Click Fraud the Robin Hood Way?

Vetofunk · #1 (**permalink**) 10-11-2006, 02:13 PM

Hi everyone,

I ordered from this MagsForLess site back in June. I still have not gotten my nearly $100.00 in magazines. My wife, the same thing, and she ordered in April! No response to the dozen emails over the past two months and their phone number just says "Hello. Goodbye". I did a whois lookup and it privacy protected.

I have found dozens of the same complaints on epinions and complaint boards about how this company is a scam. The BBB bureau has gotten a flood of complaints as well.

This is my thought. They still have Google Ads running. I have found the keywords they are advertising for that a re a little more expensive than the rest. Would it be wrong (in this case) to punish them by clicking away for the next month (under the radar) until I feel I have gotten my $100.00 back?

I have always been against click fraud, trust me, but there is no way I am going to get my money back from this. It is past the 3 month period on my debit card so no way to get my money back this way. This has happened to dozens and dozens of others as well. This is just a way to get back at the rich (MagsForLess) and defend the poor (the customers).

Anyone have an opinions on this?

scanmonkey · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 01:14 AM

Bad idea.

Vetofunk · #3 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 06:00 PM

Well, instead of actually doing it, I threatened to do it through an email to their company. And guess what, within an hour I got a response. They will be looking into the problem they said.

:-)

fctoma · #4 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 06:58 PM

good to hear you got their attention, a good move, instead of clicking away at their adwords. I've had the same thing happen, well similar.

I have a disc golf site (www.idahofallsdiscgolf.com) and I have adwords scattered throughout the site. A visitor emailed me stating he didn't get the "6 free discs" he was promised once he clicked on the adword ad (listed on my site) and filled out their survey.

He emailed me stating he called, emailed, and exhausted all avenues trying to get his money/items, no response. So, I emailed Google and they sent an email back to me stating they were investigating and will get back to me on this. It has been almost two weeks, not sure what will come of this.

Have a good one!

EditFast · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 09:31 PM

The click till you get your money's worth is not a good idea for two reasons (and probably more): 1) it is fraud and you are stooping to the level they operate at. 2) I sincerely doubt that you would ever "get your money's worth". Revenge is never satisfying and something as ephemeral as clicking on a link to hopefully incur some cost to the advertiser will not satisfy your desire to get your money back.

Your second route is the best way. In addition you can threaten to report them to whoever they respect: the BBB (again), their ISP, their web host, their clients, (not sure how you access that info. Maybe gather info about all the people who have complained and start a class action suit--or at least threaten to do so).

However, if they are as bad as you say, I have my doubts that you will ever hear from them. They are simply playing the delay until it goes away game.

hs4u · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 09:45 PM

From GoDaddy, it looks like they are registered through them. Here is additional information they gave for the domain magsforless(dot)com:

Domain Name: MAGSFORLESS.COM
Registrar: GO DADDY SOFTWARE, INC.
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
Name Server: DNS1.NAME-SERVICES.COM
Name Server: DNS2.NAME-SERVICES.COM
Status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
Updated Date: 15-jul-2006
Creation Date: 29-dec-2003
Expiration Date: 29-dec-2007

I would report them to GoDaddy with the emails and such you have sent and see if they will make them stop.

Good luck. I get so angry at those who try to make a quick buck off others the wrong way.

deepsand · #7 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hs4u

From GoDaddy, it looks like they are registered through them. Here is additional information they gave for the domain magsforless(dot)com:

Domain Name: MAGSFORLESS.COM
Registrar: GO DADDY SOFTWARE, INC.
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
Name Server: DNS1.NAME-SERVICES.COM
Name Server: DNS2.NAME-SERVICES.COM
Status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
Updated Date: 15-jul-2006
Creation Date: 29-dec-2003
Expiration Date: 29-dec-2007

I would report them to GoDaddy with the emails and such you have sent and see if they will make them stop.

Good luck. I get so angry at those who try to make a quick buck off others the wrong way.

The registrar neither bears the responsibility nor possesses the requisite authority for the regulation of the activities of a domain owner.

A registrar is but a record keeper only..

chrisJumbo · #8 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 10:59 PM

It would not be a good idea to get even. Besides stooping to their level; you could face charges and fine for committing fraud.

Do your best to take the proper actions you can to find a solution. Even if you don't, resorting to their tactics would make you no better.

In time, judgement day will come.

scanmonkey · #9 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vetofunk

Well, instead of actually doing it, I threatened to do it through an email to their company. And guess what, within an hour I got a response. They will be looking into the problem they said.

:-)

Another bad idea. Can be considered extortion.

If you have been wronged and can prove it, buy a domain name and tell your story. Ask other people that have been wronged to link back to you.

I see http://www.magsforlesssucks.com/ is already taken.

**jawn_tech** · #10 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 01:39 AM

I'd pursue holding accountability to them through a different route.

Just for encouragement to resist the temptation of cultivating vengeance. Bad for the soul.

Even though they're stinkpots and deserve it.

samm27 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 05:19 AM

Live everyone else I feel bad for you - seems like a waste for a site ranking so well to rip people off - why not do business honestly and make a longer lasting profit?

One of my clients is a competitor of those guys. http://www.magsonthenet.com I can personally vouch for them as I have been to their NY offices and seen their operation in action.

I don't recall how those guys do their SEO/SEM, one way to get back at them is to look for any dirty tricks they may be playing in SEO and turn them in to the Search Engines for those.

regards,
sam,

hs4u · #12 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 06:10 AM

Actually, Deepsand, I have turned in someone through GoDaddy and within a week the site was gone. I had the documentation to prove the fraud but the domain name was from them but Domains by proxy through them so I couldn't get at the name of the owner. Godaddy took action. Maybe others don't. If you have proof, then prove it to them. They don't want the bad name or rep of hiding fraudsters. That's why I use them for all my domain name needs.

Couldn't hurt to try this.

AjiNIMC · #13 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 06:15 AM

Blog about it and run a campagin agaist them that noone else is cheated. You have already started a campagin here, try to put them under a class lawsuit.

TrafficProducer · #14 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 06:16 AM

Have you tried Instantestore The Magsforless Shopping Cart Software By InstanteStore.com. They maybe able to help you out??? (Not thier fault so don't blamb them)

Whois is gives:-

Registrant Contact:
eSolved.com Sdn. Bhd.
Charles Tang (dreg@instantestore.com)
+60.42280704
Fax: +60.42270704
6th Floor Sheraton Penang Hotel
3, Jalan Larut
Georgetown, PENANG 10050
MY

Administrative Contact:
eSolved.com Sdn. Bhd.
Charles Tang (dreg@instantestore.com)
+60.42280704
Fax: +60.42270704
6th Floor Sheraton Penang Hotel
3, Jalan Larut
Georgetown, PENANG 10050
MY

Technical Contact:
eSolved.com Sdn. Bhd.
Charles Tang (dreg@instantestore.com)
+60.42280704
Fax: +60.42270704
6th Floor Sheraton Penang Hotel
3, Jalan Larut
Georgetown, PENANG 10050
MY

Status: Locked

Name Servers:
NS.ESOLVED.COM
NS2.ESOLVED.COM

Scams and hoaxes. Fraud warnings. Virus Attacks (Some handy links)

Fraud

Scams

More Fraud links

gabrielharrison · #15 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 06:55 AM

Absolutely the best thing to do is set up a page of your own and tell your story. Then optimize it to get it to the top of the SE rankings.

It's actually easier than you'd think to get high up because you are using the company's name a lot in your text and can put their name in all the important places like the title and headings.

I did this for a company that refused to listen to my complaints and am ranked 3 for their company name - http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fuller+cv

I probably get one person a month emailing me asking for advice. I'm doing others a favour, so I feel something good has come out of it - oh and yes it does make me smile when I think of the effect on the company.

Gabriel

TrafficProducer · #16 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 07:18 AM

Quote:

optimize it to get it to the top

A Popular word=Sucks for saying it is bad, poor quality, or rubbish..

Check that you do not commit libel, slander or plagiarism.

Read The Fuller CV review:-Don't waste your money

and:-

http://www.ciao.co.uk/The_Fuller_CV__6299469

Irishjim · #17 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 10:13 AM

Good advice all. If none of this works, you can always try the kneecapping trick.

Good luck. I've found time wounds all heels so they will get their rewards.

**wige** · #18 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 10:47 AM

Contact the company's hosting provider with documentation regarding the fraud. Hosts can be found liable for content in the sites they host, and thus may be willing to work with you. Plus most hosts bill month to month and should have the most current contact info for the company.

hcdmike · #19 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 12:14 PM

if you buy off the internet always use a credit card
and dude, if you don't get you shipment by the time you get your statement somethings wrong! then reverse the charges
come on man its hard to be sympathetic when you basically opened your wallet and said please steal from me!

EditFast · #20 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hcdmike

come on man its hard to be sympathetic when you basically opened your wallet and said please steal from me!

This gets a little off the topic, but I would have to disagree with you entirely. A thief is a thief. Your words are a slap in the face to honest, trusting people. Yes, of course, there is some buyer responsibility, especially on the Internet, but the bottom line is that it is the thief's responsibility for the problem, not the innocence of the victim. Lock up the thief, don't criticize the victim. (This is not meant to be condescending to the victim here in any way. Innocence is not a fault. Those who take advantage of another's innocence are the culpable ones.)

nullvariable · #21 (**permalink**) 10-13-2006, 04:11 PM

AdWords won't register more than one click per day from your machine to the ad and they might block you entirely if you are clicking ads like that of course there are other ways to get around that but the point is if Google noticed click fraud then they would likely credit the accused's account and your effort would be in vain

hope you can get your problem fixed. I would tend to go with the 'thiscompanysucks.com' approach myself...