Can I just add to this sorry saga, the #1 rule for organising your web presence:
Never, ever, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES allow your webhost to hold your domain/s
Always have your domains held by an independent domain registrar with a spotless reputation and a comprehensive control panel with instant access to nameserver settings, EPP codes to transfer a domain out immediately, Whois masking etc. Google for complaints about any registrar before buying from them. Some of the big name registrars and hosts have been involved in what you or I would call fraud (as noted earlier). Always use the https: version of the URL when searching or buying domains.
If you are going to use a dynamic webapp of any kind (forum, blog, cms, wiki) then you will need to know the server tech spec before you sign up. If you run database-driven software, then be aware you are paying your host for good security more than anything else - the widgets don't matter half as much as if they know they should have PHP register_globals switched off, for example.
Personally I don't like servers without cPanel, as it makes site management incredibly easy compared to those with other panels, or FTP and SSH only.
Don't get Windows hosting unless you are running ASP or .NET webapps. And even then, ensure you get PHP and MySQL on the server so that you can run a real web analytics app or a good blog app. No one ever heard of the ASP versions of those and there's a good reason.
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