A few days ago I used Google to search for an article I’d written. My article was among the top results, but there was also another web site with very similar text. I’m used to blockheads publishing content stolen from my RSS feed (which is one of the primary reasons you won’t see a full feed of my blog any time soon), but this guy seemed to be copying the whole articles ... only they sounded somewhat crazy. For example,
Yesterday I described how the IPv6 architects split the functionality of IPCP into three different protocols (IPCPv6, RA and DHCPv6). While the split undoubtedly makes sense from the academic perspective, the service providers offering PPP-based services (including DSL and retrograde uses of PPP-over-FTTH) went berserk.
... became ...
Yesterday we dеѕсrіbеd hοw thе IPv6 architects rip thе functionality οf IPCP іntο 3 odd protocols (IPCPv6, RA аnd DHCPv6). Whіlе thе rip positively mаkеѕ clarity frοm thе educational perspective, thе use providers charity PPP-based services (counting DSL аnd opposing uses οf PPP-over-FTTH) wеnt berserk.
Finally it dawned on me: someone is manually copying my text, running it through a thesaurus service (or maybe doing Google translation to Elbonian and back), probably hoping to bypass detection and/or copyright issues, and publishing it as his own. Oh, and I’m in a good company: he’s also stealing from Etherealmind, Network World, Perlmonkey and a bunch of other sites. He even has the guts to steal directly from Cisco and title his site Cisco Systems.
Usually I would just ignore a scam like this, but the results are so hilarious I simply have to share them with you. Ladies and gentlemen, here’s the most amazing moron I’ve encountered so far.

But why link to the site, giving it more credence in Google's eyes?
ReplyDeleteAlthough the site appears be run by a Romanian, the hosting company is based in the US. DMCA time. :)
Made sure to use "rel=nofollow" in the link ;)
ReplyDeleteThe guy's used a 'article spinner'. Google it, you'll find loads. Very basic functionality.
ReplyDeleteOhh my God!! This is unbelievable!
ReplyDeletewhois says the registrant is from Singapore. I haven't found any Romanian reference.
ReplyDeleteWhen I checked the web site's domain, it was registered to a Singaporean entity.
ReplyDeleteRegistrant:
Men Manicure
Raffles 24
singapore, singapore 470701
Singapore
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: HUUUH.COM
Created on: 17-Nov-07
Expires on: 17-Nov-11
Last Updated on: 03-Dec-10
Administrative Contact:
Sitors, Henry menmanicure@gmail.com
Men Manicure
Raffles 24
singapore, singapore 470701
Singapore
+65.64587438
Technical Contact:
Sitors, Henry menmanicure@gmail.com
Men Manicure
Raffles 24
singapore, singapore 470701
Singapore
+65.64587438
Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.HAWKHOST.COM
NS2.HAWKHOST.COM
Domain registration spoofing is easy; you have to go deeper. http://pastebin.com/TFHn5jsx
ReplyDeleteWhat's strange is the reason to copy and 'spin' others content is to drive traffic and get people to click on ads on your site. This site has no ads.
ReplyDeleteThat's just too wild... never heard of an 'article spinner' until today.
ReplyDeleteNote on the bottom of each of the pages of the site:
ReplyDelete©2011 Cisco systems
Somehow doubt that bit too...
Hahahaha http://huuuh.com/internet-morons-are-so-amazing/436
ReplyDeleteHow stupid can one be!!!
Ivan, do you remember the search query that brought you to this iceberg of wizdom in the first place ?
ReplyDeleteIf yes - then a prudent thing to do would be https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/spamreport?hl=en - to hopefully make him part with his adsense account - which will both bat in some clue and remove the economic incentive for cluelessness. (Assuming, in good faith, that the said page is not null-routed :)
laughing my ass of
ReplyDeleteI've been getting the same recently, even though my site isn't exactly a mecca for visitors yet.
ReplyDeleteThe first one I managed to get the guy to remove. The second I can't even find contact details. The main problem was that I had all kinds of lovely graphs in my post, which looked completely screwed up on the other site
Wow. Now this is funny. This_article is now up on site. Moronic is indeed the apt description.
ReplyDeleteWith new Google approach and algoritm change I hope this kind of "websites" will be soon of of top 10 searches :)
ReplyDeletefunny things
ReplyDelete