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11/14/2002 Archived Entry: "iGain by iGnoring my policies..."
I had a noteworthy experience this week with iGain, a company that provides online "rewards." It turns out that they interpret their privacy policy a bit more liberally than I would. It seems that they don't feel there is a violation of the policy in using my information to send me spam from their corporate siblings.
A while back, I signed up with an online consumer-survey company, Greenfield Online. At the time, Greenfield rewarded you for participating in surveys by occasionally providing you with cash deposited in an iGain account. iGain is a seperate company, apparently focusing on just such fiscal matters.
Greenfield's sign-up assured me that iGain was a reputable company and would be bound to keep my information private. iGain's own privacy policy was pretty solid. Even so, as a matter of routine, I used a unique email address during the signup process. Only Greenfield and iGain were ever provided this address.
Some time ago, Greenfield stopped using iGain, and I forgot about iGain.
Then I get this email:
From: promotions@ipspayment.com
Date: 12 Nov 2002 20:32:32 -0800
To: {uniqueaddress}
Subject: Pay and get paid over the internet. Fast, Easy, Secure, Free!
Dear Customer,
You know the Internet if full of wonderful opportunities. Shopping. Buying. Selling. But online transactions haven't always been easy— until now.
Welcome to IPSPayment, the online payment system that ups the comfort level. That's because our service lets you transact with cash, not credit, and with utmost security.
Open an account with IPSPayment.com now and you will have instant access to the following features:
[...]
John Steven
VP IPSPayment.com
www.IPSPayment.com
-----------
You are receiving this email because you are a user of iGain.com which is affiliated with IPSPayment.com. If you don't want to receive emails from IPSPayment.com, please click here to unsubscribe from our list.
Okay, so what about that privacy policy? Well, it's kind of hidden now. I eventually found it, but not where I expected. For example, their FAQ has a question about privacy, and refers to the privacy policy, but doesn't provide a link to the policy.
The policy states:
You can be assured your privacy and individual confidentiality is our number one priority. All individual information provided is held strictly confidential. We will never disclose your information to a third party or put it on any sort of mailing list.
Well, it sure seems like I was put on some sort of mailing list!
It seems that in October 2001, iGain was sold to a company called 800america.com, an umbrella company operating "B2B and B2C" businesses. (You know, when I see the term "B2B," I immediately think "buzzword compliant, business plan free, and ethics optional.") It should come as no suprise that the spammer, IPSPayment.com, is also owned by 800america.com.
I sent an email to the companies involved, expressing my displeasure, and noting that the Federal Trade Commission has recently started cracking down on deceptive or fraudulent privacy policies. The fun I had trying to contact Greenfield Online is a story for a different 'blog entry. I did get a response from iGain:
From: "Jerry Kavoun" jerry@cs-live.com
Date: Wed Nov 13, 2002 1:30:11 PM US/Eastern
Dear Sir
Firstly my apologies for any inconvenience the letter in question may have
caused you. From the corporate perspective IPS and IGAIN are two brands of
the same company, so obviously we cross market the brands. Your name has
been removed from the list we have been using. We have never disseminated
any personal information to anyone outside our company.
To summarize, the federal and state policies are focused on the prevention
of fraud and misdirection. We fully agree with these initiatives and have
never intended to mislead, misdirect or in any way misrepresent ourselves.
We pride ourselves in being professional and ethical commerce entity.
Again let me assure you that your information has been removed from
iGain/IPS lists .
Respectfully
Jerry Kavoun
Please compare:
Scott Adams would be proud (sort of): here's an example of corporate weasels at their best!
I've passed this little gem on to the Federal Trade Commission, and I'll probably send a note to the Connecticut Attorney General's office, as iGain is based in Connecticut.
Posted by Jeff Bourg @ 09/08/2003 04:53 PM ET
Ijust went to Igain.com and it was a porn site. If anyone could tell me what happened to the company it would be very helpful.
Thanx,
Jeff Bourg From Source Inc.
Posted by Jackie "O" @ 06/05/2003 09:16 AM ET
So I guess it's safe to say we are ALL "S-O-L" (S**T Out of Luck)
How could they do that?? They Stink~bad bad I Gain
Posted by Jackie "O" @ 06/05/2003 09:16 AM ET
So I guess it's safe to say we are ALL "S-O-L" (S**T Out of Luck)
How could they do that?? They Stink~bad bad I Gain
Posted by Simone @ 05/01/2003 10:14 AM ET
I woulden't hold my breath about getting your checks from iGain.com. I am a former employee of the company and I know that the company has been shut down and all of the employees have been laid off. No one is taking care of the site anymore and there is no one in the office to send out checks to you, which you would not want to cash either because they would bounce. It is a sad situation and like some of you said earlier, you have to be very careful who you trust now a days!
Posted by Denise @ 04/11/2003 10:35 PM ET
Back in November 2002, I tried to cash out of iGain for the first time by having them direct deposit my money. It wasn't until a check bounced weeks later that I learned the money had never come. Despite my numerous emails, I have never received a reply. I guess now I know why.
Posted by Leslie @ 03/04/2003 06:27 PM ET
I too am waiting for a check from igain.com.On 1/03/03 I cashed out my account of $14 and was told to expect my check in 3 to 4 weeks.Well it is now 03/04/03 and I have not received anything.I have tried 3 times today to access the site and keep getting the search engine which is how I found this.I have cashed out money there before and had no problem but now after reading all this,I am totally mad! There sure better pay everyone!!
Posted by Dave @ 02/13/2003 07:13 PM ET
Greetings -
I actually am the designer who built that *%&$(*&# site a few years ago for a firm closely affiliated with Greenfield Online. They then took the iGain model and sold the technology to Good Housekeeping which ran ghsavings.com. The original "ideal" was to give you, Mr. and Mrs. Customer, actual cash back for making purchases. How altruistic. The *real* idea behind it was to blast out millions of emails, get people to the site, have them make purchases and get minimal amounts back - like $1.00. The masterminds behind this thought to themselves (and this is indeed evil) "Who in their right minds would bother to cash a check for one dollar? There are literally hundreds of thousands or close to a million people out there whose $1.00 we will make a float on, and after 90 or 120 days they lose the money." Free money. Nice business model. I kid you all not. I was there and saw, heard and disbelieved it all - in person.
Posted by Bill @ 01/20/2003 07:50 PM ET
800America is no longer and it seems as though the Senior VP - Jerry Kavoun and other senior officers were not aware of the scam. PLEASE!!! How can you not know how your company is generating money and why do you not have the balls to tell your customers and clients. I am tired of these fly by night companies. There needs to be a more intensive investigation and we need to make these crooks accountable for their actions. Elie is to blame, but his Senior officers should get charged as well.
Posted by Barbara Christensen @ 01/13/2003 11:58 PM ET
I have been having a terrible time trying to access the iGain.com website...I keep sending emails to the help@igain address but to no avail...keep receiving an automated message that they will answer my request/but it hasn't happened as of yet...They were supposed to transfer approx. $86.00 into my checking account electtronically but I guess I can forget about it!! NEVER AGAIN Will I Fall for This Type of Site.
Posted by Lucy @ 01/13/2003 07:33 PM ET
igain owed me 20.00 and just when I was going to ask them to send me the check I could not find the web site. So by the sound of this e-mail. I guess I will never see that 20 buck i earned fro greenfield
Posted by Bill @ 01/09/2003 01:21 PM ET
It turns out that the parent company of iGain, 800America.com (ACCO), is a massive fraud. The SEC has arrested the CEO, Elie Rabi, and the company is in the hands of a reciever. Here's a link to the SEC complaint:
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/comp17835.htm
iGain and IPSpayment were once legitamite companies but are now history due to the "massive fraud".
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4513489.htm
At least you won't get anymore e-mails from 800America's affiliates. Since they were crooks, I'm guessing that they sold your address to anyone with a nickel. You might get your iGain money from the reciever. Raging Bull (Lycos) has a stock chat board for the company
(symbol = ACCO) and the posters may know who the reciever is.
Posted by Darlene @ 01/09/2003 10:27 AM ET
I've used iGain, thought it was great for earning cash from purchases online that I would make anyway. Received 3 checks in last 2 years with no problems. The 4th request for a check in October 2002, came back from my bank with returned check and of course the bank charged me a returned check fee. (Like I would know I was giving them a bad check.) In Nov. 2002 I sent an email to iGain. Still as of Jan. 2003 waiting for a reply. All attempts to access there website have been in vain. I even tried 800america.com and IPSPayment.com which it seems is affiliated. No luck to access any website.
I also have received tons of spam, not sure who they are affiliated with. I've tried unsubcribing to them, like it would actually work. LOL But I have no idea who they are originating from. I don't even open them anymore, Just delete.
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