AdViewGlobal, Promoters Trade On Names Of Forbes And Other Publishers To Trumpet Surf Firm’s News Release
A promotional email sent today by the AdViewGlobal (AVG) autosurf hotlinks to servers from Forbes.com, the Washington Business Journal and The Business Review.
The email reproduced logos of the publishing companies, pulling the images off the companies’ individual servers and creating the impression that the companies were endorsing the controversial surf firm. URLs that identify the servers are contained in code hidden on the page. The code is visible when viewing the properties of the email.
Separately, individual AVG members used a Forbes logo and links to Forbes to promote the surf. AVG issued a news release through PR Newswire today, and Forbes published the PR Newswire feed. Forbes’ logo also appeared on a forum frequented by AVG members.
It was not immediately clear if Forbes, the Washington Business Journal and The Business Review had authorized use of their logos or the hotlinking, which consumes bandwidth at the expense of the companies.
In the email, AVG did not link to the PR Newswire URL for the news release. Instead, the surf linked to a Forbes URL that republished the PR Newswire feed.
AdSurfDaily (ASD), a surf firm with close ties to AVG, was accused last year of operating a $100 million Ponzi scheme from a former flower shop in Quincy, Fla. Promoters claimed that ASD President Andy Bowdoin had received a special award from the White House for business achievement, but Bowdoin actually was a convicted felon who received an award from the National Republican Congressional Committee for campaign contributions, prosecutors said.
Some ASD members also claimed Google had entered into a partnership with ASD, but the claim proved to be a click-fraud attempt in which ASD members were encouraged to click on ads so ASD could earn fees.
Meanwhile, AVG announced that it was ending a 200-percent, matching-bonus program on June 5, twenty-four days earlier than advertised. The surf previously told members the promotion would end June 29.
AVG has advertised matching bonuses as high as 250 percent. During a 200-percent promotion, a promoter claimed $5,000 spent with AVG turned into $15,000 “instantly!”
The surf purports to be headquartered in Uruguay, but today’s PR Newswire release carried a dateline of Tallahassee. The promotional email AVG sent said the email originated in Uruguay.
Patrick… This is utterly amazing… There is apparently no limit to the lies they will tell to sucker more people out of their money. I certainly hope the Feds bust them soon. Their “New business model” isn’t very new. Same crooks, different name…
Hi Don,
Yes, indeed.
Patrick
ARE you kidding me with your article? Is there nothing anyone can do to please you?
I read this from time to time for the sheer joy of needing a laugh. You link everything to ASD or now AVGA. The sky is falling…ASD or AVGA must have done it. This is now a full fledged advertising company. Put that up your ass and smoke it.
Your 15 minutes of fame are up. Give us a break.
Gee Mary, please provide us your credentials for your glowing critique of Patrick’s article. I guess I missed the part about if you don’t like what he writes, you don’t have to read it. Oh wait, you read it for the laughs. So why aren’t you laughing instead of griping since you think he is so funny?
Not so polite of language there either. Let me guess, you were in the Navy, and you haven’t adjusted to civilian life yet. I would tell you to blow it up your assets, but then I doubt if you could find it wearing those rose-colored glasses. But please don’t stay away, and do post again. I need the comic relief for you are totally hilarious.
Whatever Patrick!…
Might be time to move on to a new target now Pat. That company seems to have a determination to get themselves completely legit and from what i see the company has turned the corner.
If you keep pushing it now the toes you are stepping on might start stepping back. Looks like they have some fire power behind them now.
Hell, I may even hire their consultants to design a site for my law firm. I love irony.
The price quote I rec’d today is pretty hard to ignore. The quote was extremely efficient and from what I can tell from their portfolio I like their style.
Pretty damn impressive turn around if you ask me – killer site, very competitive prices. I have been following this for a while now and i must say – I Did not see that coming – I for on am pretty impressed.
Let me help you out here Mary. I am not Patrick, but thanks for the compliment.
Mary,
It may have escaped your attention but legitimate corporations and organizations are generally very wary about allowing their logos and names to be used without their authorization.
If a news article, written by a newspaper’s reporters appears, it is totally legitimate to repeat it. If the “article” is, in fact, no more than a company’s own press release that has been sent to them, they may not view the situation in such a favourable light.
Legitimate institutions guard their good names and reputations jealously, are not known for permitting them to be taken in vain.
The ridiculous claims about Medals of Distinction from the White House attracted unwelcome attention from the authorities for ASD, for that very reason.
And yes, we have seen the new association of AVGA with the Canadian owned Syndicate Digital online advertising company. They do a nice bit of web design and I am sure that they are very good, but they are hardly a Fortune 500 company either. It is definitely a step in the right direction, but unlikely to generate the kind of outside revenue required to support the level of rebates “promised but not guaranteed” by AVGA. Neither do they have sufficient weight to change the direction of AVGA to convert it into something other than a concealed unregistered securities operation
Lynn,
Thought I should give you a head’s up.
CORRECTION put it out the other day that I’m the head of a cult and that people who quote this Blog are my “followers.”
So, if you spend much time here defending a post, you do so at the risk of being identified as one of my “loyal band of charmed readers,” according to CONCERNED.
Patrick
P.S. Hope you looked in the loyalty-oath section of your PP back office and saw the EXCITING announcement that we’re switching to the orange Kool-Aid next week!!! I arrived at this decision after consulting with a group of members who advised me that my previous paid counsel has given me bad advice about committing to lime Kool-Aid. I’m thinking about suing my paid counsel back to the Stone Age; I dropped $800,000 on lime, only to be told later by people who actually know what they’re talking about that orange was the only way to go.
Our EXCITING shift from lime to orange will be backed by an EXCITING essay contest on why this Blog is so GREAT. The winner gets a personal, EXCITING guided tour of Area 51 — aerial and ground!!!
Second place gets an hour-long DVD of my recent trip to Venus — a $99 value!!!
Third place gets a special DVD in which I utter, “Make sure you take advantage of our $50,000 ceiling on ad-pack purchases this weekend, because the ceiling beginning Monday will be lowered to $12,000 — without special permission!!!”
This unique, 30-minute presentation includes 15 straight minutes in which I utter, “Thank you, God, for making me a money magnet.” I’m particularly pleased because the microphone picked up all the gleeful gasps in the crowd when I mentioned God.
Fourth and fifth places get “lovely parting gifts.” At the moment, I’m leaning toward 1,000 ASD packs for 4th, and 500 Megalido packs for 5th. They’re sort of like GM stock right now — actually, they’re worse than GM stock right now — but I’ll utter a few more “Gods” and issue a news release that we soon expect a $200 million cash infusion from a penny-stock company. Problem solved.
But don’t tell anyone.
2 shills and yet still no proof of outside revenue o support the scam. Fascinating.
Hi George,
This comment implies they weren’t completely legitimate before, which would come as a surprise to promoters who’ve been calling them completely legitimate out of the gate.
Honestly, George, how can you see anything unless they show you the ledgers and an audited balance sheet that demonstrates solvency without engaging in sleight-of-hand — such as treating liabilities as assets because VIPs aren’t guaranteed?
It’s hard to know what to make of these words, especially when they’re coupled with these words:
Write up a review of AVG’s services after they design the new site for your law firm. I’ll give you a bylined guest column that includes a link to your law-firm site, so readers can judge for themselves.
If they weren’t legitimate before, engaged in the sale of unregistered securities and used a Ponzi model, how does the launch of a new website unring those bells and cause you to conclude immediately that it constitutes an “impressive turn around?”
And why the need for an endless series of preposterous, matching-bonus programs (the equivalent of ASD-style rallies, only physical presence wasn’t required) if their cash flow was solid?
They still are using a business model frequently associated with Ponzi schemes, although they’ve effectively buried the rotator within what they’re saying is a larger whole. They never have fully explained the wire fiasco. They still have ties to ASD, and one of their first official acts was to hotlink to servers and reproduce the logos of prominent publishing companies.
Those things don’t exactly inspire confidence, the graphic appeal of the new site notwithstanding. And it certainly doesn’t inspire confidence when you say things such AVG “seems to have a determination to get themselves completely legit” — and follow that comment with references to your law firm.
What AVG did with the Forbes logo is not consistent with a company that is trying to become legitimate, George. It’s consistent with a company that is trying to create the impression of legitimacy by tying itself to a legitimate company — sort of like the ASD folks did with Andy Bowdoin’s bogus White House award and the outrageous attempts to make it appear as though Google and ASD had a special business agreement.
Patrick
Al Capone reportedly funneled money from his bootlegging operation into legit businesses. Did that change him from being a gangster into a business executive?
Similarly, if AVG started as a Ponzi, without any significant outside revenue, but paid rebates, VIPs (or whatever they’re called) only from other members’ funds – and then by some miracle outside income magically appears later – does that mean it’s now legit?
Pat,
Of course you know the answer, but it would sure be nice for CORRECTION! to come forward with any shreds of evidence (of course, he/she doesn’t play the evidence/data game….), or the new guy, George. C’mon George, here’s your chance to demonstrate that the skeptics with data are wrong!!!!! (5)
Once, just once, I wish one of these “threats” would come to fruition.
Goodness knows how many times over the years HYIP ponzi operators, their shills and their sycophantic supporters have used the same (not so)subtle threats to try and scare off unwanted “naysayers”
Getting an “autosurf” operator into court is hard enough. Even with the resources of the US Government behind you.
An “autosurf” operator appearing within a mile of a courtroom without an official summons or armed escort is nigh on impossible.
Fair and accurate…it’s gonna be hard to “Break good news” and keep ’em coming back PP.
CORRECTION!,
I’d bet PP would be delighted to post verifiable good news. Please provide a verifiable significant source of external revenue for AVG, or evidence that they are NOT paying off old members with new member money, and I am sure PP will print it (my same tired old questions that you NEVER address…..). Hearsay is NOT “breaking good news.” You continually fail to rise to this challenge — will you this time??? Early betting line is no.
Good Point Entertained,
I dont think that any of the ponzi defenders realise that noone on this blog or the anti scam forums (with the possible exception of you know who, lol) take any pleasure in discovering that they are right and that a venture is in fact a ponzi. Each new version of the tired old autosurf formula is usually greated with signs and a heavy heart.
It would be wonderful to see a company that checks out and can stand up to the due diligence tests, the Howie test, the Black Box Test and is legitimate. The problem so far is that none of the autosurf variations, including AVGA, have achieved this. In the case of AVGA, it fails a larege number of the tests miserably.
In fact, George’s statements on the changes imply that the critics have been right in their assessment, as he seems to be implying that AVGFA didnt have outside income to pay rebates and that it was not a serious advertising company before – failing the ponzi test, the Black Box text, and the unregistered securities tes. I am afraid they are shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted and this will not sae them from prosecution or crashing under its own weight.
As a concerned member who has invested heavily in the lime Kool-Aid, I have decided to form a Trust to represent the interests of other Team-Limers. The name of this Trust will be the LSDMBA – Lime Soft Drink Members Business Association. It’s an association, not a trust. We have decided to sue Patrick and have enlisted the services of a well known, high profile, lawyer Mr Barry Liedfish. He has determined that lime Kool-Aid is perfectly legal, not a ponzi scheme, and lime is just as orange as the orange Kool-Aid. Anyone who says differently, asks any awkward questions, questions me in any way, or steps on the cracks in the pavement will be sued and may be visited by my buddies in the Special Ops Marine Trumpet Players of the Salvation Army Brass Band.
You lot with your orange Kool-Aid, you know nothing. You are a bunch of whiners who know nothing of the real investigation into the lime Kool-Aid. The government investigators were grateful to me (ME!!!! MEEE!!!!) for the information that I (ME!!, no one else but ME!!) gave them. They know nothing either. And anyone who says differently will be sued all the way back to Texas. You orange Kool-Aid internet people, you make me sick. All you can do is post on the internet under your fake names while I served my country as a trumpet player in the Salvation Army. You are obviously some delusional internet blogger, probably a lime Kool-Aid winner or scammer trying to spread some false BS on the internet under some assumed internet name and who knows what name. You can always tell a left wing liberal democrat, they have a lot to say about nothing, and run away at the first brush with real conflict, the internet is a perfect place for you folks.
Here is the way people I know make statements of fact. They don’t come at you with a fake name, then give you another name, then play 20 guesses about who you are and where you work.. Name, Address, City, State home phone, cell phone, email..; Everyone has that info on me, how about you??
——-
This is too easy.
A friend is trying to get me into this before the friday deadline. I have not had time to check into this completley can anyone help?
Do you people have any better things to do than to write negative comments about Adview? I am a member and it is working great for me. My business is doing better, due to my exposure on that sight. I am also taking advantage of the services they provide.Please do your research before you write slanderish comments.
Thank you!
Hey Pat…since you have time…I need your thoughts.
Can you explain and give me an analysis of the AIG Scam that left all its investors to kill themselves now?
Can you explain and give sound analysis Freddy Mac-daddy and Fannies Mae Scam as well that contributed to collapse of the housing industry.
etc. etc. etc.
I will let you answer these 2 questions first then I will throw you 10 more so called suppose to be legit United States Companies that screwed their investors royal.
Just a thought? What business today is not a risk to be involved in? hmmmmm – nada…
JOE,
It seems you have two entirely different issues here that you are morphing into one.
On one hand you entertain the thought that AIG, Freddy & Fannie are schemes and then with your last statement infer the issue is about risk.
Two entirely different issues.
All businesses have risk which is inherently a part of doing business.
Risk of a better product, better service coming from a competitor. Risk of a lawsuit, product suppliers problems, trade embargoes, new regulatory issues and the list goes on and on.
So what is the real point you are asking Patrick about?
I think it may be the argument that what the Government is condemning with ponzie’s like ASD, AVGA, it is allowing with companies like AIG, etc.
I don’t think it is about risk in business.
BOTTOM-LINE: AIG IS NOW CONSIDERED THE ULTIMATE LEGALIZED SCAM THAT DESTROYED MILLIONS INVESTORS LIVES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
LEGALIZED SCAM…LOL!!!
Sure herb,
Here’s your help. If you want to join a criminal money-laundering Ponzi enterprise, please jump right in and send your money to AVG. With any luck, you’ll be able to convince some poor retiree to throw away their life savings (don’t worry, you’ll get a piece of it) and then you can laugh in delight as their world falls apart because you talked them into it.
Less tongue-in-cheek, the test you need to apply are:
1) Is there any evidence of subtantial external revenues that can generate the income required to pay rebates, or are the rebates mainly (or only) funded from new member money? So far, no one has posted ANY evidence of external revenue. Failure to pass this test is part one of the Ponzi argument, and is the essence of the argument that AVG is not a sustainable business.
2) Do old members get paid off with new member money? If so, then when combined with #1 this business is a Ponzi. So far, no one defending AVG has either stated this to be falsoe nor provided evidence that it is false.
Thus all supporters posting here (and everywhere ele I know of) never address points 1 and 2, but rather tell you to “trust them, this is a great business model.” They said the same thing ablout ASD and other nearly identical Ponzi schemes that have been busted by the DoJ. Ask you friend to prove 1 and 2, if he cannot, he is trying to rope you into a criminal enterprise.
John,
I am so happy for you that you feel satisfied by a life of crime stealing other people’s money. Your mother must be so proud……not slander if it is true btw…..
PS: Anyone who knows anything about Ponzi schemes know that the ONLY way they work is if the people who get in early, like John, actually make money. That way, criminals like John can claim “it is working great” for them, because it is. Armed robbery works great for the robber too……and at least the armed robber is honest about his criminal intentions, unlike John. Make no mistake; John has the same criminal intent as the armed robber — to separate people like herb from their money illegally.
btw, it is not slander if it is true…..
JOE,
Are you smart enough to understand credit default swaps and the math behind them? Do you understand the differential equations that govern the risk scenarios that back up the CDS’s? I do…..if you’re bright enough, you’d already have your AIG answer — the answer is embedded in the risk scenarios. Massive mistakes…..based on low-probability events (that actually happened), but not a priori illegal like ASD and AVG.
MASSIVE MISTAKE OR MASSIVE CORRUPTION!
YOU MUST BE MASTER SPIN DOCTOR BUDDY…
SO LETS JUST CALL AIG, FREDDY AND FANNY, ETC, ETC… A “LEGALIZED” PONZI SCHEME…LOL
ALSO SINCE YOUR GENIUS AN BILLIONAIRE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ANSWER THIS — NAME ONE COMPANY IN THE US RIGHT NOW THAT IS WORTH PUTTING MY MONEY…IF AIG AND ALL THESE CORRUPT CEOS CAN’T GET IT RIGHT ON WALL STREET, THEN DIRECT ME TO THE BEST BUSINESS WITH YOUR SUPERB THOUGHTS…
DEAL!!!
Wow, strive for coherence next time…..
J&J, Microsoft, Exxon, Honeywell, P&G, 3M, Cisco, etc. Lots of VERY solid companies out there. AIG/Freddie/Fannie legalized Ponzi’s? Hardly. Mismanaged companies for certain though.
EXACTLY!
AIG/Freddie/Fannie legalized Ponzi’s? Hardly. Mismanaged companies for certain though.
So your saying the World Investors gave their hard earn money to dummies at the Top of a so called legitimate financial empire that left them pennies in the end…
Wow – Thanks for the intelligent response..lol
Don’t forget mismanaged corruption to…
Corruption vs. Ponzi! hmmm
Agreed 100% — mismanaged…..
Lots of other mismanaged companies out there as well (GM, Chrysler for example).
I do see a couple of differences though. Only a few legal, successful companies eventually go bankrupt for lots of reasons — bad management, disruptive innovation, Black Swan theory (look it up — it is one of the root causes of the 2008 financial meltdown), and yes, corruption. OTOH Ponzi schemes such as CEP, 12DP, ASD, AVG, Biz Ad Splash, etc. are illegal, and 100% of them fail in the short run (and none survive indefinitely).
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