Surprise, surprise...

[gmattson]

Got this in the mail today. Thought I'd share it with you all:

Attention: Webmaster of uechi-ryu.com

Market research has shown your site to be one of the most popular websites on the Internet. Ranking.com has spent several years aggregating statistics from thousands of online users and found that uechi-ryu.com is now ranked as one of the most visited site on the Web.
===================================

Who is TrustGauge.com?

The market research performed by TrustGauge.com has the backing and resources of EMERgency 24, Inc., its 36-year-old U.S. parent company a leader in the security industry with 24-hour personnel in Chicago; Detroit; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles and Santiago, Chile.

[Bill Glasheen]

I don't know anything about this group. But if it's real, then that should be interesting marketing information if you want to include sponsors to your webpage. The big question for that though would be the nature of the audience.

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone knew anything about this organization.

- Bill

[gmattson]

They were trying to sell me a new tracking program by teasing me with statistics they supposedly developed. Made me feel good, even if they were just stroking our egos.

[Bill Glasheen]

OK... Good marketing on their part.

- Bill

[david]

Sorry, GEM sensei, several forums that I visit have gotten the same stroking and marketing...

Interestingly, I got a message out of the blue by someone saying that they want to interview me and profile our agency for a national cable "news" program. The message directed to visit their website for more info. The site is very polished and gives streaming video of past "interviewees." Anyway, in one of the print sections, the site describes how such interviews would give my "outstanding" agency a national audience and how it could help with my "marketing." It goes on to say that, as an interviewee, I would be provided a hundred dvd's or videos of the interview that I could distribute and copy freely. Another section goes on to solicit any company who wish to be "considered" for an interview to submit their contact information. There was never a mention of cost, which should be quite high given the scale of the productions I saw, and who bears it. As the saying goes, if it's too good to be true...

david

[gmattson]

After discovering that my very dear friend from Pakistan responded to an email he received, telling him that he had won 4.5 million dollars, I believe it is possible!

We want to believe anyone or anything that tells us what we want to hear.

My friend simply had to pay the tax on his winnings, before the winning would be sent to him. Fortunately, he checked with me in time to call his bank and stop payment.

I thought everyone knew about these scams, but at least one honest man had not!