Portal Response Technology Ripoff lied about product on contract broke contract refusing to pay back Los Angeles California
We were sold a space to advertise our company on a new unique toolbar incorporated with myspace and skype. We were told they had 11 million current users and were sold 3 sets of words, "mortgage leads", "mortgage lead" and "lead generation". Copy of main clause in contract is below.
Here is contract:
1. Guaranteed 25,000 Visits to customer website in first 90 days. 2. PRT Will not use any hit generator to generate hits and are organic searches by tool bar users. 3. Customer may change key words with in 72 hours notice. 4. Customer has first right of refusal after initial year on the above key phrases price not to exceed $6000.00. 5. Customer may purchases additional Key words at 40% discount off of PRT list price
We installed a stat counter to track and make sure we got what we paid for. Within 2 days we were seeing 300 additional hits a day to our site, we were excited, except for the fact that we didn't get one phone call. Prior to that we can document that for every 50 hits to our site we made one sale and received 12-16 calls a day from it. The only thing that changed after we bought the space was our hits.
We asked our stat company to check out the hits and they confirmed they were inorganic hits, a clear violation of the contract, I have all the proof I need of this(report from them with every hit).
I also before writing this went to check on it, as we haven't received a refund which we were told we would receive in 7 days from December 6th.
Somewhere since the 6th they have had heated communication with my partner and not say they won't refund our monies until they sell the words, I have that in writing also.
When I checked on the sets of words I found that one set is now owned by another company, I also printed proof and can provide that. Even after selling one of the three sets of words, no refund, not even partial.
I sent them an email from myself with all of those documents and have been ignored. I trid to approach them coolheaded and professional but apparantly, they have no desire to make this right. So if you happen to do a search for them on here, there you go, contact me for any evidence or details you may need.
Please contact us if you have also been ripped off by these folks. Let's get em!..
(((ROR redacted email address for security purposes)))
Stephen
Hodgenville, Kentucky
U.S.A.
CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
7 Updates & Rebuttals
Brett
X,Colorado,
U.S.A.
PRT IS A RIP-OFF, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
#8Consumer Comment
Mon, October 29, 2007
THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO MYSELF AND PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPANIES. DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU'LL FIND OUT HOW CROOKED THIS COMPANY IS.
IT WILL ALL COME BACK TO YOU GUYS. DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU GET CAN AWAY WITH RIPPING PEOPLE OFF? KARMA'S A MUTHER F*%$ER
Brett
X,Colorado,
U.S.A.
PRT IS A RIP-OFF, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
#8Consumer Comment
Mon, October 29, 2007
THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO MYSELF AND PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPANIES. DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU'LL FIND OUT HOW CROOKED THIS COMPANY IS.
IT WILL ALL COME BACK TO YOU GUYS. DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU GET CAN AWAY WITH RIPPING PEOPLE OFF? KARMA'S A MUTHER F*%$ER
Brett
X,Colorado,
U.S.A.
PRT IS A RIP-OFF, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
#8Consumer Comment
Mon, October 29, 2007
THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO MYSELF AND PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPANIES. DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU'LL FIND OUT HOW CROOKED THIS COMPANY IS.
IT WILL ALL COME BACK TO YOU GUYS. DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU GET CAN AWAY WITH RIPPING PEOPLE OFF? KARMA'S A MUTHER F*%$ER
Brett
X,Colorado,
U.S.A.
PRT IS A RIP-OFF, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
#8Consumer Comment
Mon, October 29, 2007
THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO MYSELF AND PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPANIES. DO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU'LL FIND OUT HOW CROOKED THIS COMPANY IS.
IT WILL ALL COME BACK TO YOU GUYS. DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU GET CAN AWAY WITH RIPPING PEOPLE OFF? KARMA'S A MUTHER F*%$ER
Joe
Santa Monica,California,
U.S.A.
Do not believe anything PRT says
#8UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, July 28, 2007
Portal Response Technology likes to portray themselves as being totally legitimate and honest, however there is plenty of evidence and unsatisfied customers that challenge that assertion.
The first thing to understand is the peddling of keywords for use with their toolbar is a marketing scam that has persisted for many years. You can read about it by doing Google searches under "search engine optimization scam", "portal response technology scam", "Keyword scam", "Sloatman scam", "search engine advertising scam", and many others.
The other thing to note is that PRT is linked with several other companies that have licensed this keyword technology, and these companies are themselves linked by having identical addresses, and F ratings from the Better Business Bureau. Oh, they'll deny that they have anything to do with those companies, but PRT's COO and CEO end up with revenue generated by these entities. They believe they are insulating themselves, but in truth they are not.
They'll parse words and make pronouncements that may make it appear that they are not linked, but they always avoid answering direct questions.
Just look at all their websites and ask why they all look identical.
They claim their toolbar has been downloaded 14 million times. And yet, ask them for proof. See what they offer. A smart person would want VERIFIABLE proof of this number of downloads.
And, by the way, downloads does NOT mean "installations". The two are very different. So before you think you'll have access to a network of 14 million, think again.
Because any "hits" are sent via their server, and they are the ones who provide the records of these "hits", passive clients are not encouraged to challenge their results. They just take what they are given at face value.
Are the hits "inorganic". Well, there's no way to prove it unless you get a look inside the operation. But ask yourself these questions:
1) If they had 14 million users, why do they only have 3 testimonials on their (various) websites? And from tiny companies at that.
1A) If they had 14 million users, wouldn't they be making so much money that they would be operating out of a beautiful set of offices, instead of a boiler-room style operation on a side street in Glendale?
2) Why are there complaints posted on the internet that after the Guarantee period ended that traffic to their website fell to almost nil?
3) Why do they always blame the unsatisfied consumer by saying "We generated leads for you, it's YOUR fault you couldn't convert"?
4) Why is it that whenever they are attacked on the internet that they always start screaming "libel" and that the posting represents a "smear campaign"? Wouldn't a legit company be far more likely to take a professional, circumspect approach to criticism? There is such a thing called "protesting TOO loudly".
5) Why is it that anytime asks if the man behind their toolbar, who is named Charles Lloyd, is the same Charles Lloyd who was issued a permanent injunction by the FTC in a billing-from-home scam -- that this question gets ignored?
There are too many questions and not enough direct answers. I'm sure they'll show up here with their usual indignant replies. You potential clients MUST be suspicious. Remember, if its' too good to be true, it probably is!
Peter
Glendale,California,
U.S.A.
In rebuttle to Stephen Ames' statement
#8REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, January 29, 2007
We are sorry that Mr. Ames was not happy with the service that we provided; however, in no way did we violate our contractual terms with him. His statement disappoints us, because out of thousands of accounts, he is our first documented dissatisfied customer.
Mr. Ames states that our hits were inorganic. This is false and libelous. No doubt he came to this conclusion because his tracking technology states that his hits came from our company's location. We repeatedly explained to him that, in order to confirm our company's guarantees, we route all traffic through our server. Could we confirm our guarantees in any other way? We've fully refunded Mr. Ames money, and we wish him well.
We have been quite lucky. Myspace's success has generated the bulk of our network that exceeds 15,000,000 clients. We are proud that we can serve not only Fourtune 500 companies, but individuals as well. If Mr. Ames was more patient, no doubt he would have enjoyed his share of our success.
Here is the most recent of our unsolicited positive testimonies:(((ROR REDACTED LINK FOR SECURITY PURPOSES)))
Feel free to contact us personally with any questions at 818 630 0700.
Sincerely,
Portal Response Technology, LLC
sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.
Stephen
hodgenville,Kentucky,
U.S.A.
Adjustable Rate Marketng Stephen Ames
#8Author of original report
Sat, December 16, 2006
I want to add that if the company makes everything right, I will make that known as well. I just want my money back after a clear contract violation. I will give benefit of doubt that things may be delaying refund, again if it comes in, I will make the same public apology and thank them for ending this professionally...