Multiple accounts not asking me for payment

I have created several extra avatars, and I was asked in the process whether I had an account already, in which case I said "yes", and paid the $10 or so for the extra account. Now when I create another account, at no point does it ask me if I already have an account, so it is giving the extra accounts free of charge.

I want to be absolutely legal about this. Can anyone tell me where I am missing this question which used to pop up?

I am using an email ID which I was not using before, but still, it used to ask me the question every time.

The official route to create an alt seems to be closed. Several people (including myself) have reported on this forum about not being able to create an alt using their primary account information (same adress, email adress etc.). When you do it that way, you get a message about the number of alts for any resident being limited (but it also occurs for people trying to create their first alt). The "do you already have an account" never showed up.

Apparently only email info is used to determine whether you have an account, so by using a different email ID you seem to have inadvertently bypassed the system currently blocking the creation of alts. As there has been no information about this by the Lindens, I have no idea where you stand from a Linden's legal point of view.

How interesting.

Well, I am putting my personal details correctly, but choosing another email ID. Nowhere does it say I have to use the same email ID, right?

My preference would be to pay the money and have a second account fully above board.

In therory, LL track how many accounts you have, by two methods... email address and CC details.. If you create a new account and use either one of those on that account, LL see these as the same account and will block you from having more accounts once you reach the limit (2 I believe). It's crude, but it works.