On the SIGIA-L discussion list people are talking about a spammy social network site called Tagged.com. I only know about it because I received an invitation from an unfamiliar sender to a never-used spam-honeypot email address of mine. I looked at the site, it seemed shady, so I ignored it. That was months ago.
Now I’m learning that the site encourages new members to submit their email usernames and passwords. It then scours the user’s address book, sending spam invitations to all of the email addresses it finds, sent as if from the new member, and follows up with reminders. (Much like WAYN and the original version of Plaxo.)
It also make the email addresses available to “marketing partners” on an opt-out basis.
It’s nearly impossible to find out who’s behind the site. (Its registration is associated with p.o. box in San Francisco.)
It doesn’t pass the smell test.
Shun. Avoid. Eschew.
Comments (23)
gesundheit
Posted by Cecil Vortex | April 23, 2007 5:37 PM
Posted on April 23, 2007 17:37
I also got an invitation.
Glad I didn't supply my Gmail-pasword.
I already thought it had a smell, and Googling for "tagged.com" confirmed this.
Johan.
Posted by Johan Van Mol | May 8, 2007 6:29 AM
Posted on May 8, 2007 06:29
I got invited to Tagged by someone I knew, but when I received an email from an older man, a stranger to me, I was put off by the tone of the email, I am now going to delete my information off.
Posted by RUTH C | June 19, 2007 3:32 AM
Posted on June 19, 2007 03:32
Tagged.com does have it's downfalls. It can get rather annoying, just like every site, and it has its fair share of idiots and morons. But I have this site, and I have met wonderful people, many of whome I chat with via yahoo or phone on a daily basis. You have to be mature enough to guard yourself as well as your information. This isnt the only site that asks to spam your address book.. it wont be the last.
Posted by Vicki Sutton | July 18, 2007 7:01 AM
Posted on July 18, 2007 07:01
While I have met one or two nice people on the site at times I really did find it hard to appreciate hence my account cancelleation. Their chatrooms are a classic example containing Flamers and Trollers more so then any other forum I frequent
Posted by Kyle | July 26, 2007 4:10 PM
Posted on July 26, 2007 16:10
Yeah I agree
I would be getting this spam mails right and I was like w/e but then more 5 come the next day and then a month later a mail from my house came looking for Yuna Park and I was like Gawdd
And today I recieved it again and I am so mad =[[[
And I want to know if we can report this to the police. Can we?
How do we stop this?
Posted by Julie P | September 22, 2007 7:03 PM
Posted on September 22, 2007 19:03
Good point
I wish people could report it to the powers that be and make it more of an issue but wait and see I guess. R.E the Email I had the same problem. 17 different messages were sent to my contacts without me even me pressing a button.
I understand you need to promote a site but surely there are better ways of doing this?
Posted by Kyle | September 27, 2007 3:32 PM
Posted on September 27, 2007 15:32
There was a time when people did not have to worry about the internet, because it didn't exist. And, the internet was used initially for either dirty or corrupt purpose, besides its intended use of sharing research. Why are so many terrible web sites on the internet, up to now. The government started the world wide web.
Oh...
Posted by Jon | September 28, 2007 8:56 AM
Posted on September 28, 2007 08:56
hmm yeah all of that stuff has happened to me but i agree it isnt the first website to do it and it wont be the last fer sure[= and i have met somevery cool people via there but i have also met my fair share of creepy wierdo's haha just like most other sites.
Posted by Tiffany | October 2, 2007 2:01 AM
Posted on October 2, 2007 02:01
I just recieved an e-mail scam from Tagged.com the content of the email stated that i had won second prize in an U.K lottery to the value of $1500000US - What a crock to poo. This is a scam to steal your identity. BEWARE !!! This has been reported to the authorities in Aust.
Has anyone else had similar emails ???
Posted by Cazzie | October 2, 2007 8:49 PM
Posted on October 2, 2007 20:49
This is all so ridiculous. Every site has it's pros and cons and it is up to the individual to safeguard themselves. If you don't like a particular site then just avoid it but don't inform others that it's dangerous and unsafe when in reality it is not. This is what causes problems for people who are honestly attempting to just make friends. Grow up and be a little mature, please!!
Posted by Judith | October 2, 2007 10:44 PM
Posted on October 2, 2007 22:44
that's just silly. almost not worth responding to. do you work for tagged.com?
Posted by xian | October 3, 2007 4:32 PM
Posted on October 3, 2007 16:32
how do yall get tagged.com to work i went to it it said service unavailable p.s.merry christmas oh and have a nice trip on christmas
Posted by rosemarie | December 8, 2007 5:04 PM
Posted on December 8, 2007 17:04
This is one of the worst sites on the net. Tricking people out of their contact list is illegal.This jerk at abuse
makes it voluntary on your part if you click "yes" . You gave them the right to take you contacts list without your knowledge...Yeh, that sound like stealing all right!
Should a stranger be asking you for your email login? Most of you know you should not do that, but slick
trickery can fool some.
Read on:
First I want to say, I did not click on yes or no....
I complained to abuse@above.net on behalf of someone else "victim " # ?(who knows)
and hope you all will to. The problem is the above.net person seemed to be defensive of this site, which is unusual. In every case I am aware of, they are trying to "protect" the consumer, but in this case, I was threatened with legal action when I called it "stealing" when it is in fact just that, and I am gathering information from this site as well as others, and may contact people to get declarations if this group of scammers try to threaten me again..Here is the text of the message I received from so called "abuse" see if this sounds like the position someone takes, who is trying to be on the side of you and others who have been scammed by this site.
their position:
Dear Farhana,
"Steal" is a very strong term and carrying possible severe penalties. In every instance that I've investigated to date, the email address and specifically the password for the email account was provided freely by the complainant.
Please provide any evidence that you may have, not just the accusation, that your email password was obtained by means other than by you providing it to them.
Sincerely,
Larry McDonald
Policy Enforcement
AboveNet Communications, Inc.
http://www.above.net/corporate/acceptableuse.html
http://www.above.net/corporate/antispam.html
Posted by farhanaf | January 24, 2008 7:23 PM
Posted on January 24, 2008 19:23
I also got an email from a friend of mine, so I didn't think the mail is safe or not. I opened it and clicked on some buttons. It seems that all the people from my address book has received it.
Posted by Kathy | January 29, 2008 8:05 AM
Posted on January 29, 2008 08:05
How do I delete myself from the tagged circle.
HELP>>
LT
Posted by Linda | February 10, 2008 9:53 PM
Posted on February 10, 2008 21:53
How do I warn my friends to avoid tagged like a plague?
Posted by Linda | February 10, 2008 10:06 PM
Posted on February 10, 2008 22:06
Tagged is nothing more than glorified, if that, SPAM. Do NOT use it.
Posted by Joe | February 12, 2008 8:18 PM
Posted on February 12, 2008 20:18
Recent victom: Signed up for tagged.com, and while entering the registration info I was prompted for mothers maiden name, which like an idiot I entered. I now have one $15 and another $13 charge showing up on my phone bill, which I specifically tracked down to the exact moments I registered with Tagged.com.
VERY SHADY WEBSITE!!
Posted by j | February 26, 2008 10:05 AM
Posted on February 26, 2008 10:05
I'm happy to have got this information. Someone I don't know has invited me to tagged.com and anytime I tried to loggon the message I have is "Service Unavailable" and I was worried. But I now know and i'm no more going to try. Thanks
Posted by D'Joe | March 3, 2008 1:21 AM
Posted on March 3, 2008 01:21
I am reporting these people - they ripped my
addressbook and are now sending spam to all
of my contacts. I've had a page there for some
time, but stopped using it some months ago.
These are bad, mean people.
Just reported to abuse@above.net, noc@above.net
and arin@above.net who are the company hosting Tagged's servers.
Read more here: http://64.233.169.104/search?
q=cache:KFW84kds4HQJ:www.nickhodge.com/blog
/archives/1816+Tagged.com+report+where&hl=sv&ct=
clnk&cd=3&gl=us (Halfway down the page)
Lets do what we can to stop this kind of hoaxes!
Now I'm gonna look up more places to report these guys!
Posted by GB C | March 28, 2008 2:43 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 14:43
I got invited by a friend and later i got a bill stating i owed $14.95 and it said join for free.I had no clue you had to pay for it.
Posted by Melissa | May 7, 2008 6:29 AM
Posted on May 7, 2008 06:29
I got invited by a friend and later i got a bill stating i owed $14.95 and it said join for free.I had no clue you had to pay for it.
Posted by Melissa | May 7, 2008 6:36 AM
Posted on May 7, 2008 06:36