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Raw Bytes Computer News KPBX FM 91.1 Radio National Public Radio Network Frank Delaney Producer Broadcast on Thursday Morning 7:35 AM During Morning Edition Support Public Radio ! The Theater Of the Mind |
In computer news this week 3/01/2006 |
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The current internet scam comes
though the US mail – Attention
website owners – you probably protect yourself when you’re on the
internet. You
probably use an internet security program, which includes antivirus,
antispyware, and antiadware
functions. You probably know about scams like online Phishing, so you
don’t reply to phony emails asking you to verify your current credit
card information. You probably have your own computers, you network and your
website protected with firewalls and security systems against hackers. So as
you look to the internet, you feel very good about your protection from
scams. But at
this time, there’s an internet scam coming in through a door
you’re not watching – your US mailbox, and it comes in the form
of a letter from a company called Listingcorp.com. Listingcorp.com
calls itself a Website Listing Service, and it shows your current website
information, and it looks like an official bill from the company that hosts
your website, with your website information. The
Amount you’re supposed to pay very soon is $ 35.00, and they have a
list of services
supposedly you’ll get for your money. You’ll
get annual website search engine listing for a year. Problem is, you get this for free already, because all the search
engines are probably already listing your site. If it’s on the
internet, it’s listed. Supposedly
the subscription includes domain name submission to 20 major search engines.
Problem is, you can do this yourself for fee, and it’s already done if
you have a web site. And
there’s a note of urgency giving you less than a month to pay this
bill, to avoid missing being listed. This
whole thing is an internet scam, which takes advantage of website owners who
aren’t familiar with their website registration. Probably the majority
of website owners would look at this letter and pay the bill, fearing they
might lose their listing on the internet. The
company preys both on internet literacy – the website owner’s
knowledge that they have a website and need to have it accessible on the
internet – and it preys on internet illiteracy – the fact that
most website owners know very little about website registration and hosting,
and things like website expiration. It’s
only when you turn this letter over – then you might notice a slightly
buried notice that says “This is not a bill – this is a
solicitation – you are under no obligation to pay the amount stated
above unless you accept this offer. And on
this back of the letter, they also want you email address, so that they can
probably sell that to spammers too. So how
can this company get the name of your website, and your name and mailing
address, and send you something that looks like an urgent bill coming from a
legitimate company that seems to know everything about you and your website? This is
because most website information is public record and free to access. Anyone
can go to network solutions.com – and click on the whois
selection- enter kpbx.org –
and all the information on the KPBX website comes up: Registrant: Make
this info private KPBX -
Spokane Public Radio 2319 N.
Monroe St. Spokane, WA 99205 US
Domain
Name:
KPBX.ORG Administrative
Contact :
Kunkel, Richard rkunkel@KPBX.ORG
2319 N.
Monroe St. Spokane,
WA 99205 US
Phone:
(509) 328-5729 Fax: 999 999 9999 Technical
Contact :
Hostmaster, Primary
hostmaster@ARGIA.NET 219 E
Augusta SPOKANE,
WA 99207 US Phone:
(509)326-7555 Fax: (509)326-7598
Record
expires on
26-May-2006 Record
created on
06-Sep-2002 Database
last updated on 07-Jul-2004 Domain
servers in listed order: Then a
company can send a letter to millions of website owners - showing a
lot of correct information about their website – and ask for a $ 35.00
payment for some nebulous services, and make it look like it it’s
urgent and you’ll lose your website listing if you don’t pay it. And now you , if
you have the inclination, can throw this letter in the trash, where it
belongs. But make a note of it, because you’ll be getting this and
other phony solicitions in the future. It’s
all part of the internet scam game. See the letter and more information For Raw Bytes This is Frank Delaney (C) 2005 MTA Micro
Technology Associates http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbx.html PO Box 31522 Spokane, Wa 99223-1522 (509)624-7230 |
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