Contest Scam

**ebittner** · 01-14-2007, 03:27 PM

Hello,
A member of this forum held a very large contest.
The contest prize for each winner was over $5,000, it was a combination of posts, referrals and other atributes to win.
Here on earners forum he is in the $50,000+/Month group so I thought this contest would be legit.
When the contest was about to come to an end it was extened but three more winners would be added with the same prize so I thought it to be fair.
The contest finally ended on December 15th, 2006.
The owner of the forum made a few posts saying that he was calculating the points and winners would be anounced soon.
Then he just stopped posting,
we, the posters, saw that he was signing on and such but not respoding.

After a few days of this I searched for places where he is active such as sitepoint and here. I pm'ed him on sitepoint and here, I know he read the one on sitepoint becasue I put a confirmation on it.
I was just asking him what's going on with everything.
Nothing harsh or inapropriate.
He did not answer so I found his network site and contacted him through every mean that was avalible there.

Now a month later I and the memebers of the forum have heard nothing.

Is there anything that we can do, or that you could suggest that we do?

If you would like to know the site, and the person who is doing this please pm me.

Thanks,
Evan

**imported_Luke** · 01-14-2007, 08:10 PM

Why not tell us all who it is and which site it is?! I have an idea who it could of been but confirmation is needed

How come its been so long since you told anyone and made it public and also where are the other winners complaining?

**Hobbit** · 01-15-2007, 03:05 AM

I don't think you could do much. It was either really a scam, or he predicted that by then he would have the money, but he didn't so now he's embarrassed to admit it. Who knows.

**.amaZe** · 01-15-2007, 11:31 AM

dam man, that sucks.. was this a free contest?

**ebittner** · 01-15-2007, 03:33 PM

Well I logged back on the forum today and someone deleted the main thread where everyone was complaning in.
The site is
http://forums.bizmp.com/
Username Here: bostondan
http://www.earnersforum.com/member.php?u=15

SitePoint User: bostondan
http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/member.php?u=91632

Owner:
http://www.dl2media.com/

Please help me and all of the users out by email or pming him at sitepoint which he checks daily.
I know you may say it is only $1000 cash that I am losing but that is a lot for some of us smaller webmasters and I will never get back the countless hours I spent on this contest.

Thanks once again,
Evan

**imported_junjun** · 01-15-2007, 04:13 PM

If you have problems getting a hold of him, there's more contact info on this page:
http://www.dl2media.com/contact.php

**ebittner** · 01-15-2007, 08:51 PM

Thanks for pointing that out but I have tried every means on that page.
I have not heard back from him through contact forms, email and he is never on aim msn ect.

**gopher292** · 01-16-2007, 04:41 PM

$1,000 is worth suing over. Especially if you can get a couple other winners to join you.

**Lucas3677** · 01-17-2007, 11:37 AM

I don't think you would have enough evidence to support your claim in a lawsuit.

**jprgm** · 01-17-2007, 05:24 PM

15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) 624-2599 Fax -- (480) 624-2599

Thats his phone number. I just did a whois search on the domain.

**Cyberworkspace** · 01-17-2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebittner

Please help me and all of the users out by email or pming him at sitepoint which he checks daily.

better do not do call for help like this, because he could easily proclaim this as an attempt from your side to stalk him.

if he has duped you, you should act 100% legit now, in order to not forfeit your chances for a lawsuit.

you have his address, so call a lawyer now and get some advice.

as this kind of crime (promotion for contests and not paying the winners) is a cybercrime, i would go to http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/cybercrime/index.html for further links, and report him to the fbi.

cheers and good luck.

**ebittner** · 01-26-2007, 02:03 PM

I contacted him again last night and this morning I went to check the forum and he took it down and set up a redirect to the main page.

**ablaye** · 01-30-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebittner

I contacted him again last night and this morning I went to check the forum and he took it down and set up a redirect to the main page.

Yes, I noticed. The forum link just redirects to the main page. Bummer.

**tuxidomasx** · 01-30-2007, 08:38 PM

pwned

**ebittner** · 01-30-2007, 10:37 PM

I just think that it is a bit comical that this occured only hours after I contacted him again.
I still have yet to hear back from him which is very annoying.
I have contacted him yet again.

**Hobbit** · 01-31-2007, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuxidomasx

pwned

word.:001_rolleyes:

**imported_HaRRo** · 01-31-2007, 02:52 PM

Have you tried phoning him?

As the redirects and that i guess maybe hes not earning as much as he says on this forum, being a 50,000+ member i see no reason why $1000 would hurt his bank account.

**ebittner** · 01-31-2007, 03:09 PM

I have not tried to call him yet becasue I know he is reading all of my emails and PM's so what would be the difference?

**SteveAR** · 01-31-2007, 05:07 PM

wow sorry to hear your having this kind of trouble and i hope you get it resolved. doesnt seem like hes making 50k.

**Mike** · 01-31-2007, 06:41 PM

Kind of hard for any of us to say whether BostonDan is or isn't making what he says he is making, nor if this accusation is true or not, unless we know the FACTS of what is going on.

For all we know, that forum could be temporarily closed at the advice of a lawyer.

At this point, this matter shoudl be between ebittner, bostondan, and their respective attorneys.