Abuse Escalation Process

How we handle complaints and abuse tickets

1. What is Abuse?

Abuse refers to any activity that violates applicable laws, our User Agreement, or our abuse policies. This includes but is not limited to:

Zero-Tolerance Content

  • Child abuse material
  • Terrorism-related content
  • Malware distribution
  • Phishing websites

Standard Abuse

  • Copyright infringement (DMCA)
  • Spam or unsolicited email
  • Network abuse (DDoS, port scanning)
  • Fraudulent activities

2. Types of Reports

2.1. DMCA Notices

Copyright infringement claims handled according to our DMCA Policy. All DMCA notices undergo manual review with 7-14 day mediation window.

2.2. Abuse Reports

General abuse complaints (spam, network abuse, fraud) submitted via email to [email protected] or through our ticket system.

2.3. Law Enforcement Requests

Valid court orders and law enforcement requests from jurisdictions where we operate (Netherlands, Germany, Romania) are complied with immediately.

3. Internal Handling Workflow

Workflow Diagram

1

Report Received

Abuse or DMCA notice arrives via email or ticket system

2

Internal Validation

NOC team reviews complaint, verifies legitimacy, checks content type

3

Jurisdiction Check

Verify if complaint originates from our operating jurisdictions (NL, DE, RO)

4

Action Path Decision

Determine if zero-tolerance (immediate action) or standard (mediation window)

Ignore

Invalid or out-of-jurisdiction complaint

Notify Client

Standard abuse: 7-14 day mediation window

Client Escalation

Request response or counter-notification

5

Final Decision

Issue resolved, service suspended, or case closed based on outcome

4. Escalation Levels

LevelResponse TimeAction
Level 0ImmediateZero-tolerance content: immediate suspension
Level 1≤ 24 hoursStandard abuse: notification sent, 7-14 day window
Level 2≤ 48 hoursDMCA notices: manual review, counter-notification window
Level 3≤ 72 hoursComplex cases: extended review, legal consultation

5. Possible Outcomes

Ignore

Complaint is invalid, out of jurisdiction, or lacks sufficient evidence. No action taken, case closed.

Resolve

Client addresses the issue within mediation window (removes content, fixes configuration, provides counter-notification). Service continues, case closed.

Investigate

Additional evidence or legal review required. Service may be temporarily restricted pending investigation outcome.

Suspend/Terminate

Zero-tolerance content confirmed, client fails to respond, or court order issued. Service suspended or terminated immediately. No refunds.

6. Customer Responsibilities

When you receive an abuse notification, you must:

  1. Respond promptly: Acknowledge receipt within 48 hours
  2. Review the complaint: Verify if the reported content or activity exists on your service
  3. Take action: Remove violating content, fix configuration issues, or provide counter-notification
  4. Communicate: Update us via ticket system on your remediation progress
  5. Provide evidence: If disputing the complaint, provide evidence supporting your position

Failure to respond within the mediation window (7-14 days) may result in service suspension or termination.

7. Abuse Evidence Format

To ensure efficient processing, abuse reports should include:

Required Information

  • Complainant information: Name, email, organization (if applicable)
  • Affected service: IP address, domain, or service identifier
  • Description: Detailed description of the abuse or violation
  • Evidence: Screenshots, logs, URLs, timestamps
  • Legal basis: Applicable law or policy violation
  • Requested action: What action you want us to take

Submit Abuse Reports

Send email to [email protected] with subject line: "Abuse Report - [Service ID/IP]"

For DMCA notices, see our DMCA Policy for specific requirements.

8. DMCA Exceptions

While we operate with DMCA-ignored policy by default, certain exceptions apply:

Court Orders

Valid court orders from Netherlands, Germany, or Romania override our DMCA-ignored policy and require immediate compliance.

Criminal Activity

Copyright infringement combined with criminal activity (fraud, money laundering) is handled as criminal abuse, not DMCA.

Phishing & Malware

Copyrighted content used in phishing or malware distribution is treated as zero-tolerance abuse, not standard DMCA.

For standard DMCA notices, see our DMCA Policy for complete procedures.