Gallery: Remember When Cloverfield Ate the Internet? Good Times

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    01

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    The site that kicked it all off, 1-18-08.com (as teased in a pre-*Transformers* trailer) had an inscrutable URL that made amateur sleuths reach for their calculators. Mathematical aspirations were futile, though: 1-18-08 ended up being *Cloverfield*'s release date, and new photos would pop up every week or so for people to infer whatever they wanted.
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    02

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    Sadly, 1-18-08.com as we knew it is long defunct. These days, Google will redirect you to any number of sites, including this one about digital marketing...which feels more than a little appropriate.
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    03

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    Tagruato.jp was the homepage for Tagruato Corp., a (fictional) Japanese mining company involved in deep-sea drilling. But what were they * really* up to? This site has survived, so you can poke around to see for yourself.
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    04

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    Among Tagruato's (presumably) many business concerns is Slusho, a fictional beverage company. Fear not, thirsty ones: Slusho.jp lives on!
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    05

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    Tidowave.com was home to Tagruato's eco-activist archenemies. Also intact, and seemingly just as angry.
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    06

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    While J.J. Abrams himself went on record as saying that EthanHaas.com had nothing to do with *Cloverfield*, that didn't stop e-detectives from making it the hub of their yarn maps.
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    07

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    Delightfully, EthanHaas.com now seems to be a Japanese pharmacy blog (if one riddled with SEO word salad).
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    08

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    There was another Ethan Haas site, EthanHaasWasRight.com, flying directly in the face of JJ's statements. Man, remember light type on black backgrounds? The peak of personal web design.
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    09

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    Whether Ethan Haas was right or wrong, the site is now another Haas-been. But if you're a superfan with £345 to burn, this domain could be yours!
  • ABZ3293.com seemed to be connected to an SUV seen in the Cloverfield trailer though that was quickly debunked.
    10

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    ABZ3293.com seemed to be connected to an SUV seen in the *Cloverfield* trailer (it was the license plate number), though that was quickly [debunked](http://www.slashfilm.com/fake-cloverfield-websites-exposed-abz3293com-and-parasitemoviecom/).
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    11

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    These days, ABZ3293.com might be more helpfulif you live in Japan and are worried about hair loss. If Google Translate is to be trusted—"PUT CONFIDENCE IN YOUR OWN HAIR BRISTLES"— they seem to be selling you hair brushes made of your own hair. Seems...legit.
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