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Protection from scam providers on WF

by spirituscorpus
16 replies
I recently paid for a service from a WF provider and they did not provide the service they originally advertised.

I appreciate that WF are not responsible in such cases but I thought we at least had a right to share our experiences of the service in the sales thread, otherwise, how can other potential buyers gauge the credibility of the service/product being sold.

This is what I did but was very disappointed to discover my posts completely removed by WF.
#protection #providers #scam
  • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
    Hmm, I'm thinking there was something more than just a "review" left on the thread - because otherwise the feedback would have been left.

    I would recommend you send in a request to the help desk directly to find out why your feedback was removed.
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  • Profile picture of the author davejug1
    You might have inadvertently violated rule 5:

    5. If By Chance You Do Get Scammed By Someone The Problem Is Between You And Them. Not The Forum. Not The MOD's. And Not The Forum Owner. If you get scammed you deal with the person that scammed you. That's just the way it has to be. You have zero protection in here just like you have zero protection on the rest of the Internet. You can charge back on them, you can sue them or you can post about them all over the Internet. Whatever you do is entirely between you and the seller.

    This means you have to deal with it outside of the forum and the thread.

    Rightly or wrongly, it's a house rule and we all agree to abide by them.
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    • Profile picture of the author PlatinumLady
      Originally Posted by davejug1 View Post

      You might have inadvertently violated rule 5:

      5. If By Chance You Do Get Scammed By Someone The Problem Is Between You And Them. Not The Forum. Not The MOD's. And Not The Forum Owner. If you get scammed you deal with the person that scammed you. That's just the way it has to be. You have zero protection in here just like you have zero protection on the rest of the Internet. You can charge back on them, you can sue them or you can post about them all over the Internet. Whatever you do is entirely between you and the seller.

      This means you have to deal with it outside of the forum and the thread.

      Rightly or wrongly, it's a house rule and we all agree to abide by them.
      It's a hard pill to swallow but that is life. Just take it as an experience and learn from it. You could name and shame them on Youtube if you want to go that far.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
        Originally Posted by davejug1 View Post

        You might have inadvertently violated rule 5:
        Resolution of the issue is technically done outside - but he does have the ability to leave negative feedback on the vendors thread - so long as it is done as a review style and not just "you have scammed me."

        And it is appreciated by people like me when someone alerts me to flaws within a service or product provided.

        If the vendor is in fact not delivering, there is the ability to get the thread closed or put into a paused mode as well. Members can even be banned for running offers that don't stay in line with the WSO rules or if foul play is determined by the mods.

        Again, I'd suggest a visit and nice inquiry to the help desk if you think your commentary left on the thread was within reason.
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        • Profile picture of the author spirituscorpus
          Originally Posted by Jill Carpenter View Post

          Resolution of the issue is technically done outside - but he does have the ability to leave negative feedback on the vendors thread - so long as it is done as a review style and not just "you have scammed me."

          And it is appreciated by people like me when someone alerts me to flaws within a service or product provided.

          If the vendor is in fact not delivering, there is the ability to get the thread closed or put into a paused mode as well. Members can even be banned for running offers that don't stay in line with the WSO rules or if foul play is determined by the mods.

          Again, I'd suggest a visit and nice inquiry to the help desk if you think your commentary left on the thread was within reason.
          I completely understand the issue can't and won't be resolved by any other parties other than myself and the service provider and I'm not angling for any intervention from the board.

          However, I believed there was a "moral right" from the board at least to allow dissatisfied buyers from posting their feedback on the service on the seller's thread.

          In this case the seller offered a "100 % guarantee" that the service they provided would be accepted by another site (I'm purposely being obtuse as I don't want this thread to disappear for violation). They offered to provide the service again and it was again rejected by the other site. In total, they offered five times and each time it was rejectednow that does not equate to a 100% guarantee in my book and that is what I wrote in their thread.

          I appreciate I have to abide by the board's decision but it's setting a very worrying precedent if positive feedback is safeguarded but negative feedback is moderated or edited out completely !
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  • Profile picture of the author davejug1
    It's like resumes that we have in the UK, you're not allowed to give out bad ones because they hinder people's chances of getting a job. Yea I know, stupidity defined.

    Anyway employers get around it by not saying much at all. Like "Dear Sirs, DaveJug1 make good cups of tea. Your's, the Boss"

    I'm sure we're not getting to that stage here.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmandaT
    You are allowed to post negative reviews in their thread. You need to stick to the facts and make sure not to make personal attacks.
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  • Profile picture of the author spirituscorpus
    Originally Posted by Young And Opulent View Post

    Ive seen people get banned for leaving negative reviews or have their posts deleted, no matter how respectable and mature they were about explaining it. So that may not be an option. Heck, I asked a guy whom I bought a WSO from about an update he'd promised and was disrespected and called names by several members just for asking about the update. I defended myself and was banned while nothing happened to the members who insulted me for asking a simple question.

    So I'd say be careful.
    No name calling and I didn't post any abusive comments. I simply stated the facts i.e. their original claim in their sales thread and the reality of the service that was actually delivered.

    Lesson learnt.

    I can't afford to take the risk of buying any WSO's on here as any negative feedback is likely to have been filtered through the board's policy.
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  • Profile picture of the author KyleGolemMedia
    I'm actually really surprised negative feedback isn't allowed. So we're supposed to go off testimonials and positive feedback that could ultimately be fabricated? I don't like the idea of that

    I'm not sure this system is best for an Internet Marketing forum where we put our faith in the people purchasing the products. If I created a WSO, that money would feel dirty if the people I sold it to didn't find value in it...or get the product at all! In fact, their refund would be in their account before they could turn their head. That's just me though.

    Spirituscorpus, I'm sorry you're going through this. It sounds like you may be better off befriending people in the forums and learning about tools they're using successfully. I personally use Skype and have a daily chat with about 12 other Warriors. It's great because I can trust these guys...they're normal human beings with an opinion and they're from all over the world so it makes for an interesting conversation each and every day.

    Hope you can get this sorted with the buyer. What a shame that people can do this without repercussions. Like I said, I would recommend creating a circle from the forum. It will help you in the long run...it certainly has for me!

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  • Profile picture of the author ScouterGuy
    As a "newbie", that doesnt sell any WSOs, but have bought quite a few, I have to say that this post means I will be more careful in the future. I agree with the site rules, that of course customer service should not be done in the forum, but censorship is never the way to go. This just means that you stop trusting WF as a source to find great services and deals.
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  • Profile picture of the author protectyoursales
    I have to say, I didn't know that happened as frequently as I guess now that it does. Definitely will make me a lot more careful reading through WSO reviews/comments from now on knowing that negative ones were likely removed. I always though leaving honest, non-pesonal feedback within the thread was encouraged, regardless of whether it was negative or positive. But I guess that's not the case.
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  • Profile picture of the author SteveJohnson
    My advice to all of you who are proclaiming the sky is falling: 'negative' reviews are and always have been allowed as long as they follow the rules. Give an objective review, don't get personal, and you have to have bought the product or service.

    Mr. OP - you described that the guarantee was that whatever it was the provider did would be accepted by another site, and that they've tried 5 times now. It seems to me that they're fulfilling their obligation by giving you replacements for whatever it was. On the face of it, and going by what you posted, my initial thought is that you're in the wrong to be complaining like this and you haven't been 'scammed' in the least.

    In this case the seller offered a "100 % guarantee" that the service they provided would be accepted by another site (I'm purposely being obtuse as I don't want this thread to disappear for violation). They offered to provide the service again and it was again rejected by the other site. In total, they offered five times and each time it was rejectednow that does not equate to a 100% guarantee in my book and that is what I wrote in their thread.
    I'd say that providing the service five times EXACTLY 'equate[s] to a 100% guarantee'. You didn't mention them guaranteeing that their service wouldn't be rejected - it seems to me they're making good on their promise to keep doing it until they get it right.
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    • Profile picture of the author spirituscorpus
      Originally Posted by SteveJohnson View Post

      My advice to all of you who are proclaiming the sky is falling: 'negative' reviews are and always have been allowed as long as they follow the rules. Give an objective review, don't get personal, and you have to have bought the product or service.

      Mr. OP - you described that the guarantee was that whatever it was the provider did would be accepted by another site, and that they've tried 5 times now. It seems to me that they're fulfilling their obligation by giving you replacements for whatever it was. On the face of it, and going by what you posted, my initial thought is that you're in the wrong to be complaining like this and you haven't been 'scammed' in the least.


      I'd say that providing the service five times EXACTLY 'equate[s] to a 100% guarantee'. You didn't mention them guaranteeing that their service wouldn't be rejected - it seems to me they're making good on their promise to keep doing it until they get it right.
      I respectfully beg to differ and I will explain why.

      Their sales thread stated (and still does !) that they have perfected the terms and policies of this other site and they also claim "one hundred per cent guaranteed automatic submision".

      Technically speaking and if I am feeling particularly pedantic their product being rejected first time round was already breaking that guarantee/claim.

      I have accepted their offer of remedying the situation on five separate occasions and all of this done via private messaging on the provider's own dashboard. I mention this to demonstrate that I haven't come running to this forum all guns blazing at the first sign of any issues.

      This went on for over four weeks before I decided it would be best if I requested a refund. They refused and offered to revise the product for a sixth time. This is where you and I differ as I believe by offering me unlimited revisions does not equate to their original sales claim.

      Furthermore, these ongoing rejections are potentially causing me a problem as the site in question has been known to close accounts of members who continually make submissions that are rejected

      I agree that some people have interpreted my post to mean that all negative opinions are no longer posted-that isn't true. However, it is true to say that some valid negative opinions are removed completely without any explanation to the author or suggestion to at least modify the post to conform with whatever violation the board deems it to have caused.
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  • Profile picture of the author SteveBagasao
    I'm not sure what the particulars are in your case, but I have seen many negative reviews that have not been removed. They usually stick to the facts about the product.

    I think the WF has to make some judgments on the type of negative reviews that are written. Not saying that you did this, but some people get personal and write earth-scorching nuclear blasts.

    Often times, the problem a person may have with a product or service is due to a misunderstanding, or they just fell through the customer service cracks (which happens), while the majority of people were satisfied with the product. It's not really fair to the product owner to have his product tainted, due to some back-end issues that are likely isolated incidents and can be remedied.

    As someone who has had years of sales and marketing experience, I can personally attest that people get disgruntled about products for the most ridiculous reasons. They proceed to get all negative and lambast a product without even giving the product seller a chance to remedy things. It's kind of like the guy at a restaurant who yells loudly for all to hear, "I didn't get ketchup on my burger, so I'm never coming back to this place again," when it was just an honest mistake and easily remedied.

    My advice: Give the product owner ample opportunity and time to remedy the problem. If that doesn't work, ask for a refund.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim_Carter
    Try posting it again, but make sure you keep to the facts and state the exact problem.

    You are allowed to do that if you bought it.
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