Is this link request legitimate?

[pdrew]

Greetings:

Got this request the other day. Not sure if it's legit. A link to my site has been provided on a directory called High Index, but the link requester wants me to link to a site called Telemarketing Resource. Here's the first email I received:

Hi! I was just doing some research online, and came across your site while searching in Google! for voice on hold message. Your domain, peterdrewvo.com ranked 24...which got me thinking...

I publish a site about Business - Services. We've got a very strong following, primarily because we only produce informational content, since you also produce a quality site in this category, I'd like to link to you. I get a pretty good amount of visitors to my property, so if I link up to your site you should benefit from a traffic standpoint.

Please take a look at my site when you get a chance -- I think you'll find it to be knowledgeable and tasteful. If you like what you agree, please link to it -- I'll send you all of my info on your request.

I've already linked to you to get the ball rolling. I'll keep it up a few days until I hear back from you, so please respond at your earliest convenience. Thanks for your time.

Lynna Perry
RAC IM: 1444395.

I replied and got this back:

Just read your reply -- thanks for the prompt response! I've already linked to you here: http://www.highindex.com/Computers/S...ogy/Telephony/

In exchange for me adding you to High Index as shown above, Im asking that you link to my other site which is telemarketingresource.com. To make it easy for you to link to me, here's the html code which will add my link to your site:

Voice Messages

Again, please do not link to the High Index page! Instead, link to the site I publish: telemarketingresource.com

I'll leave you up as a featured listing until i hear from you. If i don't hear back, I'll assume you're not interested and remove the link.

Thanks again for getting back to me. Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Lynna

I replied again that I had not forgotten and that I'd get to it. This was Lynna's reply:

Thanks - Please let me know if you get a chance to put the link on your site. let's stay in touch. Ill catch up with you in a few days.

Lynna
Lynna Perry
Email: lynna@lynnaperry.com
RAC IM: 1444395.

Then, out of the blue, I received this email:

Thanks - Please let me know if you get a chance to put the link on your site. let's stay in touch. Ill catch up with you in a few days.

Cindy

Cindy Walkers
Email: cindy@scgordonsite.com
RAC IM: 1444395.

I hadn't written to Lynna and I never heard of Cindy, which leads me to guess that these emails are auto-generated.

Regardless of whether linking to their site is of benefit or not to me, is this a normal request within the realm of link requests?

Thanks!

[dina]

lol...sorry I can't help you but I thought I'd let you know that you sure gave me a good laugh! Hope you get help with this one!

[pdrew]

Dina:

Well, at least you got a good laugh from my post.

Seriously, though, and hoping not to appear too thick, are you laughing with me or at me? I'd really like to know what's up with this link request.

Please be gentle. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

Thanks.

[tiger1]

I suspect that they are using an auto links manager/generator tool.

[kikkertm]

We received a very similar request (also from high index) a while ago. It seems that these requests are being sent from an high index editor who ads your site to the index. My guess would be that he or she has a bit of a link exchange business on the side.

We decided not to go ahead with the exchange.

[americana]

I've also received a few emails similar in nature - with glitches. I decided against it. Anyone who tells me that if I don't link back to them that they will remove the link to my site seems sketchy to me. If they really found it valuable to link to my site then they would link to me regardless of whether or not I linked back to them. Maybe I'm just paranoid - who knows. Hope you get help with this one.

[dina]

I'm laughing with you, NOT at you...lol. Americana is right, if I were to get one, I'd be against it too. Good luck.

[pdrew]

Thank you all for your input and advice.

I agree that it sounds a little dodgey. I'll take your advice and pass on the link. The threat that they would take down the link they made to my site if I did not reciprocate pretty much immediately made me uncomfortable, plus the fact that there's no way to access their HighIndex site to submit a site or communicate with them made it seem a little less than above board.

Oh, well. Learned something new about this Wild West World of Internet marketing.

Thanks, again.