wilsonsupport.org: Legitimate?

[tuvor]

The website itself says nothing about who owns the site, and a whois search doesn't yield much of anything, either.

[WilliamPitt]

1. Well

I got the original statement and the website URL from Wilson, from the email address I have used to speak to him for the last several months. If it isn't legit, it's because someone broke into his computer and is using his email.

[tuvor]

2. That does it for me. Oops, maybe not.

Just read blogslut's post.

[blogslut]

5. Look,

I want it to be legit. I hope it's legit. However, that private WHOIS is a big red flag to me. In addition, the Public Interest Registry frowns on dot orgs that are not official non-profits...

I want to donate money but I want to donate it to the Wilsons.

[WilliamPitt]

7. I've told you what I know

If it's a spoof, it got me. I don't have a background in this kind of tech/email stuff, so the best I can say is that the emails came from an address I am familiar with.

I do have to think, however, that he'd have sent out word if it was BS. His statements have shown up all over the place; he'd be aware if someone was using his name and email to scam people.

[blogslut]

9. so, email him and ask him

a fresh email, not an RE:. That's the easiest way to find out

[Ravenseye]

17. Spoofing Emails is pretty easy

Just look at some of the spam you probably get.

I could send an email and make it look, to you....without close inspection of the headers, like anyone was sending it.

If this is fake, and they know his address, that's all it'd take.

[lonestarnot]

16. Rugh ro! Smell something amiss.

Haven't personally checked it yet.

[blogslut]

3. have you emailed him

to ask him directly?

Sorry, but I've seen some crummy stuff done in my day and spoofing email addresses is but one...

Google the name Dave Stodghill

[acmejack]

6. I see, Dave is an ass of the worst sort..

A lot like the type of thief who selects his victims from the obituaries.

[blogslut]

8. he's evil

and very slick. he even had jessica lunsford's family believing him at one time.

I'm very cynical when it comes to this stuff.

[lala_rawraw]

4. yep, same here...

it was sent this afternoon... so not sure ... i hope they got all the domain extensions.

[blogslut]

10. the dot com was already registered

...to a dutch company in 2004.

Sigh, oh well. No contact info. No email addy on the site. No confirmation from the Wilsons. I guess I'll pass.

[WilliamPitt]

12. See post 11

[WilliamPitt]

11. HE JUST WROTE ME BACK

at the same address I originally received the note and the URL. I wrote to check, he wrote back.

So...I don't know about this tech stuff, but I basically came close to insulting him ("Some are saying your site is fake, Joe") so I could get a reply from the same email. I got it.

Hope that satisfies.

[blogslut]

13. I did not say the site was fake

And if it were me, I would have asked him if this was his site, that's all.

EDIT: You asked him about the specific URL and you wrote a fresh email - not a reply to the one telling you about the site. check

[WilliamPitt]

15. OK, look

I'm not about to start cutting and pasting private correspondence for you. I asked about the site specifically, about the WHOIS thing specifically, and he said it was legit. He said it FROM THE SAME ADDRESS I have been using to contact him for two years now.

The best I can do. If you want to plunge on, feel free.

[blogslut]

18. just one more question

did you send that email fresh or did you send a reply to the email that told about this site?

[WilliamPitt]

20. I sent it fresh

and just got a second reply containing discussions of a personal matter between he and I that no one else would know about.

[blogslut]

21. thank you

I appreciate your effort. I will donate.

However, they need to more up front with the contact info. The site could be automatically blocked by IE default filters for insufficiant P3P:

http://validator.w3.org/p3p/20020128/p3p.pl?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwilsonsupport.org

[tuvor]

14. Thanks. But I never said the site was fake.

I don't know about the "tech stuff," either, but what site doesn't have an "About" link?

The general lack of info on the site gave me just enough doubt to ask the question. Better safe than sorry, especially where generous DUers are concerned.

[johnnydrama]

19. fdl

Firedoglake has it up on their site, so i'm pretty sure it's legit.

From FDL.

UPDATE #4: The Wilsons have set up a support trust and a website with a lot of information about the civil suit.

with a link to that site.

[GregD]

22. yes, legit

Wilson just announced it in his press conference