A Blemished Reputation on Google

Recently, I was alerted that there were some not so nice reviews about Big Bucks Auto online. I was further disturbed when I saw that these listings appeared really close to the top on Google.  I, of course, checked out the review sites and immediately upon reading them, found the stories really absurd.  I mean, someone had done some of their homework, but for the most part, they read like constructed  nightmares designed to not just make Big Bucks look bad, but to make our competition look really good.

Uncertified Fake Reviews

Logically, if I could see that these had a good chance of being planted, I assumed that the websites that posted them be concerned as well and would listen to my reasoning and remove them. That’s when I began to understand what we were facing.

Reputations, Rip-Offs, Reports, and Rebuttals

I checked into Rip-off Report First since they were listed first.

 I am not listing a link here, since that how they get more power, but I went to the site and looked all over to try to find out what I could do. They have a program called “Corporate Advocacy” where they claim to help a business “Engages your business in a process that helps to satisfy customer complaints and make amends for past mistakes. “. I filled out all the forms and asked for more information.  They sent an email to me basically sounding incredulous since Big Bucks only had two negative listings with them. Apparently, they didn’t seem e to think it was a big deal? I don’t know, but I think it’s a big deal when someone calls me a liar. Anyway, I finally got the pricing for Rip-Off Report’s “help”:

• One time charge  of $7,500
• Then a Programming fee of  Plus $600 Per Report ( $1,200)
• Then a Monthly Monitoring Fee of  $40.00 per Report , but a  minimum $100.00 per month
• Times a minimum of 36 months of mandatory Monitoring

 Rip-Off Report would cost Big Bucks Auto a total of $12,300 over three years!  I didn’t know whether to laugh or choke! Needless to say, we choose not to go with that route because it really felt like pure extortion! It would have been more ethical to just demand payment to remove the listings. Then it’s just blackmail!

With little choice, we posted what is called a “rebuttal” and hope that anyone who reads the negative reviews can understand how we run our business.  Check out this link if you wish to know more about how Rip-Off Reports creates their extortion business. It’s complicated, but very insightful.

Pissed Consumer Personal Slurs 

The next “consumer advocacy” site was Pissed Consumer.

Here, we had three “reviews” (ETA:  now four!).  It’s funny how they called the entries “reviews” but that kind of wording is not reflected at all in the name.  One of the reviews was the same as a listed at Rip-off. Oddly enough it was also the same one that glorified the closest local used car dealer that we are in direct completion with. I understand that this is an internet marketing tactic that is considered unethical and “black hat”.  I am not crying sour grapes and I can stand the heat, but I am glad that I can say that I never got ahead with my business by running someone else through the mud. (more…)