UNACCEPTABLE: ‘Hopefully One Day He Will Pick The Wrong Target And . . . Someone Will Take A Shotgun To Him,’ Internet Marketer Says About ‘Salty Droid’ Author
DISCLOSURE: I was a volunteer Moderator at the Warrior Forum (WF) between December 2007 and July 2008. I learned what is best — and worst — about Internet Marketing at the WF. Just as my Mod days were coming to an end, the AdSurfDaily Ponzi scheme case was coming to the fore — and Internet Marketers raced to the forum to “defend” the business.
UPDATED 11:13 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) The author of The Salty Droid, a Blog that unapologetically skewers highly questionable Internet Marketing practices and some of the trade’s most visible figures, was made the subject of a death wish Aug. 17 by a poster at the Warrior Forum (WF).
“Hopefully one day he will pick the wrong target and that someone will take a shotgun to him,” wrote Robert Puddy, a well-known marketer. The post was in response to a poster who apparently committed the high crime of making a favorable comment about The Salty Droid.
The PP Blog, which itself has been the subject of threats by Internet Marketers, strongly condemns the event at the WF, the actions of Puddy and attempts to chill by force of threat reporters and Bloggers who write about IM-related issues.
Suggesting a human being should be executed by shotgun for his critical point of view about Internet Marketing is thuggery. That Puddy, who provides Internet Marketing training and is regarded an expert, even could suggest that death was an appropriate penalty for a Blogger who opines that some Internet Marketers engage in anticompetitive and racketeering-like marketing practices is a matter for great introspection.
So much for having a sense of the moment — or any PR savvy at all.
A number of Internet Marketers have been implicated in racketeering schemes or found themselves squaring off against racketeering indictments or lawsuits in recent months. Andy Bowdoin of Florida-based AdSurfDaily, for instance, was sued by his own customers for racketeering. One of Bowdoin’s attorneys also was sued for racketeering in the same case, which was placed on hold until the federal Ponzi case against ASD plays out. At least one ASD member was successfully sued for racketeering in Utah for participating in a scheme to place bogus judgments for astronomical amounts against public officials.
The ASD member — Curtis Richmond — sat as an “arbitrator” on a bogus panel set up by a bogus “Indian” tribe and signed a bogus “award” for more than $300,000 against a Family Services worker. Not to be outdone, Richmond claimed the federal judge hearing the Utah case owed him $30 million.
Richmond later claimed the federal judge overseeing the ASD case was guilty of “TREASON.” Dozens of Internet Marketers attempted to intervene in the case, filing pleadings from a kit. The pleadings, including one that claimed the government was guilty of interference with commerce for seizing the proceeds of an alleged crime, were downright bizarre.
Now, Puddy, an Internet Marketer, opines that death is the answer for what he apparently believes should be the entire industry’s problem with The Salty Droid — as though monolithic thinking is the only option and that any person who believed the author could be right about anything should be shouted down and ridiculed.
Adopting an ad hominem approach, Puddy, the marketing trainer and expert, called The Salty Droid fan an “idiot” — apparently for suggesting the author even could frame a point worth pondering over. He then called the Salty Droid author a “disgusting little worm,” opining that the author uses “innuendo and false info to slag off other people.” He did not provide any example or any support material to back up his claim The Salty Droid dispensed innuendo and false info. Puddy concluded his comment with the shotgun remark, later denying he was angry when posting it.
In a later comment, Puddy claimed he knew of two “people who [received] physical threats of violence [because] of the lies on that blog.
“In one case,” Puddy claimed, “the [person’s] family was also included in the threat.”
The Salty Droid (SD) author, who was made aware of Puddy’s remarks when contacted by the PP Blog for comment, said he was not surprised that violence had become part of the discussion.
“I don’t doubt that the scammers also receive threats from the same type of persons that are threatening me,” SD said. “People can react in scary ways when they find out they’ve been the victim of the long con.”
Puddy’s incendiary comment was posted Aug. 17 and escaped deletion on the WF for days. The comment finally disappeared either late Saturday or early Sunday. How and why it disappeared were not explained. Comments left by the PP Blog and other posters who challenged Puddy also disappeared.
The PP Blog, which retained its Warrior Forum membership after giving up a volunteer moderator’s job in July 2008, challenged Puddy on his shotgun comment Saturday. The Blog was not alone in challenging the inflammatory remarks. Indeed, other WF members — including long-standing members — also challenged Puddy. Three WF members thanked the PP Blog in the forum for challenging Puddy’s assertion that The Salty Droid author should have a date with death by shotgun blast.
At least three WF posters asked Puddy to retract his remarks.
“I stand by my comments,” Puddy said, suggesting that WF members and others who disagreed with him are “brain dead.”
By coincidence, “brain dead” was the exact same phrase members of ASD used to describe the federal judge presiding over the Ponzi litigation brought by the U.S. Secret Service in August 2008. The word choice did not go over well in the ASD case, either. Nor did Internet Marketers’ explanation that the case against ASD by the Secret Service and federal prosecutors was the work of “Satan” and the equivalent of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Saturday, indeed, was another a dark day for Internet Marketing, which already has a miserable reputation for scamming, turning a blind eye to scammers, advocating on behalf of scammers and closing ranks when one of its own is challenged by prosecutors or web critics.
Although some Internet Marketers — including members of the Warrior Forum — speak out routinely against scams and shady or illegal marketing practices, they often are derided as jealous “haters,” whiners, malcontents and people who cannot stand “success.”
SD told the PP Blog that he routinely has been subjected to threats.
“That happens to me all the time,” SD said. “They threaten with me with all sorts of horrible atrocities . . . in public and in private. They also talk amongst themselves about the possibility of my death with fondness . . . and regularly . . . this in rooms that contain crazily loyal sycophants/cult followers.”
That the “conversation” at the WF “so quickly deteriorated to that level says pretty much everything you need to know about this ‘industry,'” the SD said.
Read a recent post titled “The Internet Marketing Syndicate” on The Salty Droid
Seems the anonymous ‘len clements’ may be posting as ‘Robert Puddy’ now. Exact same threats and lies about being threatened.
I hope this was reported to the police and a report was filed. Maybe a visit from their local sheriff or police might send them a message this is not tolerated behavior. Actually they should have banned them on the forum.
Wow, this reminds me of a certain RLG, who made similar types of comments on another online forum. However, here of late, said individual has been very silent, too silent…
Excellent article, Patrick. Most gurus have nothing more than ad hominem attacks to offer when confronted with contrary points of view. Suggesting death by shot gun has to be a first. Yikes!
Ryan
P.S. I just wrote a post about The Syndicate tying together some info SD posted along with some other info offered by an industry insider. If you are interested, click my name to read it.
Lynn, you’re in danger of being banned only if you accidentally discuss an upcoming WSO on the main forum or disagree with one of the “boys”.
Publicly suggesting that someone be murdered might also be considered inciting, which could then make the inciter culpable if it were to occur.
They could be charged with cyberstalking too. Already been done in Louisiana.
Hi Patrick
That was my post that Mr. Puddy replied to. Here’s the post I made that elicited his over the top response…
Re: Joel Comm On “What’s Wrong w/ Internet Marketing”…
I like JC and trust him over most other gurus but I still prefer the Salty Droid as a source of info on what is wrong with internet marketing.
My response to Mr Puddy calling me an idiot and making a death threat (which is gone now so I am paraphrasing a bit) was simply.
Anger management issues? LOL
I’ll stop reading the articles there.Thanks for the help.
Then I left the thread alone. Mr Puddy did more than I ever could to prove my point. :)
Quick note:
Here’s a story on another Forum flap. If you have time, take a look at the comments below the story:
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/05/19/patrick-pretty-poof-penalty-plagues-portal-posters/
Here’s a story on the fate of Surf’s Up:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/01/07/editorial-in-the-end-surfs-up-demonstrated-that-all-its-members-were-expendable-and-that-its-heart-beat-only-for-bowdoin-and-a-limited-few/
Patrick
Hi Sheldon,
Thanks for your posting above.
Patrick
Hi Kent,
I’m still stunned that this event even occurred. I mean, it was like one of those things that seem to happen in slow motion because the brain has too much information to process.
Here were have a Blogger — SD — writing about the “Syndicate.”
And here we have an IMer, Robert Puddy, talking about taking out a Blogger with a shotgun blast.
The disconnect is almost too stunning to describe. It reminded me of the level of disconnect displayed by posters on the Surf’s Up forum, which was the cheerleading site for Andy Bowdoin and the ASD autosurf.
I don’t know if you followed the ASD case. Briefly, here’s what happened:
August 2008: $80 million seized in ASD case amid Ponzi and fraud allegations. Forfeiture complaint filed.
September 2008 (circa): Surf’s Up Forum debuts to cheer for ASD/Bowdoin, alleged to be at the helm of a massive fraud.
Nov. 19, 2008: Key court ruling goes against ASD.
Nov. 27, 2008: ASD gives Surf’s Up its official endorsement.
Dec. 19, 2008: Second forfeiture complaint filed against ASD. It names Bowdoin family members as beneficiaries of fraud. Among the allegations is that Bowdoin told members $1 million had been stolen from ASD by “Russian” hackers, but he never filed a police report — not even to report a $1 million theft!
December 2008/January 2009: With major legal issues unresolved in the ASD case and a criminal probe under way, Surf’s Up Mods start pulling double duty, starting a forum for AdViewGlobal, an autosurf with close ASD ties.
December 2008/January 2009: Bowdoin meets with federal prosecutors over a period of four days. He eventually agrees to submit to the forfeiture “with prejudice,” meaning he will not reintroduce his claims to the seized money. Bowdoin signs a proffer letter, meaning he will cooperate with the government.
January 2009: Members filed prospective class action against Bowdoin for racketeering. He never responds to the complaint.
February 2009: Fueled by the cheerleading of the Surf’s Up Mods and ASD members who want a second bite of the apple, AVG launches. This occurs AFTER Bowdoin has been sued for racketeering, made the subject of two forfeiture complaints, submitted to the forfeiture in the August 2008 case — and signed a proffer letter.
February 2009: AVG announces it is a “private association” headquartered in Uruguay. It does so after a meeting with a convicted felon. A website linked to the felon says it can arrange for people to practice law and medicine without a license.
Feb. 25, 2009: Bowdoin, who earlier submitted to the forfeiture with prejudice and signed a proffer letter, mysteriously reenters the case as his own lawyer. He is cheered on by Surf’s Up in March, after the filing becomes a public record. Bowdoin cryptically says he was stimulated to reenter the case after meeting with members of a “group.” He asks members to write to President Obama and Glenn Beck to let them know the government is evil.
June 2009: AVG fails, taking members money with it. People still cheer for Bowdoin and ASD.
There is plenty more, but those are the basics. So, yes, the disconnect can be stunning.
Patrick
Oh dear, it looks as if SD and others trod on Mr. Puddy’s rather sensitive but self important toes and maybe, just maybe, got a little too close to the truth about the internet marketing cartels. It appears to be a common feature of many internet businesses,legal and illegal, as with offline businesses, that a few wish to keep the cake all for themselves and their best friends.
It is a disgrace that people like him, who are well known in the internet marketing “industry” feel free to release their uncontrolled venom from the safety of their computers. Mr. Puddy, death threats are illegal and rightly so. We need more Salty Droids in this world, they help keep us safe and we need them to be kept safe. Anyone who tries to silence a voice who is trying to keep the internet safe does not deserve any credibilty
Hi,
I saw this Patrick Pretty blog on the Robot’s site and I told one of the people there about a website I found called IC3. I can’t remember what the 3 stands for in IC3 right now, but I found a form there where if you go through a few pages it asks if “Somebody threatened you or someone else with violence (and you think that there’s some chance that they might do it)†so I told the people that maybe the Robot or somebody could ask that website about it?
Do you know about that IC3 site? Is that a good one for this kind of thing? Or will the sherrif take care of it, maybe?
[…] other news :: some half-wit … half-cocked … half-ass suggests that death by shotgun would be an appropriate end to my Salty […]
I think you’re talking about the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) site here: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
“The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)”
Hi littleroundman,
Yes that is the site! Thank you for telling me about it again. What does the 3 stand for? Is it because of the three sites you are talking about there?
The 3 ‘C’ in the name of the site -> Internet Crime Complaint Center
Hi Whip,
Thank you for telling me that as I have been trying to figure the 3 C idea all day and now it seems a lot more obvious to me after your post here. Thank you.
No problem Jack.
This seems highly out of character for the Len Clements (Network Marketer) I know. How did you come to this opinion?
Big Joe
You mean the same ‘len clements/margaret wave’/whatever anonymous name he is using’ that was given an admin position at scam.com so he could delete threads about him and his fellow scammers like ‘broker’ jones as they exposed the truth about them? The same person that can only attack people who ask legitimate questions rather than actually answer the question? The one that QUIT HIS OWN COMPANY citing ‘ethical reasons’? This is exactly his MO. People in his own ‘line of work’ can’t stand him as exposed on mlm.com
http://scam.com/showthread.php?t=129485&page=2
http://mysite.verizon.net/resurlf0/advantageconferencestruth/id51.html
http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=167749&page=7
Will you now resort to the same tactics of name calling that he employs because I don’t agree with you?
It’s a shame that the comments have been deleted, it would have been interesting to read them.
RE: Reporting the numpty to the powers that be – The Salty Droid has an article: http://saltydroid.info/shotguns-and-fancy-pants/
Basically he says “bollox to that”, but of course my favourite comment was:
“Irrelevant island nation”? I’ll have you know that the numpty idiot Robert Puddy comes from Bristol, which is actually quite a nice place. In fact Bristol is so well built that it has survived a Toyota Hylux:
First of all Whip, the tone on my inquiry was purely of a curious nature, not one of trying to incite anything. Sorry you perceived it in the defensive manner you did.
Secondly, thankyou for posting some of what led you to this opinion.
Third, I never waste my time on seeking agreement, it is a fruitless, egotistic endeavor.
And Last, I appreciate your contributions to PP’s site.
Big Joe
My apologies. Having dealt with those that side with the perp in the past and seeing the treatment doled out by them, I had to prepare for the worst.
Good article Patrick. This Puddy guy needs to be exposed for his thuggery. He doesn’t seem to care about his reputation. He can think what he wants, but he shouldn’t say something like this. Salty droid is doing some really good work and I for one am enjoying him exposing these questionable internet marketers and their tactics. I just wish I would have known about all of this before I wasted my money on all these useless products but at least I know better these days.
I have heard some bad things about the warrior forum and have heard it can often be a hotbed for scams. The censoring is appalling and the more people talk about this and circulate it the better. Awareness is key.
[quote]Tony H – …numpty idiot Robert Puddy comes from Bristol, which is actually quite a nice place.[/quote]
Nice? Hmmm, that’s debatable lol.
In the case of Robert Puddy… West Knowle, hardly what I’d call a ‘nice’ area. I guess if you’re into street violence, having stones thrown at your car as you drive through there, beatings and muggings galore, yeah sure, lovely place. Lovely.