Pssst…Wanna Buy a List?

The following e-mail arrived in a Direct staffer’s inbox recently:

Hi,

EmailAppenders are currently running a special offer on purchasing our entire database.

You can acquire our entire B2B and B2C contact database across USA with emails for a discounted price.

10 million B2B contacts across USA with emails — $150,000

120 Million B2C contacts across USA with emails — $120,000

Combined package offer acquire the entire 10 million B2B contacts and 120 Million B2C contacts across USA with emails for $200,000

Let me know if you would like to take advantage of this offer.

I thank you for your sincere attention and definitely look forward for your response. Kind regards, Chris McAlister Manager — Business Development [email protected] EmailAppenders Inc. 2753 Broadway, #178 New York, NY 10025 212-931-5157 (O) 800-878-2421 (F) www.Emailappenders.com

OK, let’s dissect this e-mail, shall we?

Though Chris’ e-mail address in the footer is [email protected], the message came from [email protected].

Why would someone pitching an unsolicited six-figure business-to-business deal do it using a Gmail account?

And about that street address: A Google Maps check of 2753 Broadway in New York shows a street-level photo of a local law office, a “Smoke” shop and a UPS Store. A search on UPS’ online store locator lists one at 2753 Broadway. Reached by phone, an employee at the store verified the address and says there are no offices above the location, just apartments. The employee added that the UPS Store rents out mailboxes.

Also, 2753 Broadway is in a residential neighborhood. So it looks as if EmailAppenders is doing business from a UPS box in a residential neighborhood and its rep in this case used a Gmail account. McAlister didn’t respond to an e-mail and a phone call asking for comment.

According to anti-spam outfit Spamhaus’ Register of Known Spam Operations list, a company called “Data Champions/Sloan Marketing” operates EmailAppenders.com and EmailAppenders.net. Data Champions is a “long-running spamhaus based in India,” Spamhaus notes.

Then there’s Bob Richards’ story. The marketing director for a firm called Javelin Marketing says this past summer he paid more than $14,000 to EmailAppenders for a list of some 100,000 e-mail addresses.

But when Richards mailed the names 85,000 bounced, resulting in a server jam-up. As a result his company was fired as a client by its e-mail service provider.

When Richards demanded a refund and didn’t get one, he published a press release about his experience and posted a complaint about EmailAppenders on RipOffReport.com.

In a interview this summer concerning Richards’ complaint, EmailAppenders’ president of new business development Ian Cooper blamed Richards’ inexperience with the channel.

“This is a client who does not have internal know-how on doing large campaigns and is not willing to let us do it for him,” Cooper said.

In August EmailAppenders sent a settlement offer to Richards, a copy of which he provided Direct. The proposal offered Richards $10,000 if he would rescind his various complaints. He says he agreed to the settlement, but as of this writing in October hasn’t seen a dime.

W

Magilla Marketing, Ken Magill’s weekly e-mail newsletter, is archived at http://directmag.com/magill/.