SEO BLACKMAIL
“Your website will be banned and you will not be able to be found on Google not even with your company name” “You want to be saved PAY ME !!!! 6-8 weeks”
I hope so, because this effects all of us. We all know that some SEO con-artists (or any con-artists for that matter) will go to great lengths for the almighty dollar - but attempting BLACKMAIL / EXTORTION? NO WAY! I think the line has to be drawn here and now.
Yesterday one of my best clients (we’ll call MC -for ‘my client’- from here out) who’s been with us for about 3 years, called me about a Cold Call she received from a “gentleman” claiming to be Denis Glascon of Paramount Webmasters -about her website.
Now, keep in mind, we built MC’s site from the ground up, we actually run it and have made it into an site that consistently ranks at the top in all the major search engines. At Increase Ranking, WE DO NOT SPAM and WE DO NOT LINK FARM - nothing funny going on here! Just a lot of hard work (and smart work, we like to think!)
Turns out that Dennis is a slick talking BSer that wanted to warn MC that “Your site is going to be banned by Google”. MC is such a sweetie, INSTEAD OF HANGING UP like she should have, she just let him ramble for a bit.
Denis continued with lots of info about Google and informed her that her site is involved in Link Farming (of course it’s NOT!) and then was kind enough to email her some yuck page that contained a link to her site - explaining that for this reason she was “on the list” to be banned.
MC told me that “he started to sound very sincere - which caught my attention”. She even believed he was a Google rep!
Now, to anyone who KNOWS SEO, this guy is obviously a scammer. However, to those who do not know (most of the population) Slick Talkin’ Denis, who preys on emotion and fear, is apparently believable — at least to a point.
At this point, MC says ”This sounds serious! Could you talk to our website people so they can fix it? I’ll give you their number, I know they will want to know this!”
Denis Glascon explains to MC, that WE (us - Increase Ranking !) are the ones doing this to her, and we wouldn’t want to hear from HIM because we KNOW what we are doing! Fortunately, Denis’s stupid response threw up a BIG RED FLAG and clued MC in that Dennis was not actually concerned about HER site at all (imagine that!). She soon learned that Denis’s intention was to have her pay him to “fix” this problem - (you know, this problem which does NOT EXIST).
Now, that wouldn’t seem much different than most Scamming Cold Callers except that when Denis is turned down, he resorts to attempting BLACKMAIL / EXTORTION!
Just check out what Denis Glascon said to MC in his emails!
This is the email that Denis sent shortly after hanging up with MC. He is trying to SHOW HER how Google does indeed ban sites.
—–Original Message—–
From: ParamountWebMasters- Denis [mailto:(removed).com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 12:11 PM
To: (my client removed)
Subject: BMW Banned
Here are 2 different articles about Google banning BMW for cheating.
This one is a Blog from Google users to post click here
This one is the NY Times click here
Also here is a link with some basic Google spamming rules and how to report someone for cheating. Click Here
Denis Glascon
Web Advertising Consultant
USA/Canada Toll free (removed)
UK Toll Free (removed)
Local (removed)
Cell (removed)
www.ParamountWebMasters.com
———————————————
MC responded to his email - Nice of her, huh?
—–Original Message—–
From: (my client removed) [mailto:(removed)]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 1:55 PM
To: ParamountWebMasters - Denis
Subject: RE: BMW Banned
Thanks for your information but we will pass on the service you are offering.
———————————————
Denis shows his TRUE colors with this BLACKmail threat!
—–Original Message—–
From: ParamountWebMasters- Denis [mailto:(removed).com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 2:05 PM
To: (my client removed)
Subject: RE: BMW Banned
I make sure to report you to Google for link farming. I’m sorry. Your website will be banned and you will not be able to be found on Google not even with your company name
Denis Glascon
Web Advertising Consultant
USA/Canada Toll free (removed)
UK Toll Free (removed)
Local (removed)
Cell (removed)
www.ParamountWebMasters.com
————————————-
Now MC decides to quiz him a little based on the conversation she had with me earlier in the day.
—–Original Message—–
From: (my client removed) [mailto:(removed)]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 4:14 PM
To: ParamountWebMasters - Denis
Subject: RE: BMW Banned
Questions for you…
What is your job in this company? Do you actually optimize sites yourself? Are you saying that just because that page has a link to us, we are in a link farm and we are getting banned? Can you tell me what a link farm is? Can you tell me what day we are scheduled for banning? Can you tell me how you would prevent the BAN?
I would like answers to these questions please.
Thanks again.
————————————–
Blackmail / Extortion! Denis is a true scumbag!!
—–Original Message—–
From: ParamountWebMasters- Denis [mailto:(removed).com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:00 PM
To: (my client removed)
Subject: RE: BMW Banned
Your not interested in our services then I’m not interest in answering your questions. Were the best there is that why we are #1 without cheating. You want to be saved PAY ME !!!! 6-8 weeks
Denis Glascon
Web Advertising Consultant
USA/Canada Toll free (removed)
UK Toll Free (removed)
Local (removed)
Cell (removed)
www.ParamountWebMasters.com
———————
Slick-Talking Scumbag SEO Blackmailer?
I originally posted about it yesterday at HR Forum here: Slick Talkin’ Cold Callin’ (lots of discussion)
David Wallace of SearchRank had a good take on it in his blog: SEO and Blackmail
Chip Johns also blogged including HIS OWN EXPERIENCES with this SCUM COMPANY here: ChipJohns.com
**Comments are now cut off due to exessive amounts of blog spammers that I am tired of moderating and deleting.
)