The business then, thinking I had posted another report, stated they had already posted a fake report about me and if I kept it up they would post another one. I made ROR aware of this and they still have my report on their site.

In the 10 years since I became aware of ROR, it has now become just another corrupt internet business. Much of their funding comes from advertising and the corporate advocacy program (“the bribe us or else” program). In addition, the site is loaded with malware. Anytime I go to the site, my computer locks me out of the site because of the malware.

ROR is a scam business and hopefully the IRS will catch up with them sooner than later.

Here’s what I’ve noticed. I’ve monitored the events and this site for a couple of days and little by little inside the consumer’s original complaint there are links to advertisers using key words. For example ‘finance’ is now linked to a financial company offering loans. The same is true for lender. Makes you stop and think doesn’t it? If this site wasn’t in it for the money why use sponsors or advertising links embedded in consumers complaints?

The owners of this site are under investigation and word has it that they are now operating in Hungary. What recourse do you have against a person in Hungary? NONE!
This site is a rip off disguised as a consumer friendly web service.

link to the release: http://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases08/pr20080318b.html

If the case is successful, getting ROR is a lay up, but interestingly enough, Google might also have some liability here. Why? Because Google represents to the public that its natural search results are an unbiased source of information.

Many of the businesses that have been attacked by ROR have reported the ROR listings to Google, only to see the ROR listings then increase in ranking on Google. The form where Google asks webmasters to report spam is here: http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html. This is the public form, but the same form occurs within the Google webmaster account which is where most business have reported ROR listings to Google, allowing Google to pin the reports back on the businesses reporting them. Many have maintained that the ratings boost happens because the people fielding these listings are pre-disposed to an anti-corporate, pro-consumer advocacy bent. Think Ralph Nader. I mean we are talking about young techies in California after-all Can anyone say crunchy? — and I’m a democrat. Well, that’s all well and good; I’m all for doing right by the consumer, and perhaps consumer advocacy/review sites do deserve favorable treatment in Google in order to present balanced search results. Sites like epinions.com are certainly a great service to consumers, but with ROR, they clearly made a mistake and that mistake has been pointed out to them. Rather than fix the mistake, Google has just dug in their heals and even given ROR more power than other review sites like epinions. Why? That’s the only question. And the only conclusion I can figure is what I said above; some immature people making decisions that should be handled at higher levels in the Company with more oversight, but were in fact, agenda driven.

Bottom line – if this is true, thousands of businesses have been cost billions of dollars in sales because of these bias decisions made by a few PEOPLE inside of Google. People, not machines, not the Google algorithm. If that’s true, Google’s search results (at least in this case) are NOT unbiased, but are in fact driven by a political agenda, not by an agenda of providing the best results for users, which is Google’s material representation to the public.

Google’s results for the most part are great, but I really think they’ve pinned themselves in on this one. I suggest they start treating ROR like it deserves or they may come under attack from several state AGs. I’ve talked to a high profile class action firm that has no interest in a case against Rip Off Report, but is salivating at the potential link to Google.

To contact Google’s Press Team to let them know what you think, call this number:

650 930 3555

Are you a business in New Jersey? To Contact The New Jersey State Attorney General, 973 504 6200.

Division of Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 45027
Newark, NJ 07101

All of the above is just my opinion. I’m not a lawyer and I’m not giving legal advice. Make up your own mind.

check info:www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/297/RipOff0297911.htm
in google

look at the edit dates on the comments. oops

THis ripoff report was made by Ed Magedson so they can sue google when he is shut. he is that arrogant

Bill

Why not tell the truth and say, ..Sorry, I made a mistake by putting my last name in the first name box, this could be dangerous to me, please do me a favor and fix that for me. = = =

Un freaking believable……

oddly enough my email stated, hey sorry I made a mistake could you correct this for me so it doesnt violate my safety… nice guy…. what a joke!!!! if anyone wants copys for proof i set up an email… shesaprettypistol@gmail.com for the sole purpose of distributing the emails…

ps he never did remove my name

I do believe they have been non-responsive to RORs spamming because of 2 reasons: 1. Google ALWAYS comes down on the side of the user. Even though their money comes from advertisers, Google will do whatever they think is better for the user. I disagree that ROR is good for users, but that’s their logic. 2. Google wants advertisers to buy adwords for their own brandnames. Negative pub, gives advertisers more reason to do so.

So combine Google’s looking the other way on the Spamming with the usage data and you have the reason ror ranks so well. Bottom line is that Google has every right to factor in usage data to organic rankings, BUT they do NOT have the right to enforce their own terms of service selectively. If it’s proven they do, they are in a world of hurt because then even Google starts to look editorial instead of algorithmic.