I've seen a few blog posts over the last couple of days, with people complaining about an application on Facebook charging them crazy amounts of money. Certainly, there's a lot of angry Facebook users out there:
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Some more complaints? Sure, I can do that:
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Some more complaints? Sure, I can do that:
There are many, many more like the above comments out there. One slight problem with all of this is that the complaints are scattered across a whole range of different Crush application forums - in short, they're all being blamed, but they can't all be doing this, can they? What's the alternative, though?
A short while ago, I wrote about deceptive advert placements with regards another facebook application. It seems we have a similar situation here, where an "enterprising" Ad network is placing Facebook-style buttons onto installer pages and hoping people will be fooled. As it turns out, it seems to be working. While attempting to install one randomly selected Crush application, I noticed the following advert at the top of the installer splash (highlighted in red):
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It's easy to imagine a regular Facebook user thinking this is part of the application install and clicking "Ok". Do that, and you're taken to a site called Amazingchat(dot)net that throws up a fake message regarding you having "7 New Crush Messages" (and uses geolocational technology to point a targeted message your way). If you look like you're in the UK, you'll see this:
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Wow, FOUR of my (fake and non-existent) messages are from Sheffield! How about if I look like I'm in the States? You've guessed it....
Windy City, here I come!
Not. It's looking promising so far, though. If we can just go to the next screen and see something utterly useless advertised in exchange for lots of money....
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Horoscopes for only ?9 / $15 a week? WOW!
Also, there go your savings.
Could this be the site at the heart of so many complaints? Well, let's quickly check who runs it...
"Sms-helpdesk", eh? I do believe I've seen a long thread concerning people having issues with large bills for phone messages. Indeed, a rep from sms-helpdesk actually appears to be posting there:
Shame it seems some people can't even get through to the supposed helpline. Perhaps "Denise" would be better off tackling the deceptive placement of adverts made to look like installer buttons, not to mention non-existent crush messages based around geolocational targeting?
Just a thought...
A short while ago, I wrote about deceptive advert placements with regards another facebook application. It seems we have a similar situation here, where an "enterprising" Ad network is placing Facebook-style buttons onto installer pages and hoping people will be fooled. As it turns out, it seems to be working. While attempting to install one randomly selected Crush application, I noticed the following advert at the top of the installer splash (highlighted in red):
Click to Enlarge
It's easy to imagine a regular Facebook user thinking this is part of the application install and clicking "Ok". Do that, and you're taken to a site called Amazingchat(dot)net that throws up a fake message regarding you having "7 New Crush Messages" (and uses geolocational technology to point a targeted message your way). If you look like you're in the UK, you'll see this:
Click to Enlarge
Wow, FOUR of my (fake and non-existent) messages are from Sheffield! How about if I look like I'm in the States? You've guessed it....
Windy City, here I come!
Not. It's looking promising so far, though. If we can just go to the next screen and see something utterly useless advertised in exchange for lots of money....
Click to Enlarge
Horoscopes for only ?9 / $15 a week? WOW!
Also, there go your savings.
Could this be the site at the heart of so many complaints? Well, let's quickly check who runs it...
"Sms-helpdesk", eh? I do believe I've seen a long thread concerning people having issues with large bills for phone messages. Indeed, a rep from sms-helpdesk actually appears to be posting there:
Shame it seems some people can't even get through to the supposed helpline. Perhaps "Denise" would be better off tackling the deceptive placement of adverts made to look like installer buttons, not to mention non-existent crush messages based around geolocational targeting?
Just a thought...
