Google Kit, or Treasure Chest, the Plot Thickens?

Pre-Script

Comments are now closed on this posting as Google Treasure Chest is dead.
However, the problem has not gone away – the menace continues.

For further information, all chat on this and subsequent scams is now here:
Google Revolution, Different Name, Same Scam!
and here:
More on Google Profits and Pacific Webworks/

Introduction

@AmazonThis is a follow-up to help the poor folks suckered in by Google Treasure Chest etc as detailed here and here.  Hopefully, it shows how things move in this murky world and how really, it’s all connected!

From reading the various links I provided at google-treasure-chest-its-a-scam-and-a-half , I found that some ‘commenters’ were recommending a site called ‘Google Cash’ as being somewhat more trustworthy.  It was supposed to have a better service and openness.

Of course, since in most of the forums absolutely no-one uses their real name, how can you tell that a supposedly ‘good’ comment about a thing, is actually good, and not just one of the spammers making a plug?

Answer:  You can’t, not without some digging and inferential thought.

Changes

Anyway, some of the guys behind all this have been reading all the negative stuff about themselves and actually taken some if it on board!

Jason

Jason Smith
Jason Smith

Take this site, http://web.archive.org/web/20090803130316/https://www.google-kit.com:80/?, which un-nervingly pops up a depressingly familiar cheery face, with a sad introductory life story, a new car and a happy, smiley family.  In this case, he’s called ‘Jason Williams’ and the site is titled ‘Jason’s Road to Riches‘ …

David

[image gone now, Sep 2009]I decided to chop out some text, as before, whack it into Google and see what pops out…..  Wahay!  Currently there’s only one site with the search string as here:   “I ended up getting in touch with an old friend of mine from college named Sean who had been running his own work from home business for a few years“.  It’s called , titled ‘David’s Cash Blog‘  [n.b. both sites now defunct, Sep 2009]

Differences and Inferences

The only real difference between the two sites (I haven’t back-linked for SEO reasons), is that the first has listened to some of the adverse comment in the forums…  Here’s how.

  • People have said frequently that even though the sites are made with WordPress and appear to have ‘customer comments’, the reality is that these were always blocked.  Not so with the first site, Jason’s.  Comments are exposed and can be added to.  Of course, this is only a small touch, but it’s re-assuring to a visitor. ( Like this site, a WordPress admin can delete, edit and  invent any amount of comments to put the thing in a good light – I might do it – how can you tell?  A= you can’t.  It’s a trust thing… ).
  • Jason’s site actually has the disclaimer right at the bottom of the main page!  Gasp!  previously you’d only see this on the securecart page, before you click ‘pay now’ and if you checked right at the bottom.

For your interest, this is the current spiel with the new address (that part, the address changes, hasn’t changed, if you see what I mean!).  Read it very, very carefully if you intend to go for this rubbish.

GOOGLE™ is a trademark of Google Inc. GOOGLE™ does not endorse or sponsor this site and is no way affiliated with this site. * By submitting this form I authorize Google ATM (DRI*GoogleATM) to immediately charge my credit card $1.95 USD for the setup of the Google ATM Home Business Kit. I hereby request that Google ATM (DRI*GoogleATM) activate my account and authorize them to advance funds as indicated. Monthly Service fees will commence seven days from the date of this purchase, and will be billed monthly thereafter. After the seven day trial you will be billed Sixty nine dollars and ninety cents USD monthly for the continued access to the Google Money Making System. No refunds will be given for failure to use the requested and provided services. We reserve the right to transfer your billing to a third party Merchant of Record. This authority will remain in effect until revoked by me. You may cancel at anytime by writing to 4240 West Flamingo Rd. Suite #201, Las Vegas, NV 89103 or calling 1-800-497-4988 (International customers please call 1-866-321-2728). I agree that Google ATM (DRI*GoogleATM) shall be fully protected in honoring any electronic transfer or collection. Google ATM shall not be responsible for refunding any Account Set-Up fees. By submitting this information I am agreeing to the terms stated herein. Google ATM (DRI*GoogleATM) will not send notification, postal or electronic, when a billing occurs.

But it shows that they are listening;  making all the changes necessary to stay ahead.

Bad Connections Revealed

Both sites now have links to something called http://chrisc.com/about/, a business that’s claimed to be reputable by many people in the forums.  I’ve got a funny feeling about this one because of the long standing of the company and the various people who’ve published proper books on the subject.  It’s very easy to lump all these similar sounding names into one heap of turd.

My supposition is that the googlecash.com link is being inserted to add an air of credibility to the various scammy sites.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t help googlecash.com’s cause when their site looks like a soap powder advert and the scammers’  look smooth and professional….  What is one to think!

Link Checking

And what about the links to the articles for sale.  What are they like?

A.  Jason is flogging three links:

  • The ‘Google Home Business Kit‘ which points after some redirections to here again
  • The ‘Google Marketing Kit’ which unfortunately I can’t see as I’m in the UK

A.  David is also flogging three links:

  • The ‘Google Home Business Kit‘  again, which has the same visual webpage but located here
  • The ‘Google Marketing Kit’ which unfortunately I can’t see because my OpenDNS has blocked the ‘LynxTrack’ counter and I can’t be bothered to unblock it!

Both securecartcenter.com and eznetincome.com I mentioned disparagingly in an earlier posting!  Nuff said.

Grant Kit

This is the third link for both sites.  You’ll notice that ‘Grants’ figure several times in the list of images and folders served in my description here: drill-down-through-bsadnpanthersslcom.  It’s all part of the same sorry team.  However, I must have caught them off-guard as the links didn’t actually work!  Ha Ha.

Funnily enough, on Jason’s site, no commenter seemed to notice that!

Conclusion

The scammers are using familiar tactics and methods but are tweaking continuously to stay ahead of the game.

  • They do anything to look good.
  • They do anything to disguise the true cost of the ‘service’. e.g. immediate charge is stated as $1.95.  Subsequent is written as Sixty nine dollars and ninety cents USD monthly.  It’s psychological – you don’t see it!

Comments

53 responses to “Google Kit, or Treasure Chest, the Plot Thickens?”

  1. Strangely avatar

    Comments are now closed on this posting as Google Treasure Chest is dead.
    However, the problem has not gone away – the menace continues.

    For further information, all chat on this and subsequent scams is now here:
    Google Revolution, Different Name, Same Scam!
    and here:
    More on Google Profits and Pacific Webworks/

  2. Steven avatar
    Steven

    it’s the biggest joke scam !! Not only that I found in on Fortune magazine’s site! WTF! Contacted them right away to get rid of that thing.

    There is Josh made cash, Judy made cash…etc etc. it’s all the same scam.

    here is where the company is for refunds

    405 East 12450 South
    Suite I
    Prapur Utah
    84020

    here is the number to call 866-951-1406
    whaha they will tell you that some people make a lot of money I told them what monopoly money. your kit is joke! It looks like it was made by High Schoolers!

    1. Strangely avatar

      @Steven
      Thanks Steven. I’ve got that number – it seems to be the one that works currently. It’s down at the bottom here:
      https://strangelyperfect.tv/3401/google-treasure-chest-phone-and-address-list/ The address is in Draper, Utah.

      Unfortunately, it’s not so simple to keep the ads off my website if I use Google Ads , which I do. This is one of my big gripes with Google as when I (or you) talk about the scammer’s name, it pops up in an ad – but the ads are for different lookalike scams!!

  3. Strangely avatar

    I’ve got another one.. a phone number that is!

    It’s another pipe manufacturing (drum roll) with a smiling face of Corey Samson and the clean green theme of David, Jason, kevin zzzzz sorry I’m dropping off.
    (The picture is actually called nick.gif – maybe it should be nicked gif?)

    This is the website which I got in by a rather dodgy way – I arrived by osmosis:

    internetbasedjobs.org/part-time/

    It’s called Corey’s Part-Time Job – so that’s a bit of a first since it doesn’t have ‘cash’ in the name!

    This is the stuff at the bottom of the page. Pay careful attention to the words because it’s as if the author hasn’t a clue at the start, what the words will contain by the end (I’m not joking!):

    Copyright © 2009 InternetBasedJobs.org

    Please Read Terms Carefully
    * I do NOT work for Google and Google is in no way associated with this website. Terms and Disclosures.The Google Startup kit mentioned above worked for me and for many other people, but results may vary by person. Also, keep in mind that I got the Google Startup trials for free, but there is a shipping fee and some advertisers have terms regarding continued billing after trial expires if you do not cancel. Some advertisers require trial to be canceled within seven or fourteen days of the trial period while some other advertisers give you thirty days to cancel the free trial. Please see terms per advertiser regarding the specific amount of days required to cancel your free trial before continued billing begins. The Google Startup kits I recommend usually retail for around seventy dollars. If you enjoy the products, simply do nothing. You will be billed at a discounted price, usually around fifty or sixty dollars at the end of the free trial period. By signing up YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CONSUMER TRANSACTION INVOLVES A NEGATIVE OPTION AND THAT YOU MAY BE LIABLE FOR PAYMENT OF FUTURE GOODS AND SERVICES, UNDER THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, IF YOU FAIL TO NOTIFY THE SUPPLIER NOT TO SUPPLY THE GOODS OR SERVICES DESCRIBED. Thanks and good luck with filling your first application! By clicking the order button, I am ordering the Google Startup Kit and trial membership for $1.95 s&h, after the 7 day trial I will be charged $47 a month thereafter if I do not cancel. I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy / Terms and Conditions / Purchase Agreement . Charges will appear on credit/debit statements as “eMillionaire“. For questions, call 1-800-309-6980 Mon-Sat, 9am-9pm, EST.
    ** I do not work for Google and Google is in no way associated with this website.

    By using this site you are agreeing to our: Privacy Policy – Disclaimer – Terms of Use

    So I read it all carefully as instructed, and interestingly, not one T&C, Disclaimer,Privacy Policy link at the bottom worked! This makes it a bit hard to agree with them as instructed when I read the terms carefully… but that’s just me!

    Anyway, it’s a new name and number (my bold in the words – SP). And also, as a further aid to anonymity, there is no contact address!!

    The links are for the Google Kit and go to securecartcenter.com at the third redirect!

    So enough of that, I’m off to roll some pipe drums, or something.

  4. Strangely avatar

    Originally Posted By jason goins
    @Strangely
    My dad got sucked into that same charge…1.97 then 72 more dollars…can i have the jackson number that this LaShawn gave please

    Jason. You need this comment by LaShawn Blanchard which is on the first follow-up to the original Google Treasure Chest posting, Google Treasure Chest – it’s a scam and a half!:

    Originally Posted By LaShawn Blanchard
    I called the 888-705-1275 number and talked with someone named Vanessa. She said her company is a 3rd party representing various companies. I explained that it was illegal to charge more than advertised, so the $1.97 charge, right off the bat, was wrong. She placed me on hold forever and said that the $72.21 would be charged back to my card and no further charges would appear on my card. I was given a confirmation number as proof that I called to cancel it. I also asked for a customer service address to write whoever is responsible for this scheme. The address I was given was as follows: 970 W Broadway Ste. E347, Jackson, WY 83001, which was the same address listed in a previous post. I will update this when I find out for sure that I have been credited back the $72.21.

    I hope your dad gets it sorted.

  5. jason goins avatar
    jason goins

    @Strangely
    My dad got sucked into that same charge…1.97 then 72 more dollars…can i have the jackson number that this LaShawn gave please

  6. Strangely avatar

    crap

    BTW. If anyone sees this ad image on my website – don’t click it to ensure your sanity as you’ll be taken somewhere scammy OR, as someone else has pointed out, click it like mad as the company has to pay for the clicks.

    Either way, I still haven’t found an adequate way to block these ads without blocking all my ads. The destination web page can be one of a hundred at any time….
    Sorry.

    Also, I’ve had a few rags-to-riches plugs by email and whilst churning through the dregs of the internet. Try this:

    fromragstorichesonline.com/system.html

    ‘Rod’ promises to ‘reveal his secret right on this page’! I’ve watched them (there are several videos) and I haven’t seen the secret. It must be telepathy.

    Or postcards.

  7. Angelinabutsu avatar
    Angelinabutsu

    Glad I found your site, although it was too late for me too. I canceled today (will be chanting to make sure it all goes through.) It went so smoothly that I am dubious.

    I do want to warn you after closely reading the terms & conditions.

    “You agree in advance that referencing this site (including its owners, physical address, URL, links, content and legal name) on any other website, electronic message board, forum or review site is strictly prohibited without prior express written authorization from the owners of this website. You agree not to post the URL (web address), link to, or otherwise disclose any information whatsoever that has to do with this site and its contents or the terms of your purchase. Should you violate this agreement, or provide information to a third party who posts said information, you agree in advance to specific liquidated damages in the amount of $10,000 for each violation. You further agree in advance that all legal action shall take place in the jurisdiction of the corporation who owns this website. Should collection and legal efforts be required to collect these damages, you agree in advance to pay all costs and fees necessary to collect this debt, in addition to the damages.”

    1. Strangely avatar

      @Angelinabutsu

      Crikey!

      I’ve seen similar T&Cs on the various sites where they threaten to collect all cancelled back charges and other stuff but I never read such a threatening example of intimidation as this one. But really, if you cancelled with no effort, you really get your money back, and in light if the Texas court action, I reckon even they don’t think they can pull off such a threat like you’ve just related. In fact, it’s pretty obvious that they never truly believed their bumpf either now or in the first place.

      Which site was it that you succumbed to? The Texan Court may be interested in this…. I’d like to know how far down the process you have to go before you can view this stuff.

      As an aside, I occasionally have to hire Hertz cars for my day job. They leave the car outside and stuff the keys in an envelope through the front door. On the outside of the sealed envelope are the threatening red letters which read:

      By opening this envelope you agree to the terms and conditions inside

      That’s the kind of bollox that any lawyer can shoot down with a pea shooter and I’m surprised that a company as big as Hertz actually let it pass… So you don’t need to be a weasely company to have weasely words. Even the biggest do it!

      So keep chanting and remember these words in your quest for material wealth quoted by Nichiren from ancient text:

      ‘Though you may set out at dawn on the journey of life with pride in the beauty of your rosy cheeks, by evening you will be no more than a pile of white bones rotting on the moor.

      Though you may move among the most exalted company of court nobles, your hair done up elegantly like clouds and your sleeves fluttering like eddies of snow, such pleasures, when you stop to consider them, are no more than a dream within a dream.

      You must come to rest at last under the carpet of weeds at the foot of the hill, and all your jewelled daises and brocade hangings will mean nothing to you on the road to the afterlife.

      It means, to me, that true salvation is not to be found in greed and money. Money helps live your life but it shouldn’t be at a cost to your happiness.

  8. Peggy Conyers avatar
    Peggy Conyers

    Please go read https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/04/tx_googlemoney.html

    These crooks need to be reported to FBI for the abuse of advance consent/negative option which they do not comply with.

    At least Texas authorities seem to have some sense about stopping these scams.

    1. Strangely avatar

      @Peggy Conyers

      That’s an excellent link. I’ll be adding it to the main article. This Texan legal action could be the reason why most Google ………….(insert scam name here) and similar schemes are now rapidly changing their terms and conditions on their websites. They are probably hoping that when the case comes to court, that the judge will look at the current websites….

      ….unfortunately for them, there’s such a thing as the “Wayback Machine“….!! Let’s hope that the prosecution knows about this.

  9. deano avatar
    deano

    Now this is how to deal with these scumbags:

    1)Search for “Action Mouse Mover” free trial download.
    2)Find one of their sponsored ads on Google. (They have to pay Google anything from $0.10 to $1+ per click)
    3) Set up your trial version of Action Mouse Mover by positioning your cursor over their link. Hit F2 on your keyboard. Add 2-3 sec waiting time in the wait box.
    4) Click on their sponsored link.
    5) Position your cursor over the “back” button on your browser. Hit F2 again and add 2-3 seconds depending on the speed of your internet connection.
    6) Go back to the first page.
    7) Set the repeat cycle to do this clicking for say 2-3 times (to check if everything is OK)
    8) If you happy with the performance start the program, set it to repeat every 5-6 seconds and leave your PC on over night.
    9) Hopefully they will be confronted by a huge clicking bill from Google.
    10) Pass this remedy on to all your friends and put these scumbags out of business.

    (Make sure “AMM” is active before hitting F2 every time by clicking on its tab in the task bar)

    1. Strangely avatar

      I thought Google had a block against repeat hits from the same IP address to the same address repeatedly? If it works, then it’s like karmic retribution, I suppose…

  10. Tim avatar
    Tim

    Is this the same?
    Google Treasure Chest Kit is not affiliated with, endorsed by or in any way associated with Google. Results vary. Individuals have been remunerated.
    All Content Copyright © 2005-2009, Easy Google Cash, LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
    Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy of Easy Google Cash, LLC

    If it is …

    Google Cash is a Clickbank program. If you are looking for a refund or are having problems with your purchase, here are two direct contact numbers for them:

    1-800-390-6035 (Toll Free)
    1-208-345-4245 (Direct)

    Google Cash is a good step by step guide to setting up multiple, successful Google AdWords campaigns. Using affiliate programs, you will only need to set up your Google account and create some ads. The guide will show you all the steps you need to know in order to do this with the highest level of conversions possible.

    Chris Carpenter is the author of this step by step guide. He will walk you through a very step by step process. You will be picking the best affiliate programs to promote, choosing the best key words to bid on, the importance of how and why you must track each campaign to be sure it is converting into profits. Chris includes actual examples of ads he has or is using to make money himself with these techniques.

    Google Cash is also an affiliate program itself. This means you can use it as your first product to promote. If you were sold on it, or are planning on getting it, you can probably bet that it will sell to others as well. Chris Carpenter lays out four simple steps, backed by a 60 day money back guarantee.

    Here are the simple steps:

    1) Find products and or services to be sold online.
    2) Get set up as an affiliate or re-seller for one or more of those products or services.
    3) Advertise these products using Google AdWords or even Yahoo is mentioned.
    4) The best step of all, getting the commissions from your sales.

    It is possible to earn money using the Google Cash guide, however I know for a fact that success is never guaranteed so proceed with caution no matter what you attempt online.

    At the time of this review, the Google Cash guide, step by step daily activities and audio files of the e-book were being sold for $67.00 Be sure to take notice of the seller’s contact information at the time of purchase, as in most cases you will be buying your copy from a home based affiliate re-seller, and not from the Google Cash company or Chris Carpenter.

    If you want your money back after purchase, or require technical assistance you will need to contact the person you bought it from, find your receipt in your e-mail. Lots of people contact us in effort to reach support or obtain a re-fund for any number of reasons. That is the one downside to buying any affiliate program or product, you can never be too sure of who you are actually buying from. For the record, Home Based Biz Reviews and United Imaging, LLC do not sell Google Cash.

    The tactics discussed in Google Cash do work and are real. You still need to do the work to many any money or learn how this whole thing known as the internet works. It’s easy to lay down your credit card for $67 but that is only the beginning. All good things take work and serious effort.

    We do recommend this course as a very good learning experience for those in the search. Do not buy it with the intensions of getting rich over night, and you will pick up some great skills to advertise online.

    If its not, just ignore it..
    came from this site — homebasedbizreviews.com/googlecash.html

    1. Strangely avatar

      @Tim.

      See this comment here as it ties in pretty well with is.

  11. hmmmmmm avatar
    hmmmmmm

    Originally Posted By StrangelyI’ve just spotted something else odd about my pig post compared to the rest – all the rest have a little “like this comment” voting thing.

    Mine doesn’t. It’s the only one! This tends to suggest that all manual additions, like yours, are temporary, and are removed after a judicious amount of time has passed, when they think that the comment author will have gone, so won’t notice.

    Clever, eh?

    Mine’s still visible.

    �Save the Pig�
    �Save the Pig�
    �Save the Pig�

    It might just be that you cannot vote on your own posts perhaps? I don’t know these sites I was just checking them out and ended up here thought I might mention it.

    1. Strangely avatar

      Thanks hmmmmmm
      I guess there are several methods that this could be done. I’m pretty sure it’s done with cookies, at least in part as there’s a difference depending on what browser I’m using. It could look at my IP address but since I’m fixed, not dynamic at my ISP, I’ve the same one no matter what time I’m looking.
      I know a bit-of-an-expert on these things. I’ll check it out.

  12. Gerry Pong avatar
    Gerry Pong

    I got duped. They got me for $1.97, then $72.21. Trying to get my money back from c/c but I doubt if I can. The disclosure, which I blindly did not see or even look for, covered them.

  13. Gerry Pong avatar
    Gerry Pong

    I got suck in…cost me $1.97, then $72.21, trying to get my dough back from the c/c. I doubt it though, they covered their butts.

    1. Gerry Pong avatar
      Gerry Pong

      I got duped. C/C me first time for $1.97, then $72.21. Trying to get my money back but they covered themselves well.

      1. Strangely avatar

        @Gerry Pong
        Gerry. Try the Jackson number that LaShawn found to work. Keep a record of all your calls etc, be persistent but don’t swear if you get through. Others have called their bank/card company and got redress that end by cancelling the payment.
        This is so annoying as there are really variable results all round; some people cancel easily, others have a devil of a job.

  14. Strangely avatar

    For a view from the other side of the fence, so to speak, have a look at this posting from Warrior Forum, the #1 Internet Marketing Forum since 1997, as they say.

    It’s referencing this website and the Google Treasure Chest posting, but the terms and conditions that tmedocianis describes are almost identical. The amount is different ~$38 for IPlanFinancial, and FreshKeywordIdeas charge ~$77, but I’ve another phone number to add to the list/catalogue(?) I’m compiling.

    888-247-3851

    These two ‘companies’ are the same that k0lumbus got emailed by here. The phone number matches as well, so maybe that one is the one to use for a bit before they push off….?

    The money-marketing-speak at WarriorForum is in a class of it’s own, but many commenters are disparagingly aware of the activities of the Google Treasure Chest mob and their associated scams. This in itself is quite enlightening. It’s probably why the WarriorForum has been going so long! In the same thread, may folk mention how the “Google Cash” name is being bandied about in these lesser circles as a well-known brand to be used to obfuscate and confuse and thus hide behind.
    Excellent.

  15. Strangely avatar

    Originally Posted By isak
    Or maybe the trick happens through the power of cookies?

    Ha ha. Yes. I deduced that after a bit. I don’t know why it took so long for the penny to drop. I’ve used it in asp.NET but not with WordPress.

  16. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    Clever…I might download another browser today and see if my “spoon” is back. lol.

    1. Strangely avatar

      What’s the one you’ve been using?

      1. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
        Can’t believe I was so stupid…

        I use Internet Explorer, but have used Firefox before. I may try it today and just make sure it’s not automatically deleting cookies.

        1. Strangely avatar

          Hey, there’s nothing wrong about deleting cookies; it’s just the difference between session cookies and permanent. The default is to clean cookies for the session as it closes I think.

          Actually, I just checked the log as I realised the data is there. You are using IE7 & Vista, if it’s correct. I’ve just added a plugin to warn people using IE6 to move on and upgrade as it’s a serious security hole. Last time I checked, about 25% were hitting me with IE6 – which goes some way to explaining the rapid spread of computer malware.

          And on that subject, if you are well protected and need a bit of insight, you may notice an ad for a Factory Records CD boxed set at the top right of my website. Well my old band is track 13 on that, so that’s why I’ve got it there. The set came out near the end of January but I found the whole thing out in the wild for free in late November last year. It’s on file-sharing places.

          I use Google Alerts to keep track of stuff – it’s a good service. Just a few keywords and Bob’s Yer Uncle. One came in this morning giving me the link below which I checked…

          Now you’ve been warned. If your firewall and anti-virus isn’t up to it, don’t click. The place does take you to some files on Rapidshare (how much malware is crammed or hacked onto the back of the files, I don’t know – I’m not bothered. After all, I can’t stop people doing this so it’s their problem), but it does other stuff as well, a few seconds after you land! Your AV and browser should block any further access.

          http://hot-movies-softwares-games.blogspot.com/2009/04/factory-box-set-communications-1979-to.html

  17. Strangely avatar

    Originally Posted By Can’t believe I was so stupid…
    No, I can’t see the pig, only the Guest comment.

    I’VE FIGURED IT OUT!

    The whole thing depends on cookies. If I look at the website this morning, THE PIG IS STILL THERE.

    But that’s using FIREFOX!

    If I look using a different browser, OPERA say, THERE IS NO PIG! All the other automatic posts are there, but not the pig. I think the reason your post went after two hours was because you’ve got your browser set to remove cookies at some point, usually when you close down the browser or logoff.

    In fact, I wish I’d put a picture of a spoon up instead, because then I could say….wait for it…

    THERE IS NO SPOON
    https://youtu.be/1-MlfGfdpQI

  18. Strangely avatar

    Well…
    The “Save the Pig” campaign seems to be working. Har, Har.

  19. Strangely avatar

    @Can’t believe I was so stupid… – And that, in a nutshell, is the whole problem, isn’t it? !!

    You know, for the amount of effort these people have put in to be deceptive, if they’d have done it properly with the same amount of effort, then, (quoting Dell boy from ‘Only Fools and Horses’), this time next year, they could be millionaires!

  20. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    LOL, if I could find somewhere to contact these people, I would make sure to ask them to “save the pig”. 🙂

  21. Strangely avatar

    It must be automated then. I think I’m getting paranoid, LOL; the comments must be added each side of the ocean with periodic updates – or something. I haven’t had any spam yet on my spam email address. I wonder if they save them up for nefarious purposes?

    The pig is still there. I wonder how long it’s gonna last? Hmmm. I could start a petition or something to “Save the Pig”, ha ha.

    “Save the Pig”
    “Save the Pig”
    “Save the Pig”

  22. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    No, I can’t see the pig, only the Guest comment.

    1. Strangely avatar

      I’ve just spotted something else odd about my pig post compared to the rest – all the rest have a little “like this comment” voting thing.

      Mine doesn’t. It’s the only one! This tends to suggest that all manual additions, like yours, are temporary, and are removed after a judicious amount of time has passed, when they think that the comment author will have gone, so won’t notice.

      Clever, eh?

      Mine’s still visible.

      “Save the Pig”
      “Save the Pig”
      “Save the Pig”

  23. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    LOL…I guess they liked your flying pig. I can see the “Guest..I got mine, etc.” comment now too.

  24. Strangely avatar

    @Can’t believe I was so stupid… – Hi.

    I just checked the website and a comment from a ‘guest’ has just been posted at 18:18:13 which says;
    “Yup, just got mine today, it looks very promising”

    However, there was NO AUTOMATED MESSAGE so I’m guessing that this is the site operator. However, the flying pig is still there. I loaded it straight from my website so the full path will be showing in his logs. The JS-Kit plugin allows file uploads…
    NOW GET THIS!
    I went straight back to my site and a commenter showed up in England on my logs and map. (Commenters and bots etc, all show up differently on my gadget). No comment was made. I think it was the English operator of the website following the trail back to here…which I’d purposely left of course.

    You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve just had a pile of hits from an on-going Chinese finance / money-making / investment kind of forum. I chucked it into Google Translate to see what they were on about. It was like a really bad movie – the translation, that is! The upshot is that Google Treasure Chest is in their bad books now.

    Now I must have a cup of tea. I can’t sit in front of this thing all day!

  25. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    Yes, it disappeared in about 2 hours. And yes, I also got the “automatic message”.

    1. Strangely avatar

      Well it looks like I’ve got an hour to go… At least they’re consistent with the auto-message

  26. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    If you left a comment, no, I can’t see it…

    1. Strangely avatar

      I’ve just refreshed my page and the comment is still there. Was it a couple of hours before yours disappeared?

  27. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    Just checked again this moment, and my comments are now gone. They must be cleaning them up as they go along, even though no one else could see my comments. lol

  28. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    I actually wondered if you are getting directed somewhere else other than on their website, when you click “leave comments”. Seems to go along with the theory that none of the comments were left by real customers?

  29. Strangely avatar

    There’s something deeply spooky going on here. When I looked yesterday, a company was listed as http://chrisc.com/about/ in the copyright which took you to the Chris Carpenter Google Cash site (as I said originally, unless my eyes were going funny from all the shenanigans).
    Now it looks to be written as http://www-googlecash.com (notice the difference!!)

    Try this in a browser and you go straight back to our old friend JASON! Only this time, there are no comments at the bottom of the post!

    So it means that either I got the address wrong, for which I apologise to Chris Carpenter, or that it’s been changed. In either case, the closeness of the name is another trick to make people see one thing when it’s another, and possibly a way of getting some of the ‘glory’ from Carpenter to reflect onto themselves making them look good!

    Or something….

  30. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    Yep, it’s the same address you give above. I left 4 different messages as “Guest” just after “Ian at 1:08”. I can still see them all.

    1. Strangely avatar

      Well that’s weird.
      I see your by your IP address that you’re in Nova Scotia probably, so maybe me in old Blighty here gets served different pages to you lot across the Atlantic?

      This answer ties in with the geographical oddities that people noticed when the ‘person’ in the photo was from their town.

      I found that they are using a (free) GeoIp location service from MaxMind. This is the link. As this is quite often (but not always) used on their sites (as noted by @Brianxp, sundene and Kay on the first big posting I made), it looks like they’re using a bit a redirection to serve different pages dependant on location. How this is done, I don’t know, but that’s my conclusion from the live evidence we have between us!

      Ah! The power of the internet!

      1. Strangely avatar

        Double double jeopardy! I didn’t check the time. On the version I can see, Ian is at 05:08:26 today and says “I just ordered it hope it works”.
        So knowing how WordPress works, there are definately two versions going on here. When one has been installed it’s picked up the local time. I think I’m about 4 hours different to Canada but that may not matter. It all comes from the times that the computer had when the files were copied and the timestamps on the posts/comments. There’s an oddity with WordPress in the time setting – it has to be done manually. It looks to me that my UK version is the copy and it may just be serving cached pages, not even dynamic database driven ones.

        I’ll do a test post here to see the effect. I’ll use my spam harvesting email address to register, tee-hee!

        1. Strangely avatar

          GoogleKit Comment

          Okay!
          Test comment done on Jason Williams website www google-kit com

          And pigs might fly if it stays there from what you’ve said! Check and you’ll notice a little comment was added automatically to the bottom of my comment. No other comment seems to have that, so what do you make of that… obvious, innit?

      2. isak avatar
        isak

        Or maybe the trick happens through the power of cookies?

  31. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    Nope, it’s another trick…I can still see all of the comments I left (4), but you can’t. Interesting. 🙂

  32. Strangely avatar

    Originally Posted By Can’t believe I was so stupid…
    So, we’re helping them get sneakier. lol. I left a message about it being a scam on the first site, I’m going to wait to see how long it takes to be deleted. 🙂

    That looks to be the sum of it, doesn’t it? We dodge, they move.

    I can’t see any comment along the lines you mention so I guess it’s gone already! You should try again with a nice sweet one.

  33. Can't believe I was so stupid... avatar
    Can’t believe I was so stupid…

    So, we’re helping them get sneakier. lol. I left a message about it being a scam on the first site, I’m going to wait to see how long it takes to be deleted. 🙂

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