beware of this scam website

[len0x]

http://www.autogk.com/ :devil:

[unskinnyboy]

Oh God :|

But, the funny thing is - they don't have AutoGK for download. They are offering some other shady tools like '1 click DVD ripper' etc for (gulp!) $34.95. :eek:

[len0x]

Originally posted by unskinnyboy

But, the funny thing is - they don't have AutoGK for download.


I could sue them if they had...

[piscator]

Hmmm, based on the url of the webpage and especially on the content "AutoGK is no longer free!" :angry:, you could sue them. Even if you didn't register the product name (which you probably didn't coz that costs money), such abuse is not legal.

More practical, you could send a complaint to their service provider to take their site down or remove all references to the REAL AutoGK (which is kind of hard since the DNS name already abuses AutoGK).

The 'WHOIS' record shows the registration service provider is: domains@fasthosts.co.uk. It appears to be affiliated with TUCOWS, INC. I wonder what would happen, if I would register microsoft.org... :rolleyes:



------------Whois Snippet------------------------
Whois Server Version 1.3

Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered
with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net
for detailed information.

Domain Name: AUTOGK.COM
Registrar: TUCOWS INC.
Whois Server: whois.opensrs.net
Referral URL: http://domainhelp.tucows.com
Name Server: WAVE0.LCHOST.CO.UK
Name Server: MAELSTROM.LCHOST.CO.UK
Status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
Updated Date: 04-apr-2005
Creation Date: 22-jun-2004
Expiration Date: 22-jun-2005


>>> Last update of whois database: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 20:03:59 EDT <<<

The Registry database contains ONLY .COM, .NET, .EDU domains and
Registrars.
Registrant:
Xtre me uk
2 Marlborough Court
Newhaven, UK BN9 9LT
GB

Domain name: AUTOGK.COM

Administrative Contact:
Reed, Adam domain@xtre.me.uk
2 Marlborough Court
Newhaven, UK BN9 9LT
GB
+44.1273512513
Technical Contact:
Reed, Adam domain@xtre.me.uk
2 Marlborough Court
Newhaven, UK BN9 9LT
GB
+44.1273512513


Registration Service Provider:
UK Reg, domains@fasthosts.co.uk
+44 1452 541252
+44 1452 538485 (fax)
http://www.ukreg.com/



Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.
Record last updated on 04-Apr-2005.
Record expires on 22-Jun-2005.
Record created on 22-Jun-2004.

Domain servers in listed order:
WAVE0.LCHOST.CO.UK
MAELSTROM.LCHOST.CO.UK


Domain status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
------------Whois Snippet------------------------

greetz,
Piscator

[len0x]

Well, domain itself doesn't do any damage. It was registered almost a year ago and was for sale until about 10 days ago when somebody might have bought it and now hosting at LCHOST.CO.UK (I'll give them a ring indeed).

[jggimi]

Fasthost doesn't seem to have a registry whois; internic.net's whois database is currently down. However, the currently used ip address is 69.93.134.66, which, according to arin.net, is:

OrgName: ThePlanet.com Internet Services, Inc.
OrgID: TPCM
Address: 1333 North Stemmons Freeway
Address: Suite 110
City: Dallas
StateProv: TX
PostalCode: 75207
Country: US

ReferralServer: rwhois://rwhois.theplanet.com:4321

NetRange: 69.93.0.0 - 69.93.255.255
CIDR: 69.93.0.0/16
NetName: NETBLK-THEPLANET-BLK-9
NetHandle: NET-69-93-0-0-1
Parent: NET-69-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: NS1.THEPLANET.COM
NameServer: NS2.THEPLANET.COM
Comment:
RegDate: 2003-11-19
Updated: 2004-03-15

TechHandle: PP46-ARIN
TechName: Pathos, Peter
TechPhone: +1-214-782-7800
TechEmail: abuse@theplanet.com

OrgAbuseHandle: ABUSE271-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Abuse
OrgAbusePhone: +1-214-782-7802
OrgAbuseEmail: abuse@theplanet.com

OrgNOCHandle: TECHN33-ARIN
OrgNOCName: Technical Support
OrgNOCPhone: +1-214-782-7800
OrgNOCEmail: admins@theplanet.com

OrgTechHandle: TECHN33-ARIN
OrgTechName: Technical Support
OrgTechPhone: +1-214-782-7800
OrgTechEmail: admins@theplanet.com

[len0x]

As I found out from LCHOST: ThePlanet is their reseller. But I got LCHOST admins to look at it now at least.

[niamh]

Well the company isn't exactly hiding, this is the link to "contact us" http://www.regnow.com/contact.html
They have a phone number, email, fax number and everything .. give them hell!

[len0x]

Regnow is an e-shop, they sell others' software, so from there point of view it may be nothing wrong.

[niamh]

Well they're linked directly from this site,for the 3 apps on sale (they're the ones selling them), so it's in their interest to close it down, if they're anything reputable. In my point of view, they're the ones to contact.

[piscator]

On the regnow site, there isn't any reference to AutoGK. So from that point of view, there isn't anything wrong with it. But looking more closely both the products include e.g. XviD and DivX encoders (it says so on the regnow site).

For XviD, I wonder if the GNU/GPL license is honored (including the source code). For DivX I wonder if they are even allowed to redistribute it (I doubt they have contacts with DivX networks).

Anyway, the whole product (if you'd get anything after ordering at all) seems like 'stolen' source code with a cheap GUI around it. Although, that in itself might not be illegal if the appropriate license agreements are honored (as if...)

At the least, regnow has an obligation to investigate this shady product. And if you ask them, they should at least provide the license agreement of the product (so you can check a few things). They are selling it, so they are responsible.

I always wonder who sells these kind of 'stolen' products. Just some greedy single individual or some companies who do the 'borrowing' more professionally.

greetz,
Piscator

[cyberVera]

It's a pitty that a man who writes a freeware program and helps many people to enjoy life has to suffer from all that, spend his time and money to make phone calls.

Shame on you, "sellers"!

(I am not a hacker, and can not make that website down, but I can donate the author to support his calls and optimism :-)

[len0x]

They seemed to be kicked from original hosting and moved to another one. They also removed direct references to AutoGK. Now its time to check their license with DXN as piscator suggested :)

[niamh]

That was fast! Can't send them any hate mail anymore though now ;)

[piscator]

Excellent, a fast and decisive response from the service provider. Though, the scammers were pretty fast to move to new hosting (fast-hosts.org) :sly:

greetz,
Piscator

[Adz]

my 2c

To me it looks like the site owner is just an affiliate, the actual site for the software is http://www.achensoft.com/, if that software didnt exist I suspect he/she would just find another product to sell as an affiliate?

It is mentioned by len0x in this thread that the domain was for sale, was any effort or contact made about buying it? if not I cant see how you can complain, the site to me looks OK, just another affiliate site, the only reference to autogk is in the domain name?

Can I ask why .com was not registered before .net?

[len0x]

Wow, it seems that there are many "author companies" of those programs. Take "1Click DVD to Divx xVid Avi" which screenshot is hosted at autogk.com now: the programs seem to be originated at http://www.dvdtoavi.net/ They do not offer to buy it from regnow but rather from different websites. Last time it was updated two years ago which makes me think that achensoft might have just stolen the product seeing that developers are not active anymore (and regnow product IDs are different when linking from autogk.com and achensoft which supports the theory). Anyhow its seems really dodgy and I wouldn't be involved if they didn't try to use AutoGK and put slogans like "AutoGK is not longer free, please buy these programs to support it". Its not a good idea to piss me off :devil:

[Adz]

I looked at the whois for all the associated domains, and they are all owned by the same guy in shanghai. Apart from the poor english on the sites, I dont see anything shady about it :S

As for the gnu licences for xvid and divx licencing, it mentions that you must have divx codec installed, and I would of thought the same thing for xvid? *shrug*

[obieobieobie]

Hehe, seems like www.autogk.com doesn't like browsers with cookies disabled:

http://img74.echo.cx/img74/8339/funnyautogkcom9bm.th.png (http://img74.echo.cx/my.php?image=funnyautogkcom9bm.png)

[niamh]

I looked at the whois for all the associated domains, and they are all owned by the same guy in shanghai. Apart from the poor english on the sites, I dont see anything shady about it :S

Adz, they changed the home page already. They were references and lies about Autogk, which you can't see anymore. but by now Len0x is pissed off ;), and it seems those apps are not being sold by whom they belong too either, so the hunt is on :D

[cyberVera]

len0x, I think this is your chance to get autogk.com

[MADMax2001]

Originally posted by obieobieobie
Hehe, seems like www.autogk.com doesn't like browsers with cookies disabled:

http://img74.echo.cx/img74/8339/funnyautogkcom9bm.th.png (http://img74.echo.cx/my.php?image=funnyautogkcom9bm.png)
This is the exact webpage that opens when I try to visit www.k-litemegacodecpack.com/ (the RealAlternative, QuickTimealternative and K-LiteCodecPack homepage, at least 2 months ago).
Now this links redirects to www.codecguide.com/ , that shows the same as www.autogk.com.

Anyone knows the working webpage of K-liteCodecPack?

[obieobieobie]

I used Firefox (which I haven't enabled stricter cookie settings) and the codec page loaded fine for me. Didn't try getting any files, so I don't really know if the site works. Anyway, to see it you just have to be a bit more lax with the cookie settings.