@michmoor concur - if the IP is what his ISP gave him - time to ask the ISP why its showing as a VPN and has such a horrible reputation.. Might be time to change ISPs as well..
I checked a few other reputation sites, and not seeing the IP he connected to the forums listed - but that one site I linked to above - sure doesn't like it.. Gives it a really bad score, says its vpn/proxy and and high risk, says listed on spam lists - but if I check spam lists I don't see it there, etc.