Is this website a scam? - Page 2

JSWolf · 05-09-2009, 08:39 AM

To prove you are legit, send me a 1/2 price DX and once I get it and verify that it works, I'll pay for it. I mean you are asking us to trust you. So why not trust me?

avaloncourt · 05-09-2009, 08:55 AM

I see he's still lurking. He came back and removed all of the repeated postings of the same information in this thread.

JSWolf · 05-09-2009, 09:09 AM

It has to be one of the mods who removed the duplicate posts. Users cannot remove posts.

desertgrandma · 05-09-2009, 09:13 AM

I've given Avaloncourt karma for all the work and reserach he/she's done.

Thank you, avaloncourt.

avaloncourt · 05-09-2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I've given Avaloncourt karma for all the work and reserach he/she's done.

Thank you, avaloncourt.

Aw, shucks. Thanks, desertgrandma.

We can't know for sure what David's intentions are but, even if he thinks he has a legitimate business, the numbers just don't work out. For a company that is two days old to enter into this kind of plan is a recipe for disaster. At best it would have to act as a Ponzi to support everything that came before it and, as with any Ponzi, the money will eventually run out and someone will be left with nothing.

There are too many indicators here that things could go very badly. I'd hate to see people get sucked in from all of his spamming online and lose money. Things are bad enough in this economy that we don't need help making it worse. This site is high profile and I can only hope people will read this thread and make an informed decision.

JSWolf · 05-09-2009, 09:49 AM

I think my idea of having David trust me is a good one. That way if it is a legit business, he will get paid for his product as I will definitely pay him once I have the DX and know it works.

desertgrandma · 05-09-2009, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avaloncourt

Aw, shucks. Thanks, desertgrandma.
Your are welcome
We can't know for sure what David's intentions are but, even if he thinks he has a legitimate business, the numbers just don't work out. For a company that is two days old to enter into this kind of plan is a recipe for disaster. At best it would have to act as a Ponzi to support everything that came before it and, as with any Ponzi, the money will eventually run out and someone will be left with nothing.

There are too many indicators here that things could go very badly. I'd hate to see people get sucked in from all of his spamming online and lose money. Things are bad enough in this economy that we don't need help making it worse. This site is high profile and I can only hope people will read this thread and make an informed decision.

Whats that old saying? "Caveat emptor" Let the buyer beware.

desertgrandma · 05-09-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think my idea of having David trust me is a good one. That way if it is a legit business, he will get paid for his product as I will definitely pay him once I have the DX and know it works.

I'll vouch for your character, Jon..........

Dr. Drib · 05-09-2009, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It has to be one of the mods who removed the duplicate posts. Users cannot remove posts.

Yes, the duplicate posts were deleted by one of us. He seems to be here only to promote his business scheme.

Don

Patricia · 05-09-2009, 05:27 PM

I too have given avaloncourt a dose of karma for fine research skills.
Like everyone else I say caveat emptor/ Let the buyer beware!

To Promo Publications: it is not sufficient to say "trust me." If you are genuine, then perhaps you can take the trouble to explain your business model. How, precisely, do you seriously expect to be selling the Kindle dx at such prices and at any profit?
If you can't explain this satisfactorily, then you will have to excuse our incredulity and suspicion. Forum members are understandably wary of new businesses with improbably good offers.

thorn · 05-10-2009, 04:38 PM

why would ol' david be able to cut us a better deal than amazon can, for *amazon's* product, WHICH DOESN'T EVEN EXIST YET?

no touch.

avaloncourt · 05-10-2009, 05:13 PM

Just for everyone's edification. David (and text on the website) say to email him if there are any questions. So, I sent him an email three days ago. I have yet to get a response.

avaloncourt · 05-10-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thorn

why would ol' david be able to cut us a better deal than amazon can, for *amazon's* product, WHICH DOESN'T EVEN EXIST YET?

no touch.

He's claiming that he's being subsidized by unpublished authors to provide content to be loaded on the Kindle. The numbers on that can't possibly work. He's claiming a 50% discount on the cost of the Kindle's are due to those authors making up the $244.50 out of their pocket and, we would assume, there's money in it for him as well.

If only 500 people took him up on this offer that would be:

$244.50 x 500 = $122,250.00 that would have to be supplied by the suckers (er, authors) wanting to be placed on the Kindle. If there were 100 authors subsidizing each Kindle DX, every author would have to pay $1222.50 per 500 shipped. That's just not going to happen. That doesn't even include any percentage to go to him. That is merely the cost of subsidizing the equipment and not accounting for the shipping aspects.

The odd thing here is that he's claiming that the authors are paying this fee. I, and others, have done searches on his company and his name. Nothing has turned up anywhere. Where is he actively recruiting these authors to participate in his scheme? He's seeking unknown authors... apparently so unknown even he doesn't even know who they are.

If there is a glimmer of hope in this, if someone searches the name of his company it doesn't not come up on Google in any way other than this thread and a Mashable article.

JSWolf · 05-10-2009, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I'll vouch for your character, Jon..........

Thank you very much.

avaloncourt · 05-11-2009, 02:44 PM

David keeps changing the text on his website. This time he removed the "This is not a scam..." statement from the front page of the website yesterday. Today he has changed the website to add a 'guarantee':

Quote:

[His company name] guarantees that if you are not completely satisfied with your Kindle DX Promo purchase, we will refund your purchase.

Will that 'guarantee' disappear in two more days?

I received an email from Amazon this morning responding to one I sent them on Friday. The email said they are forwarding the information regarding this website to their legal department. I got the impression from their response that only Amazon is permitted to sell Kindles in the primary market (non-used) and they're going to go after him for that. That would make sense since they don't permit the use of a "new" classification on their Kindle 1 Marketplace postings. The best any seller can do is select "Used - like new."

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
DR800/DR1000 Website archive browser (website in .ZIP file)	luite	iRex	44	08-14-2010 12:52 AM
mypadmedia-scam?	questionfear	Apple Devices	5	05-03-2010 08:06 PM
Possible eBay scam?	jscottcole	Amazon Kindle	7	12-10-2009 07:13 PM
Astak (V3) a scam or serious?	frankminus	Astak EZReader	14	06-21-2009 12:48 AM

05-09-2009, 08:39 AM	#16
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,966 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	To prove you are legit, send me a 1/2 price DX and once I get it and verify that it works, I'll pay for it. I mean you are asking us to trust you. So why not trust me?

05-09-2009, 08:55 AM	#17
avaloncourt Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 951 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 1 & 2	I see he's still lurking. He came back and removed all of the repeated postings of the same information in this thread.

05-09-2009, 09:09 AM	#18
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,966 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It has to be one of the mods who removed the duplicate posts. Users cannot remove posts.

05-09-2009, 09:13 AM	#19
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	I've given Avaloncourt karma for all the work and reserach he/she's done. Thank you, avaloncourt.

05-09-2009, 09:49 AM	#21
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,966 Karma: 128903250 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I think my idea of having David trust me is a good one. That way if it is a legit business, he will get paid for his product as I will definitely pay him once I have the DX and know it works.

05-09-2009, 05:27 PM	#25
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	I too have given avaloncourt a dose of karma for fine research skills. Like everyone else I say caveat emptor/ Let the buyer beware! To Promo Publications: it is not sufficient to say "trust me." If you are genuine, then perhaps you can take the trouble to explain your business model. How, precisely, do you seriously expect to be selling the Kindle dx at such prices and at any profit? If you can't explain this satisfactorily, then you will have to excuse our incredulity and suspicion. Forum members are understandably wary of new businesses with improbably good offers.

05-10-2009, 04:38 PM	#26
thorn Connoisseur Posts: 91 Karma: 7940 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: currently: ipod touch	why would ol' david be able to cut us a better deal than amazon can, for amazon's product, WHICH DOESN'T EVEN EXIST YET? no touch.

05-10-2009, 05:13 PM	#27
avaloncourt Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 951 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 1 & 2	Just for everyone's edification. David (and text on the website) say to email him if there are any questions. So, I sent him an email three days ago. I have yet to get a response.

Advert

Advert