I struggled with Siteleader after several years that they seemed to do okay for me. Their prices seemed suddenly atrocious and when I was unable to contact anyone at Siteleader via email or phone I found that Enom actually was the true host. Enom initially told me that my name was shown as owner-so I could in fact get free from Siteleader-but as a courtesy to Siteleader (I guess they did some business with Enom) they would make contact to advise Siteleader first. The next thing that happened was Siteleader changed the owner name to themselves. (!) I had a difficult time getting any responses from Siteleader, next day air letters via UPS bounced back, and I started reading online other, similar experiences. At one point an email from Siteleader told me that I could terminate my contract with them for $250. That terms and conditions of my auto-renewing contract were posted on their website. This, of course, is something they can change and update as they wish. As I struggled and sent angy emails I remember receiving one response "why don't you just pay the money and then go work your business". I finally sent funds via Paypal and they released me. Shady *#(@*$(@ers who hide behind the web and won't converse on the phone or provide a real address. I would have gladly paid a visit just to confront these idiots!
I read the report from DartsWorld regarding Siteleader.com and Enom.com and boy did it bring back the memories. Nightmares actually. The same thing happened to me with the same two players and it was years ago. It is a shame (Sham?) that ICANN (ultimate authority for domain names worldwide) doesn't clean up the Internet and send these two companies packing with their principals in jail.
The short version for me was that I had my domain name registered through Siteleader.com a reseller for Enom.com. They let it expire and then held it for ransom. They are required to notify me which they didn't (who is going to let their domain expire?) But lied all along that they had. Of course for a large sum of money they would gladly give it back. What do you do? I paid the ransom.
But then instead of getting it back they gave it to another resailer in Russia who then wanted money. I complained bitterly to Enom.com. They have insulated themselves very well from thier resellers and "Couldn't do anything" because I couldn't prove it was my domain. Of course the content on the domain had changed and caused my google and other search engine rankings to crash. Some lawyer in Southern Califorinia is/was behind Enom.com but was also VERY insulated. I could not get Siteleader.com or Enom.com to budge. I would not deal with the Russia company and I think it then went to an Indian company.
I contacted ICANN, a lawyer, the FBI and Department of Justices in Illinois (Siteleader.com) and Washingon State (Enom.com). Lawyer said it would cost a ton and may not succeed. FBI interestingly sent me to a data base to register my complaint in hopes that enough people would also do that and it would lift my complaint up to something they could afford to spend time on. I did. I don't remember the site name, but couldn't post it here anyway. Contact the FBI, they would know.
About that time ICANN started a new Ombudsman program and I was able to deal with people at ICANN who were there to help people like us. I hope they still have it. After explaining my situation, and some back and forth between ICANN, Enom.com, and Siteleader.com. I finally got it back, but siteleader.com was still my registrar. With ICANN's help I was able to get it transferred away from them and over to a real company like GoDaddy or the like.
It was a nightmare to lose my domain and I spent countless hours working on it and not sleeping, just like anyone reading this is most likely. My advice to all is do NOT use Enom or Siteleader. If you are with them start working now to transfer away from them to a real registrar. I warn you, they will fight you and not like you, but it is easier to do that before you lose it than after.
If you haven't done business with these people DON'T! RUN away.
If you have found yourself in the situation DartsWorld and I found ourselves in Report it to the FBI and work diligently and respectfully with ICANN. They can fix it, they fixed mine.
Spread the word everywhere you can about Enom and Siteleader. Good luck!
SiteLeader.com Reviews
Another hijacked domain and ransom demand
I struggled with Siteleader after several years that they seemed to do okay for me. Their prices seemed suddenly atrocious and when I was unable to contact anyone at Siteleader via email or phone I found that Enom actually was the true host. Enom initially told me that my name was shown as owner-so I could in fact get free from Siteleader-but as a courtesy to Siteleader (I guess they did some business with Enom) they would make contact to advise Siteleader first. The next thing that happened was Siteleader changed the owner name to themselves. (!) I had a difficult time getting any responses from Siteleader, next day air letters via UPS bounced back, and I started reading online other, similar experiences. At one point an email from Siteleader told me that I could terminate my contract with them for $250. That terms and conditions of my auto-renewing contract were posted on their website. This, of course, is something they can change and update as they wish. As I struggled and sent angy emails I remember receiving one response "why don't you just pay the money and then go work your business". I finally sent funds via Paypal and they released me. Shady *#(@*$(@ers who hide behind the web and won't converse on the phone or provide a real address. I would have gladly paid a visit just to confront these idiots!
I read the report from DartsWorld regarding Siteleader.com and Enom.com and boy did it bring back the memories. Nightmares actually. The same thing happened to me with the same two players and it was years ago. It is a shame (Sham?) that ICANN (ultimate authority for domain names worldwide) doesn't clean up the Internet and send these two companies packing with their principals in jail.
The short version for me was that I had my domain name registered through Siteleader.com a reseller for Enom.com. They let it expire and then held it for ransom. They are required to notify me which they didn't (who is going to let their domain expire?) But lied all along that they had. Of course for a large sum of money they would gladly give it back. What do you do? I paid the ransom.
But then instead of getting it back they gave it to another resailer in Russia who then wanted money. I complained bitterly to Enom.com. They have insulated themselves very well from thier resellers and "Couldn't do anything" because I couldn't prove it was my domain. Of course the content on the domain had changed and caused my google and other search engine rankings to crash. Some lawyer in Southern Califorinia is/was behind Enom.com but was also VERY insulated. I could not get Siteleader.com or Enom.com to budge. I would not deal with the Russia company and I think it then went to an Indian company.
I contacted ICANN, a lawyer, the FBI and Department of Justices in Illinois (Siteleader.com) and Washingon State (Enom.com). Lawyer said it would cost a ton and may not succeed. FBI interestingly sent me to a data base to register my complaint in hopes that enough people would also do that and it would lift my complaint up to something they could afford to spend time on. I did. I don't remember the site name, but couldn't post it here anyway. Contact the FBI, they would know.
About that time ICANN started a new Ombudsman program and I was able to deal with people at ICANN who were there to help people like us. I hope they still have it. After explaining my situation, and some back and forth between ICANN, Enom.com, and Siteleader.com. I finally got it back, but siteleader.com was still my registrar. With ICANN's help I was able to get it transferred away from them and over to a real company like GoDaddy or the like.
It was a nightmare to lose my domain and I spent countless hours working on it and not sleeping, just like anyone reading this is most likely. My advice to all is do NOT use Enom or Siteleader. If you are with them start working now to transfer away from them to a real registrar. I warn you, they will fight you and not like you, but it is easier to do that before you lose it than after.
If you haven't done business with these people DON'T! RUN away.
If you have found yourself in the situation DartsWorld and I found ourselves in Report it to the FBI and work diligently and respectfully with ICANN. They can fix it, they fixed mine.
Spread the word everywhere you can about Enom and Siteleader. Good luck!