have you asked them why. their web page is "under contruction." however: Americaoffline AMERICAOFFLINE2-DOM 7060 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 903 Los Angeles, CA 90028 USA Domain Name: AMERICAOFFLINE.COM Administrative Contact: Fisher, Ed EF590 america@INSTANET.COM 213-465-5407 Technical Contact, Zone Contact: Laren, Tim TL233 timl@INSTANET.COM 818-713-1313 (FAX) 818-888-0513 Billing Contact: Fisher, Ed EF590 america@INSTANET.COM 213-465-5407 Record last updated on 05-Mar-97. Record created on 05-Mar-97. Database last updated on 11-May-98 03:39:51 EDT. Domain servers in listed order: ARAGON.INSTANET.COM 205.231.48.6 GOLUM.INSTANET.COM 205.231.48.2 ````````` To: nanog@merit.edu From: Darryl Baker <dpb@concentric.net> I have found that most of the common mis-spellings of our domain name have been registered with the Internic by a company named Americaoffline. Examples: concentic.net concentri.net concnetric.net consentric.net They have also grabbed other mis-spellings of popular domains Examples: aool.com bellsoth.com bellsuth.com hotmaiil.com mailexite.com pacbel.net spraynet.com Originally I thought they were using these to build a bulk email list. Then I found they have configured ftp addresses in each domain. This will allow them to gather valid usernames and passwords anytime someone makes a typo and trys to upload something to their ISP. We have listed their servers as bogus in our DNS configuration for now and are looking into other more complete solutions. Bind 8.X configuration addition: server 205.231.48.243 { bogus yes; }; server 205.231.48.244 { bogus yes; }; -- __ _ __ Darryl Baker / ) // / ) / Sr. Systems Engineer / / __. __ __ __ , // /--< __. /_ _ __ For the Concentric Network /__/_(_/|_/ (_/ (_/ (_/_</_ /___/_(_/|_/ <_</_/ (_ dpb@concentric.net / ' Regards +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Neil Lehrer + U.S. Information Agency + Networks and Systems Support Division + + voice 202 619-0903 + fax 202 619-3883 + internet nlehrer@usia.gov + + "oh what a tangled net we weave + when we seek to retrieve." + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++