SCAM ALERT: Internet Corporation Listing Service's Deceptive Mailings
Sales Materials That Look Like a Bill or Invoice
What is ICLS's deceptive mailing?
You receive a piece of official-looking mail along with your other postal mail. It looks official, in a plain white envelope, with a blue globe and the return address to "Internet Corporation Listing Service". You open it up, and inside you see what looks like an invoice for "annual website search engine listing".
It is only if you look closely that you realize it isn't really a bill; it is in fact, a solicitation, an order form! If you send it in, you have just ordered ICLS's search engine services. In reality, "Internet Corporation Listing Service" (ICLS) is offering some form of service for search engine placement. Even if you wanted search engine submission services, ICLS's appear to be rather poor: they claim to submit to 14 search engines. You can submit to hundreds of search engines, db's and indexes for free at services like www.selfpromotion.com).
The charge for ICLS's 'service' is $35, which, we believe is not coincidently, exactly the same as the renewal rate at some large domain registrars, like InterNIC. The scam targets domain name owners. If you purchased a domain name (which you get through Domain registrars like GoDaddy, InterNIC, etc.) you will notice that it refers to your specific domain name. Obviously, they are mining WHOIS and targeting domain name owners from their publicly available information.
See this page for an actual copy of the fake bill from "Internet Corporation Listing Service"
If you believe, like we do, that this practice of Internet Corporation Listing Service is misleading and improper, we invite you to make your feelings known by writing to the Federal Trade Commission and/or your local State's Consumer Protection Office.
General Advice for solicitations and invoices
What to do if you receive a deceptive solicitation or mock bill
- READ every word on the page! Look for fine print or a sentence that says "This is not an invoice", "This is not a bill", "This is a solicitation", "You agree to pay..." or similar language that tips you off that it is a solicitation.
- Don't immediately reply to it: if you think it is real, verify the address, phone numbers, email addresses, etc. They may be fake.
- Write to CFR about it so we can expose the scam!
- Keep records of any telephone conversations you have with the sender, including date, what was discussed and who it was discussed with.
- Seek legal advice if threatened with legal action.
List of companies and persons using deceptive advertising techniques
Companies and individuals that have been identified as sending solicitations that are designed to look like invoices are:
If you receive a solicitation that looks like an invoice from these companies, we suggest you do not respond and do not pay. Instead, fill out a complaint form with the FTC, Federal Trade Commission .
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.