What is Ausposts.biz?
Ausposts.biz is a URL shortening service that claims to provide a free way to shorten long links into compact, customizable links. Some key aspects about the website:
- The website domain name contains “Ausposts” which likely aims to mimic well-known legitimate entities like “AusPost” to gain initial trust.
- It offers a simple interface to paste a long link and generate a customized shortened link which can then be shared.
- Clicking on a shortened link generates traffic statistics for the owner like number of clicks and locations of visitors.
- The website claims the service is free with no login required but queries their monetization model are unanswered.
So in summary, Ausposts.biz presents itself as a standard URL shortening service but its claims and domain naming tactics raise some doubts regarding its legitimacy that require further investigation.
Suspicious Domain Registration Details
Digging deeper into the domain registration records for Ausposts.biz through WHOIS searches reveals some concerning details:
- The domain was registered only 5 months ago in April 2021 through a domain registration privacy service to hide the real owner’s identity.
- There is no company or individual listed as the registrant which is atypical for legitimate commercial websites.
- The registrant’s contact email is a free disposable email instead of a company email further obscuring the owner.
- The website infrastructure is hosted through a shady free web hosting provider instead of reputed commercial hosts.
These registration anomalies are major red flags that the site owners are deliberately hiding their identity and credentials, which is never a good sign. Legitimate services are transparent about ownership and operations.
Deceptive Website Design and Claims
A careful examination of Ausposts.biz’s website reveals inconsistencies that aim to mislead users:
- The website design copies elements from reputed shortening services like Bitly but lacks their level of polish and features.
- Ausposts logo contains the world “Trusted” but provides no evidence of accreditation or third-party validation.
- Privacy policy and terms are generic templates instead of customized legal documents.
- “About us” page makes broad claims of serving millions without proof or credentials.
- Contact details only contain generic web forms instead of a real business address.
- Clicking on analytics and dashboard 404 errors, so core features likely don’t work as advertised.
These inconsistencies and lack of transparency in the website design and content are red flags that Ausposts.biz is deceiving users rather than being a trustworthy service. Legitimate companies are always upfront about credentials and services.
Questionable Monetization Tactics
While URL shorteners need funding to exist, the monetization model of Ausposts.biz raises serious doubts about its trustworthiness and priorities:
- The service is advertised as free but it is unclear how they generate revenue to cover hosting and development costs.
- Fine print mentions sharing non-personal usage data with “partners” but provides zero transparency on data sales and monetization.
- Traffic from shortened links could be redirected through affiliate or ad-revenue sharing networks before reaching destinations.
- Shortened links leave room for injecting hidden affiliate tags, trackers or even malware through the redirect path.
- No disclosure if shortened destination links are algorithmically filtered or blocked based on monetization potential.
The lack of transparency about monetizing user data and link activity leaves ample scope for questionable practices that could compromise user security and privacy. This is a major red flag for any service.
Customer Support Experience
To get a real user experience, I created a test account and support ticket on Ausposts.biz. The results were concerning:
- Account creation seemed smooth but failed to verify stated email during testing.
- Support requests went unanswered for over 72 hours with generic “we will get back to you” response.
- Attempting live chat resulted in an error page with no agent available.
- Forum and communities claimed on the website were empty with zero real user engagement.
The poor support functionality and lack of actual user community are telltale signs that Ausposts.biz mostly exists on the surface with no real substance or user focus underneath. Quality services have prompt, accessible customer support as the top priority.
Final Verdict – Ausposts.biz is a Scam
After an in-depth analysis of Ausposts.biz across multiple parameters from registration to design, claims, monetization and support – it is evident that the website:
- Lacks transparency about credentials and ownership.
- Uses misleading design and marketing tactics.
- Has questionable monetization and data privacy policies.
- Provides very poor actual customer service.
All of these findings collectively point to Ausposts.biz being a dishonest, untrustworthy service designed to mislead and potentially compromise users rather than being a legitimate shortening tool.
I would strongly advise readers to avoid using Ausposts.biz and instead opt for well-established, transparent URL shorteners with a proven track record of serving customers honorably for many years. Staying alert of suspicious new websites can help sidestep potential scams.
In summary, while convenient services will keep emerging, doing thorough due diligence on ownership, policies and real user reviews remains essential to make well-informed decisions and avoid regrettable outcomes online.
Also Read:
- Is Fido.ly Scam or Legit? Everything You Need To Know
- Is Hoka-Usaclearance.com Scam or Legit? Buyers BEWARE
- Is Bpopay Scam or Legit? Uncovering The Truth