AISO contractors posting fake hosting reviews
Companies & their employees just don't seem to learn. After our exposé on fake hosting reviews from ipowerweb, surpass hosting and a number of others - you would think companies would take the hint and avoid posting fraudulent reviews to Hostjury.
Sadly, they don't take notice and continue to post feverishly. Today we had the opportunity to catch an employee a contractor of AISO (Affordable Internet Services Online) posting a review of their services. Directly from their own network, he even went as far as giving them a less than perfect score to make it seem a bit more legitimate.
After mentioning AISO in an article about green web hosting companies I assumed they took notice of the traffic & decided to get a few folks to post reviews. It's depressing to say the least as something like this won't go unnoticed.
A company that seemingly has such great care for the environment would willingly attempt to defraud potential clients & lie to them in order to get a sign-up or two.
Here's an image of the fake review that an AISO contractor posted:
AFFORDABLE INTERNET SERVICES ONL AFFORDAB52-192 (NET-12-198-192-0-1)
12.198.192.0 - 12.198.195.255
This industry is depressing. The length at which hosting providers seem to go to -- to defraud, scam and lie to potential clients is disgusting.
Just so we're clear, as it states on the add review form:
That is too bad about AISO posting a phony review. They are nice people though... I wonder why they chose to do that. They do not need the extra pubicity. We think so highly of their green data center that we uesd it as teh platform on which to build our company.
Fair enough I guess, I can understand yours and their side of the story. I have my business site and reputation on show for all btw, so be certain that I am nowhere near that proxy...;)
Paul,
Prior to our writers outputting this post I attempted to get in contact with both AISO and the original poster.
Sadly, our messages bounced as they seem to have our ip addresses blocked. I did personally speak with them over the phone shortly after it was posted, but after some discussion within our ranks it was decided to leave the post up.
Despite it being posted in haste the underlying facts are present and appear to be 100% legitimate.
While it's never our goal to harm a company's reputation, it seems their actions did in this case. We are not ousting a single provider here -- we do this with every single provider caught posting fake reviews. Some have more audacity than others, some try to sneak their way in via proxy like some of you are doing while posting comments.
Just as a follow-up, I understand your reasons for posting this blog post, I also agree that you did have good things to say about them in that blog post mentioned one above AND I must mention that I have also seen the red sign before - BUT, and it's a big but, I really think you may have been a bit hasty to post it in a blog.
I must be old for my 28 years, but my upbringing tells me to treat people as I'd like to be treated and so if this happened to me, I'd grab the good old telephone and inquire with AISO. Explain what you're going to do and then do it if they are uncooperative or plain rude to you.
I guess I've been pinched by this post as it is just pretty rude guys.
JustAThought: To quote you "Defamatory postings on the Internet are libel, not slander"
As for the notice - nope it went up a long time ago when I last did a major code update for the site (which was back in October). I added it to this blog post after-the-fact for clarification purposes, but it's an exact duplicate of the one clearly posted at the top of the Add Review page for example see http://hostjury.com/reviews/add/179. Luckily I can prove it in court by asking my SVN host to produce logs.
As for defamation lol, there's no malicious intent, we've actually been sying good things about AISO lately in articles like http://hostjury.com/blog/view/106/green-web-hosting-gimmick-or-green - that's why we were so dissapointed to have to make this post.
I highly suspect you might know them a lot more personally than you let on, JustAThought.
I recall seeing the "warning" to reviewers many months ago, it isn't new.
I think it is certainly quite responsible to leave this up for potential clients to see. Actions speak louder than words.
If AISO is posting illegitimate reviews they should be called out for it.
streaky....i couldnt tell you whats not true, i dont know AISO nor the person that posted, i happened to see this blog post and im going off what was said in it, and i think(so does paul) it should be removed if asked to be removed, as its not right for such a mistake to have such consequences.
i ment to put "And if it wasnt there, then you shouldn't try to use that against them."
That is only part of the definition....
1. A false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person or company.
2. Print of or use of statements that are harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign.
Slander:
1. Words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
2. An abusive attack on a person's character or good name
3. Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
The main part, even if its true, is damaging the reputation of another. I would say leave it unless the actual company asks to remove it, then I would under good nature remove it. And i also checked this site out before, as well as the internet archive engine, and if i recall you just made the notice about who cant post in red on the posting page at the top after this happened. Before this happened, like a week or so ago, I dont recall that big red box with who shouldnt post being at the top in red. And if it wasnt there, then you should try to use that against them. As its easy to find now, but if it wasnt there then, it wouldnt have been easy to find before you changed it to what it is now. Just a thought.....
Libel?
a. A false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.
b. The act of presenting such material to the public.
What part of this blog post is untrue? Seriously if something is untrue tell us and we'll gladly change it. I see nothing in the blog post that isn't simple fact.
Contractor for company involved posts reviews for his employer's company. He gets found and and it gets mentioned in a blog post.
Seriously, what's untrue that this post constitutes a libel suit waiting to happen?
I agree with paul as well. I would imagine that this blog post is libel. Defamatory postings on the Internet are libel, not slander, under California law and plaintiffs may collect damages from them without demonstrating specific injury. And california has SLAPP laws which stands for "strategic lawsuit against public participation." to prevent things like this from happening as well. And since the owners of this blog are the original posters of the libel, the post cannot be saved by the Federal Communications Decency Act of 1996. I think this post should be deleted as well, as it was an accident and was not followed up to understand all of the issues at hand. Which if understood would not have lead to a post of this nature in the first place based on the original posters remarks.
We make absolutely clear that people in positions like the above shouldn't be posting reviews under any circumstances whatsoever. If people can't understand that which work for these companies then maybe our visitors need protecting from the stupidity? It's either that or the guy thought he'd get away with it?
Either way this post needs to be.
I can't believe you have the immaturity to put this in a blog post without getting on the telephone to inquire as a human being first, what is going on with the company in question. It's all to easy to hide behind and IP and a website.
I personally have NO affiliation of AISO, but I do know that if they ask customers to review, then that is there right to do. The customer is not obliged to put 5 stars, nor indeed post at all - but just because one person voted who happens to have a slight affiliation with them, you go and post this huge blog post.
This affects the companies reputation and possibly their income, when in essence it is not THERE fault, so in my eyes that is slander and I WOULD delete this blog post sir. ;)
Timothy,
No, you're an employee. Don't get the two confused, you were requested by your boss at work to post a review.
I ment to put: And I would think since they dont do web hosting reviews they are a web hosting company...
And I would think since they do do web hosting reviews they are a web hosting company, most likely didnt go to the post a review page to view your terms and conditions...It wouldnt have been their fault, it would have been mine. They ask customers, which I am, they didnt themselves go to the site and post anything...so your blog posts is incorrect stating that they posted on behalf of a client..im the client and I posted it and the score.
What fake reviews are you talking about? I only review I posted is the one reivew, which is the one you have a screen shot of, any other reviews are by other clients of theirs. Based on your screen shot you have the IP of the poster, how would it be possible I can be posting from different IP addresses on different networks as different people??? Since thats not possible, those posts you are getting are real.
Timothy,
The blog post will remain up. If AISO requested that you directly post a review & they are well aware you're a contractor (duh), they're in the wrong as well.
I'll even update it with additional information from the continuing fake reviews you've been adding. Go away.
Well I do apologize for that, I didnt see that as that when I was asked. Its not I want to have false information or try to make the company look good beyond what it is. I was asked to post a review as a customer of both web hosting and the virtual desktop solution along with a bunch of other clients they said they were asking to come on and post. I would imagine they didnt see that warning since they didnt go to the posting page to post a review themselves, so they wouldnt have known not to ask me. So there was no way for them to know....For me I didnt see it as I was in a hurry and I do apologize again for the mistake of posting, can you please remove this blog post as it was my error and not the companies.