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ZangoCash Destroys End User PC's and Causes Webmasters To Make Less Money

Discussion in 'General Marketing' started by 30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006.

  1. #1
    I royally pissed off a fellow forum member here for telling the truth about the shady company he supports. (You know who you are) Note: The thread in question specifically asked about Zango Cash as can be seen here. http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=178640

    Now, I would have just left this issue alone and commented when I saw someone ask specifically about the company. However, being that said person decided to leave a negative reputation with the following comment

    "idiot, don't talk about stuff you have no idea about" I am starting this thread to defend myself as well as substantiate the fact that Zango is a crap company. Webmasters should know who they are doing business with and those who support operations that are detrimental to us all. I'll leave some replies with links in this thread showing the practices of Zango Cash and why webmasters should hate doing business with them or anyone associated with them.

    As an aside, the reputation system here is flawed. The only time I get a negative rep is when someone doesn't like hearing the truth. I've also gotten negatives from friends of the people that are irritated with comments taking up for them. While the system is great for those who never speak their mind about every subject it penalizes those of us who speak the truth no matter who gets their underwear in a wad over it.

    I will post some Zango Cash info in my next post here, takes a bit to get all of the sources since there is so much going on with this company.

    Cheers.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
    gemini181 likes this.
  2. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #2
    ZangoCash - ZangoCash pays webmasters some silly amount (.45 I believe) to sucker end users into installing adware. Well, they call it adware but it's more along the lines of a virus / spyware that makes the end users computer a pain to use. Their excuse is that the end user agreed to the TOS they tuck away but decide for yourself.

    Government regulators fine Zango $3,000,000 for deceiving internet users into installing it's software and trying to prevent them from uninstalling it.

    Another report

    Zango Adware spreads through myspace

    They denied it was them then later admitted it was an employee.

    And probably the most important to webmasters

    The more people that have Zango installed the less money you will make promoting sponsor programs.

    The short of this is that Zango sells advertising to any keyword including urls. These ads pop up on computers of people running Zango whether they want it on their computer or not. Say you promote xyz.com through affiliate links. I can go big on xyz.com through their system and have my ads pop up over your site when it is loaded. Of course many people close popups but because xyz.com uses cookie tracking my cookie loaded last and is the one that counts. Even if they close my page and buy from yours it's with my cookie. Bad enough in itself add in the fact that it can be almost impossible to remove this software and all of the shady business practices used by Zango and their affiliates to infest people with it and you understand why people would consider them shady.

    Final link - Webmasters in an uproar over ZangoCash being used to steal their sales.

    Cheers to the guy that left the negative reputation. You inspired me to take 20 minutes out of my busy scheduce and write this up so your board associates will know what kind of people you like to do business with.

    Apologies on spelling and the unspectacular way this was represented. I am swamped at the moment and can't write up a proper presentation at the moment. If you want to do your own research there is plenty of info to be found through google about this company but a good start is here. http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/180-affiliates/ <--- Note that 180 Solutions changed their name to ZangoCash.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
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  3. klown

    klown Peon

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    #3
    Zango pisses me off, its a virus, its spam, its shit.
     
    klown, Nov 14, 2006 IP
    30k Challenge likes this.
  4. fatinfo guy

    fatinfo guy Peon

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    #4
    Good job on the write up. Now I know never to deal with ZangoCash. As for the red reps and green reps, it is overrated but it did get you all fired up.
     
    fatinfo guy, Nov 14, 2006 IP
    30k Challenge likes this.
  5. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #5
    "Zango may recreate, repair and update itself
    Complex spyware applications such as Zango can recreate, repair and update themselves to avoid removal. When complex Spyware applications such as Zango alter, repair and update their files, DLLs, registry keys and processes, a spyware scanner may only remove part of the program allowing the other remaining files to execute procedures to repair and update. In these cases it can make the manual removal process almost impossible. We highly recommend removing Malware such as Zango IMMEDIATELY before parasite mutation."

    As seen on http://www.411-spyware-remove.com/remove-zango/
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  6. jabb

    jabb Peon

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    #6
    Its not spyware or a virus it is adware plain and simple, scan it yourself. Second its as easy to uninstall as going to add/remove programs and remove the search assistant, takes probably 4 clicks to uninstall.
    Third the only reason surfers complain is because there idiots and dont bother to read the DISCLAIMER before opening the video.
    Zango also have the best account managers ive ever come across. You can also make far more with zango then with adsense's low cpc on entertainment sites.
     
    jabb, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  7. fryman

    fryman Kiss my rep

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    #7

    Wow... we have someone who can copy and paste stuff.
    You must be so proud of yourself!

    Why don't you actually install Zango and see how it works?
     
    fryman, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  8. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #8
    I don't care how much I can make with zango. Your removal process listed above only works for a limited time. Once the crapware mutates to rebuild itself you aint getting rid of it. The last time we were investigating this program we installed it on multiple pc's to see if anyone was bidding on the urls to programs we promote. What we found was that virtually every affiliate program has people bidding on the urls and that sometimes the very program you are promoting is overwriting cookies with their code. Instead of paying us $40 per sale they were paying .02 per click which is far lower than what we averaged. The "adware" did not uninstall easily after several days of testing and required a ton of work to get the computers back in working order. When you download and install it then remove it does come off for awhile. Also some installations are easier to remove than others. Why anyone would want to work with a company that has the background they do is beyond me. If not screwing over surfers means I make less money on entertainment sites then so be it.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  9. jabb

    jabb Peon

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    #9
    Also the stealing commission crap is not proof but speculation.
     
    jabb, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  10. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #10
    Been there, done that. I participated in getting to the bottom of these monkeys when I found out I was losing money because of them. And yes genius, I copied and pasted sources. I know it's really deep but it's the same concept that newspapers use when talking about what someone else wrote.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  11. klown

    klown Peon

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    #11
    It doesn't allow me to stop it from starting when windows begins. No matter what setting i do. You can't manually delete it with just a delete key even if your the admin.

    Maybe its adware, but its also a virus and its spam

    ----

    anyhow i'm not in the mood to get angry about anything, i just don't like zango
     
    klown, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  12. jabb

    jabb Peon

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    #12
    I dont care about there background thats not important really to me as i know that presently there one of my favorite programs to work with, have never missed a payment, reps on IM all the time and i get very good conversions.

    Klown never had them problems but you can most likely remove from msconfig. Its not a virus and how the hell can it be spam it isnt unsolicited?
     
    jabb, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  13. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #13
    It is a fact. The whole arguement that came up about it was initially that Zango was using their own cookie overwrites to steal the sales. ZangoCash has denied this from the word go but it is irrelevent. The process involves another webmaster bidding on any url dealing with that sponsor. If I go buy up the keywords abc, ab, bc, and abc.com my popups show up when they are mentioned on the page. Even if I go directly to abc.com my popup will display a few seconds later. The effect of this is MY COOKIE overwriting the original. You send the traffic and I steal it from you. Fun isn't it?

    What Zango supporters always want to point out is how much money they make on this crap. It is impossible for them to put a dollar amount on the damage they've done because these users are infected for more than that day. If you get .45 from an install and that user gets all cookies overwritten on everything from then on was it worth it? Even if everything was above board the answer is no. Add in the fact that most people don't know what they are getting, don't want it, and can't uninstall it and the answer is easy. Don't promote the shady ass company.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  14. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #14
    Yes we all know some people have no qualms screwing over surfers for a few bucks. We also know that many webmasters can't think past tomorrow to understand how they are screwing themselves and others they are associated with for years to come. When people catch on that they are being robbed from and nobody will work with you, buy from you, sell to you, etc. don't pretend to not know why. You are personally promoting something that is bad for everyone for what equates to beer money.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  15. klown

    klown Peon

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    #15
    Nope msconfig doesn't work, if it isn't a virus then it just shares a lot of characteristics with them. I don't consider pop up ads as anything but spam. To me spam is just crap content / advertising that nobody wants or needs.
     
    klown, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  16. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #16
    They call it adware but it operates as a virus. Most people didn't ask for it and can't remove it.

    "Internet advertising firm Zango -- previously known as 180solutions -- has settled with the federal government, agreeing to pay $3 million in fines to settle charges that they used deceived consumers into downloading adware and obstructed them from removing it, in violation of federal law."

    http://www.betanews.com/article/Adware_Firm_Zango_FTC_Settle_for_3M/1162590576

    But maybe he's right and the FTC is wrong. ;)
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  17. jabb

    jabb Peon

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    #17
    I tested before i joined a while ago and never got a popup every site, maybe you get a pop once every few hours or something similar.
    But the fact remails you are complaining so many people have downloaded it but you blame it on the publishers, isnt the surfers faults for not reading what there downloading? Its not beer money either.
     
    jabb, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  18. jabb

    jabb Peon

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    #18
    But accepting the disclaimer before downloading your agreeing to receive popups based on what your viewing, therefore youve agreed that you want it.
     
    jabb, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  19. 30k Challenge

    30k Challenge Peon

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    #19
    It is beer money compared to how much it costs webmasters in the end. They get the money for signups from that point on.

    And yes, it will remove easily for awhile. Once it mutates you are in trouble. Also no, most people didn't agree to anything. This is the reason they paid millions of dollars to the government and have so many pissed off.
     
    30k Challenge, Nov 14, 2006 IP
  20. checksum

    checksum Notable Member

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    #20
    I don't want to get into the argument, but all of Zango's content and distibution methods require a user agreement before installing. If an affiliate has unscrupulously installed Zango on someone's PC without having them agree beforehand it is most certainly the fault of the affiliate and not of Zango.
     
    checksum, Nov 14, 2006 IP