DP Owner is a Cookie Stuffer?!?!

[Niche48]

Hi Oregon Coast guy, I wasn't having a go at you. And Linda's blog and opinion is something I value

It's just the general trend in the forums, other forums, is an assumption of guilt.

I think people who think cookie stuffing is ok need not tell you further about their work ethics. No point in wasting any time on them

The general impression I get at 5 star is it's a community of ethical marketers and Iwouldn't even think of you guys condoning such activities

 

[Rob_TID]

I am definitely not assuming guilt.

But I REALLY hate cookie stuffers. It is stealing, plain and simple.

If it were a legitimate business practice, Google would simplly stuff every affiliate cookie they could at google.com and add several billion dollars to their bottom line.

AGHGAHGHAGHGHGHGHGH.

Calm blue ocean.... calm blue ocean...

 

[Oregon Coast Guy]

Hi Oregon Coast guy, I wasn't having a go at you.

I realize that. It's all good.

If he's not guilty of it, I'm glad. If he is, hang him by his noo-noos!

As for the people over at DP defending the thievery of other people's hard work: they are as stupid as it comes!

Tony

 

[Niche48]

Fluffy white clouds...fluffy white clouds...fluffy white clouds is my mantra
Like the calm blue ocean though

 

[Linda Buquet]

In addition to the calm blue ocean and fluffy white clouds, I'm blowing some happy fairy dust everyone's way.

I agree with you all and I tried to keep saying alleged and innocent until proven guilty in my blog, but I know still things can sound accusatory. I also agree with Rob in that I hate cookie stuffing so this thing kinda fuels my fire (fairy dust, fairy dust.) And I esPECially agree that there are some idiotic comments over there.

This is my fav #304.

"Shawn and others who took part in this, if you all did this; you all have my respect. Why should you all do branding for other people and do not get pay for it.

I do understand that what ever you did use to place the code on the person pc can do harm in the hands of some one that wanted to cause harm to random pc, but all I see is you all getting pay for branding. But that just the way I think."

Totally CLUELESS! Cookie stuffers should get paid for BRANDING??? Fool! 1,000 people read a forum thread about ipods. No one mentions eBay or any other merchant site - they are just talking ipods in general. Some jerk plants an invisible image and stuffs 1000 ebay or Amazon cookies. Those people never
saw an ad, clicked a link or did anything. The stuffer also did not one lick of legitimate work.
That's branding how??? Plus cookies don't hurt people's computers. Just dumb!
(calm blue ocean, fluffy white clouds, fairy dust, fairy dust)

BTW there was a thread finally started over at the eBay forum. It really hasn't gotten as much of a good discussion going as I thought and hoped it would.
eBay Forums: Do Cooking Stuffing...get sued by eBay!

 

[Linda Buquet]

On a related note, there's a guy selling a cookie stuffing script over at the Warrior Forum. A couple of us post about the eBay case and I blasted him for selling this script, but people got all upset that we were hijacking the guys sales thread.

One guy said "to be fair it might be against the TOS of networks and blackhat but it isnt illegal i dont really think you should hijack someone elses WSO that they have paid $20 to run.

I replied in bold red caps:

"COOKIE STUFFING IS STEALING FROM OTHER AFFILIATES - IT'S STEALING FROM YOU! So IMHO IF THE MODS HERE HAD THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR MEMBERS AT HEART - THEY WOULD NOT EVEN ALLOW THIS KIND OF WSO ON THEIR BOARD!!!"

So anyway here's the part I find really funny. In post #25 a guy is upset
and feels he was ripped off when he bought the script.

I want to say "and you expect a cookie stealing script writer to be honest???"

Trying REALLY hard to hold my tongue right now.
(calm blue ocean, fluffy white clouds, fairy dust, fairy dust)

Here's the thread: warriorforum.com/
warrior-special-offers-forum/7187-incredible-custom-cookie-stuffing-script-truly-unique.html

 

[ChrisMonty]

That's a good point...and one that I have been preaching all along. Ebay didn't really get hurt (much) by this. It's the other affiliates who got stiffed that really felt the blow.

It's a shame that some of the newbies at DP are now worshiping this guy for being so "creative". Please.

 

[Rob_TID]

Linda - that is probably the same guy who is selling the same script at WickedFire.

Luckily for me and my misanthropic ways, WickedFire has no rules on letting my feelings be known, so I blasted the idiot with some fairly colourful terms.

 

[Linda Buquet]

That's true Chris!

Rob hope you had fun blasting. No holds barred over there, for sure. I saw that thread in my feedreader but didn't go check out the script to see if it was the same guy.

I haven't let myself go back to DP today. Too depressing to read all the junk.

 

[Niche48]

It really just beggars belief
I suppose if people are resorting to these tactics to try and make a sale, they really have no understanding of what internet marketing is.

The problem is for some of us this is a real business and we want to do it ethically.

But Mr Joe Public gets exposed to these scoundrels and paints us all with the same brush!!!

 

[ChrisMonty]

Well, the kicker is that he DIDN'T make a sale...but he tricked the system into thinking that he did.

I guess it's a dog-eat-dog world and we're all wearing Milk Bone underwear.

(Yes, that was Norm from "Cheers"...lol...one of my favs).

 

[Linda Buquet]

I have been having lots of interesting conversations about cookie stuffing at various places and have more and more forums contacting be about how it's done and how to prevent it.

I'm talking to some guys at the Vbulletin forum about this issue. One of them said he's working on a mod to block cookie stuffing. It sounds like he's blocking one exploit but not the method I've blogged about and the one I think the eBay suit is about. (Or at least one of the ways they were allegedly stuffing anyway.)

At any rate I'm hoping to brainstorm with some of the guys over there.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Have been having lots of talks with Vbull people. Presented all my findings and recommendations to Vulletin corporate staff so they are informed and to see if they can implement what's needed so forum owners can block the cookie stuffing.

 

[Linda Buquet]

There has been a ton of new activity on this case. Thought I'd give an update for those interested.

Look here and scroll down to the box that says "document text"
Justia Federal District Court Filings and Dockets

When this whole thing started all that was there was #1 - the case filing
(click link #1 to read the actual charges). I hadn't checked it again for a couple days,
but was re-checking some facts last night and noticed all the new activity.

There have been 18 new developments filed since the initial case filing - including formal summons issued on each person. Shawn's summons was issued 8/26 and he has 20 days from that day to respond to the charges.

One noteworthy change: Ebay declined to have the case tried before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and Requested for Reassignment to a United States District Judge on Sept 3rd. On Sept 4th that request was granted and the case has been moved to a United States District Court. (not sure about the significance here, but to me it sounds like eBay bumped it up to a higher level court, no?)

Now again, this still does not mean Shawn et all are guilty. Everyone is innocent until proven.
BUT those are the facts of the case so far.