Two days ago my e-mail stopped working. My e-mail accounts and web page are hosted by SBC web hosting. I thought it was one of those server glitches until RHPConsult tried to e-mail me and got his message bounced back. Dick then warned me via TS and a private note. So, I called SBC web hosting and found that they had CANCELED my account without warning me!!!
What happened since I am a remote user, I paid via Visa. Well about two months ago, someone hacked into a bunch of Visa accounts including mine. Visa issued me a new card but I forgot to warn SBC webhosting. So, on October 29, SBC sent me a suspension notice. In fact they sent several of them, but I never received any of them! Finally on 11/11, they canceled my account since they hadn't heard from me. After many hours of discussion with SBC, I found that they could not reinstate my account and I would have to open a new account. They could not understand why I hadn't received any of their warning emails.
Their URL is billing@webhosting.com and the title was "Your account is in danger of being closed". You guessed it - my overzealous spam filter had placed their URL in the spam category. The problem is that I get 100 to 200 spams a day - don't ask!!! In going thru potential spam messages, my filter, SpamFire noted that the URL was a common form used by many spammers. I did have an opportunity to catch it but missed it because it is impossible to go thru over a hundred spam URLs and titles and catch it.
Where did SBC web hosting screw Up? There is nothing in their URL or message title that indicated it came from SBC!!!!! Further, their URL is a common form used by spammers to get you to open the message. Well at least SBC had the grace to drop the $50 startup fee and I should be reinstated by late today. They never contact you by phone - just by e-mail.
The morale to this story is to have a contact e-mail address separate from your POP account at your ISP. For example, HotMail.
Thank you, Dick for catching this.
MamaMoose
