©01 The Media Desk
http://themediadesk.com
The Desk registers with every search engine it can find... free ones that is.
There are services that charge everything from a few dollars to literally Hundreds of dollars to 'prepare your site for submission' and to 'evaluate your search engine friendliness'. They will go through your Meta Tags and look at your links and offer suggestions to boost your reply status with the over a thousand different search engines. And then for from five bucks to fifty or more they'll check your site monthly for updates and resubmit it to the engines.
Then the Desk came across Galaxy. It SAYS you can register your website for free... Although it may take them awhile to review it and categorize it, and... well... we may never get around to it.
Three times now the Desk has filled out the form on the Galaxy website. And now. It has received its Third notice that cheerfully states:
[Text of Galaxy Email]
Our log files indicate that you've tried to submit your site -
http://themediadesk.com - to the Galaxy Search Engine.
At the time of your submission, we were likely unable to handle your request.
However, we have changed and simplified the process for submissions, and would like to welcome you back to the updated Galaxy Search Engine.
As you are well aware, Galaxy is the original searchable Internet directory, dating back to 1994. A listing in Galaxy.com is a valuable asset in driving traffic to your site.
Don't miss this opportunity to get your site listed in the Internet's original directory. In addition, for a limited time, we'll be offering express submissions for as little as $20.00. That's right, guaranteed timely review by one of our Internet Librarians for only $20.00.
Don't miss out.
If you would like to have your site re-considered for review, please go to http://www.galaxy.com/ and follow the instructions under the 'Add a Site' tab. You can now have your site's listing added to our directory or have your site's content added to one of more than 400 vertical search engines - dedicated to a particular topic or interest.
Thanks again for using Galaxy.
Serious Searches. Relevant Results.
[End Quote]
Conclusion....
Pure, Simple, Old Fashioned Bait and Switch Advertising.
In the world of brick and mortar stores, they'd advertise, say, a complete fishing pole outfit ready to go for nine dollars. Hey, that's a good deal, Uncle Floyd wants one. Old Floyd goes to the store cash in hand, looking for a new fishing pole. But when he gets there, they are all sold out of the sale pole... "However, we have this really nice outfit for just a few dollars more." Well, Floyd had his heart set on buying a new outfit and going fishing today, so...
Truth be told, the store may not have had ANY of the nine dollar rigs from jump, or maybe they had three of them. But they had a lot of the fifteen dollar sets.
This has been done with everything from Ice Cream to Automobiles. Houses have been pushed off on people this way. Insurance Policies.
Anything that can be sold has been sold using this technique.
And now it is on the Web.
No, the Desk is not going to Pay to be listed with Galaxy, or anybody else for that matter.
But it will blow the whistle on them.
So... sound the whistle....
Do NOT allow yourself to be scammed into paying for something that was advertised as Free.
Just as MyOwnEmail is pushing Freedrive which is shilling for dollars...
[From the Desk's Urban Legend and SPAM page]
FREE isn't always Free.In fact, according to one SPAM the Desk got, 'Free' means five dollars a month!
[Text of Freedrive Email]
Dear FreeDrive Member, NOW IS THE TIME TO CHOOSE A NEW FREEDRIVE SERVICE PLAN! Don't wait! FreeDrive has restructured its product plans and is now offering enhanced service packages that give you more space, more power and more access than ever before. SELECT A SERVICE OPTION BY MAY 2nd, 2001 and you'll be able to take advantage of our special introductory rates and offers.
FD SmartDrive is the perfect service option for users who want more space plus global access and sharing on a budget. FD SmartDrive is just $4.95 a month or $49.50 for one year if you sign up by May 2nd. That's 2 MONTHS FREE service! In addition to all of the FreeDrive features you currently enjoy, FD SmartDrive gives you:
So let me get this straight. Freedrive... which the Desk has never used... is restructuring to SmartDrive and it's going to cost Five Bucks a Month? "Operators are standing by..."
Bottom line with these, READ the Fine Print Carefully before you sign up for ANYTHING that claims to be free! Many sites have various things for free, but they need your credit card number for verification or ID or something. The hook could be that you get two hours of free usage, then they assume you want to continue your membership unless you specifically request it to be cancelled. Like the old book clubs did, they send it unless you told them not to. Or better yet, Just DON'T sign up for anything unless you are willing to pay for it. [end quote]
So. Here's the Desk's sales pitch... Don't fall for it! There is no meaningful Truth in Advertising Law on the Net. There are few watchdogs with any teeth. If it sounds too good to be true... IT IS! If you think it's a Scam... IT IS!
If you come across something that needs a good long careful looking at on the Net or elsewhere, Email the Desk at drleftover@themediadesk.com