PrivateOpps Goes Private, Downtime
PrivateOpps has gone private, apparently due to spammers and DDoS attacks. Their site has been up and down all week, and has now been kept offline until a secure VPN network can be established.
Sounds like a nice plan to protect the site from downtime, right? Well, it could possibly be the beginning of an elaborate exit-plan by scammers (just like we’ve all seen before). Take a look at Andrew Unknown’s critical analysis of PO’s actions for a different perspective.
Read PrivateOpps’ full announcement below, courtesy of NoBsHYIP Blog:
Monday, March 27, 2006 5:58 PM EST
After much consideration and as a direct result of the recent difficulties we have been experiencing due to spammers and DDoS attackers, PrivateOpps is finally going private!
We consider this step as an opportunity to further improve our service to existing members, and continue to operate without any interruptions by malicious users who want to see us (and your money) disappear.
Therefore, effective immediately, we do not accept new members until further notice. Perhaps next month we will re-open our doors on an invite-only basis, but for now we wish to focus on serving our existing 6,300+ members.
This morning we have begun to work on a secure, private, web-based interface for all existing members to use, replacing our current public website and members area.
To protect the new platform from malicious users, access will be granted to existing members only (based on a unique Username/Password for each member) through our very own offshore Virtual Private Network (VPN) servers. This will finally stop all DDoS attacks and service interruptions due to false spam reports.
We have put all resources into launching it as quickly as possible, and we estimate that the new platform will become available to existing members early next week (April 5th at the latest).
During this one-week period, we will keep our regular website offline, as it will most likely continue to attract various attacks and thus slow us down significantly.
This means that access to accounts will also be temporarily unavailable - as well as Unit redemptions, purchases, deposits, and withdrawals - until we move to the new private servers.
Please keep in mind that the private clubs will continue to operate as usual, and interest will be paid Monday through Friday as it always has. Unit redemption orders that are currently pending will be processed as scheduled, but, of course, the funds will only be available for withdrawal when we are back up.
The past week and a half have been very stressful for us, and I??™m sure many of you feel the same. We wish to thank you all for your continued patience and support.
We look forward to a prosperous year and the peace of mind that the new system will give us all.
Please check our website next week for any updates (it may, however, be unavailable at times as Internet Service Providers continue to take it down after receiving false spam reports). In any way, be rest assured that we are very much alive and continue to work on PrivateOpps??™ future.
We will keep everyone posted (via email) about our progress as we enter the weekend. Yahoo/MSN users: remember to check your Bulk/Spam folder often, as sometimes our emails end up there.
Also note that our Support Desk will most likely be very busy answering emails in the next few days, which may result in unusually long delays in getting back to you (2-4 days).
See you soon at our new private platform!
Best regards,
Robert Vaughn
Operations Manager
PrivateOpps.com
