Smart People --> Weird web/domain Question

[Max Potential]

Hi Folks,
I have an odd question that I thought I would pose here and see if anyone can shed some light for me...

Does anyone know who/what this site is -->> PromotionExpert.com?

If I do a google search for 'promotionexpert.com' I get the following results;




Ignoring the 1st result, promotion-expert.com, and looking at the rest of the results I am confused.

I am curious because I got an ebay message this morning that I believe is a spoof which used this domain in a link. I got curious and went to see what was behind 'promotionexpert.com' and found all these pages with big company names .promotionexpert.com. There does not appear to be a web site there at promotionexpert.com but somehow all these links.

Anyone have any idea what this domain is and how it is connected to all these other companies? The google results seem to go on forever.

[Eldon Hoke]

Looks like someone is running multiple CPA offers on that domain with sub domains targeted to each campaign and spamming emails.

http://ebay.promotionexpert.com/eBayBTS/

[Max Potential]

Originally Posted by Eldon Hoke

Looks like someone is running multiple CPA offers on that domain with sub domains targeted to each campaign and spamming emails.

http://ebay.promotionexpert.com/eBayBTS/

Not sure what you/that means. eBay sent me a message, though it did not show up in my messages on ebay, and it had a link to an ebay page in it, but I noticed that it used this domain in the url. I called ebay and they said it was a spoof since I didnt have anything in my messages. I was curious and searched, and am a little baffled as to what exactly the scoop is. It seems to be pretty widespread whatever it is. eBay claims they have no connection to or knowledge of the company/persons behind it. Very strange as it seems to be pretty widespread.

So is that link you listed above a real eBay link or a spoof of some sort?

[Eldon Hoke]

Originally Posted by Max Potential

Not sure what you/that means. eBay sent me a message, though it did not show up in my messages on ebay, and it had a link to an ebay page in it, but I noticed that it used this domain in the url. I called ebay and they said it was a spoof since I didnt have anything in my messages. I was curious and searched, and am a little baffled as to what exactly the scoop is. It seems to be pretty widespread whatever it is. eBay claims they have no connection to or knowledge of the company/persons behind it. Very strange as it seems to be pretty widespread.

So is that link you listed above a real eBay link or a spoof of some sort?

It's a spoof. Email addresses can be spoofed too.

Welcome to the Internet. Enjoy your stay

[ottopottomouse]

Originally Posted by Max Potential

eBay sent me a message, though it did not show up in my messages on ebay, and it had a link to an ebay page in it

Someone sent you a message that had ebay as the sender. It's as much from ebay as if I sent you a birthday card and signed it "love from ebay".

[Max Potential]

Originally Posted by ottopottomouse

Someone sent you a message that had ebay as the sender. It's as much from ebay as if I sent you a birthday card and signed it "love from ebay".

I completely understand that part, and assumed that it was a spoof to begin with.

What confuses me still though is if I go to 'http://ebay.com/auctionduplicates' I still get a redirect which flashes quickly with the promotionexpert.com domain in it before it sends me to a ebay login screen. ebay says they have no connection with this domain, so how are they able to do the redirect on the real ebay.com which is typed into a browser? I thought it might be something on my machine at first, but they I checked it with 2 other machines and had friends do the same thing, with the same result.

It appears to me that there is either a folder or a file of some type called auctionduplicates on ebay's host which has been hijacked.

[d-null]

more likely that you have done something along the way and gotten your own computer infected

[Tom_PM]

Something resides on your computer and is taking every request for (probably) all of those companies and sending you through his (probably incentivised) links.

Why dont you try going to cambell soups real website and see if you get redirected through his page as well. Then see if they have some affiliate program that pays for referrals.

No idea really, but good luck with it.

[Max Potential]

Originally Posted by d-null

more likely that you have done something along the way and gotten your own computer infected

That's what I thought too, but all workstations scanned and clean here. Spoke to ebay again, and apparently they have been hacked/spoofed.

[d-null]

Originally Posted by Max Potential

That's what I thought too, but all workstations scanned and clean here. Spoke to ebay again, and apparently they have been hacked/spoofed.

ok, you are right, the link did the same from here too

[Max Potential]

Originally Posted by d-null

ok, you are right, the link did the same from here too

Very scary how they are able to do it even via the type in browser level. Like I said it appears to me like either a folder called auctionduplicates or a file by that name has been hacked. Shit sure does keep you on your toes. I knew something was up with the original message in my email, but at the browser level it's really strange.

[Tom_PM]

Well if it's on ebay's server then that explains why it redirects when you type it in.

[Max Potential]

Originally Posted by PR_Tom

Well if it's on ebay's server then that explains why it redirects when you type it in.

I agree, and that's what makes it so freaky.