disasterrecoverygroup.com and BLOG SPAM

Well, I now know yet another company to avoid in the grand scheme of things.

disasterrecoverygroup.com

I first heard about them as a result of some BLOG SPAM someone tried to post to my journal at onlineconfessional.com.

IP Address: 193.188.105.9
Name: computer disk retrieval
Email Address: sales@disasterrecoverygroup.com
URL: http://www.disasterrecoverygroup.com
Comments:

the leaders in computer disk retrieval

Now, I filter the posts to that blog, so I just denied it approval. I get a few SPAM posts a day, and have gotten used to just deleting them, but this one was different. The Whois data on the domain name was not only from this country, but looked at least somewhat reasonable!

Registrant:
Disaster Recovery Group (DISASTERRECOVERYGROUP-DOM)
3273 Mohawk Trail
Riverside, CA 92503
US

Domain Name: DISASTERRECOVERYGROUP.COM

Administrative Contact:
Mayer, Sean (SM10052) spmayer@EARTHLINK.NET
Drivetronix
2972 Fillmore St.
Riverside,, CA 92503
US
(909) 785-0833 fax: 999 999 9999

Technical Contact:
(ELN-DA) domainbilling@corp.earthlink.net
EarthLink Network, Inc.
1375 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309
US
404-815-0700 fax: - - 626-296-5113

Record expires on 12-May-2008.
Record created on 12-May-1999.
Database last updated on 9-Dec-2004 09:24:32 EST.

So I decided to follow up on this one, especially as I noticed a second such post, identical to the first in content.


--------- Begin Copied Message -------------
From: HalleysComet
Reply-To: HalleysComet
To: sales@disasterrecoverygroup.com, domainbilling@corp.earthlink.net, spmayer@earthlink.net, abuse@disasterrecoverygroup.com
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 09:36:33 -0500
I am writing to complain about the domain name disasterrecoverygroup.com.

They are using BLOG SPAM posts to advertise their site, which is not
an indication of a competent firm, but shysters trying to scan people
into wasting money.

I am very annoyed with such posts, and have to filter the comments to
my web site as a result of such shenanigans.

I am including a copy of the notification I receive of such posts.

All further BLOG posts made to the domain name onlineconfessional.com
or matthewmiller.net will obligate Drivetronix to pay me $100.00 USD
per post, including back payment of $200.00 USD for the two posts that
have already been made.

Making further posts to onlineconfessional.com or matthewmiller.net
will constitute acceptance of this condition.

For the purposes of this document, "Post" is defined as any attempt to
submit a web log entry or comment by any method.
--------- End Copied Message -------------

In very short order, I got a bounced message from spmayer@EARTHLINK.NET, saying the mailbox was full.

Then I got an actual reply, which lead to the following exchange.

--------- Begin Copied Message -------------
From: Disaster Recovery Group
Reply-To: drgsupport@earthlink.net
To: HalleysComet
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 09:16:08 -0800
Subject: RE: Fwd: [Yes, I know it's boring] New Comment Posted to 'Never buying another PalmPilot Again'
Dear Webmaster,

DRG is unaware of any spamming from this company and we are not promoting
our company in that fashion. We do not condone spamming in any sense and
apologize in advance for this problem you are experiencing as we are
looking into this. If you can supply us details of the spammer we will see
what we can do. Most spam is coming from other countries using our name
due to our ranking in the search engines. There is not much we can do
since we are not originating this spam and look forward to any insight you
can supply to remove these spammers.

Best Regards,

Sean Mayer

http://www.DisasterRecoveryGroup.com
Data Recovery Services

t. 951-488-0304
f. 951-488-0224

From: HalleysComet
Reply-To: HalleysComet
To: drgsupport@earthlink.net
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 12:22:36 -0500
Subject: Re: Fwd: [Yes, I know it's boring] New Comment Posted to 'Never buying another PalmPilot Again'

I have already provided all the information I have on the matter.

I did not receive SPAM as an e-mail, but as posts to my web log, the
full details of which I have already provided.

Given the fact that your Internet presence appears to be based almost
entirely on entries in link farms, you can of course understand my
being dubious about your claim of innocence in this matter.

I fail to see how your ranking in search engines would encourage
someone else to flood web logs with SPAM promoting your site. It's a
very weak excuse to say the least.

From: Disaster Recovery Group
Reply-To: drgsupport@earthlink.net
To: HalleysComet
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 10:08:40 -0800
Subject: Re: Fwd: [Yes, I know it's boring] New Comment Posted to 'Never buying another PalmPilot Again'

Dear Webmaster,

I unserstand that you think that we are the ones doing this but please
believe me we are not. Thank you for bringing this to our atttention
though, it does mean a lot.

Best Regards,

Nicole Hubble

http://www.DisasterRecoveryGroup.com
Data Recovery Services

t. 951-488-0304
f. 951-488-0224

From: HalleysComet
Reply-To: HalleysComet
To: drgsupport@earthlink.net
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 13:27:31 -0500
Subject: Re: Fwd: [Yes, I know it's boring] New Comment Posted to 'Never buying another PalmPilot Again'

I have received a third post.

Is anyone at your site using an automated tool to "submit your site to
search engines"?

Have you hired a third party to "boost your search engine ratings"?

Most of the sites and programs offering such services are really just
spewing your domain out at assorted link farms and BLOGS to create an
artificially inflated search engine ranking. If you are sincere in
your claim to be innocent on this matter, then someone you hired to
mange your Internet presence / ranking / placement is making these
posts.

As a side note, such an artificially inflated ranking will be revealed
as such by any potential client who makes the minimal effort to click
on the "Find web pages that link to disasterrecoverygroup.com" link in
Google.

Here is the data on the newest post:

IP Address: 200.121.57.138
Name: computer disk retrieval
Email Address: sales@disasterrecoverygroup.com
URL: http://www.disasterrecoverygroup.com
Comments:
the leaders in computer disk retrieval

--------- End Copied Message -------------

I have yet to hear a reply, or receive any more posts form them.

Normally, I just add a URL or term to my blacklist, but I haven't done that with this one yet. They don't have much of a web presence outside of their site and link farms, so I don't really consider them a reputable firm. Using BLOG SPAM to boost their search ranking is on par with the link farm pages they normally use. It's really a matter of degree.

Right now, I'm assuming that they're using a third party program or service to push their name out to link farms, and that said program or service has started using BLOG SPAM as well as link farm submissions. My main concern is finding out how they're doing this, so I can contact the service or vendor to try and get these absurd SPAM BLOG submissions to stop.