Abuse Policy

1. Company Information

2. What Constitutes Abuse

Abuse of our services includes, but is not limited to:

3. How to Report Abuse

If you believe someone is using our services for abusive purposes, please report it to our abuse team:

When reporting abuse, please include:

• Date and time of incident (with timezone)
• IP addresses involved
• Domain names or URLs
• Description of the abusive activity
• Evidence (logs, screenshots, email headers)
• Your contact information

4. Abuse Takedown Process

5. Abuse Severity Levels

6. Spam and Email Abuse Policy

Spam Complaints:

• Each spam complaint is investigated
• Valid complaints result in account warning
• Multiple complaints lead to suspension
• Blacklist listings are our responsibility to resolve

Email Sending Guidelines:

• All marketing emails must include unsubscribe links
• You must maintain valid unsubscribe records
• Email lists must be opt-in only
• Valid sender information must be included

7. Network Abuse Policy

Network abuse includes any activity that interferes with our network or other customers:

8. Resource Abuse Policy

Shared hosting resources are limited. The following constitute resource abuse:

Resource abuse often indicates your site needs a more powerful hosting plan. We'll work with you to find the right solution.

9. Copyright Abuse (DMCA)

We comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and Australian copyright law. To report copyright infringement:

Upon receiving a valid DMCA notice, we will:

• Remove or disable access to infringing material
• Notify the customer of the removal
• Terminate repeat infringers

10. Compromised Accounts

If your account is compromised and used for abuse:

1. Your account will be suspended immediately to prevent further abuse
2. You'll be notified with instructions to secure your account
3. You must:
   • Change all passwords
   • Scan for malware
   • Update all software
   • Enable two-factor authentication
4. Once secured, we'll restore your account

11. Abuse of Support System

We strive to provide excellent support, but we do not tolerate:

• Abusive language or harassment
• Threats of violence
• Excessive ticket creation (ticket bombing)
• Fraudulent support requests
• Demanding free services

Violations may result in support restrictions or account termination.

12. Repeat Offenders

Customers with multiple abuse reports will face escalating consequences:

Severe violations may skip directly to termination without warning.

13. Law Enforcement Cooperation

HostForge Australia cooperates fully with law enforcement agencies. We will:

• Report illegal activities to appropriate authorities
• Preserve evidence when required
• Comply with valid court orders and warrants
• Provide customer information when legally required

Agencies can contact us at: legal@hostforge.com.au

14. Appeals Process

If you believe your account was suspended in error, you may appeal:

1. Email appeals@hostforge.com.au with your account details
2. Explain why you believe the suspension was in error
3. Provide evidence supporting your appeal
4. We'll review and respond within 48 hours

15. Policy Updates

We may update this Abuse Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on our website. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

16. Contact Information