Did anyone read this article concerning Joel Comm? Has anyone else uncovered anything more? If this is true again, this is an extremely serious and growing issue that the Feds will need to address immediately: JOEL COMM AT A NEW LOW Duncan Riley has already discussed Joel Comm steeping to a new low, but this is a doosy. What I’m going to do is compare Internet Marketers. On one hand we have Joel Comm and on the other Yaro Starak. A few days ago, a very special information product was released titled “Mike Filsaime’s Butterfly Marketing manuscriptâ€. Mike’s full product (Butterfly Marketing) costs around $1500 and he has decided to release a special chunk of this product for $97. Because this product is valued quite highly by professionals, it was interesting to see everyone scamble out emails and articles, filled with their affiliate links. Yaro pumped out a well written review, while Joel simply emailed his list with the following. "So many people are wanting to download Mike Filsaime’s Butterfly Marketing manuscript today that the servers have been unable to keep up with the demand! I’ve received emails from many people telling me that they have been unable to access the site." http://www.getbutterfly.com Now hold up a second, let’s look at the link Joel provided. When visited, it redirects to .. yep an affiliate link for the Butterfly Marketing Manuscript. The domain is also owned by...Joel Comm. Registrant Contact: InfoMedia, Inc. Joel Comm ________________________ In fact, when you do a Whois search, this confirms the site is actually registered by Mr. Joel Comm. If you have had similar problems regarding Joel Comm, please share them. If you have a 'glowing' review on Joel Comm, please let us know your IP address and email address so we can follow up with you. . Thanks, Concerned Internet Fraud Associate
So he's a fraud for providing people with an affiliate link? Bloody hell! half of DP's users must be frauds!
Soo true.. wether you're using black-hat seo or just glossing over the truth to make your product sound better, you're still technically frauding.
Gee, I feel like a bad boy. ;-) Obviously, we have a non-issue... but I think the ethics of affiliate marketing certainly are interesting to debate. I do find it odd that a post about this is just being made now, when Butterfly Marketing launched about 8 months ago. Hmmm... Regarding the "Yaro Starak" thing... there was no thing. I'm not sure what you heard, but I assure you that I don't even know Yaro. I am familiar with the fact that Duncan Reilly unethically released screen shots of a product of mine before it was to be released, and we demanded that he remove them. Imagine that... protecting my own intellectual property makes me a bad guy. Huh. I would think it wise to be more careful before slandering people publicly. Accusing someone of fraud can be quite risky. Remember, your IP can also be tracked, my friend. Joel
Dear Mr. Comm, Thank you for your response. I appreciate knowing you are in fact real and will take accountability for your actions. Threatening anyone, however, with a lawsuit involving slander is very unwise. Especially with me. I agree with you that the 'ethics' of affiliate marketing is in question in general. The people who are criticizing you appear to have valid concerns. Here's another person who wrote this (These appear on Google): JOEL COMM OF JOEL CON? Joel Comm (author of the bestselling "Adsense Code") is troubling me. I recently read his post about the new "paid-to-surf" program, Agloco.com. Towards the end of this post is a link, containing the text "www.agloco.com." This gives the definite impression that the link goes directly to Agloco.com. However, the actual URL is "www.makemoneywithjoel.com," which redirects the user to Agloco.com, presumably using Joel's affiliate code. Now, it's not a big deal but it causes me to question his integrity. What do you think? I'm also troubled by the MFA ("made for AdSense") templates that he sells ... but that's another story! ________________ Mr. Comm, here is the definition of fraud according to Barron's: "Intentional deception resulting in injury to another, as when a person makes false statements, conceals or omits material facts. A false statement is fraudulent if it is made knowingly, without believing it to be true, or carelessly stated, without regard for the truth. Persons suffering a loss from a fraudulent transaction have legal recourse under the Uniform Commercial Code. Legal protections against consumer fraud are enforceable under federal and state laws. Are you saying that your actions are not 'intentional' and that you have not made false statements while selling your products? I hope so. Look forward to hearing your response.
Nice speech, yet you fail to answer a crucial question: WHY IS USING AFFILIATE LINKS FRAUD? Please answer that question so we can all turn ourselves in.
So what your saying is that Joel can't make money because he is a well known marketer..and he should stop marketing thing? Oh no! Joel is making more money! STOP THE PRESSES HES A FRAUD!
The growing issue is the use of these links to deceive people into thinking they come from another source and thus having that said person 'buy' a product based on what that said person thought was a 'third party'. This is no different than if I were buying a car and was told a 'third party' named 'Local Car Review' thought it was the ideal car when in fact that 'third party' was the local car dealership. This is fraud, pure and simple. I'm trying to expose affiliate marketing's very greasy and very questionable tactics used by several so-called 'gurus' (not necessarily Joel Comm) who are duping the public into thinking spam and affiliate marketing is an OK way to further dupe others, including my elderly aunt and her friends. It's not right and I WILL FIGHT THIS AND I WILL PREVAIL. Watch and see.
ROFL You YOURSELF posted the definition of fraud here. To jog your memory, here it is again: NOTHING of that applies to affiliate marketing and if you really think otherwise then you, Sir, are stupid.
As a fellow internet user, I regularly review products and services that I believe will be of interest to those who subscribe to my newsletter. Note: All my lists are opt-in. Therefore, people are requesting information from me. All my email is compliant with the Can-spam act, with double opt0in methods of subscription, and anyone can unsubscribe at any time without having to receive any further email. Unless the US government decides to start interfering with the free market system (more than they already do), what affiliate marketers do is perfectly legitimate and legal. It is encouraged by some of the world's largest retailers, including Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy, JC Penney, Macys. It is encouraged by the world's largest banks, such as Chase and Citibank. It is encouraged by thousands of merchants who wish to pay their partners for sending new business their way. Spamming IS against the law. Affiliate marketing is not. Third party endorsements with benefit to the third party are just about as old as God's green earth. The Internet just makes it easier for anyone to do it. I'm sorry that your Aunt, or anyone else, got "duped" by purchasing a product from an unscrupulous marketer. But you have to know the difference between true frauds and legitimate marketers. Coming on this forum and calling someone out as a fraud is reckless and without merit, especially when your biggest complaint is that someone is using a redirect link, a technique that is used by thousands upon thousands of legitimate affiliate marketers on the web. Joel