Scum of the Internet!
January 6, 2008
I haven't been updating much, not because I was busy or lazy but because I just didn't feel like it. It wasn't like there wasn't anything to write either, just that I didn't see the point in writing it, or maybe, rather, didn't know where to start. It's like having constipation, but of the mental variety.
So anyway, something happened yesterday that made me want to rant and rave. And thus, I present to you:
SCUM OF THE INTERNET!
I got a message from one of my friends saying that my blog was redirecting to an ad page. I thought, "Strange. I didn't add anything recently, why is this happening?" But since I was out at that time, there was nothing I could do.
When I came home and checked, lo and behold! It was true! My beautiful blog was redirecting to a very ugly ad page on Adbaaz!
I'd never used this advertiser before (God forbid), so why was their stuff appearing on MY site? Looking carefully at the URL, I noticed that Advertlets.com was referenced. Aha!
I then headed on over to Advertlets.com and guess what, their domain had expired on the 3rd of Jan! Smells like scam to me.
Damn, should have cashed out my cheque while I still had the chance. But then again, would they have honoured the request? I'm not so sure now.
I'm going to wait and see if Advertlets.com ever comes back up and if they do, it'll be interesting to see how they implement their crisis-management procedures. They owe A LOT of people an explanation.
In the meantime, if you have Advertlets.com code on your webpage, please remove their ad code to restore functionality to your site.
First spam, then now, page hijacking. Scum, scum, SCUM, I say!
- - - - -
However, all is not lost! We CAN fight back!
SPAMCOP is a free (donation-supported) service that lets you report spam to the ISPs. It may be considered technically-advanced for some, so check it out based on your own risk-appetite.
Email etiquette is equally important in fighting spam. How?
You see, a lot of spambots harvest email addresses from mass mails. Yes, those which have like 138563728 email addresses in the "To" field of the message. Please, do you and your friends a favour. If you feel a mail is really important enough to be mass-forwarded, do use the "Bcc" (Blind Carbon Copy) field to protect the privacies of the people on your mailing list.
And yes, that also means no forwarding emails about Bill Gates or AOL giving you money. Because, face it - you have to EARN your money, NOT sit on your arse forwarding stupid emails which have "tracking" programs that will have organisations send you money. Wake up and smell the reality, okay? (Source: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/billgate.asp) For other common hoaxes and forwards, check out Snopes.com.
That's all for now. Have a nice day. So long, farewell, Advertlets.com!
- - - - -
[Update]
Looks like Advertlets.com has been restored. Check out more details on their blog - http://www.advertlets.com/weblog/.
Still, they shouldn't have let their domain name expire. If you Google "advertlets adbaaz", you'll discover a lot of unhappy bloggers.
Hmmm... I'm still gonna observe how they do damage control. This will be interesting from a PR perspective ;)
- - - - -
[Update #2]
Found a temporary site which they'd put up to address this issue - http://advertlets.blogspot.com/. Think it has helped to restore some consumer confidence, coz' at least people now know what is going on. Here's wishing them all the best!
- - - - -
[Update #3]
Looks like the problem's back. Bye bye Advertlets.com (for now, at least).
So anyway, something happened yesterday that made me want to rant and rave. And thus, I present to you:
SCUM OF THE INTERNET!
I got a message from one of my friends saying that my blog was redirecting to an ad page. I thought, "Strange. I didn't add anything recently, why is this happening?" But since I was out at that time, there was nothing I could do.
When I came home and checked, lo and behold! It was true! My beautiful blog was redirecting to a very ugly ad page on Adbaaz!
I'd never used this advertiser before (God forbid), so why was their stuff appearing on MY site? Looking carefully at the URL, I noticed that Advertlets.com was referenced. Aha!
I then headed on over to Advertlets.com and guess what, their domain had expired on the 3rd of Jan! Smells like scam to me.
Damn, should have cashed out my cheque while I still had the chance. But then again, would they have honoured the request? I'm not so sure now.
I'm going to wait and see if Advertlets.com ever comes back up and if they do, it'll be interesting to see how they implement their crisis-management procedures. They owe A LOT of people an explanation.
In the meantime, if you have Advertlets.com code on your webpage, please remove their ad code to restore functionality to your site.
First spam, then now, page hijacking. Scum, scum, SCUM, I say!
- - - - -
However, all is not lost! We CAN fight back!
SPAMCOP is a free (donation-supported) service that lets you report spam to the ISPs. It may be considered technically-advanced for some, so check it out based on your own risk-appetite.
Email etiquette is equally important in fighting spam. How?
You see, a lot of spambots harvest email addresses from mass mails. Yes, those which have like 138563728 email addresses in the "To" field of the message. Please, do you and your friends a favour. If you feel a mail is really important enough to be mass-forwarded, do use the "Bcc" (Blind Carbon Copy) field to protect the privacies of the people on your mailing list.
And yes, that also means no forwarding emails about Bill Gates or AOL giving you money. Because, face it - you have to EARN your money, NOT sit on your arse forwarding stupid emails which have "tracking" programs that will have organisations send you money. Wake up and smell the reality, okay? (Source: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/billgate.asp) For other common hoaxes and forwards, check out Snopes.com.
That's all for now. Have a nice day. So long, farewell, Advertlets.com!
- - - - -
[Update]
Looks like Advertlets.com has been restored. Check out more details on their blog - http://www.advertlets.com/weblog/.
Still, they shouldn't have let their domain name expire. If you Google "advertlets adbaaz", you'll discover a lot of unhappy bloggers.
Hmmm... I'm still gonna observe how they do damage control. This will be interesting from a PR perspective ;)
- - - - -
[Update #2]
Found a temporary site which they'd put up to address this issue - http://advertlets.blogspot.com/. Think it has helped to restore some consumer confidence, coz' at least people now know what is going on. Here's wishing them all the best!
- - - - -
[Update #3]
Looks like the problem's back. Bye bye Advertlets.com (for now, at least).
I totally agree with you abt email etiquette.. nothing worse than having your email circulated round the world without your permission.
Anyway, glad that the year started with various magazines having coverage on you!!
Let this be your greatest year yet!!
But i always ended up being directed to the other ad page.
Tried to inform you about it at ya other blog though.
Heh. anyway, glad to see ya updating ur blog again!
I ALMOST wanted to try Advertlets.com
thank goodness i didnt.
thanks for sharing all the stuff bout fighting spam!
Awaiting ya roadshows :)
Meanwhile, take care!
As you're rapping away, so damn cool as if like totally different person..
Cos i tot you looked very cute and innocent on tv most of the time..
Anyway, you really rocks during the countdown show @ vivo city, my frenz and I reali enjoyed yr performance!!
Keep it up, Nat.. Hope 2 get more surprises from u..
Kk, do take care and c u.. :)
Hope to see you soon, Nat!
hope ur cheque can finally b cashed..
=))
i think i was a victim of the above ad scam too cos i tried to logon to ur blog and got directed to their website instead! anyway, i was reading sumting on the internet just now and the page suddenly just shut itself up! (as it were). anyway, i'm just worried that this virus could have infected my PC as well! any possibilities of that happening? and any way to dis-infect my PC frm this virus? appreaciate if u cld reply. tks
joan>> i don't think it was a virus that infected your PC. this page hijacking is only targetted at sites which run bad code, so as long as you avoid those sites, you'll be fine. the adbaaz thingy affects some domains other than advertlets.com, so that could be the reason.