I did a search on Yahoo for RetailReportCard and saw TONS of sites advertising its FREE goodies. Of course they were all affiliate websites looking to get a cut of the proceeds, after an unwitting Internet user opens their spam email and says, “Oh boy its Christmas again! I can get a FREE Car, house and boat! I have to sign up!”
Anyway, wonders never cease - guess who’s listed as first in Yahoo when you search for RetailReportCard? You’re looking at number 1 - the good guys! Netidiot.com! Pretty sad when the business itself isn’t even on the top page - just their affiliates. I did see one forum posting regarding their “Christmas Spam” in regards to this company, but that’s about it.
I wonder how many affiliates of RetailReportCard.com just want to string me up.
Too bad…
It looks like there’s a new kid on the block, eMarketResearchGroup, at a different address than the usual North Carolina folks, offering a Free Nintendo DS. They sent me an email saying “Panel Member Wanted - Get a Free Nintendo DS”. The stock photography is of the same style as our ProductTestPanel.com group.
The address of the eMarketResearchGroup is 14545 J Military Trail #189, Delray Beach, FL 33484, USA. I love how they always put their addresses in a grey-scaled image so the search engines never pick it up. That’s what Netidiot.com is for. 
If anyone’s in the Delray Beach,FL area, check out their address at www.mapquest.com and ask them if you can take a tour of their operation. 
eMarketResearchGroup is not the only such email advertiser out there who are offering similar freebies as Freeslide, ProductTestPanel, and RetailReportCard.com. I believe that the practice of offering these unbelievable deals to answer survey questions and opt-in to get subscriptions, etc. is going to double and triple over the coming years. I will compile a list and timeline of these in a future article.
I got an email today from a guy I’ll call “Mike”, who said he has a free program that he got from the company he works for that collects email addresses off the web (I wonder if he stole it). I’m not going to name him by the name he gave, as I don’t believe he is a big player yet. Nonetheless, he’s offering to have people use this program to collect email address for him, and then copy and paste the addresses collected, into a text file. The text file should then be emailed to him, once a week.
His service will then send out email advertising to these people using their “special servers”, and track the responses, and get you a cut of any profits.
I would have to say that this little scheme is an “Internet Bad Practice”. Basically, his program helps perpetuate a problem with spam, PLUS it puts his company in danger of breaking anti-spam legislation. The largest spam company in the world (the name escapes me right now), as gotten away with it, ONLY because he sends spam to people who “opted-in” to receive such advertising. To harvest emails off the internet is not a means by which people knowingly “opt-in” to get advertising, so whatever advertisements this “Mike’s” company is going to send out is true spam in its purest form, and the upcoming laws will hammer folks like this.
Why can’t folks run legitimate businesses anymore? My advice, is that if you receive an email from a guy asking you to run a program to collect email for him for money, ignore it. I wouldn’t trust these people to pay you for every sale they make, either.
Our friends at 3820 Forest Drv, have come through again! Not only do they have a fabulous offer, but a new name under which to offer it. Welcome to RebateMall. Now, instead of getting absolutely free items with free shipping, their deals are more believable with unbelievable rebates.
So far, this iPod offer seems to be the very latest from RebateMall. Watch your Inboxes for more updates.
I get this eMail today that says:
———————————————
Hi Superman,
Come work with eBay online, We’re looking to hire you right away.
1-800-603-0207 ext 6073
We are offering you up to $987.85 in weekly pay.
No Experience Necessary with plenty of room for growth.
Call now to get yourself started
——————————————————-
Bologna!
Give me a break…. I can’t believe eBay would send this. If it isn’t a scam, I’m at least categorizing this under “Internet Bad Practices”. What *serious* company is going to send out spam email to recruit workers?
The bottom of this email read as follows, in the very small print:
The preceding advertisement was sent from bargainoftheday.net.
Then there’s a link to unsubscribe from bargain of the day. Nice… Why would eBay use this company? And why would I even be offered a job by the REAL eBay? They don’t know if I’m 5 years old, or 100 years old. They don’t know if I can type, follow directions, if I have any outstanding parking tickets, etc. They’re going to hire me without even meeting me in person? That’s rudicrous. If a company is recruiting people in that fashion, I’d rather not work for them. Who knows who you’re office mate will be. ( haha).
Jason