Just for the records - America's Most Wanted has a list of all the scammers out there. You can find them at http://www.amw.com
Just for the records - America's Most Wanted has a list of all the scammers out there. You can find them at http://www.amw.com
Hi There,
I've been contacted by Lime Media Marketing and they are offering the same scam, watch out!
http://www.limemedia.co.za/
http://www.limemedia-marketing.com
They call their fixed price PPC "Instant Google" and say that since they have so many Google Certified employees, they get this "special deal" with Google where they pay less for clicks. This is clearly a scam since "Instant Google" just doesn't exist.
They claim to be working from Cape Town (Mowbray) but they all have Manc Brit accents and I quickly cought them out with a few general knowledge Cape Town questions. They're clearly calling from a crammed call centre in Manchester and they are all dodgy as FCUK. I must say they have done their homework and are trying really hard on this Scam, they know all the main CT tourist sites and are clued up about the weather etc.
Do NOT be fooled though, they are NOT in SA and do not be scammed into paying over ANY money as you WILL be burned!!!!!!!
A quick Whois confirms that this is the same guys as "New Approach Marketing": http://co.za/cgi-bin/whois.sh?Domain=limemedia
Details: Andrew Dryden
registrantemail: technical@newapproachmarketing.com
They have tried this scam throughout Europe and Aus and are now targeting S.A. Please spread the word as I would love to see them fail. Let's all pitch in and snuff out Lime Media asap.
A few similar forum posts:
http://www.ronanobrien.info/selling-...n-google-scam/
http://www.google.com/support/forum/...732478f2&hl=en
http://www.laneconsultancy.com/main/...ee-yeah-right/
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/fo...ad.php?t=85472
http://www.michaelwall.co.uk/sem/google-adwords-ripoff/
Surely we should be able to get Google to ban them?
Best Rgds,
Unison
I came across this forum whilst googling New Approach Marketing and would like to thank some of the contributors to this thread. I have only a vague understanding of google marketing and your comments have been helpful. My business partner agreed to a trial month period with New Approach last year - after weeks of phonecalls from them. As I have read here - very fast talking poms offerring something that does not really exist and my partner decided that it was worth throwing R1400.00 on and see what they actually produced. Obviously it was a complete waste of time and money and when they phoned after a month we told them we were not interested. 5 months later I get a call from them saying that we owe them 5 months of payments and they will be issuing a final demand - we had heard nothing from them during this period or received any invoices. Once again very fast talking pom who promises to send you a recording of the phonecall where you agreed to this ongoing contract. He was extremely aggressive on the phone.
This resulted in my searching for info on the company both here and on UK sites and I was totally overwhelmed by just how many people had been scammed by them. I also subsequently checked their original invoice and noticed that we had been charged VAT - but there is no VAT number on their invoice. Also their company registration number did not look like a SA registration number and the physical address they list "1 Sandton Drive, Sandton" does not exist.
I raised these queries by email and ws immediately contacted by Andrew Dryden himself. He had some long story about waiting for a VAT number, being busy with a registration number and moving offices to Cape Town. I mentioned some of the information I had found on him and his company and lo and behold - EXPLOSION from him. Very abusive and told me he will show me just how good his company is by putting someone full time onto the job of blacklisting my business etc etc.... These guys are a bad crowd and whilst obviously we were stupid getting involved with them in the first place - I think many others will fall victim to them. My question to you more experienced guys on this forum is - Is there any way to stop them? Would appreciate your opinion/thoughts.
funny how i dont see this persons name thereOriginally Posted by BBBEE_CompSpec
We don't really receive that many complaints, so that's why the above post is from Boskuin Mica Hardware based in Craighill, posted by Valarie and Tim Walker.
Let’s look at this "SCAM"
You can only become a customer, once you have completed a recorded contract, this compliance measure ensures that any mis-selling by sales staff is flagged immediately, if the client does not agree with the terms, conditions and processes, they can terminate the phone call, it’s that simple, the customer has control.
The customer is informed that the confirmation is been recorded for training and legal reasons and states the date and time. They are then informed they are entering into an agreement with "New Approach" we really can’t make it any simpler, most clients feel that all confusion is eliminated.
We then state how munch the service is costing? How to cancel? How to communicate? Provide all contact details? Inform about the customer services area of the web site? Importantly they are reminded on the recording “the contract is month by month and must be cancelled via email or shall continue until either party gives to the other a months notice, do you understand!”
The recording only lasts four minutes and recorded contracts are used by most blue chip companies, even the money exchanges record the exchange rate and amount exchanged stating the date and time, all standard business practice.
Finally they are informed if they require a stats report, change of keyword or invoice, to use the customer services area as we work much quicker from emails; this is purely because of the telephone calls taking too long.
After the confirmation has been completed we then upload all details to the encrypted campaign software, which is completely secure and holds all details securely.
A welcome letter is sent explaining the above and when the client is launched, a launch email is sent, so after 48 hours they’ve received two communications with all our contact details attached and finally a comfort call, recorded, to ensure the customer is happy with everything and can see their advert.
If we were running a "scam" then the sales person would process the payment, there would be no compliance measures, we would probably try and mislead the customer on price and provide NO contact details, called the missing trader, then process a larger payment and disappear.
I personally called “Boskuin Mica Hardware” to be greeted with a very angry lady called Valarie, who had listened to the recording and stated “it was not them on the recording”. If we feel the customer is genuine, we will, as a gesture of goodwill, wipe the debt, we are human and wanting to build a successful business in S.A. but if somebody is acting unprofessional and been abusive, then you draw the line.
Valerie stated that she would blog everywhere, telling everyone about the scam and “did I understand the consequences of that” in which I replied “we are an internet marketing company and completely understand forums because I could post about you”
If you would like a recording of Valerie’s contract, to see exactly what Valarie entered into or would like to speak in person with myself, then just email directors@newapproachmarketing.co.za and I will communicate in your preferred method, I will even supply the recording of the final abusive call with Valarie as evidence.
We are an established business in Cape Town, we HAD an address in Jo’burg but decided to consolidate in Cape Town. We have a local bank account with Standard Bank to accept EFT payments and a (PTY) Limited company; you should all know you cannot open a local bank account, with Standard Bank, without having an established SA limited company with appointed Chartered Accountants and finally SA resident as director.
I presently have family in Constantia, Hermanus and Stellenbosch. I’ve commented on previous posts that I love Cape Town and enjoy the fantastic standards of service. I’m writing this in the UK, but arriving back in Cape Town on the 24th March, staying in Camps Bay, so if anybody would like to meet or join the office for a drink “on us” then please send an email, seriously we are not trying to make enemies and if anyone is upset or disappointed with the service, I will meet, if your near Cape Town or talk in person on the phone.
The forums are full of people guessing we do, instead of just simply asking us “black hat” or “white hat” and unfortunately like any forum, it’s full of the competition, hiding behind “nicknames” posting negative comments, even non customers trying to make news by posting negative feed.
For the genuine disgruntled customer, I understand that no business has 100% happy customers and it they state they do, it’s a lie. If you do have an issue with the service, then please email and I will call you in person. I work twelve hours per day to make sure nearly all customers are happy and every customer is important to us, so please drop me a line and I will assist.
Finally, we have certain customers who just “don’t want to pay” they enjoy exposure on page one of Google, then just don’t pay. If you had a business and people used your service and then decided not to pay, how you would feel? In any argument, there are always two sides and that’s why I want to understand the other side.
It was myself who you spoke to on the phone, you asked how many statues are in the waterfront, i replied four, because i can remember four, in which you replied five, still think there are four, but there in three weeks and will take a camera, but the wine is strong in my defence.
You have not used our service, received a phone call from a new member of staff and decided because he had only been in Cape Town for three days and not even been "out and about" that this was a scam, then armed with no evidence, decided to post on this forum "Scam Alert"
When on the phone, you asked which jurisdiction I was in, not knowing the answer (still don’t know what a jurisdiction is) you said "that confirms this is a scam"
We are a PTY limited company, with Cape Town based Chartered Accountants, with a local bank account, real English people who will be training S.A. citizens to sell, so in the future you will be called by S.A. sounding staff, but within the Manchester call centre we have ten S.A. members of staff.
I was in London during the week and booked a hotel room for the night, over the phone. The receptionist was from S.A., I never once asked her how many statues were in Trafalgar Square or asked her to look out of the window and describe the weather, finally neither did I accuse her of running a scam hotel, just booked my room and thanked her professionally.
Andrew Dryden
Sorry you confirmed it was a SCAM when i did not know the "Townships".
Finally, i would never dream of discrediting you behind some nickname and assume that Unison Productions is a "scam alert" because of some geographical question unaswered as evidence.
To Andrew Dryden / Lime Media / New Aproach
Listen Andy, How thick do you think we are down here in SA?!
Firstly, I spoke to "Scott" (if that was his real name) who then put me on to his "supervisor" "George". Now it turns out YOU were "George". Ha!
When I asked you to transfer me onto ONE South African in your "Cape Town Office" you couldn't, not even a cleaning lady, Why? Cause you're freezing your ass off somewhere in Manchester. I see you took my advice! You are now recruiting South Africans to do you dirty selling for you.
But C'mon, don't try and tiptoe around the real issue with your little charade, it doesn't matter where you are, you could be phoning from Venus and call yourself Zorhan - you are ripping people off by promising them one thing and delivering another. Fixed fee google adwords don't exist - you Geo Target your poor victims' (customers') ads so that they will only ever be seen by 3 people, so the campaigns are a waste of money since no one sees them!
To everyone reading this, check out the links on my previous post - Fixed fee Adwords is a Scam and many people have been ripped off by this around the Globe.
Zorhan, go back to Venus - you're not welcome here
Well, I am so very happy that you actually do reply but I think you must address the problems these people have. After all, IF <<< Please note the IF) you are who you say you are where is the list of thousands of happy customers? Can I find it on your web? What about a nice Q and A section to explain some of the more technical aspects?
YES <<< Please note the YES) you have done much to explain some of the questions but there is still a lot that remains a mystery “just go over all the posts and I am sure you will spot them”
Also:What assurance do the people have that there e-mails would be honoured?We then state how munch the service is costing? How to cancel? How to communicate? Provide all contact details? Inform about the customer services area of the web site? Importantly they are reminded on the recording “the contract is month by month and must be cancelled via email or shall continue until either party gives to the other a months notice, do you understand!”
Then:I recommend you get educated on the type of SCAMS that is running in SA. There is a lot of them operating like a real business so perhaps that list that was mentioned can come in handy again. There is No harm in doing your homework now is there...If we were running a "scam" then the sales person would process the payment, there would be no compliance measures, we would probably try and mislead the customer on price and provide NO contact details, called the missing trader, then process a larger payment and disappear.
Lastly:That is not entirely true it comes down on the type of account that you opened. And getting a business registered is not easy but it is not difficult...We are an established business in Cape Town, we HAD an address in Jo’burg but decided to consolidate in Cape Town. We have a local bank account with Standard Bank to accept EFT payments and a (PTY) Limited company; you should all know you cannot open a local bank account, with Standard Bank, without having an established SA limited company with appointed Chartered Accountants and finally SA resident as director.
you have 25,000 clients and NO list <<<< just a thought)
peace is a state of mind
Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.
Hey Andy / George / Zorhan / Lime Media / New Approach
It looks like you're running your worldwide scam from this address: 3 Northwold House, Dorset Road, Altrincham, Post Code WA14 4QN (Trafford, Manchester). I bet you can't see the mountain from there!
Here are a few more people that have been scammed by you guys in the last couple of weeks:
http://www.complaintsboard.com/compl...g-c272585.html
http://www.ronanobrien.info/selling-...n-google-scam/
Bye bye now
Good Riddance
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