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Raw Bytes Computer News KPBX FM 91.1 Radio National Public Radio Network Frank Delaney Producer Broadcast on Thursday Morning 7:35 AM During Morning Edition Support Public Radio ! The Theater Of the Mind |
In computer news this week 6/07/2006 |
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Still another
internet rip-off comes in your mail – not your email. There seems to be no end to companies that prey on internet illiteracy and just plain business illiteracy. The latest scam you have to watch out for comes in the form of a check you receive in the mail, for a small amount like $ 3.25, from a company that calls itself YP.Com Internet Yellow Pages. I received one of these checks recently in my mail, and at first glance I thought it was a standard coupon refund check or something , like when you buy something at a store and there’s a mail-in refund offer. As a matter of fact this check even has the term Grocery Store in the memo field, to make it look exactly like a refund check. And I do send in refund offers and do get small checks in the mail, which I just cash for beer money. But what caught my eye on this one was the Company name - YP.Com Internet Yellow Pages – and immediately I smelled internet scam. The front of the check looks very innocent, like a regular refund check, and has my company name and my business phone number on it. But when you unfold the check and notice the check stub – you see it says Yellow pages advertisement solicitation, and describes this check as a discount incentive.
The real bad news is on the back of this check – which then states in tiny fine print that if you cash this check - you agree to pay $ 27.50 per month for their internet advertising, and that they have the right to bill you on your regular phone bill, or by direct debit to your checking account !!!!! Now there are internet yellow pages, and of course the biggest one is the regular phone company, but I don’t think people use them much. It’s like that’s what search engines are for, and search engines will return all kinds of hits, not just one, when you’re looking for something. As soon as I did a google search using the name of this company, I found a website blog telling multiple horror stories about this company, and testimonials from business people who had fallen for this scheme. http://www.coyoteblog.com/coyote_blog/2004/11/directory_listi.html This included horror stories of companies whose checking accounts were debited without their knowledge or permission, and numerous stories of complaints to State consumer protection agencies regarding this fraud. To put this in somewhat of a perspective – as to how you could do a much better job promoting your business yourself on the internet yourself – you can currently buy a domain name and 2 years of web hosting from Godaddy.com, for a total under $ 100 for a 2 year period. This includes a 5 gigabyte website, 500 email addresses, and blogging, forums, and picture galleries. You could promote yourself all over the internet, and register with dozens of free internet search engines, for under $ 4 a month. And I’m sure you would get a much greater return for your dollar, and be totally in control. So beware of refund checks that come in the mail and be sure to read the fine print, or you might be singing the internet blues . For Raw Bytes This is Frank Delaney (C) 2006 MTA Micro
Technology Associates http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbx.html PO Box 31522 Spokane, Wa 99223-1522 (509)624-7230 |
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