legal RipOffReport.com SCAM

[mjreine]

Ok here's the deal... I bought a domain that I want to start trying to build a business on right?

So I search google for my term and see that there was bad press out there from one lone wolf guy who mistakenly typed MY URL instead of a VERY SIMILAR website that was in business awhile back but went bust for whatever reason.

There was one letter after my domain name was the real domain this persons complaint was for. I know because I knew about their site but had no involvement with them.

So I contacted ripoffreport.com and kindly told them that their listing was incorrect and to please remove it along with the archive.org link to show my case that this user reported the incorrect URL.

They came back with a bunch of legalese PDFS basically in summary they want $2,000!!!! Just to review the case and to maybe remove the incorrect url.

Correct me if I'm wrong lawyers but if someone slanders your business isn't the burden to correct the mistake on thier shoulders?


For all I know they could hire writers to come up with BS about a company and then extort that company $2k to redact the incorrect information.

What scam artists!

Any help is appreciated. What would you do? I just want to clear my domain name which has been parked for many years before i use it and dont want crap on the web on my phrase which im trademarking.

Thanks!!!

 

[Dale Hubbard]

That's atrocious. I'd immediately register something like ripoffreportsucks.com and put up a WP site. Give them a taste of their own medicine, and a place perhaps where others who have been ripped off can seek some redress.

 

[draggar]

That's libel if I've ever seen one. Have a lawyer write a letter.

 

[katherine]

Similar but different story here:
We have a domain that has made $500 on PPC in the last 6 months - traffic soared when somebody mistakenly mentioned the domain in the ripoff report

 

[iBizStart]

You guys are wasting your time. Ripoff report is already getting sued for similar reasons to this in Florida. There are rumors that they create negative reviews themselves in an effort to blackmail consumers into paying for their premium services. Unfortunately courts so far have sided with ripoffreport because everyone has a first amendment right to publish what they feel. If this really is a case of a mistaken domain name, it will take nothing short of a lawsuit to have this mistake fixed which will likely cost a lot more than $2,000. Especially if a legitimate user posted the comment you are referring to, it is not libel (defamation) just because he accidentally inserted the wrong URL.

 

[Dale Hubbard]

I wouldn't bother with letters to start with, and general faffing around. Get the 'sucks' site up, then write letters.

 

[iBizStart]

Stop wasting your time. Do you know how many people have already created ripoffreport sucks websites, plus how much negative coverage they already have? Your wordpress site means nothing to them.

 

[Dale Hubbard]

Stop wasting your time. Do you know how many people have already created ripoffreport sucks websites, plus how much negative coverage they already have? Your wordpress site means nothing to them.

I do know one person who created one -- me. And it had the desired effect within a few hours after a call to the offending CEO. So it wasn't a waste of time for me.

 

[iBizStart]

The CEO of ripoff report called you?

 

[Dale Hubbard]

The CEO of ripoff report called you?

This was an unrelated company. I called the CEO after setting up the blog. The matter was settled in minutes to my satisfaction.

 

[iBizStart]

exactly my point. For the issue mjreine is having, a blog won't help him here.

 

[Biggie]

exactly my point. For the issue mjreine is having, a blog won't help him here.

although i understand where you may see it as a hopeless situation, because of the previous complaints from others with no resolutions, but...


devious people, companies and services will always take advantage of the "silent majority"


so to those "sucks" type sites, they have potential for leverage.


it's a way to create "weight" that can tip the balance on the c-saw of bs in this world.


leverage (you wanting your domain removed) is the tool used by "r o r", as a source of revenue


imo...

 

[Dale Hubbard]

exactly my point. For the issue mjreine is having, a blog won't help him here.

Haven't tried it -- won't work -- non sequitur?

 

[mjreine]

ibizstart, you said "everyone has a first amendment right to publish what they feel." Is that really the case? You can use your first amendment rights to share your opinion of a company. I.e. so and so screwed me.. their shipping is so high. Thats percieved injustice. Actually their shipping prices may be in line with competitors. Dont like it? Dont buy from them.

Where I believe slander and libel come in to play is if someone says soandso dotcom stole money from me and never shipped my product, they overbilled me etc. and then put down the wrong url by accident. The burned of proving the correct website should fall on rip off report to VERYIFY...DOUBLE VERIFY that they have it correct.

If they dont, I believe it damaged my companies reputation. My site isnt just a wordpress site. Not sure where that came in at. So if they are slandering me and doing libel (damaging our online reputation). I would think I could sue them and win with damages.

They need to wake up and not let just anyone post just anything about just anyone online and think it's all covered by the first amendment. It isn't

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-slander-and-libel.htm

 

[DigiNames]

it is ironic that a site about scams would try to rip people off themselves, but that is exactly what they are doing. It is legal extortion. Even excellent businesses can receive a bad review from a problem customer or even a competitor, and these good companies are the ones that care the most about their reputation. To charge $2000 to remove a comment is a Rip-off.

Why don't you post about them on their own website and see if they remove that or not? If they do they are violating your free speech and will prove that they are hypocrites.

 

[mjreine]

Domainster...great idea! I should try that posting a ripoffreport about them on their own site. Haha... Id bet they will take that one down asap. If anyone is interested, I can get you a zip file of the PDFs that they sent me just PM me your email address on here.

 

[grcorp]

Similar but different story here:
We have a domain that has made $500 on PPC in the last 6 months - traffic soared when somebody mistakenly mentioned the domain in the ripoff report

That is lovely.

---------- Post added at 05:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:12 PM ----------

I'd file a claim against them in small claims court for the damages. It's telling them, not asking them. They want $2,000 to remove your mark, you want $2,000 for their displaying your mark in a libelous fashion.

If it's ok for them to do, then it's OK for you to do.

 

[mjreine]

Here's what these morons wrote me today.. Whoohoo I can have a free rebuttal. Basically I can waste my time to post more SEO spider food for them to make them even richer and draw even more attention to their libelous mistake. And they wont take it down until I pay $2,000 for an outside arbitrator. What a joke. Aren't there any domain lawyers in the room who want to take these guys on?




I understand you are upset, however, as I mentioned before we don’t take reports down. This is the perfect situation wherein you can write a rebuttal to the report (which is free) calmly explaining that the author, as you claim, had the incorrect url address. You can explain the same information you did to me in your rebuttal. Or, again, if you want more, and if you can prove that the report was about another company, then you can provide proof and have a VIP Arbitration arbitrator, who is independent from Ripoff Report, determine whether or not the statements made in the report are false. The statements that are found to be false will be redacted pursuant to the Arbitration Rules. These are your options with our website and, again, I can’t tell you what other options you may or may not have. These are questions for an attorney in your local area.



I’m sorry you are upset but please understand that this e-mail is really for VIP Arbitration related questions only and is NOT for other inquiries such as debating the accuracy of a report. Due to the volume of email we receive, arguments about the accuracy of a report which are sent to this address will not be reviewed and will not be responded to.



If you should have any further questions about the VIP Arbitration program then I would be happy to assist you. However, if you have any further questions relating to anything other matter relating to a report then you need to direct your e-mail to [email protected].

Again, I wish you the best of luck in your dispute resolution goals.

Sincerely,

Anette
Arbitration Administrator
PO Box 310, Tempe, AZ 85280
www.ripoffreport.com

 

[grcorp]

I am not an attorney, but if you would like a hand at this, I will gladly, and at no charge, tear this c*** to shreds.

Maybe a "false report" or two as to her conduct at work might get her visions a little straighter.

And she shouldn't have a problem with it. Since she seems to support the existence of "false reports".

 

[Cartoonz]

I am not an attorney, but if you would like a hand at this, I will gladly, and at no charge, tear this c*** to shreds.

Maybe a "false report" or two as to her conduct at work might get her visions a little straighter.

And she shouldn't have a problem with it. Since she seems to support the existence of "false reports".

You do realize that it is not "Anette" who wrote the policy, it is the policy of her scummy employer... right? So calling her names and striking out after her personally is not only ridiculous but, if written in the style you just used and published, actually a slam dunk court case- against you! Here's what you need to understand... RipOffReports is taking advantage of the law, which says that libel/slander/defamation/etc. actions can only be filed against the AUTHOR, not the website. As stupid and inconvenient as this seems, it actually protects the good guys in most cases... R.O.R. not being one of the "good" guys, but they have found a way to weasel themselves into that protection.

I'd ignore the whole thing, if it were me. Seriously, unless you have dozens of complaints on those stupid sites - it doesn't mean diddly.