I was on Twitter and came across 2 providers who had posted notices they received offering provider reviews. The notices said that they could purchase reviews legitimate TER handles. The provider could write the review or simply approve one that was written for them.  

Does this happen locally? I think I have seen a couple in the past couple of weeks. They were great reviews by reviewers who must spend in travel alone!

Do you know if any of them  are in TER , that are saying this?  Even if so we know it will still be the chirping of the crickets.  

Are there providers in the TC area that actually do this? Who knows. What I will say is that for many of us who have received these emails, we have done the appropriate thing and (1) deleted the emails & filtered the sender to go to spam and/or (2) also informed TER of the emails we are receiving and the email address.  

 
However, it gets even better. Recently, a colleague received an email soliciting them to not only buy fake reviews but to buy FALSE NEGATIVE reviews to be posted on other providers TER accounts. When I saw the screen cap that first thing I thought was, "A person has to be real *insert expletive* petty and insecure to tears someone's business out from under them." And people wonder why some of us can come off a bit standoffish - it's because you never know who in the world you're talking to and what in the world they are up to.

Yeah ,  if  more people  new  some of local bedfellows,   And we aint talking  about the fuck and suck variety either.  . But eveyones right to be part of the sheeple.  

Thanks for doing what is right , and reporting  to the masses is the right thing to do.    Shows  integrity  on your part. Wish was more  if it.

Anybody can say they'll post a review -- but after you give them money they can disappear without doing anything.

They can also claim to have certain TER names -- but again, until they put up the review it could all be a lie.  

I can't imagine anyone would be dumb enough to pay in advance.  

How competitive is it? Are 10's that much better than 8's & 9's?

Just being curious but how much does a review effect inquiries vs positioning on P411, which appears to be another approach.

I first ran across a site offering to write favorable reviews for providers at least half a dozen years ago and I assume it wasn't new then.

It's one of the reasons why taking a good look at the reviewers for someone you haven't seen before has become so important.

This has been going on and will continue. Thats not going to change. What needs to change to build transparency  and trust, is this .   If  the hookers  and johns feel it is important  enough to announce  on their social  media  , in mass. It should be equally important to make this forum aware.  But I don't  see that happening to the extent it needs to.

 If you disagree  , why is that.  Whats your justifucation for excluding  TER members that choose  to not use twitter for  P4P.    Lets not kid ourselves ,   many more  providers watch the boards  , not  regularly post on here , but know first hand  or secondary info, that these  emails are circulating and say nothing.  Hey you think its possible  that if they did tell you directly here you may look twice maybe with suspicion  at some of their reviews.  I do.  It just makes common sence that we would .   Seems London has assumed that risk, of this occuring and chosen  to do whats in best interest of the hobby. .  Well done.   I suspect  that she will be lone provider  voice here,  the few others that pop on from time to time,  will just continue to use board  to get and ad out with a fluff post.    

I do not post here ever before, but I do read once in a while.  

 
I receive at least once a month always from a different eMail address offers to post high rated reviews for a price. They do not tell you who the name will be that will post the review. They do say that if the review does not post you do not pay.  

 
I will not go specifics of who, how and the details, as they can just as easy post a fake negative review and dont want that drama.  

 
It does happen, has been happening years and i am sure happens on other boards, other sites. Do not fool self into thinking it is something new.  

 
Christine

END OF MESSAGE

...the E-mail address of any one that they find sending this kind of solicitation, put them in the public eye.

I get at least one a month.

 
Each one I get is from a eMail address that is different. I think they just get  new eMail address each day and obvious the dont post from same email they seek business.  

 
Just my thinking maybe very wrong.

 
Christine

-

Well Charlie how could I not reply after the (not so subtle) poke at the providers 'who wont say anything'....
Yes providers do watch the board but many of us sit down one evening and go thru a month worth of discussion board topics because that's just how busy our private lives have been. (Ooo ee imagine that)
       As 4 my experience with topic of selling reviews, I got (1) one Maaaaaaybe two (2)  in my entire 3 yrs or so that I've been part of hobby world....  
Now maybe it's because I did route the very 1st one to spam that I haven't seen many others,
 but it's my thought that here in Minnesota us gals just are NOT getting them monthly.  
If so I'd assume that I would've heard a gal or two talk about it & 4the friends I've had & have,
this has never been a topic we've discussed.
                 Maybe some of my good girlfriends feel like me...a little disenchanted w/TER  
back in the day I thought TER was awesome, such a helpful concept....yeah then reality set in.

               I won't go further w/the ups & downs I've had because nothing in this world is perfect.
Just like the fact that I never followed the anti TER Twitter handle, says more about me then any review or Twitter handle ever could... & I'm just NOT one 2hold onto anger, ever.  
         
Likewise I don't take my reviews or place on the 'top' list very seriously, it's just too easy 4some type of people to play around with, that became crystal clear to me (a few months ago) when after sitting at number six (6)for the better part of a 2yrs...suddenly I had more then one (1) fake review pop up, with - in my mind- the clear intention that I be off that
 "top 10"  
guess what, yep I saw that  
....but I've never been thinskinned & TER world won't change that.....I have been a bartender & never taken the slurred "your beautiful baby" comments to heart like it's been said....  
LOVE me or HATE me..... You're not gonna make me or break me........
  So after these negative fake review's...
 ( & yes I've turned in false positive ones 2). I became most disillusioned by the entire concept of hobby world/life whatever....
It's not only with fake reviews that people play when they'd like to take another down...trust this low volume provider......
being my own screener & choosing true low volume behavior.... has allowed me a VERY keen sight, &  the game players just don't blend as well as they used to 4 me     (Eyes wide nowdays)

If I sound paranoid, I don't care, being a bit on that side of things is better  then careless... & 4anybody that bothered to read this far along..... I've got some great advice to give  

U might've heard it B4, but it holds even truer In hobby world/life........
Never, ever believe what you hear  &  only half of what you see!

As for what you feel...if you're paying for that feeling...always believe that 100%  
because we all deserve to feel good

Of course I would look suspiciously at anyone who admitted to using such a service, which is why I don't expect I will ever see someone admit to it unless it is along the lines of "I did it a couple of times when I was getting started.

Would it be good if the handles, etc behind such services were pointed out more often?  Yes.  But I'm not going to be critical of providers who don't if for no other reason than I have no idea if they have any direct knowledge or not.

Frankly, at any time the number of providers who post here and involve themselves in the more serious discussions is very small.  I suspect the number of hobbyists who do is also quite small.

Thank you  Mindy for speaking your viewpoint .   This is a general  reply  to all.  

If everyone takes the time , to read  what I wrote. You will see clearly  that I directly  called out both sides,  of a specific  subset , that being  those individuals who  participate  on both  Twitter and Ter  on this matter.   My question was why is  it not equally  important to make  members of  TER  ,clients and providers alike  aware of this information.   What's  the harm  in people being aware that it is taking place.    I don't  know about anyone else , decide for yourself , but that speaks  of hypocrisy to me.    

Was my post  weighted more towards providers  , yeah I'll  admit that fact. For this reason,  they see  e -mails  first,  they know the depth better than I and know what providers real life fears are. What so that means we can't  acknowledge  its happening and the real depth of it  and talk about in open.   Guess not.  

Trust , we sure like to talk  about alot here, but in practice  , really how well are we doing  as a whole when it comes to this matter .  You either expect  transparency  or  not,  your choice. I happen  to like it.    

Well who needs trustful information  the most .  As I see it, That dude  that is just breaking in doesn't know any better , and wastes his time and money , after reading clearly bogus info . Or that  new provider that is lone wolf , thinking this is a smart biz decision, and   smoke and mirrors is how  it works.  We all were  there at one point, don't  forget  that.  But hey go right ahead take a big dump on them if you like . You're  all getting  your cut of the action right? That  is total  BS.  

-- Modified on 12/17/2017 6:22:10 PM

Great post Mindy.

Looking at your post, I will concede that you have some valid concerns; however, as providers, whether we use Twitter or not, have concerns too. Unfortunately, at this time, I sense that many cannot see the forest through the trees

 
Looking at the bigger picture, I see two main issues: (1) Clients on TER wanting more transparency & (2) Providers wanting to do the right thing & protect themselves.  

 
In regards to issue (1), as Christine stated, this has been happening for years (fake reviews whether bought or not). It happens on other boards, in other countries. It's not new, so why should we pass judgement on providers, when we know that everyone knows this has been happening. In addition, with so many TER users now using Twitter, either as true users or as observers that just glance at an account, there may be an assumption that you've see this information before. Finally, and correct me if I am wrong, but this issue comes up on a semi-regular basis on TER (at least on the General Board, correct?). It appears to be an issue that is discussed and known so why beat a dead horse?

 
As to issue (2) providers allowing for transparency while still protecting their brand/business. It is imperative that as our clients, there is a level of understanding regarding this. If we come on to the board and say, "Hey. Someone is soliciting me for fake reviews.", the reaction of the masses could go either positively (thank you for telling us) or negatively (they are probably using their services, why else would they get an email?). Charlie, you praised me for my transparency but you also admitted that I may take a hit of sorts for being honest that we receive these messages. This further justifies why a provider might be reluctant. However, integrity is a value that is slowly becoming extinct so, it's good to flex it. Also, to reiterate what both Mindy and Christine stated. TER has become a place that is sometimes (keyword: sometimes)like... a soul sucking black pit of nothingness *laughs*. There is so much complaining or cheap shot jokes - trolls run amok. You never know what you're "walking" into here and that can cause some distress. However, when TER has it's good moments, it's really quite nice. I digress. As Christine said as well, we do not go into specifics because "they can just as easy post a fake negative review and [we] dont want that drama".  

 
Long story short, the couple times I received the solicitation email, it was from a different email address with a different persons name, much like what Christine stated. The most we can do is AT LEAST delete the offer & filter the sender to spam/trash, then provide the info to TER. However, we have to be realistic, this is going to keep happening & I don't think anyone has the right solution at the moment to stop it.  

 
LJ

You speak very clearly and openly  
Great post  
The fake reviews are no different then some providers who purchased likes on the photo board  
In that case it was so blatant that it was obvious , but someone could have purchased for another provider to give her a black eye .
With TER we will never know for sure.
But we are a lot better with it then without

Of this fact, and I can tell you from my own   private discussions  with hookers. There is  fear , justifiable  as it may be,  that some  providers  will and do cannibalize their  own .  Often times UTR. Other times,  for all to see.   So no, backlash or mistrust  will not solely be client  based.