Warning: Avoid Swipe Auctions (swipeauctions.com) Scam

competitionscafe

flutteroo wrote: »

Affiliate marketing can be a minefield, with third parties free to create any sort of content they like without sign off from the vendor. We have no links with any of the companies mentioned in this thread and oppose attempts to mislead consumers.

Well perhaps you should choose the affiliate network/s you work with more carefully then. The one you are currently using (Epic/Azoogle) has a number of dubious clients including a Florida company which is accused by the Federal Trade Commission of having "allegedly scammed consumers out of $30 million or more in 2009"

"The FTC charged CCN, two individuals, and four related companies with multiple violations, including deceptively advertising AcaiPure, an acai berry supplement, as a weight-loss product, and Colopure, a colon cleansing supplement, as an aid for preventing cancer."
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/08/acaicolon.shtm

Despite this Azoogle appear happy to have the company concerned as a client:
http://odigger.com/offer/Azoogle/Private-Colopure-Advanced-Colon-Detox-*Step-2-Rebate*-Affiliate-Program.php

This is despite the same company being fined $1.3 million dollars by the Arizona attorney general in 2009:
http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/news/2009/06/central-coast-nutraceuticals-fined-13-million.aspx

This affiliate network that you are doing business with:
http://odigger.com/offer/Azoogle/*PRIVATE*-Flutteroo-Penny-Auctions-Large-Deposits-Tier-1-(250-Bids)-Affiliate-Program.php

also has SwipeAuctions (the alleged scam which is the subject of this thread) as a client:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:RDI_bpR_SS4J:odigger.com/offer/Azoogle/SwipeAuctions%253A-Penny-Auctions-PRIVATE-Affiliate-Program.php+swipeauctions+azoogle&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

http://twitter.com/epicadvisorteam/status/27456107812

Jennifer_SwipeAuctions

krucker wrote: »

I was able to get my full refund by sending an e-mail to [EMAIL="jennifer@swipeauctions.com"]jennifer@swipeauctions.com[/EMAIL]. Just e-mail them, explain your situation, be polite, and they'll give you your money back.

Good Morning Everyone,

As mentioned by Krucker you can email me your questions or concerns at the email above and I will gladly assist you. I will ensure a positive resolution.

Within your email please include your first/last name, user name, email linked to account and the link to this post.

Regards,

Jennifer
Head of Customer Service

marleyboy

Really,.....Would not their reference or account number be sufficient enough for you to work out who they are and what they're name is?

competitionscafe

Jennifer_SwipeAuctions wrote: »

As mentioned by Krucker you can email me your questions or concerns at the email above and I will gladly assist you. I will ensure a positive resolution.

A convenient way for you to avoid answering all the awkward questions on here which you continue to ignore!!

By the way, it's odd how Swipeauctions claims to have 2 million registered users and yet a graph of the traffic (number of visitors) to their site has plunged faster than banking shares during the credit crunch:

gillian1023

Well, after being assured on Friday that I would get my refund...(I had mailed in my refund claim 2 weeks prior as instructed)...and to contact them again on Monday as their refund office was closed until Monday...so anyway...today is Monday and I contacted them via live chat and phone. I was told that they are being shut down and no refunds were to be issued and no new members accepted.

But nothing is mentioned on their website and it still looks like new members are being accepted. I went through the registration process, up to the point where they want the credit card info, and nothing was stated about closing down. I also tried to get into my account to see what would happen, and I couldn't. They told me my account was cancelled. Not that I was going to use it...but how can they just take my money and cancel my account? And no refund given. It's the biggest scam going and I could smack myself for falling for it!!

competitionscafe

gillian1023 wrote: »

Not that I was going to use it...but how can they just take my money and cancel my account? And no refund given. It's the biggest scam going and I could smack myself for falling for it!!

Go straight to your bank (or phone them) and explain the situation to them - many banks are already aware of this company. Request a chargeback to get your money refunded via your bank as it's clear that swipeauctions are not going to refund you themselves.

Also fill in the complaint form at the companies investigation branch.
Swipeauctions are using a UK limited company called Ironi Ltd, Company Registered Number: 06931502 and the Companies investigation branch have previously shut down another company used in this manner and owned by the person who owns swipeauctions called Gillmap Ltd which was used as part of the dazzlewhite teeth whitening trial offer scam.

gillian1023

The payment was put on my credit card, and as soon as I get my next statement I am going to call them. Also my bank if necessary. I will also fill in that form you posted about. Thanks for your help. I'll let you know what happens.

vaun

Why doesn't anyone mention affiliate marketing? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affiliate_marketing
This is why all the ads are the same and why the same people "won" stuff. Affiliate marketers obviously stole each others content and pages.

cheers.

competitionscafe

gillian1023 wrote: »

I was told that they are being shut down and no refunds were to be issued and no new members accepted.

But nothing is mentioned on their website and it still looks like new members are being accepted.

Some more info on that here:

JESSE WILLMS’ SWIPEAUCTIONS SHUTTING DOWN, STEALING DEPOSITS AND REFUSING TO ISSUE REFUNDS! SCUMBAG WILLMS STRIKES AGAIN!
http://industrypace.com/frontpage/2010/11/01/jesse-willms-swipeauctions-shutting-down-stealing-deposits-and-refusing-to-issue-refunds-scumbag-willms-strikes-again.html

losty

Hello there,
I cancelled a few days after I joined as this looked suspicious and don't get a refund and I wasn't happy with the way this was setup. According to your terms I am eligible for refund and now your online assistant is saying that "It has always been our intention to refund our valuable customers as per our Money Back Guarantee, but with the merchant account shutting down and not allowing us to refund, we are unable to assist you any further with a refund."

What kind of business is this? Where is my refund.

Gerard

hernanSA wrote: »

Hi

I am the Head of Public Relations here at SwipeAuctions.com, I had a chance to read your inquiry and I wanted to offer some feedback. The reason why we can give such low prices is due in part that our site is for exclusive members only, similar to to direct buy, we are able to achieve such low prices because our members have to pay a registration fee, before been able to take advantage in our auctions. We pride ourselves in being the beacon of moral and ethical business practices in our industry.

Being a top manager of the company, I can guarantee that we are doing our very best to achieve the highest levels of customers service, along with becoming a BBB member. With that said, every auction is real and shipments are 100% traceable by the tracking numbers which we post on the site.

Since our launch in February 2010, we have become the top ranking penny auction site on the internet, this is why we keep access to our members’ area very exclusive and only paid members can enjoy the incredible auctions that we offer.

Thank you for your time.

Hernan
Our Winners: swipeauctions.com/all_past_winning_auction.php
Our World Vision Charity: swipeauctions.com/world_vision_charity.php
Our Customer Service Page: swipeauctions.com/contact.php