Cash4Gold Apparently Threatening Bloggers With Defamation
from the that'll-work dept
Despite getting plenty of attention for its Superbowl ad that felt more like a late-night-TV cable ad, Cash4Gold hasn’t really been having a very good month. The company was caught when a representative (the company claims he was “acting independently”) offered cash to a blogger if he would take down a negative review. Then some sites, including Consumerist republished a list of “10 confessions” from a former employee, who described what appears to be somewhat questionable practices by the company — allowing it to live up to the letter of what it promises people, but not quite the spirit. The company, not surprisingly, denies all of this, and says you can’t trust a disgruntled former employee.
However, now it appears to be accusing folks who reposted even part of the Consumerist post with defamation. Allen Harkleroad writes in to let us know that after he wrote about the Consumerist article — basically linking to Consumerist and including just the opening paragraph of the original article, the company had its PR firm threaten him with defamation. You know that’s going to backfire.
What’s especially odd about this, however, is that on the company’s own blog they have reposted the same content in an attempt to refute it. That is the best way to respond to it. Threatening defamation charges is only going to serve to draw more negative attention to the company. Why wouldn’t the PR people direct bloggers to the company’s response instead?
Filed Under: blogging, defamation
Companies: cash4gold
Comments on “Cash4Gold Apparently Threatening Bloggers With Defamation”
IANAL
It’s not defamation if it’s true.
Spelling fail
…Despite getting plenty of attention for it’s Superbowl ad …
Re: Spelling fail
Fixed. Thanks.
Re: Spelling fail
OK, you’ve proven that you can take a correct sentence and turn it into an incorrect sentence.
Let me try
Then some sights, including Consumerist republished a list of “10 confessions” …
The company, not surprisingly, denys all of this, and says you can’t trust a disgruntled former employee.
Do I win?
It’s somewhat unfortunate, but I think today defamation has become a tool more largely used by those who really deserve the “defamation” in the first place (i.e. because it is true). I know that that is a troubling statement, and it IS your legal right to sue if you think you are being defamed, but I am just noting what I see.
I think these days, people see defamation as just bad form. If it isn’t true, I think that generally most of the public will realize that and there is really no need for a defamation lawsuit. I think defamation made a lot of sense when publishing rights were held by a few and those sources were trusted as fact, but today I think most people have an ounce of skepticism when they read something on the net. I think it is possibly time to rethink the utility of defamation.
payment to bloggers
ive seen and heard that happening more than once, but the big problem is when the blog article is under the control of one party and the reponse/comment is the negative element you want removed other people will carry on the dicussion and quote on that statement so it will spread like wildfire…
paying off a blogger is a means to an end for some companies who dont offer quality, but just because they pay to remove the article doesnt mean its not being linked/quoted on another blog…
Who to trust?
Who is more believable, a disgruntled former employee or a gruntled current one?
Jesse says:
I think it is possibly time to rethink the utility of defamation.
Really. Given the Streisand effect, a company (or person) that hasn’t actually done anything wrong ought to be thrilled to be handed a public forum to promote themselves in.
Yeah you Win
A punch in the nuts for being an internet grammar douchbag. Be gone.
Just how much old gold do people have laying around anyway?
For me this Company is just another of series of tedious adds. It did start me thinking just how much gold do people have laying around anyway? Hey Jimmy how many times have I told you to pick up your bycycle and all that old gold in the driveway? Every night when I come home from work I keep triping over all that stuff.
What was said:
This came out of the google cache, but here is the bit. For those searching, it starts with “I am a former employee of Cash 4 Gold. I did not know much about the company before being hired. On my first day of being hired, I was taught the “Cash 4 Gold Scam” from beginning to end.”
Scam detailed
@discojohnson
The whole scam is detailed by that guy here http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/cash-4-gold-c115287.html. There’s a lot of people that were taken in by this “service” that posted complaints on that site. I’m surprised networks would even agree to run their commercials.
Cash4Gold Sues?
Why on earth would they sue the consumerist… which is owned by Consumer Reports!
Seems like an ant picking a fight with a forest fire.. their going to get stomped for this.
Cash4Gold sues the Consumerist ?
Was searching around for Cash4Gold info and saw this today:
http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-03-2009/0005088259&EDATE
I saw that article too here:
http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-03-2009/0005088259&EDATE=
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/cash4gold-provides-cash-for-the,948814.shtml
news about cash4gold
http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-03-2009/0005088259&EDATE=
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/cash4gold-provides-cash-for-the,948814.shtml
http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-03-2009/0005088259&EDATE=
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/cash4gold-provides-cash-for-the,948814.shtml
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