Gujarat-eqrelief is in a similar state. It was set up by NRI-CHS Ltd, an incorporated body of Non Resident Indians, about a month after the earthquake. "We were affected by delays," says chairman S A Ayub in its defence. "The home ministry took a month and a half to grant approval, and when a leading bank did not provide the facility of collecting money online, we had to direct our members to other organisations and funds. Thus, the project didn't take off and we are in the process of shutting the site."

Action Aid has also shifted priorities from the earthquake to the HIV virus in Africa.

Other sites have disappeared without a trace. Save Gujarat promised to donate five rupees for every visitor logging in. Now, it yields a 404 error, just like HelptoIndia and HelplessPeople. Biren Shukla of HelptoIndia says, "It's a server problem, and should be up and running in a few days."

While most sites were set up to reach out, the tremendous response and media attention has also ensured them an easy ticket to fame. But Shukla says he never intended to use the site to draw attention to his Web solutions firm, Anant Softek. "It was a corporate gesture of giving something back to the country and doing our bit for the earthquake, where we could not be present ourselves."

Owners of other sites also refute the benefits -- media attention resulting in business-based enquiries for their services - claiming their motives are completely genuine.

Says S. Sriram of Causeaneffect, "It was my way of making a difference. The media glare was incidental." He claims he has not made any personal profit: "I started working on the site from a cyber café in 1999 when floods hit Orissa. In 2000, it was a medium for charity during the floods in Andhra Pradesh and then came the earthquake in Gujarat."

Causeaneffect was so successful that it was discussed in business schools, received media citations for its efforts and accrued 20 crore for the Prime Minister's Fund. Today, it displays old news and its counter shows just 620 hits. Sriram adds that it was recently hacked into: "We are experiencing Java script problems, so it hasn't been updated. However, I received a cheque for the fund a month ago." At present, talks are on with NGOs in India and the UK to promote a new cause.

Likewise, now that September 11 has moved into the distant past, sites that supported the issue are shutting down. A comprehensive list of defunct sites can be found at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Also, sites of US government agencies that once offered open access to 'public' information are now restricting access. OMB Watch has an inventory of sites that display bland notices about the removal of content, along with 'apologies for any inconvenience'.

The British Government has also forced the closure of at least two non-government sites, while quite a few Internet Service Providers pulled the plug on 'inappropriate' sites.

So, while the Internet can bring out the best in people, it also remains a fertile ground for con artists out to make a quick buck. On a better note, the owner of the 'worldtradecenter.com' domain name has left a note saying the URL will be "donated as a memorial or for some other suitable purpose."