WTF is going on with BHW? This is insane!

[Abdul123]

Have you seen the latest update?

I'm starting to think that the other forum is run by complete idiots.
Since the October 2025 update was introduced, they have completely ruined everything.
New members join, see that they can't even hire or post in wtb, and then leave resulting in massive traffic loss affecting sellers.
They said they did this to reduce scams, but guess what? Scammers just remained and farmed the post count while potential real clients leave because it's a total turn-off.

Just the other day, there was a dispute where a seller was scammed for $500 because the buyer demanded work upfront, while potential real clients leave because staff are complete idiots....

Now they also forbid exchanging contact information. This is insane!

Are they sabotaging themselves?

This feels like the last nail in the coffin.

The forum and feedback suggestions section is a joke; they instantly locked the replies on one of my threads so that others can't share their opinions, even though the thread received 20 likes, signaling that people agree with me.

DD seems not to care. I'm beginning to doubt whether the actual DD is the same from 2012 or if the forum is under completely new management.

My business is hurt because of all of this changes and I believe other sellers experience the same.....
I've also started to hear rumors about introducing KYC???

So my genuine questions is: WTF is going on?

 

[TheVigilante]

We should be happy because our time has arrived

Patience my friend

 

[Rem]

I've also started to hear rumors about introducing KYC???

started?
KYC rumors been around since 2022 lol

 

[t2van]

started?
KYC rumors been around since 2022 lol

ky jelly been around longer

 

[roydan]

October 2025 update

What was that?

 

[demonic_man]

with these kinds of updates, they are making it hard for genuine sellers.

 

[ggmopa]

Are they trying to make it more difficult for people to try to game the site, whether legit seller or scammer? Think that boat might have set sale a long time ago lol

 

[Rem]

What was that?

the update that happened in october 2025
duhh

 

[roydan]

the update that happened in october 2025
duhh

Thanks for the clarification. Insightful as always.

 

[Rem]

Thanks for the clarification. Insightful as always.

This

https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/october-2025-updates-to-the-hire-a-freelancer-want-to-buy-sections.1768195/

 

[roydan]

This

https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/october-2025-updates-to-the-hire-a-freelancer-want-to-buy-sections.1768195/

Oh, yeah.. this was stupid AF lol

 

[Octavia]

Like scammers are going g to publicly post their other platform name ...

 

[Abdul123]

Like scammers are going g to publicly post their other platform name ...

I don't understand. I am a seller in BHW for past 10 years.

All I am saying is since this rules were introduced they are hurting everybody who is trying to do legit business there.

It seems like every day brings new absurd restrictions that only hurt the community.

The statistics speak volumes: the forum has become a ghost town.

They said they did this to reduce scams, but guess what? Scammers just remained and farmed the post count while legit people have to move away.

As a result, I have decided not to renew my subscription and will be leaving the community because this is absurd!

 

[t2van]

As a result, I have decided not to renew my subscription and will be leaving the community because this is absurd!

Make sure you leave in style.

Mail all your clients tell them where to find you now.

Go out glory

 

[Preying Mantis]

DD seems not to care. I'm beginning to doubt whether the actual DD is the same from 2012 or if the forum is under completely new management.

Check their TOS bro in rule 22. Same company called DotCom in England. https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms/

Check the Uk company gov site. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/c

Same owner and same address bro.

 

[SEOfirestarter]

Check their TOS bro in rule 22. Same company called DotCom in England. https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms/

Check the Uk company gov site. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/c

Same owner and same address bro.

Lacey huh?

Didn't know he had such a slutty middle name.

 

[Abdul123]

Check their TOS bro in rule 22. Same company called DotCom in England. https://www.blackhatworld.com/help/terms/

Check the Uk company gov site. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/c

Same owner and same address bro.

Then why is he allowing this shit?

I'm curious about how their internal meetings look when they discuss these kinds of things.
I mean, isn't anyone there with common sense who thinks, "Guys, what we're doing isn't okay"?

Or maybe they just don't care as long as there’s someone to fill their pockets by buying VIP.

I just don't get it. Why ruin something that was already good?

 

[t2van]

Then why is he allowing this shit?

I'm curious about how their internal meetings look when they discuss these kinds of things.
I mean, isn't anyone there with common sense who thinks, "Guys, what we're doing isn't okay"?

Or maybe they just don't care as long as there’s someone to fill their pockets by buying VIP.

I just don't get it. Why ruin something that was already good?

This is a progression every business goes through at some point. It strikes at different times but it does happen to all.

The driving factor can and often vary for every business. However, most of it comes down to money or rather time / cost. Decisions are made in the interest of the company rather than the members or it's customers.

Recent (and im no longer a member there, so I can only comment based on what I see posted here as and when) changes to the TOS are done to limit customer service time. The more time staff spend on one thing the less they spend on another so they try to bring in a "new policy" or "changes" that make sense to all those internally but mean nothing to the users or the customers.

Simply they have lost touched with the user base.

Changes are not driven by the growth of the consumer or in this case the community but rather favour internal policies and procedures.

This often allows a competitor to come to light or to take advantage in some cases can lead to the original companies downfall*, this is exactly how and why competition happens.


*personally I cant see this being BHW downfall. They would need both sellers and buyers to leave and vote with their feet in numbers and at the same time, what will probably happen is 1 or 2 get pissed off and stop selling, and this opens up to other providers filling the gap.

 

[bhwrefugee]

they're running the place into the ground, now its just a place for scammers and ai bots that inflate their Messages count

 

[Abdul123]

This is a progression every business goes through at some point. It strikes at different times but it does happen to all.

The driving factor can and often vary for every business. However, most of it comes down to money or rather time / cost. Decisions are made in the interest of the company rather than the members or it's customers.

Recent (and im no longer a member there, so I can only comment based on what I see posted here as and when) changes to the TOS are done to limit customer service time. The more time staff spend on one thing the less they spend on another so they try to bring in a "new policy" or "changes" that make sense to all those internally but mean nothing to the users or the customers.

Simply they have lost touched with the user base.

Changes are not driven by the growth of the consumer or in this case the community but rather favour internal policies and procedures.

This often allows a competitor to come to light or to take advantage in some cases can lead to the original companies downfall*, this is exactly how and why competition happens.


*personally I cant see this being BHW downfall. They would need both sellers and buyers to leave and vote with their feet in numbers and at the same time, what will probably happen is 1 or 2 get pissed off and stop selling, and this opens up to other providers filling the gap.

It's interesting because it feels more like regression than progress.
Many of the good moderators I knew have either been fired or have left voluntarily and we are left with:

• MrDenz = "the supreme bot", "the father of all bots" (absolutely 0 human input, can't reason with him)
• Basstrackerboats = lost cause
• SettingSun77 = absolute moron
• PetraAnn = keeps insisting that the new rules being enforced have a positive impact and that everything is fine (when they clearly don't)

Regarding the seller and buyer situation I've also noticed some sellers complained but the posts immediately got removed or hidden .
As for buyers, it seems that many new members are leaving due to all the restrictions that have been put in place.

Just to give you some context, in all the years I've been on this platform, I've never made as little money as I have in the past few months. It's been completely terrible.

So, my logic tells me that if traffic is decreasing significantly, it is likely to impact the company's earnings as well, unless I'm wrong