For three years, I faithfully maintained a website for my customer, but after changing my field of activity, I continued paying for the domain. However, when the customer decided to rebrand and develop a new website, they asked me to stop paying for the domain. In agreement, I stopped, but this resulted in the domain being intercepted by competitors who posted pоrnographic content and keywords related to the topic to improve their indexing.

To make matters worse, for three years, the website, along with working phone numbers and customer names, was scanned by internet aggregator robots, and it is now listed on over 4000 directories. For the safety of my customers, I cannot disclose the site, as there is a risk of viruses. Can you advise me on how to rescue my former customers from this abyss of unwanted content?

I once helped a client regain access to his web site, which he had been locked out of by an old contractor. Despite not having the necessary keys, the client did not ask for them and the old contractor disappeared, leaving the site inaccessible. After failing to regain access, the client promised to pay me handsomely for my help but disappeared without fulfilling that promise.

I eventually asked for some symbolic payment, but he ignored me. Although I was hesitant to take on the project initially due to the low chances of success, I was swayed by the client's promises and requests. Going forward, I will require clear agreements and prepayment to avoid similar issues. It is not my responsibility to solve problems caused by someone else's negligence.

It's important to establish clear boundaries and expectations with clients from the beginning to avoid potential misunderstandings or unfulfilled promises in the future. As a professional, it's important to value your time and expertise and to communicate this clearly to your clients. At the end of the day, you should not be held responsible for the actions or mistakes of others.

It's essential to take immediate action to reclaim control of the domain. You should contact the domain registrar and provide evidence that you are the rightful owner of the domain. This may involve providing past payment records or any other relevant documentation.

Once you have regained control of the domain, promptly remove the unwanted content and conduct a thorough security audit to identify and eliminate any vulnerabilities that may have allowed the domain to be hijacked. Update all software, plugins, and themes to their latest versions and change all passwords associated with the website, including FTP, database, and admin access credentials. Consider implementing additional security measures such as HTTPS, a firewall, and regular malware scans.

To address the issue of the website being listed on numerous directories, you will need to manually contact each directory and request the removal of the outdated information. This can be a time-consuming process, but it is crucial for protecting the reputation and safety of your former customers.

Simultaneously, communicate with your former customers about the situation, reassuring them of your commitment to resolving the issue and providing guidance on how they can protect themselves from potential risks. You may also consider offering to assist them in updating their contact details and ensuring that their information is accurately reflected across various online platforms.

Once the immediate threats have been mitigated, consider implementing long-term strategies to monitor and maintain the security and integrity of your customers' online presence. This could include regular security audits, proactive monitoring for unauthorized changes, and ongoing communication with your customers about best practices for online security.
The key is to act swiftly, communicate transparently with your former customers, and implement robust security measures to safeguard their online presence and reputation.