Update: Sadly, this 2012 post is NOT old information. Updates from 2013, 2014 and 2015 are below...
_________________
An Australian teenager named Hugh LockhartHuon Rengers has been attempting to defraud web hosts for the better part of two five years now. This high school college kid implores every trick he can conceive of -- a limited imagination, I assure you -- in order acquire Windows VPS/dedicated servers for a video game. Whether he's pretending a sibling has died in a recent natural disaster, or simply giving a "whoa is me, I'm so poor" sob story, he spams hosting support desks and forums on a regular basis.
This thread serves as a warning to all hosts. Attached screenshots provide quite a bit of evidence.
Prior Discussions Online
Along with several other concerned members at webhostingtalk.com (WHT), we've been posting information since March 2011. Note that it's now October 2012 2015, and more than 18 months 4 years have passed since hosts began to discuss this issue in public. While the many threads at WHT are helpful ...
... unfortunately it's not well organized, being spread out across so many threads. And that's why this thread is being created -- to organize the information in a single page.
And it's not just WHTm but dozens of sites! For example:
Hi, my Brother died in the New zealand Earthquake, i have sufferd through the the Queensland Floods and Cyclone, i was woundering, may i possible get a Windows VPS/ dedi 2008 or 2003 for free for 1 Month - 2 Years. look ill Recommend your Company, ill Advertise, ill try to DONATE whenever i can and much More. So please, what can you do ?
... and variations of it have happened every time there's a tsunami, hurricane, tornado, earthquakes, etc. It's really rather despicable for somebody to use real disasters as a way to scam others. Sometimes the sob story was right off an episode of Jerry Springer:
Quote:
Hello, i recently Turned 20 Years old and i moved out of my PARENTS home, after i moved into my own home then my house got Broken into, plus my Girlfriend had a BABY, but the baby died of SIDS, now im very POOR/ No Money. Look i URGENTLY need a Windows Server. Could i possible get a FREE FIRST MONTH or Free Trial on the Windows Server, so please can you talk to your BOSS, MANAGER or CEO about my ISSUE ?
Nothing cures death, disease and dire situations better than .... a Windows server? .... for playing video games?
After the embarrassing phone conversation in March 2012 -- attached below, originally posted to WHT, and used here with permission by Sajan -- he also changed his modus operandi to simply begging, without all the stories of family members and pets dying, knocked-up girlfriends, natural disasters, etc ...
Quote:
Hello, the reason why i am Here today is because i am student, i am 18 years old, im a Freelancer and im From Australia. Now i have a Gaming Website, Forum and Shoutcast Radio, i would be happly to Work for you Remotly, advertise you on my WEBSITE, FORUM and on my Radio plus othe forums an Websites, also ill do reviews and ill be afflited. Now i Dont really have a Lot of money, so yea. Do you think you could ever be so kind, give me curtesy and do me a Very Special 1 time Deal on your Windows VPS, Reseller i also need a New Domain.
And any time he was confronted on the BS stories, it often melted down as so:
Quote:
Wow, you must be a SELLFISH little Bastards, you dont give a **** about me. THat has happend too me, but you dont CARE or Support me through the HARD/ Rough Times im Going through at the Moment, WOW you must be so SAD. also ill not only right to HACKERS to **** UP your Website, ill Write bad reviews about your Company plus MORE. Now i hope to GOD you ROTT in ****ing HELL !!!!!
Several potential victims have also reported his attempts to solicit funds, in amounts ranging anywhere from $10 to $100 -- currency unknown -- in order to start up some sort of site, company or server.
The thing I've always found amusing is that he has the grammatical skills of a drunk college girl sending a text message.
Available Aliases and Contact Details:
Anyway, without further adieu, the important lists:
Names:
Huon Rengers -- Update: This is his real name. It's been confirmed!
Huon Lockhart Rengers
Hugh Rengers
John Hugh Lockhart
Hughy Lockhart
Hugo Lock
Huon Lock
Hughy Avid
Hughy Dangle
Hughy Dee
Matthew Dee
Hughy Houn
Callum Ferguson
Contact Details:
2 Showgrounds Drive, Highvale, Brisbane, Queensland 4520, Australia
Phone: 0435021952
DOB: June 8, 1994
IP: 220.236.70.250 (d220-236-70-250.dsl.nsw.optusnet.com.au) -- sample of dynamic range used by ISP
IP: 58.111.78.116 (d58-111-78-116.rdl800.qld.optusnet.com.au) -- another sample (2015)
.... and this information is likely to change or be added to at any given time. He's already changed his Facebook name and username several times in 2011 and 2012, in an attempt to separate his "personal" digital life from his scamming one. Most of his "businesses" are abject failures from the get-go, due to incompetency with the tech knowledge required to run sites and servers. Thus far, he has attempted to create gaming communities, web design services, and web hosting services -- mostly using nulled software.
There are very distinct patterns in choice of username, grammar, nature of the requests, attitude, and other details. For example, virtually every alias has some relation to the sim game Habbo Hotel -- though you'd have to know more about the game to see an immediate relation (or like me, use Google and read up about the game for a few minutes).
If you are aware of any more aliases, emails, websites, etc, you're encouraged to add to this thread with a reply. Screen shots are also encouraged. We'd especially like to hear from web hosts that have either been defrauded or have been approached. Though we will attempt to maintain this thread with current info, user submissions will the best way to ensure it stays up to date.
Take care.
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Notice in the two images "huon-IPhidecrack" that he's downloaded an app to try and hide his IP address, but cannot figure out how to use it. Odds are he's downloaded something with a malware infection anyway, seeing how it's a cracked program. Some people just never learn.
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And for anybody looking for information on good Windows hosts, see our main review list:
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Quite often, problems with web sites are caused by having a rotten web host. Worse yet, many hosts try to blame you (the customer) for the problems! So dump that lousy company. Say goodbye to slow sites, unresponsive support techs, and downtime. Find yourself a new host today. Whether you need shared, reseller, VPS, semi-dedicated, cloud, or dedicated hosting, something on our list should be a good upgrade for you.
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Submitted: Saturday, February 16, 2013 - Reported By: HughAUS — Brisbane Other Australia
Quote:
Dear RipOffReport,
Hello, i bought a full Website Development, Design and Logo All of this. From the Seller "xxxxxx - His Facebook: ", now i gave him suffienciant time to do this. He just stopped, i asked him Why, what is happernerning. I asked him on Skype, Email and Facebook Chat, on Skype he abused me, and what not, he DDOSED my home Ip aswell. Now i went to paypal and made a claim but i lost because it was a "Virtual item" and it did not covour in "Consumer Protection" in paypal, i just wanted a great website designed for my website. My mother has "Lukemia" and i just wanted to surprise her, and have a great website. Anyway i just want my FULL AMOUNT of Refunded money back on my paypal account. Please help me ?
The resume cover letter gave a good chuckle, too!
Quote:
I have excellent and written and oral communication skills,
Attaching it here.
Thanks, Marc.
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It's been more than a year since the last post, but he's still at it.
As recently as November 2013, Huon Rengers was still trying to scam hosts on LEB (lowendbox.com). I guess he wanted free hosting in time for his December break from school? The out-of-school pattern is very common with kids -- especially this one.
It's now May 2014, and school is almost out. Will he do it again? Probably so.
Today, I got this interesting PM:
Quote:
Hi, I read that thing about Huon Rengers, that is his correct name, he studies where I do. Thanks for the information, it's been forwarded to my local police department. Hopefully this stops his harassment.
This person is from Australia, and from the same geographic area as Huon. If this is the case, it would be nice if the local Australian police/courts would take this little twerp's computer away from him, and sentence his stupid little butt to community service.
We shall see what happens.
Attached is also his mostly-hidden (mostly unused?) Facebook profile. Being an apparent college-aged kid now, and not merely a high school aged minor, he can run into serious legal issues now. It is, after all, a criminal act that he's been perpetrating, by defrauding businesses (hosts). And no longer being a minor child, he can be put in jail for fraud.
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He is literally the most stupid idiotic f**ktard I have ever met. I mean, he studies where I do, literally annoys all the staff and students, and when I was discussing with a friend of mine about my own server I am hosting for media streaming and cloud/torrent box. He wouldn't shut up and was like "Oh can you give me access, I'll pay you". After reading all of this, everything adds up about this moron. But yeah, I've forwarded it on to law enforcement, lets hope something happens. I'm really sick of him. I messaged him this link to this forum thread about him, and yeah, the photo is attached via a Google drive share link!
If law enforcement needs more evidence/information, then I can gladly help. They need only to contact me with the link at the top of the page, from their official government email address. I could put them in contact with some of his victims. And I don't just mean overseas victims complaining via email, but individuals from mainland (Australia). I'm sure some would love to press charges (theft of services, phishing, spam) if a case was opened. I know several have already filed (or tried to file) complaints, but every complaint counts.
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I have since told him that his services are no longer required and changed every password that I have.
After I fired him - he sent me over 100 texts - attempted to call me 50 times - started to harass my family on Facebook (where they all told him to jump).
Don't just threaten to call the police. Actually do it!
Scammers like him just laugh it off. He knows that most people won't actually do it. So pick up the phone, and file a report. It may take some time for them to act, and it may take several reports. But know that yours is not the first. Others have reported him to date. Eventually it will land him behind bars where he belongs. Just because it's in cyberspace doesn't make it a non-existent crime.
I would not stop at the local police either. In the U.S., a call to the FBI and the state level "BI" would also be suggested.
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John L. (hughy_tech@yahoo.com) is e-mailing you about
Report typos and other site errors.
Message: Dear DigitalFAQ,
Hello, i just would like to Inform you, that this Customer ""KPMedia - http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/web-hosting/4635-details-windows-vps.html"". You are Miss Representing him and falsely accusing him of something he is not, you are not this person so you judge or accusing him of him doing something, when he did not also you can see some of the photos have been Photo shopped, how can you be sure this is even true. Your not this person at all, this is wrong. Come on guys, pull your head in and Back in 2010 he (This Person) got DOXED and Setup very badly, none of it is true at all, your providing False information, he did not scam and none of this bullshit did not happen at all. Once again he was DOXED, Hacked and he was setup. Would you please Remove this post ?
Contact Details:
IP: 58.111.78.116
E-mail: hughy_tech@yahoo.com
Forum Username: Unregistered (ID=0)
Same writing style.
Same vocabulary.
Hughy, John, whatever ... how about you quit trying to scam/hack/etc, and be a productive member of society instead?
Do that, and someday we may consider such a request.
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capitalisation in the same manner
And they extremely bad grammar - i think it was referred to as "grammatical skills of a drunk college girl sending a text message"
I really liked this part: "Miss Representing" ... maybe that's the drunk college girl?
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