Post by Shadow on Jan 1, 2006 11:28:06 GMT -5
Survey Scout Creates AOL Accounts - Then AOL Spies On YOU
Rense
By Ted Twietmeyer
tedtw@frontiernet.net
12-28-5
Before we talk about how AOL accounts opened without your permission and being spied upon, we must first look at one example of how your personal information can be obtained (i.e., "weasled" out of you.) We often think web scams come from small-time back room operations. But this is not always the case as an experience by a friend has recently proven. It can all begin when someone thinks that earning money from home is a great idea.
ENDLESS ENVELOPES
In the past, unwary people responded to various classified ads for "stuffing envelopes at home." Many companies hired people sight-unseen to do the work. They promised to pay them after thousands of envelopes were returned to the company stuffed as instructed. Often the "employee" was required to pay a fee up front - almost for the "privilege" of working for the company. The fee became money they would never see again. Neither would a paycheck arrive in the mail. Most people caught by this scam never knew that high-speed machines have been doing this job for several decades. Therefore, they never asked why they would be hired in the first place - all they saw was a source of easy income. One doesn't need an MBA to realize that shipping charges alone incurred twice will far outstrip any economic benefits.
SURVEYS - THE DIGITAL EQUIVALENT OF ENVELOPE STUFFING
Survey forms are the digital equivalent of stuffing envelopes at home. There are countless survey websites, where the website's "member" supposedly answers endless questions forms and are compensate for doing so. One company known as "SurveyScout" charges members up front a $34.95 fee for website access to fill out market survey forms. The company claims they will "refund in full the fee for anyone not satisfied." This has been found to be another lie by a friend who put it to the test. Requests for a refund went unanswered. Google the search term "survey scout scam." As of 12/27/2005 you will receive 4,130 search results.
YOU MAY HAVE ONE OR MORE AOL ACCOUNTS WITHOUT YOUR AUTHORIZATION
The Survey Scout website also claims that members are rewarded with free products, coupons, cash and other incentives for filling out an endless parade of web forms. Often the member spends up to an hour doing this exercise, only to find out the cash or incentive is the proverbial "carrot on a stick." These incentives are like the carrot held in front of a horse on an old cartoon to make him run faster. Websites do this by creating these complicated reward requirements which only appear after all the questions are answered for a survey. They create ridiculous requirements which no one can ever fulfill. When our friend attempted to reach Survey Scout and demand repayment, no phone number could be found. Their business address on their website is listed on the website as 6724 Perimeter Loop Rd., Dublin, Ohio. Neither Whitepages.com or switchboard.com can find a listing for a phone at that address. Emails to the company were also ignored.
Rense
By Ted Twietmeyer
tedtw@frontiernet.net
12-28-5
Before we talk about how AOL accounts opened without your permission and being spied upon, we must first look at one example of how your personal information can be obtained (i.e., "weasled" out of you.) We often think web scams come from small-time back room operations. But this is not always the case as an experience by a friend has recently proven. It can all begin when someone thinks that earning money from home is a great idea.
ENDLESS ENVELOPES
In the past, unwary people responded to various classified ads for "stuffing envelopes at home." Many companies hired people sight-unseen to do the work. They promised to pay them after thousands of envelopes were returned to the company stuffed as instructed. Often the "employee" was required to pay a fee up front - almost for the "privilege" of working for the company. The fee became money they would never see again. Neither would a paycheck arrive in the mail. Most people caught by this scam never knew that high-speed machines have been doing this job for several decades. Therefore, they never asked why they would be hired in the first place - all they saw was a source of easy income. One doesn't need an MBA to realize that shipping charges alone incurred twice will far outstrip any economic benefits.
SURVEYS - THE DIGITAL EQUIVALENT OF ENVELOPE STUFFING
Survey forms are the digital equivalent of stuffing envelopes at home. There are countless survey websites, where the website's "member" supposedly answers endless questions forms and are compensate for doing so. One company known as "SurveyScout" charges members up front a $34.95 fee for website access to fill out market survey forms. The company claims they will "refund in full the fee for anyone not satisfied." This has been found to be another lie by a friend who put it to the test. Requests for a refund went unanswered. Google the search term "survey scout scam." As of 12/27/2005 you will receive 4,130 search results.
YOU MAY HAVE ONE OR MORE AOL ACCOUNTS WITHOUT YOUR AUTHORIZATION
The Survey Scout website also claims that members are rewarded with free products, coupons, cash and other incentives for filling out an endless parade of web forms. Often the member spends up to an hour doing this exercise, only to find out the cash or incentive is the proverbial "carrot on a stick." These incentives are like the carrot held in front of a horse on an old cartoon to make him run faster. Websites do this by creating these complicated reward requirements which only appear after all the questions are answered for a survey. They create ridiculous requirements which no one can ever fulfill. When our friend attempted to reach Survey Scout and demand repayment, no phone number could be found. Their business address on their website is listed on the website as 6724 Perimeter Loop Rd., Dublin, Ohio. Neither Whitepages.com or switchboard.com can find a listing for a phone at that address. Emails to the company were also ignored.