Here is to warn any one is a client or thinking of becoming a client of the newly accepting Bitcoin VPS Host1Plus. I will write a full review of them and some much better hosts on my blog but I just thought I'd give some people here some heads up so they wont lose there money / data.
I had an account with them for less than a week. Luckily I only used it to do benchmarks of their service and didn't have there any vital service or information since yesterday they completely shutdown any access to the VPS server I was paying them
Their excuse for blocking was that I broke their TOS by not providing my full billing account details.
When I wondered why do I need to provide my personal information when I clearly don't have any billing account (I paid for a month in advance with Bitcion) They clearly stated that they use this information to disclose it to police and any other authority in case of an abuse report. Not a warrant! an abuse report and not only to the police but to anyone they might think is an appropriate authority)
And when I wondered about a refund as their TOS clearly show I'm entitled for the decided to close the ticket since I'm "twisting around what we try to tell you."
I will send them a link for this post maybe they have some comment since I'm "twisting around what we try to tell you."
Here is the copy of some of the correspondence I had with them -
From: HOST1PLUS Sales Department <sales@host1plus.com>
Subject: [#GNQ-499-96789]: Regarding your orderHello,
I want you to understand
that the payment method chosen has nothing to do with the requirement to provide valid personal information. We always require valid and matching information, no matter what the payment method is going to be used. Try to imagine what would happen if we get an
abuse report with a request to provide full contact information to the police or any other appropriate authorities. That's the reason why the contact information has to be valid and up to date.
If this caused you any inconvenience, then please accept our most sincere apologies. Please let me know if you have changed your mind and we will update your contact information so you will be able to continue using our services.
--
Kind Regards,
Dainius L.
Level 2 Support
HOST1PLUS
From: <yonjah@XXXX>
Subject: Re: [#GNQ-499-96789]: Regarding your orderHello,
So if I understand correctly you are collecting unnecessary user data so it could be shared with various third parties ?
Do you have a specific list of third parties or is it just any one who care to file an abuse ?
Can you point me to the specific area in your terms and condition that allows you to do so ?
I found a lot of terms allowing to terminate an account for what ever reason you might want, but I didn't find any place that allows you to share the billing information with any one else, also please note that your TOS talking specifically about a billing account, if you are using this information for any other perpes like you stated above you should update your TOC.
Also please note section 2.2 in the TOS [REMOVED LINK TO TOS] which staits that account termination will not be applicable for a refund in case of intentional property damage.
Did I cause any damage ? did you get any complaint about my account ? was my account involved in any of the activities mention in section 2.3 ?
as it was clearly not I understand you are going to refund me for the hosting price ?
I doubt if you do so (cause by the low quality of your service and servers I'm sure you hog every dollar) but if you do that would probably be the only positive side for your service.
Sincerely yours,
Yoni Jah
From: HOST1PLUS Sales Department <sales@host1plus.com>
Subject: [#GNQ-499-96789]: Regarding your orderHello Yonjah,
I am very sorry to see that you are so intent to find faults with everyone and putting words into our mouth, and twisting around what we try to tell you.
I can only advise you to read our terms of service and privacy policy, which clearly contradict your statements.
For your convenience, I will narrow it down for you: We like to know who we are doing business with. The way our clients pay has nothing to do with that.
Why we want to know is obvious, as there is a lot of different people out there, not all with good intent.
I will close this discussion now as it is clearly going nowhere. We have our 'house rules' in the form of ToS.
You are fully in your right to dislike them, disagree with them or think of them whatever you may think of them.
They still are our Terms of Service, and they are there to protect both us and all our other clients and both we and our clients follow them.
This is a simple truth with any other hosting company out there and doesn't make us special in any way.
I hope you have a nice day.
With best regards,
Richard B.
HOST1PLUS Support Manager
