Saturday, December 15, 2012

"PeopleFinders" Rip-Off Expose'

Yep, I'm resorting to a bit of tabloid phrasing to voice my displeasure at the internet database known as "PeopleFinders". I was trying to find the location of a suspect in one of my cases. None of the government databases I have access to provided anything resembling a current address or telephone number. Running the dude's name and last known location through a search engine gave me some hope, when a "hit" turned up in the right general location.

The hit was linked to the "PeopleFinders" website, which promised me the full address and telephone number for a mere $1.95. Being a dedicated investigator, I figured it was worth that much to track down this miscreant, so I clicked on the "Yes" button. After navigating seven (yes, SEVEN!) different screens which attempted to fool me into signing up for a year-long subscription, I finally got to paydirt...or so I thought.

I paid the $1.95, and got the report for some completely unrelated woman in another part of the state, who had a distant relative with a middle name same as my suspect's last name. Then the bastards rubbed salt into my wound, as they had also managed to charge me $2.00 to send this utterly friggin useless report to my email address. So now I have evidence that I was a gullible dumbass.

I did call the customer service phone number to express my displeasure. Got a response to the effect of, "So? What's your point, Clown?"

So...my POINT is simply this: "PEOPLEFINDERS" IS A BLATANT, SLEAZY RIP-OFF!!!"

Thanks...I feel better now.

Oh, and I later discovered that my bad guy had been booked into the county jail, as three different websites had posted his booking photo for all to see. Now that I know where he is, I'll be dropping in on him soon...no thanks to the sleazy rip-off jerks at "PeopleFinders".

3 comments:

  1. The thing is, there are so many so-called businesses doing this type of thing... the reverse look-up sites for example, they all seem to operate that way and there doesn't seem to be any way to stop them. I just hope there aren't too many people who sign up for yearly.

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  2. I've been off line for a while and am now catching up on your Leprechaun News. Sorry to hear about all your on-line difficulties.

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  3. Been there, done that... when seeking a family member to convey a family emergency that was time senstive. Was I pisted, oh H-LL yes, especially under the circumstance.....I spit nails for the next 3 hrs and blue smoke was pouring from my house windows.

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