Beware of Widgetbucks!!

Okay guys, I know one of the hottest widgets that everyone is running to recently is Widgetbucks. I heard some great reviews from DP and ran to them right away. Now looking back maybe I should have waited for a honest review of the product and probably should have held my seat for a longer period of time before signing up with them, here's kind of what I've found in terms of my personal experience anyways.

The rate per click for my sites were generally sitting at around $0.10. However, I've noticed that just I would say two days ago? Widgetbucks have all of a sudden dropped my rate to $0.03. That's 30% of how much I was originally making.

So this really alarmed me and I thought, okay this is just a one day deal. I have checked it today and realized that they've done it to all my dates back to the original date that I have signed up with them. I thought this was pretty freaking sneaky from their end. No notice, no nothing, just straight out click rate reduction!!!

Went to their support, tried to do the contact deal and contact the company. Their contact page told me that I was an invalid member??? So I've tried to call the company, well I hit the voice mail of the front desk two times today.

I smell something's fishy about it, do you guys have similar experiences? For those of you that were hyped about joining from other members (most likely because of their referral program) beware of this situation!!!

 

Yup, I knew it was too good to be true. I kept saying I'll wait until the checks are cut before deciding to sign up. I'm not saying that they aren't going to cut checks, but they do seem to be universally lowering rates retroactively, so those checks are going to be less than what people had anticipated.

This is a form of fraud, in my opinion. They generated a lot of buzz with their high rates (OMG, WidgetBucks is making more than Adsense!!!, etc), so people signed up for them and put their ads on their sites. People who were already signed up saw the high payouts and added even more ads to their sites. Then a few weeks later WB lowers the rates on all their clicks, making them far worse than Adsense. Now lots of people have lots of WB ads on their sites that probably would not be there if it weren't for the high initial payout rates. WB ends up far better off because they got the exposure and their ads are everywhere now, and publishers are worse off because they lose the money they could have earned if they had used other advertisers where they are currently serving WB ads. Plus publishers lose the time they have to spend changing the ads back to something more profitable.

 

Yes, it is fraud!!!

I'm pretty sure there are huge sites that signed up with them. Imagine if you were to get 1000 clicks per day, $100 per day to now $30? Those people would be screaming on the top of their lungs. This buzz stuff, looks like a similar strategy as to Auctionads? Big buzz, fail to deliver then just goes away slowly. Sad in my opinion...these guys just jump onto something new and then goes into a new cycle. If they reduce the rates let's say two days ago and let all the publishers know, fine!!

BUT! no notice, just drop including your original date which you have joined in rates is just straight out fraud right there.

 

Sounds like you're jumping to conclusions to me. Google Smartprices people and you don't see them calling Google a fraud.

 

Google doesn't cut your previous earnings.

 

Figured we'd start to see some negative reviews like this... We steered clear of them... They were too new to take a chance with... Now I'm glad we held off... saved a headache.

 

It is look like that thay are making experiment with peoples and just do what they want.

Not very good behaviour from their Team!

 

so, i just logged in to check mine

absolutely right, for clicks that had turned black last month(verified) i was getting 11c per and had made 14$

today they say 6c per and ive made like $7

even though i had already had $14 verified. completely illegal i would have thought? How can you go back a month and just change the rpc that was verified as a none fraudulent click - seriously... lol, surley there are laws against this type of thing?!

good bye widgetbucks, scamsters.

 

Google NonSense lowballs you from the beginning. How can they cut my penny per click any lower ?

 

This is not a negative review like I was banned or something and I am here to whine!! This is more of my experience and I think what I've seen on this thread it is not only effecting just myself but everyone here in DP. It's best that the word is out before others get into trouble!!!

Sad, another scam. When do those monkeys get something legit? lol...

 

Stop jumping to conclusions. I believe this is their form of smart pricing. In fact it even indicates that the RPC displayed in red is an ESTIMATE. I have had two widgetbucks ads running. One always estimate at 10 cents per click and then drops to 3. The other estimates at 28 cents per click, and sometimes go up above 30. It is an estimate, I don't think they're trying to scam anyone.

 

still too early yet to be jumping to conclusions

 

Okay smart pricing or not, I understand if this is done let's say the day that they've dropped the pricing. For example, let's say that they smart priced it on today Thursday then from today forth it'll stick around at the same price.

BUT! This is not so. They smart priced by back dating to 3-4 weeks ago? Now, that's fraud my friend. Apparently your $0.30 is bringing in most of your income, you're not complaining but what if it were to drop down to $0.06 or then up to $0.15?

The ads didn't change, it's always been the same. Don't you think something's wrong here?

 

i'm wondering... did anyone got paid from widgetbucks at all?

 

This is the true test of fraud or not, I would like to know as well.

 

I didn't get paid yet, well according to their original terms it's suppose to be a 45 day turn around from the end of the month. But even that I'm not sure whether it is being changed or not. I'm a bit weary, but right now I'm bailing out of them. I just hope the earnings that I've got so far would actually come through with my fingers crossed.

 

They were supposed to show the earnings within 7 days of the next month. I don't know about you but mine only shows the $25 sign up bonus even though I made some money in October.

Same thing for the referrals. There's no statistics for your referrals other than how many you have. I have 5 referrals and I understand they may be inactive but at least it should show my referrals had 0 clicks and made $0. Even though how do I know my referrals truly didn't make any money at all?

 

The strategy to give higher amounts at the beginning for promotion can be acceptable but if they are cutting the previous earnings that is fraud. You can't take back an earned money.

 

Very sad, Widgetbuck turns out just to be another scam. I better just sit tight next time for another hyped up program before jumping in. It's important to read "honest" reviews rather then just hooplas from members who are just trying to get others to sign up under their referrals.

 

Thanks for this post Swapw. I was actually about to sign up with them today! Now I am gonna hold my horses for sure. How efing dare they to cut your earnings retrospectively?

Low per click rates are one thing if I am aware of them and still willingly oblige (ie. AdSense ) but take the already earned money back from your pocket? Wow that IS low.