsibility for Mojo.