# This MUST be a scam!
**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883
**Category:** random
**Created:** [February 5, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883 "2003-02-05T18:33:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kel\_420](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/Kel_420)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/1 "2003-02-05T18:33:02Z")
We just got a bill in the post [Real mail that is] and it says, “As of Feb 1st you have to pay a fee of $23.50 to be added to 14 MAJOR search engines”.
It looks like an official bill but it doesn’t list any of our domains nor does it list the search engines that you will appear on.
Most people know you don’t have to pay to appear in search engines so I would love to know how many people they have conned money out of with this one!
Has anyone else received this letter?
They are located in San Jose, CA
Site address is [www.icls.net](http://www.icls.net)
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/2 "2003-02-05T18:37:20Z")
I don’t think it is a scam, but I wouldn’t pay to be submitted to search engines. Some people really will pay. They may get you in higher faster, but I would rather wait and not have to pay…
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/3 "2003-02-05T18:38:26Z")
Ive never recieved it and I am on a few major search engines.
Usually those bills are billed through a credit card anyway, and you have to fill that info out in the submission form for that specific search engine.
Doesn’t sound legit to me IMO.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/4 "2003-02-05T18:40:57Z")
The bill looks really official. Almost like we have signed up for something.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/5 "2003-02-05T18:42:11Z")
Whats the return address?
How can there be one bill for multiple search engine fees? I would think each search engine would bill you seperately since they all make their profit individually.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/6 "2003-02-05T18:46:53Z")
I think this company is pretending to be the go-between so that you don’t have to send out multiple checks
Address is:
2530 Berryessa Road, #912
San Jose, CA 95132
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/7 "2003-02-05T18:51:07Z")
Does it tell you what search engines are billing you?
If not, that seems fishy. They charge you for something and won’t tell you what?
Also, if they DO say, I can check to see if my site is on those engines and if it is, I never got a bill and don’t see why you would.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/8 "2003-02-05T18:56:20Z")
They don’t list my domains even though there is a place for them and they don’t list the search engines.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/9 "2003-02-05T19:17:51Z")
Hmmm,
So they send you a bill for multiple search engines
But they don’t list WHAT those search engines are…
and they provide NO information about which site you listed at that search engine?
I mean, people have multiple domains, but only list certain ones at search engines, so the bill should at least include which of your domains is the one listed.
I smell a rat man. I don’t know what anyone else thinks of this, but to me it seems suspicious.
Last time I went to submit to a search engine where you had to pay, they asked for my credit card info in the form to charge me, needless to say I didn’t sign up because those search engines aren’t worth it IMO.
I am on google, lycos, hotbot, overture, dogpile, etc and didn’t pay a cent. Those are some of the most popular search engines too.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/10 "2003-02-05T19:22:08Z")
The thing is we have NEVER listed with any search engine.
If I did it would only be google as they are the backbone to MOST of the other search engines.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/11 "2003-02-05T19:24:52Z")
Yeah, I have never listed [lostinbeta.com](http://lostinbeta.com) to a search engine, but it shows up on all the ones I have mentioned (might show up on more, but those are the only ones I can think of at this time).
If they added it without you signing up, that is all on them 😉
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/12 "2003-02-05T19:31:43Z")
I think the point is that I never subscribed to them or anyone else. They send out very official looking bills that look like you have to pay or something bad will happen to your site [unless you know better].
Anyways, this was me ranting and getting it off my chest. So thanx bro, it’s been a big help 🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/13 "2003-02-05T19:36:54Z")
Hey no problem.
The worse they can do is take your site off their search engine list.
As long as you pay your host, nothing bad can happen to your site.
And even if they try to take you to court (which they won’t), you didn’t sign up for anything, so you are not liable for anything. The only way you are liable is if you signed up and registered for your name to be on their list. If that didn’t happen, no contract was signed, hence no legal action can be taken against you.
I wouldn’t worry about it man.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 5, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/14 "2003-02-05T23:46:26Z")
I strongly believe it is a scam. I think a lot of people still don’t really know how the internet works, what’s free and what costs, and a lot of scammers take advantage by sending “official-looking” documents. People get confused and hand over their money.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/15 "2003-02-06T00:21:23Z")
I wouldnt pay it…but that’s my 2cents
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/this-must-be-a-scam/12883/16 "2003-02-06T05:24:13Z")
> \*Originally posted by RenaissanceGirl \*
> \*\*I strongly believe it is a scam. I think a lot of people still don’t really know how the internet works, what’s free and what costs, and a lot of scammers take advantage by sending “official-looking” documents. People get confused and hand over their money. \*\*
the absolute funniest people on the interent are AOL’ers…they makem laff so much i die crying 🙂