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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Kingston, Ontario
    Posts
    1,588

    Exclamation Aplus.net calling people from public whois records of new domain registrations!!!!

    I just checked my messages and someone phoned me from Aplus.net about a domain name I just registered from NameCheap. I phone them up wondering if something had happend, they want to offer me hosting services! I was furious! It was a telemarketing scandal!

    Aplus.net is using the public whois records as their telemarketing database. They phone up new people from domain name registrations from a whois list of new domains!

    Oh man I was like how did you get my contact info? He's like well .......long pause.......... we use the public whois records!!!! They offer deidcated servers also... so I asked about their pricing..lol they give you a dedicated box with Red Hat 9 OS.. I told the guy it expired and Red Hat 9 is no longer supported by Red Hat (EOL)... he was like... uhh really?

    I asked if they offered Cpanel, he didn't even know what that was.

    I can't beleive a company would go so low to mine the public whois records to find new clients. Please do not use Aplus.net and their scandals. They obviously only care about money and not the customer.

    If you're a hosting company watch out guys, these jerks have gone to a new low - they might be calling your customers trying to sell them hosting.

    I've been running my own hosting company for over 2 years so I got the guy on the phone by suprise, giving me the upper hand - he didn't know I was a hosting company. Your clients might fall for their crappy offers and sales staff that don't know anything about the hosting industry.
    Last edited by Ramprage; 04-21-2004 at 06:30 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,036
    Whoa, I have never heard of this kind of business practice before. I really wouldn't want to get customers this way.
    CybexHost.com - Shared and Reseller Hosting Solutions on cPanel/WHM Linux Servers
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Posts
    149
    I got the same call today. The salesman was stumped when I told him that we were a web design and hosting company. He paused for a while and then asked if we needed any dedicated servers. Phone spam is even worse than the email kind. Someone had to wait on hold so he could waste my time.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Kingston, Ontario
    Posts
    1,588
    The whois system is seriously crippled. If these companies are using the whois system as a mailing list we have a serious problem here.

    What stops spam bots from collecting all the email addresses as well as phone numbers?

    Some companies offer whois privacy protection but not all of them. It should be standard with your domain.

    How can ANY hosting company get a hold of newly registered domain name registrations lists? Does this mean so can web designers, developers, ecommerce sites?

    I feel very upset about all of this and I can't beleive my privacy has been taken advantage of.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Atlanta, Jawja
    Posts
    3,074
    Nevermind the fact that they're using slimy tactics (read 3rd party companies) to try to buy out their competition. I received an unsolicited phone call from them (they were inquiring about Cyberbite.com, one of the companies I took over this year), wanting to buy me out...

    What made it even worse is that I'm landing a few of their bigger customers as my customers. ::chuckles::
    Doug Hazard - "retired" Web Hosting Master
    * Full Stack (Web/WP) Dev for The Catholic Diocese of Richmond (160+ sites)
    * Sports Photographer, Media Personality and CFB Historian
    * Tech Admin for several Sports Networks/Sites

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Twin Cities Area
    Posts
    5,649
    this isnt spam. this is a salesman cold calling from leads.

    the fact is whois records are public records.

    this shouldnt be illegal and isnt ilegal.

    how do you think business works in the real world?

    the solution? outsmart your competition, it isnt that hard.

    also, i never put phone numbers or email addresses of my clients on their whois records.

    if your clients are happy, what are you guys so worried about?
    if you haven't considered chapter 7 bankruptcy, maybe you should.
    eliminate your debt, keep the property you want, most people qualify.
    contrary to popular belief - no attorney is necessary!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,126
    Just call them back and act very interested. Then tell them there is a call on the other line and put them on hold for like 3 hours....

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    EU - east side
    Posts
    21,920
    Just call them back and act very interested. Then tell them there is a call on the other line and put them on hold for like 3 hours....
    And then do it again and again...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Kingston, Ontario
    Posts
    1,588
    Originally posted by LaurenStephens
    this isnt spam. this is a salesman cold calling from leads.

    the fact is whois records are public records.

    this shouldnt be illegal and isnt ilegal.

    how do you think business works in the real world?

    the solution? outsmart your competition, it isnt that hard.

    also, i never put phone numbers or email addresses of my clients on their whois records.

    if your clients are happy, what are you guys so worried about?
    It isn't illegal but the whois records should be kept safer. How would you like it if you went and bought gas at any gas station, paid by credit card, then get someone calling you up the next day offering mechanic services.

    There is advertising and then there is privacy invasive methods of advertising. Just because the records are public doesn't give anyone the right to use them as their marketing, sales or spam databases.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Dallas, TX USA
    Posts
    2,812
    This isn't new http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...hreadid=246121

    But still, it isn't a good sign. I wouldn't go with a host that can only get customers through spam.


  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Kingston, Ontario
    Posts
    1,588
    LaurenStephens

    Yes it is Illegal, I have just found out.
    http://www.icann.org/registrars/regi...er-08dec00.htm
    "This dispute centers on both Verio's end use of the WHOIS data and its use of the automated search robot. While Register.com acknowledges its obligation to provide public access to its customers' contact information, it has developed "terms of use" which prohibit third parties, such as Verio, from using the contact information for any mass marketing purpose - whether by e-mail, regular mail or telephone. Register.com also argues that the use of automated software to access the WHOIS database violates its terms of use and harms its computer systems."

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Goleta, CA
    Posts
    5,566
    Don't know if it is or isn't illegal but I do know its immoral.
    Patron: I'd like my free lunch please.
    Cafe Manager: Free lunch? Did you read the fine print stating it was an April Fool's joke.
    Patron: I read the same way I listen, I ignore the parts I don't agree with. I'm suing you for false advertising.
    Cafe Owner: Is our lawyer still working pro bono?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Kingston, Ontario
    Posts
    1,588
    Somehow these spammers have a high ranking with Cnet which should be removed... they also have the iCANN registrar logo on their pages. Great considering they are using illegal practices. LOL

    http://reviews.cnet.com/2001-6540_7-...tag=cnetfd.dir

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    2,677
    cnet will rank anyone high if you write them a big enough check.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Dallas, TX USA
    Posts
    2,812
    Originally posted by Matt
    cnet will rank anyone high if you write them a big enough check.
    Yeah, thats true, so you can't really take what they say as a review.


  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    EU - east side
    Posts
    21,920
    cnet will rank anyone high if you write them a big enough check.
    I don't believe it! j/k

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Twin Cities Area
    Posts
    5,649
    Originally posted by daejuanj
    This isn't new http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...hreadid=246121

    But still, it isn't a good sign. I wouldn't go with a host that can only get customers through spam.
    helllloooo??

    does anyone here know the definition of spam???
    if you haven't considered chapter 7 bankruptcy, maybe you should.
    eliminate your debt, keep the property you want, most people qualify.
    contrary to popular belief - no attorney is necessary!

  18. #18
    Ugh Just got a call for a new domain I registered. Not sure why my answering service didn't give it away that we also provide hosting and design services.

    I really wonder how many clients of mine they have called :/
    Hockey is Life

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    504
    I have seen this in many other WHT posts, and this is very low. I can't believe any company will go down to this level to get customers.

  20. #20
    use a cell phone number

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    505
    >> I can't believe any company will go down to this level to get customers <<

    A company that will steal from their customers, obviously isn't going to hesitate to pull this sort of stunt either.

    See:
    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showth...hreadid=263081

    I've seen some filthy stinking companies in my time, but this takes the biscuit.
    My Reviews of 30+ Hosts
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  22. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Edmonton, Canada
    Posts
    380
    This is not new for APlus. And infact there is other companies who do similar things. Heck I got a email from some outfit who was looking to buy hosting companies. SpamCop, ordb, VISI here they come...reported as spam. (Chad from Blue something)

    Back to APlus. Businesses and especially service related businesses which are easy to start (disc jockey and hosting for example) all have their fair share of competitors who will use practices which many will find are unethical or shady. But the funny thing is, these companies who do these kinds of marketing practices will usually have large client lists and be (from the outside) very successful.

    Before I got into the webhosting game (and it is a game folks), I operated and still operate a mobile Disc Jockey Service. In my community we have a DJ service which makes it a practice to slander competitors, use guerilla marketing tactics such as APlus uses, uses a lot of hard sell techniques, always upsells their clients after they have booked and the contract cancellation grace period has passed (all contracts entered into in Alberta can be cancelled with written notice within 30 days of the signing of the contract and all monies received must be refunded), they project a "air" of being a very above board company and boldly mention they are Chamber of Commerce members, BBB members, members of all national associations (the local one will not allow them in) and they are now the biggest company in the city. Yet, I hear many times about how they upsold clients to packages double the original price, use untrained DJ's, and will repeatedly call people to solicit them and not stop calling even when asked. Much like APlus. They use any tactics they can to get clients. And once they got them, use the clients to THEIR (APlus) advantage.

    I have seen soooooooo many parallels between the hosting and DJ business and this is just another.
    Glen Millar
    Tyger Hosting Services
    http://www.tygerhosting.com
    Affordable Direct Admin Linux Hosting Since 2003

  23. #23
    Business is like evolution - survival of the fittest. The fittest aren't necessarily the good guys - just aggressive enough to beat the competition.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    24,027
    Originally posted by Ramprage
    Some companies offer whois privacy protection but not all of them. It should be standard with your domain.
    Yes, it should be a totally free option, instead registers charge extra for whois protection, so scumbags don't mine the database and add your personal info.
    WLVPN.com NetProtect owned White Label VPN provider
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  25. #25
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    375
    Why is it that they charge for this service? In the UK it is possible to opt out of being in the Who is directory, is this *opt out* only for .co.uk TLD? Or does it apply to .com/.net/.org? With 123-reg you can opt out without any charge, I've done it myself to protect against spam. Although my details are on my website anyway.

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