May 26, 2007
Bloggerwave redux
New chapters seem to be developing daily in the Bloggerwave saga. I was one of many bloggers who posted a warning in recent days that the company appeared to be in trouble and might even be perpetrating a scam on bloggers. I still don’t know what is going on with Bloggerwave, but, having devoted space to airing their problems, I think it’s only fair to post what’s known of their side of the story. Yesterday I finally received payment for the post I did for them on April 8th. Other bloggers also report being paid in the last twenty-four hours. This morning I discovered that they had posted a comment in answer to my more recent post concerning the possibility of fraud. Others got a similar message, and Ulrik Thomsen, CEO of Bloggerwave, posted a more explanatory comment on Daryl Lau’s blog, which had posted several warnings. They are now attempting to explain themselves and communicate to the blogging community.
When Bloggerwave was first introduced, many of us noted that their website and their presentations to bloggers and advertisers were taken almost word for word from the Payperpost website. We had been getting teasers from PPP that “something big is coming” and some of us leapt to the conclusion that Bloggerwave would be announced as the European arm of PPP. Those conclusions were laid to rest when Ted Murphy, CEO of Payperpost, answered our questions at a townhall meeting. Ted stated definitively that Bloggerwave was not associated with Payperpost and that his represntatives were researching whether there was legal cause to pursue Bloggerwave for unauthorized use of their materials. I was one of the many bloggers who decided at that point not to continue an association with Bloggerwave. Whether of not PPP has cause for legal recourse, the fact that Bloggerwave had appropriated someone else’s creative material was enough for me. I have no desire to work for someone who would take another’s creative work, nor would I trust them to deal fairly with me.
The payment date for my post for Bloggerwave came and went with no money received. A couple of bloggers did receive payment. Many didn’t. Some wrote to them reqesting their money, while others chose to watch and wait. I decided that I would not actively pursue further contact with the compqany but would accept payment if it was forthcoming. Distrust and anger had already reached a boiling point when, last week, PayPal rescinded some payments that had been sent out. Their communications to bloggers seemed to indicate that Paypal suspected Bloggerwave was involved in fraudulent activities. PayPal’s actions motivated many of us to post warnings to other bloggers. Having posted Bloggerwave’s recruitment announcements, we felt an obligation to advise our readers that working for the company might not be a good investment of one’s time.
Now that Bloggerwave has finally broken their silence, we all await the newsletter promised by Ulrik Thomsen. What can he possibly say or do that will repair the damage done? Assuming that the rescinded payments were a PayPal mistake and not fraud by Bloggerwave, is there a way to salvage the company’s reputation and set them back on their feet? There are things I believe they need to do in order to rescue themselves.
1. Bloggerwave needs to scrap their entire website and start over. They want to sell advertising. Effectiveness in the advertising marketplace is built on originality and creative input. They’ve shown none.
2. They need to “make things right” with Payperpost. Whether their intent was theft or imitation, there is no denying that Bloggerwave used materials that do not belong to them. They need to apologize and promise to play nice in the future.
3. They need to establish clear lines of communcation with their bloggers. Many of the bloggers involved sent numerous emails requesting payments for the work they performed for Bloggerwave. None that I am aware of ever received an answer. A single explanatory email sent out to their entire blogging force could have quelled the rising tide of discontent. The reaction to their silence can be found by doing a Google search for “Bloggerwave scam” or “Bloggerwave fraud.” Lack of communication may have been their costliest mistake and may have sounded their death knell.
4. They need to get the money right. Whatever their method of payment, it must be tested and verified before they contract for a single future post. There are tens of thousands of hungry bloggers who want to blog for pay. Many will quickly dismiss past history if the money is forthcoming.
This story is far from over. The ball is in Bloggerwave’s court. Their next move will determine whether or not the game continues.
Edit: Brett has published some new infromation about the Bloggerwave/PayPal situation.
[tags]blog advertising, Bloggerwave, blogging, blogging scandal, paid blogging[/tags]
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May 26th, 2007 at 12:56 pm, Beth Says:
Well said Skeet. I couldn’t have said it any better myself. I will digg it when I get on my computer.
May 26th, 2007 at 2:27 pm, Beth Says:
Dugg for you Skeet
May 26th, 2007 at 2:31 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo Beth! Appreciate it!
May 26th, 2007 at 4:46 pm, Cass Says:
An excellent follow-up.
May 26th, 2007 at 7:48 pm, Joana Says:
I still haven’t been paid nor have I received any information about this either. Like you I altered my information but I did it after you did and if they had backed up their information and still had a record of your account, well it stands to reason they should have had mine as well.
To be frank I have trust or respect for this company and would rather have nothing to do with them. They can keep their money.
May 26th, 2007 at 8:53 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo, Ms. Cass. I consider that a high compliment, coming from you.
May 26th, 2007 at 8:55 pm, skeet Says:
I altered all of my sign-up info with them last week when this started getting ugly, Joana, but somehow they found me and paid me. I guess that means they had all of the info backed up somwhere. I couldn’t get back in there now if I wanted to because I don’t remember the member name I made up.
May 28th, 2007 at 3:28 am, lauritse Says:
Skeet - Email me your email adress and I will try finding you in the system. I will send you your login details.
May 28th, 2007 at 4:35 am, Advanced Wellness Solutions Says:
The lesson here: Don’t cheat bloggers. They’re a vocal, powerful and CONNECTED bunch.
May 30th, 2007 at 1:07 pm, Adam Says:
Glad to hear that you got paid. I assumed it was a fraud and avoided it.
June 6th, 2007 at 1:09 am, Kevin Says:
I read your story and was worried as I’ve signed up at Bloggerwave and done some posts. I wrote to Paypal asking for clarification and I am afraid I got a nonsensical reply. Paypal obviously didn’t read my enquiry - they seemed to think I was talking about existing payments from PayPerPost! I wish I hadn’t bothered and I am worried what will happen if I do receive money from bloggerwave.
June 6th, 2007 at 1:36 am, skeet Says:
Kevin, it now appears that the payment problem was a PayPal error and not fraud by Bloggerwave. Most of the bloggers I know of who posted for them have been paid. If you are still owed money send them an email. They seem to be trying to fix things. Their biggest error was the failure to communicate the PayPal problem to their bloggers.
June 6th, 2007 at 1:54 am, Kevin Says:
Thanks, Skeet - in light of that, do you think is is likely to be a good prospect for paid blogging?
I just got my first assignments accepted so I think I wait 30 days for payment now.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:12 am, allhisblessings Says:
Oh my, now I’m very, very nervous and scared. I’m a new blogger and I just joined Bloggerwave last night and did my first opportunity this morning. Would someone please help tell me if this is now a corrected situation or if I should be fearing this? Thank youin advance.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:17 am, skeet Says:
I’ve given all of the information I have in the post, the links and this comment thread. It appears that the problem was with PayPal, not with Bloggerwave, an that it’s been corrected.
June 8th, 2007 at 6:36 am, Carla Says:
Your Bloggerwave article is very informative. I came across your site while searching Bloggerwave on the Internet. I am considering writing a post for them on my blog also.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:45 am, Rose Says:
Thanks for blogging about this skeet. I was going to sign up, but am very skeptical.
July 9th, 2007 at 2:48 pm, skeet Says:
Rose, it does appear that the problem with payments had more to do with PayPal than with Bloggerwave. Their failure to communicate with their bloggers compounded it all out of proportion. I’ve chosen not to go back with them, but I know others who have and are being treated well. They still only have a couple of opps available and, unless they’ve done it in the last week or so, they haven’t created their own site (ie: one that doesn’t rip off PPPs efforts.) Still, if they have three opps at $10.00 each, that’s thirty bucks you can make with them before it dries up.
September 17th, 2007 at 6:13 am, Make money online with Bloggerwave… not | Make money blogging online with Angel Says:
[…] Skeet’s Stuff didn’t get a bean. […]
June 20th, 2008 at 12:29 pm, aurea Says:
hi, please please seend me a reply at b4_sunrise00@yahoo.com.
i have a concern about bloggerwave. i have already made my first post on the job “bloggerwave”. but when i log in to bloggerwave and click “jobs”, it still says “active”. shouldn’t it read “pending” since i do have a pending post? i asked bloggerwave about this query and never got a reply.
please help. thanks.
June 21st, 2008 at 10:26 pm, skeet Says:
Aurea, I did several posts for Bloggerwave when they first started up. I haven’t done any since I blogged about them, about a year ago. Sorry I can’t tell you whether they’ve cleaned up their act.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:12 am, http://anakmedan.org/2008/07/16/another-fuckin-scamer-broker-paid-review/ Says:
Hi, i just want to tell you. My post have been active more than 30 days. I have try to contact but never got the answer… anyway, are you the one have look at the sidebar when you have logging in blogger form ? I have seen that its just FAKE! Its STUCK! and thats why, im very worry for my 10 post have not paid yet anyway
Any comment ?
July 16th, 2008 at 4:49 pm, skeet Says:
I’m sorry to hear that Bloggerwave is still suckering bloggers into working for them. Th eonly advice I can offer is to bombard them with emails until they make good on what they owe you. I dont’ know that it will do you any good, but it might make you feel better and maybe you’ll also have the satisfaction of annoying them.
There are plenty of reliable companies that will pay you on a timely basis and always have plenty of work available. I’d suggest that you look into PayPerPost. Their link is on the button at the bottom of my right sidebar.
Good Luck!
July 16th, 2008 at 5:48 pm, Bloggerwave SCAM! Says:
Bombing ? lolz, thats a funny answer :p
however, some time i have thing for do that too…
LMAO!
And i just have thing for reporting They service to hosting service (*i believe they just use shared host)
any idea ?
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm, Nasir Jamal Says:
Bloggerwave is definitely a fraud company. From the comments that I read on the net I undersand that they have not paid any one. I myself wrote a post for them and I think that I will not get paid.