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Spam from ShareYourExperiences.com / Word-Of-Mouth.org

It's a scam!
Within one week in April 2004 we received many spam emails from a site called ShareYourExperiences.com, advertising the following related domains. A second batch was received in June 2004. More mail arrived from August through November, with no end in sight. So far we have counted over 280 different domains all used for this scam.

The dates are when each domain was investigated and blacklisted by jwSpamSpy, our spamfilter (free trial version of jwSpamSpy available for download). Domains with a date marked n/a (not available) were reported by other sites:

shareyourexperiences.com
shyex.com2004-04-15
shareyouropinions.biz2004-04-15
shareyourexperiences.net2004-04-16
shyex.net2004-04-17
shyex.org2004-04-17
shyex.com2004-04-17
shyex.net2004-04-17
shyex.org2004-04-17
shyexp.com2004-04-18
shareyourex.biz2004-04-18
shareyouropinions.us2004-04-21
shareyourexperiences.com2004-04-22
shyexp.net2004-04-23
share-experiences.us2004-04-23
shyx.biz2004-06-21
shyxp.biz2004-06-21
shareexperience.us2004-06-21
shyxpe.biz2004-06-25
shyxpe.us2004-06-25
sharingexperience.biz2004-06-25
shyxe.us2004-06-29
shyxe.biz2004-06-29
shareyexp.biz2004-06-29
share4.us2004-08-05
sharing1.com2004-09-10
sharing2.net2004-09-10
sharing1.net2004-09-19
sharing2.com2004-09-19
experiences1.biz2004-09-20
experiences1.com2004-09-20
sharing2.org2004-09-21
shareopinions.com2004-09-21
sharing1.org2004-09-21
shareopinions.net2004-09-21
shareopinion.net2004-09-26
sye2.org2004-09-30
sye2.net2004-09-30
sye1.com2004-09-30
sye2.com2004-10-01
sye3.net2004-10-01
sye1.net2004-10-01
experiences1.net2004-10-02
sye3.org2004-10-02
opinion1.biz2004-10-03
sharingexperience.net2004-10-08
sye5.org2004-10-24
sye4.com2004-10-24
sye4.org2004-10-24
sharingopinions.net2004-10-24
sye4.net2004-10-25
sye5.com2004-10-26
sye5.net2004-10-26
sharingopinions1.com2004-10-29
sharingopinion.net2004-11-08
sharingopinions1.net2004-11-08
experience1.com2004-11-13
opinion1.us2004-11-14
experience1.us2004-11-16
share1.net2004-11-16
shareyourexperiences.net
share4.us2004-08-05
sharing1.com2004-09-10
sharing2.net2004-09-10
sharing1.net2004-09-19
sharing2.com2004-09-19
experiences1.biz2004-09-20
experiences1.com2004-09-20
sharing2.org2004-09-21
shareopinions.com2004-09-21
sharing1.org2004-09-21
shareopinions.net2004-09-21
shareopinion.net2004-09-26
sye2.org2004-09-30
sye2.net2004-09-30
sye1.com2004-09-30
sye2.com2004-10-01
sye3.net2004-10-01
sye1.net2004-10-01
experiences1.net2004-10-02
sye3.org2004-10-02
opinion1.biz2004-10-03
sharingexperience.net2004-10-08
sye5.org2004-10-24
sye4.com2004-10-24
sye4.org2004-10-24
sharingopinions.net2004-10-24
sye4.net2004-10-25
sye5.com2004-10-26
sye5.net2004-10-26
sharingopinions1.com2004-10-29
sharingopinion.net2004-11-08
sharingopinions1.net2004-11-08
experience1.com2004-11-13
opinion1.us2004-11-14
experience1.us2004-11-16
findthedirt.info
dirt9.info2005-03-05
dirt5.info2005-03-05
dirty6.info2005-03-24
dirty4.info2005-03-24
dirty9.info2005-04-07
wordofmouthreports.com
womc.net2004-09-10
word-of-mouth-connection.com2004-09-10
wordofmouthresearch.com
wres.us2004-09-16
womr.us2004-09-16
researchbackground.biz2004-09-16
other related domains:
background-investigation.biz
n/a
background-research.biz
n/a
background-research.com
n/a
background-research.info
n/a
background-research.net
n/a
background-research.org
n/a
backgroundinvestigate.us
n/a
backgroundresearch.com
n/a
backgroundresearch.info
n/a
backgroundresearch.net
n/a
backgroundresearch.org
n/a
experience1.biz
n/a
experience1.info
n/a
experience1.us
n/a
experiencenotification.biz
n/a
experiencenotification.us
n/a
experiences1.us
n/a
experienceshare.biz
n/a
experienceshare.us
n/a
experiencesharing.biz
n/a
experiencesharing.us
n/a
find-information.biz
n/a
find-information.us
n/a
find-out-the-truth.com
n/a
find-out-the-truth.net
n/a
find-out-the-truth.org
n/a
find-the-truth.net
n/a
find-the-truth.org
n/a
findinformation.biz
n/a
findinformation.us
n/a
investigate-background.biz
n/a
investigate-background.info
n/a
learning-information.biz
n/a
learning-information.us
n/a
learning-web.biz
n/a
learning-web.us
n/a
learninginformation.biz
n/a
learninginformation.us
n/a
learningweb.biz
n/a
peopleresearch.info
n/a
peopleresearch.org
n/a
qeps.com
n/a
qeps.net
n/a
qeps.org
n/a
reportdatabase.com
n/a
researchbackground.biz
n/a
researchbackground.com
n/a
researchbackground.info
n/a
researchbackground.net
n/a
researchbackground.org
n/a
researchingpeople.com
n/a
researchingpeople.info
n/a
researchingpeople.net
n/a
researchingpeople.org
n/a
researchpeople.info
n/a
researchpeople.net
n/a
researchpeople.org
n/a
share-experiences.biz
n/a
share-experiences.us
n/a
share-your-experiences.biz
n/a
share-your-experiences.com
n/a
share-your-experiences.net
n/a
share-your-experiences.org
n/a
share-your-experiences.us
n/a
share-your-opinion.biz
n/a
share-your-opinion.us
n/a
share-your-opinions.biz
n/a
share-your-opinions.us
n/a
share1.biz
n/a
share1.info
n/a
share1.net
n/a
share1.us
n/a
share2.biz
n/a
share2.info
n/a
share2.net
n/a
share2.us
n/a
share3.biz
n/a
share3.us
n/a
shareexp.biz
n/a
shareexp.us
n/a
shareexperience.biz
n/a
shareexperience.us
n/a
shareexperiences.biz
n/a
shareexperiences.us
n/a
shareopin.biz
n/a
shareopin.us
n/a
shareopinion.biz
n/a
shareopinion.us
n/a
shareopins.biz
n/a
shareopins.us
n/a
shareye.biz
n/a
shareye.us
n/a
shareyex.biz
n/a
shareyex.us
n/a
shareyexp.biz
n/a
shareyexp.us
n/a
shareyopinion.biz
n/a
shareyopinion.us
n/a
shareyourex.biz
n/a
shareyourex.us
n/a
shareyourexp.biz
n/a
shareyourexp.us
n/a
shareyourexper.biz
n/a
shareyourexper.us
n/a
shareyourexperiences.net
n/a
shareyourexperiences.org
n/a
shareyourexperiences1.com
n/a
shareyourexperiences2.com
n/a
shareyouropinion.biz
n/a
shareyouropinion.us
n/a
shareyouropinions.biz
n/a
shareyouropinions.us
n/a
sharing1.com
n/a
sharing1.net
n/a
sharing1.org
n/a
sharing2.org
n/a
sharingexper.biz
n/a
sharingexper.us
n/a
sharingexperience.biz
n/a
sharingexperience.info
n/a
sharingexperience.net
n/a
sharingexperience.org
n/a
sharingexperience.us
n/a
sharingexperiences.biz
n/a
sharingexperiences.info
n/a
sharingexperiences.us
n/a
sharingopinion.biz
n/a
sharingopinion.net
n/a
sharingopinion.us
n/a
sharingopinions.biz
n/a
sharingopinions.info
n/a
sharingopinions.net
n/a
sharingopinions.org
n/a
sharingopinions.us
n/a
sharyx.biz
n/a
sharyx.us
n/a
sharyxp.biz
n/a
sharyxp.us
n/a
shyex.com
n/a
shyex.net
n/a
shyex.org
n/a
shyexp.com
n/a
shyexp.net
n/a
shyexp.org
n/a
shyx.biz
n/a
shyx.us
n/a
shyxe.biz
n/a
shyxe.us
n/a
shyxp.biz
n/a
shyxp.us
n/a
shyxpe.biz
n/a
shyxpe.us
n/a
someone-researching.biz
n/a
someone-researching.us
n/a
wom-research.us
n/a
womexch.com
n/a
womexch.info
n/a
womexch.net
n/a
womexch.org
n/a
wominfo.com
n/a
wominfo.info
n/a
wominfo.net
n/a
wominfo.org
n/a
womr.biz
n/a
womrc.biz
n/a
womresearch.biz
n/a
womresearch.us
n/a
womrr.biz
n/a
womrr.us
n/a
word-of-mouth-exchange.com
n/a
word-of-mouth-exchange.info
n/a
word-of-mouth-exchange.net
n/a
word-of-mouth-exchange.org
n/a
word-of-mouth.info
n/a
word-of-mouth.org
n/a
wordexch.biz
n/a
wordexch.com
n/a
wordexch.info
n/a
wordexch.net
n/a
wordexch.org
n/a
wordofmouth.info
n/a
wordofmouthexchange.com
n/a
wordofmouthexchange.info
n/a
wordofmouthexchange.net
n/a
wordofmouthexchange.org
n/a
wordofmouthinfo.biz
n/a
wordofmouthinfo.us
n/a
wordofmouthresearch.com
n/a
wordofmouthresearch.info
n/a
wordofmouthresearch.org
n/a
wores.biz
n/a
wores.us
n/a
wres.biz
n/a
wres.us
n/a
Currently disabled domains:
backgroundresearch.biz
n/a
sharyex.biz
n/a
shyexp.us
n/a
womc.info
n/a
womc.net
n/a
word-of-mouth-connection.com
n/a
word-of-mouth-connection.info
n/a
word-of-mouth-connection.net
n/a
word-of-mouth-connection.org
n/a
word-of-mouthconnection.com
n/a
word-of-mouthconnection.info
n/a
word-of-mouthconnection.net
n/a
word-of-mouthconnection.org
n/a
wordmouthreports.com
n/a
wordmouthreports.org
n/a
wordofmouthconnection.com
n/a
wordofmouthconnection.info
n/a
wordofmouthconnection.net
n/a
wordofmouthconnection.org
n/a
wordofmouthconnections.com
n/a
wordofmouthconnections.info
n/a
wordofmouthconnections.net
n/a
wordofmouthconnections.org
n/a
wordofmouthexchange.biz
n/a
wordofmouthinfo.com
n/a
wordofmouthinfo.info
n/a
wordofmouthinfo.net
n/a
wordofmouthinfo.org
n/a
wordofmouthinformation.biz
n/a
wordofmouthinformation.com
n/a
wordofmouthinformation.info
n/a
wordofmouthinformation.net
n/a
wordofmouthinformation.org
n/a
wordofmouthreports.biz
n/a
wordofmouthreports.com
n/a
wordofmouthreports.info
n/a
wordofmouthreports.net
n/a
wordofmouthreports.org
n/a
Changing domain names so frequently is already a big red flag. If ShareYourExperiences.com was a legitimate service, why would they not just stick with the same name? It is of course because they are spammers and they want to get past spamfilters.

Their email spams claim that someone made a posting at their website about the recipient. If you then visit the site you will not find any details about that supposed posting. If you want to find out more, you're asked to sign up as a premium member, with memberships starting at $14.85 for one month. If you're a business or individual worried about someone tarnishing your reputation by badmouthing you behind your back, your first impulse may be to pay the money to find out. Don't! Paying hard earned cash will still not get you any information about what anybody might have written about you, only a chance to contact a person who supposedly wants to talk about you. That person may never reply, if he/she ever existed in the first place.

There is nothing in this scheme that prevents the operators of ShareYourExperiences.com from grabbing email addresses off the World Wide Web at will and sending intimidating mail, to rip off the recipients.

ShareYourExperiences seems to be a reincarnation of an older money-making scheme using the Word-Of-Mouth.org domain, where people curious about what someone might have written about them may got tricked into subscribing to a useless online service.

Read more about it on the Urban Legends Reference Pages, to which we forwarded some of this information. There is a wealth of background research on Richard D. LeCour's website on who may be behind this older scam (possible the same person that is behind shareyourexperiences.com):

Here is a typical example of the spam messages we received:

Return-path: <SUPPORT@shareyouropinions.us>
Envelope-to: ourmailaddress
Delivery-date: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 05:33:26 +0200
Received: from adsl-67-121-155-148.dsl.pltn13.pacbell.net ([67.121.155.148] helo=tomandjerry)
by delta.mc1.hosteurope.de with esmtp (Exim 4.30)
id 1BG8Tn-000790-DC
for ourmailaddress; Wed, 21 Apr 2004 05:32:55 +0200
Received: from TOM ([127.0.0.1]) by tomandjerry with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.6713);
Tue, 20 Apr 2004 20:33:01 -0700
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004 20:33:01 -0800
From: SUPPORT@SHAREYOUROPINIONS.US
Subject: Someone is sharing opinions about you.
To: ourmailaddress
Message-ID: <TOM3m8tHzJcD9rFiJ9l00098d08@tomandjerry>
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 21 Apr 2004 03:33:01.0390 (UTC) FILETIME=[591996E0:01C42751]

******Posting Alert******

Someone has just begun the process of sharing opinions and experiences about you via our website.

This email message is not spam.

This email message was sent to you as a direct result of the actions of a user at our website. If this email message was delivered to your spam or bulk email folder please notify your ISP or spam filtering company regarding this mistake on their part.

To view postings about you click here:

http://8.shyex.net/exec/1.php?a=search&b=5&c=our%40mailaddress
If you prefer not to be informed if a user posts about you at our website in the future please add your email address to our Do Not Email List here:

http://3.shyex.org/exec/1.php?a=donotemail&b=our%40mailaddress

Sincerely,

SYEC Support

Here is the WHOIS record for the main domain of this spammer:

Domain name: shareyourexperiences.com

Registrant:
   JOHN TORREY (399PU) JOHN.TORREY@SBCGLOBAL.NET
   SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
   2711 CENTERVILLE ROAD, SUITE 120
   WILMINGTON,    DELAWARE    19808
   United States
   Phone: +1 (516)2148365

Administrative Contact:
   JOHN TORREY (399PU) JOHN.TORREY@SBCGLOBAL.NET
   SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
   2711 CENTERVILLE ROAD, SUITE 120
   WILMINGTON,    DELAWARE    19808
   United States
   Phone: +1 (516)2148365

Technical Contact:
   JOHN TORREY (399PU) JOHN.TORREY@SBCGLOBAL.NET
   SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
   2711 CENTERVILLE ROAD, SUITE 120
   WILMINGTON,    DELAWARE    19808
   United States
   Phone: +1 (516)2148365

Billing Contact:
   JOHN TORREY (399PU) JOHN.TORREY@SBCGLOBAL.NET
   SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
   2711 CENTERVILLE ROAD, SUITE 120
   WILMINGTON,    DELAWARE    19808
   United States
   Phone: +1 (516)2148365

Record last updated on 2004-04-10 00:00:00
Record created on 2004-02-24 00:00:00
Record expires on 2005-02-24 00:00:00

Domain servers in listed order:
   itchy.shareyourexperiences.com
   scratchy.shareyourexperiences.com

Registration Service Provider: AplusNet(APRO)
   apro-n4e-racc@abac.com
   
   http://www.aplus.net

Registrar: NAMES4EVER, http://www.names4ever.com
Another domain is registered to a different address:
     Domain Name:                                 SHARE4.US
     Domain ID:                                   D6469473-US
     Sponsoring Registrar:                        ABACUS AMERICA, INC. D/B/A NAMES4EVER.COM
     Domain Status:                               ok
     Registrant ID:                               QTRFV
     Registrant Name:                             Scott Kucera
     Registrant Address1:                         2711 Centerville Rd. Suite # 120
     Registrant City:                             Wilmington
     Registrant State/Province:                   DE
     Registrant Postal Code:                      19808
     Registrant Country:                          United States
     Registrant Country Code:                     US
     Registrant Phone Number:                     +1.5162148365
     Registrant Email:                            SCOTT.KUCERA@EARTHLINK.NET
     Registrant Application Purpose:              P1
     Registrant Nexus Category:                   C11
     Administrative Contact ID:                   VTCD2
     Administrative Contact Name:                 Scott Kucera
     Administrative Contact Address1:             2711 Centerville Rd. Suite # 120
     Administrative Contact City:                 Wilmington
     Administrative Contact State/Province:       DE
     Administrative Contact Postal Code:          19808
     Administrative Contact Country:              United States
     Administrative Contact Country Code:         US
     Administrative Contact Phone Number:         +1.5162148365
     Administrative Contact Email:                SCOTT.KUCERA@EARTHLINK.NET
     Administrative Application Purpose:          P1
     Administrative Nexus Category:               C11
     Billing Contact ID:                          7GA54
     Billing Contact Name:                        Scott Kucera
     Billing Contact Address1:                    2711 Centerville Rd. Suite # 120
     Billing Contact City:                        Wilmington
     Billing Contact State/Province:              DE
     Billing Contact Postal Code:                 19808
     Billing Contact Country:                     United States
     Billing Contact Country Code:                US
     Billing Contact Phone Number:                +1.5162148365
     Billing Contact Email:                       SCOTT.KUCERA@EARTHLINK.NET
     Billing Application Purpose:                 P1
     Billing Nexus Category:                      C11
     Technical Contact ID:                        QTRFV
     Technical Contact Name:                      Scott Kucera
     Technical Contact Address1:                  2711 Centerville Rd. Suite # 120
     Technical Contact City:                      Wilmington
     Technical Contact State/Province:            DE
     Technical Contact Postal Code:               19808
     Technical Contact Country:                   United States
     Technical Contact Country Code:              US
     Technical Contact Phone Number:              +1.5162148365
     Technical Contact Email:                     SCOTT.KUCERA@EARTHLINK.NET
     Technical Application Purpose:               P1
     Technical Nexus Category:                    C11
     Name Server:                                 SCRATCHY.SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.COM
     Name Server:                                 NS3.SHAREYOUREXPERIENCES.NET
     Created by Registrar:                        ABACUS AMERICA, INC. D/B/A NAMES4EVER.COM
     Last Updated by Registrar:                   ABACUS AMERICA, INC. D/B/A NAMES4EVER.COM
     Domain Registration Date:                    Mon Jul 26 23:31:07 GMT 2004
     Domain Expiration Date:                      Mon Jul 25 23:59:59 GMT 2005
     Domain Last Updated Date:                    Thu Jul 29 19:58:58 GMT 2004
Both registrations use a mail forwarding service (see
http://www.corporate.com/run_bus10.cfm), i.e. this is not the actual business or residential address of the spammer, who remains anonymous.

If you have already fallen for the scam:
If you have been tricked into signing up for an account by credit card, you may still be able to get the charge cancelled by your credit card company. One victim of this scam who contacted us had successfully done just that. You may also want to
file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).


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