New Business Model
I was reading an article from Linux.com about a new DNSBL host by Barracuda Networks. From the article, it looks good and has that Free alternative to SpamHouse WOW factor. Like any article I really love reading what other people think about it (reading the Comments/Talk Backs). One person posted (Teilo) and i quote:
“Huh!!!? You mean, if I pay you $20 (a year), you will remove my IP and not put it back on? But you won’t tell me how it got on there in the first place? This is nothing short of extortion.”
Argggggg is this true ? Let’s check if he has a point.
Let’s look at what happens when your IP/Mailserver got listed in this new “FREE” DNSBL service. Let’s visit their Removal Request page. Looks nothing wrong. There’s a form that you need to fill up but what’s this?!?
“Barracuda Reputation System honors domains registered at EmailReg.org. If you want to avoid email with your domain and IP being inadvertently blocked, you can register your domain at EmailReg.org. ”
So this DNSBL honors the white list on EmailReg.org. That’s good you tell yourself I’m not a spammer, I want to be listed there so IF anybody uses this DNSBL I won’t get blocked. So we follow that link. What ???? There’s an administrative fee??
“There is a small administrative charge of $20 to put your domain on the list and have it verified. This list is used by many people to bypass their spam filters”
Okay, wait a minute, It’s really minimal it’s only 20 dollars atleast I won’t get blocked right? BUT who run’s this EmailReg domain, Click the about page.. Nothing in there. Click the Contact US page.. nothing there too. Teilo did the work and lo and behold Baracuda Networks owns EmailReg. Wow!!!! So it goes something like this:
1. Start a “FREE” DNSBL
2. Market it as Open and Free.
3. Let People use it
4. Tag people as Spam witouth telling them how and why they got tagged as SPAM.
5. Annoy alot of people from a bunch of False Positives.
6. Charge a “MINIMAL” $20 per domain to be whitelisted
7. PROFIT!!!!!
Already a few people call this as a a form of Extortion, A SCAM.. I call it a Business Model….