Over two years ago we noted the that then recently started partnership between the web host 123 Reg and the security company SiteLock was already producing the bad results expected that should have been expected based on SiteLock’s well earned reputation as being scammers. If the website we were contacted about earlier this week is any indication, things haven’t changed.
One of the more annoying aspects of the scam that is so much of the security industry is that after people get scammed by security companies like SiteLock that don’t even attempt to properly do the work they are being hired to do, people come to us wanting us to help them out for free since they already paid the scamming company (which we are not in the business of doing for what should be obvious reasons). That was the case with someone that contacted us after being told by 123 Reg that their website was hacked, hiring their partner SiteLock to clean it, and having SiteLock claim to have cleaned it up. While SiteLock claimed the website was the malware free, 123 Reg wouldn’t unsuspend the website to due them claiming their still was malicious code on it.
When we were contacted about the website it was suspended, so we couldn’t see what was going on with it, but when we went to check on the website a couple of days after we were initially contacted, we found that the website was no longer suspended and that clearly it still had malicious code on it since when trying to access the homepage we were redirected to a malicious website.
What this situation shows is that 123 Reg should certainly be aware that the security company they have partnered with isn’t getting things done. That they continue the partnership is a good indication that the partnership is based not on helping their customers get connected with a reputable security company, but instead is based on them getting paid to push their customers to hire SiteLock.
What is the most unfortunate element is that there really isn’t a solution apparent here. If people hired reputable companies like ours they could avoid this type of situation, but what we have found is that most people will ignore warnings about companies like SiteLock until after they have been scammed and then in situation like this they want someone else to help them for free.
A Better Alternative to SiteLock For Cleaning Up a Hacked Website
If your web host is pushing you to hire SiteLock to clean up a hacked website, we provide a better alternative, where we actually properly clean up the website.