Got an email from someone saying they are from the DMOZ

Could it possibly be legit?

[dataguy]

The email states that I am using DMOZ content without complying with their license.

Our directory is 100% custom programmed. I've never even seen another directory that functioned even close to how ours functions. Our categories are a result of user suggestions and are not at all like the categories in the DMOZ. Our listings come from our own crawlers which crawl a web site only when requested by the web site owner.

The reply email is a generic name on the DMOZ.org domain.

It's been years since I have even looked at the DMOZ because frankly I find it useless.

Is there any chance that this is legit?

[pagode]

Yes, there is a change.
It all depends on what is stated in the email.
Are they asking for money: it is not legit.
Are they just asking you to comply to the license: it probably is legit.

Give us (or me through PM) the url of your directory and we can look for ourself if you are violating the DMOZ license.
PS I am a DMOZ editor.

[windharp]

If the message was sent from a <name>@dmoz.org mailaddress, there are only two possibilities:

a) It was a dmoz staff editor sending you some kind of official mail (very unlikely IMHO, but who knows)
b) It is a fake

Nobody except DMOZ staff has access to dmoz.org mailadresses, so I suggest you reply to whoever sent this to confirm the email address.

Generally talking: If you really do violate the DMOZ license, staff or meta editors will _never_ ask you for money, goods or other actions in return. You would be told why we think you violate our license and of course asked to correct the problem ASAP. The mail might contain a note that action by the AOL legal department could be taken at some point, but we would never request money, ...

If you still are in doubt, I suggest you contact one of the DMOZ Meta editors (like me) via the DMOZ feedback link on their DMOZ profile, or via our Public ODP Forum (which this forums rules don't allow me to link to).

[windharp]

PS: If you come to the conclusion that it was a fake, _please_ file an abuse report at [report-abuse.dmoz.org...] including as much detail (like the original email headers) as you have, so we can look further into this. Thanks.

[dataguy]

I've stickied pagode and windharp the URL of my directory... thanks for your help.

I can't imagine what my directory would have in common with the DMOZ, except the word 'directory'...

[windharp]

Me, too. Apart from that, there is no note in our files about your site being a license agreement violator. So I suggest you follow my advice and file an abuse report.