Comments on: Beware Phony Weight Loss Blogs http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/ My Journey from Fat to Fit Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:46:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Maxine Munroe http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-5588 Maxine Munroe Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:33:10 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-5588 Aha! I knew that Annie's Weight Loss blog was phony. You're quite right, they did not accept my comment suggesting it was an advertisement for those thingy berries and colon cleansers. Aha! I knew that Annie's Weight Loss blog was phony. You're quite right, they did not accept my comment suggesting it was an advertisement for those thingy berries and colon cleansers.

]]> By: Lincoln http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-5307 Lincoln Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:13:43 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-5307 I'm glad you're exposing the scams behind these fake blogs, but the problem is the ads that lead to these blogs are showing up here as well. I counted no less than 4 ads from Chitika and Infolinks that all lead to the very same fake blogs you're trying to expose. Blocking them by domain is a futile exercise, as the scammer registered literally hundreds to thousands of domains making any attempts to filter them by domain alone a lost cause. You'll need to consider whether you can be comfortable displaying ads to these scam sites even while you try to expose them at the same time. In the end I gave up and now only use those networks that allow me to preview ads and allow only those ads I evaluate beforehand to show on my blog. It's resulted in a dramatic cut in my revenue stream, but I'm not going to give these bastards the satisfaction of being able to advertise their crap within my content. I'm glad you're exposing the scams behind these fake blogs, but the problem is the ads that lead to these blogs are showing up here as well. I counted no less than 4 ads from Chitika and Infolinks that all lead to the very same fake blogs you're trying to expose. Blocking them by domain is a futile exercise, as the scammer registered literally hundreds to thousands of domains making any attempts to filter them by domain alone a lost cause.

You'll need to consider whether you can be comfortable displaying ads to these scam sites even while you try to expose them at the same time. In the end I gave up and now only use those networks that allow me to preview ads and allow only those ads I evaluate beforehand to show on my blog. It's resulted in a dramatic cut in my revenue stream, but I'm not going to give these bastards the satisfaction of being able to advertise their crap within my content.

]]> By: GeorgieGirl http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-5185 GeorgieGirl Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:51:08 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-5185 Hey there John! Well... I've been hit up again by a bogus blog comment. I didn't delete it yet. If I recall someone said something... (maybe it is in one of your posts?) about a place to turn these people in as spammers. It's late and I'm tired. I can't find the info I'm looking for. If you know what I'm talking about, I'd appreciate the info. If not, then I'll just delete the comment in the next few days. Thanks in advance for the help! <strong>Your site is hosted on Wordpress.com, I am assuming you have their Akismet spam filtering plugin in place? If so the best thing to do is simply to mark the comment as spam, Akismet will then use that data to help improve their spam detection system.</strong> Hey there John! Well… I've been hit up again by a bogus blog comment. I didn't delete it yet. If I recall someone said something… (maybe it is in one of your posts?) about a place to turn these people in as spammers. It's late and I'm tired. I can't find the info I'm looking for. If you know what I'm talking about, I'd appreciate the info. If not, then I'll just delete the comment in the next few days.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Your site is hosted on WordPress.com, I am assuming you have their Akismet spam filtering plugin in place? If so the best thing to do is simply to mark the comment as spam, Akismet will then use that data to help improve their spam detection system.

]]> By: Simply Mojo http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-5002 Simply Mojo Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:45:03 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-5002 I found that so many of these blogs about the real life people trying to lose the weight were just noting but very little real content and tons of ads. I was looking for stories about real people I could relate to and had a harder time finding it than I thought I would. So I started my own. I found that so many of these blogs about the real life people trying to lose the weight were just noting but very little real content and tons of ads. I was looking for stories about real people I could relate to and had a harder time finding it than I thought I would. So I started my own.

]]> By: Melkor http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4966 Melkor Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:23:00 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4966 Guys, try this google search: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22I+eventually+gave+up.+I+stopped+going+out+with+friends.%22&num=50&hl=en&safe=off&filter=0 Who's going to drop the dime on them to the FTC? This is deceptive marketing and something people have been locked up for before. <strong>Great find, that sure does find a bunch of them. What a scam!</strong> Guys, try this google search: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22I+eventually+gave+up.+I+stopped+going+out+with+friends.%22&num=50&hl=en&safe=off&filter=0

Who's going to drop the dime on them to the FTC? This is deceptive marketing and something people have been locked up for before.

Great find, that sure does find a bunch of them. What a scam!

]]> By: Rob - Former Fat Guy http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4852 Rob - Former Fat Guy Sun, 18 Jan 2009 01:16:56 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4852 Yep, no shit eh John? They do a good job of adding in crap comments too. I run a wordpress blog and a blogger blog and I get a kick out of it when I get the exact same comment message on both commenting systems. bastards! <strong>The ones I like are where I make a comment on a blog and then some spam script copies it and makes the same comment on my own blog!</strong> Yep, no shit eh John? They do a good job of adding in crap comments too.

I run a wordpress blog and a blogger blog and I get a kick out of it when I get the exact same comment message on both commenting systems.

bastards!

The ones I like are where I make a comment on a blog and then some spam script copies it and makes the same comment on my own blog!

]]> By: Steve v4.7 http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4850 Steve v4.7 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 23:23:38 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4850 I've been getting quite a few of these lately. Most are acai berry supplements but other products are sneaking in too. The male enhancement fake sites are getting way too creative and all of it is becoming a real nuisance. <strong>It's been worse for me since I wrote that post - the spammers are coming out of the woodwork now!</strong> I've been getting quite a few of these lately. Most are acai berry supplements but other products are sneaking in too. The male enhancement fake sites are getting way too creative and all of it is becoming a real nuisance.

It's been worse for me since I wrote that post – the spammers are coming out of the woodwork now!

]]> By: Muata http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4841 Muata Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:05:24 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4841 Good post, and my fat loss blog has been getting a lot more spam from pretty creative hackers. It's really getting so bad that I had to give a "How to identify fake sites 101" to my 70 year-old mother just yesterday! <strong>Sounds like that would make a good post!</strong> Good post, and my fat loss blog has been getting a lot more spam from pretty creative hackers. It's really getting so bad that I had to give a "How to identify fake sites 101" to my 70 year-old mother just yesterday!

Sounds like that would make a good post!

]]> By: HomeCalisthenics - effective exercise » Six of The Best http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4827 HomeCalisthenics - effective exercise » Six of The Best Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:09:37 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4827 [...] ~ Fake weight loss blogs.  John offers a heads up on a plethora of weight loss blogs that are not legit and how we can combat it. Cheers [...] [...] ~ Fake weight loss blogs.  John offers a heads up on a plethora of weight loss blogs that are not legit and how we can combat it. Cheers [...]

]]> By: Merry Mary http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4823 Merry Mary Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:51:41 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4823 I see these often and they drive me crazy. I hate that people looking for a life change get sucked into them and waste their time and money on products that don't work and just leave them worse off than when they started. <strong>The funny thing is since I wrote that I have seen an increase in spammers trying to leave comments here. Are they trying to show me up or something? No doubt some have snuck through but the majority get sent to Akismet.</strong> I see these often and they drive me crazy. I hate that people looking for a life change get sucked into them and waste their time and money on products that don't work and just leave them worse off than when they started.

The funny thing is since I wrote that I have seen an increase in spammers trying to leave comments here. Are they trying to show me up or something? No doubt some have snuck through but the majority get sent to Akismet.

]]> By: Sadie http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4821 Sadie Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:25:19 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4821 That's so true. I've noticed a lot of them lately. There are even some on Entrecard that are iffy. The scary thing is that people listen to these blogs and take advice that they shouldn't - and waste money on products that don't work! That's so true. I've noticed a lot of them lately. There are even some on Entrecard that are iffy. The scary thing is that people listen to these blogs and take advice that they shouldn't – and waste money on products that don't work!

]]> By: Charlie Hills http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4820 Charlie Hills Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:36:21 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4820 Oh, and I liked Crabby's take on it too: http://www.crankyfitness.com/2009/01/one-rule-for-flat-stomach.html Let's get this crap taken care of! Oh, and I liked Crabby's take on it too:

http://www.crankyfitness.com/2009/01/one-rule-for-flat-stomach.html

Let's get this crap taken care of!

]]> By: Charlie Hills http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4819 Charlie Hills Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:34:41 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4819 They'll come and go, but will just be replaced by whatever the next bottle of snake oil is. The only thing that doesn't change is, "If it sounds too good to be true..." This was my take on it last November: http://www.backtothefridge.com/blog/something-fishy/ They'll come and go, but will just be replaced by whatever the next bottle of snake oil is. The only thing that doesn't change is, "If it sounds too good to be true…"

This was my take on it last November:

http://www.backtothefridge.com/blog/something-fishy/

]]> By: jason http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4815 jason Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:54:49 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4815 I am so sick and tired of those crap sites. They just take up useful space and put crap into it. Thanks for exposing them. I hope that mine is real and inspirational, I am pretty sure it is though. Those dang, acai berries. USELESS. I am so sick and tired of those crap sites. They just take up useful space and put crap into it. Thanks for exposing them. I hope that mine is real and inspirational, I am pretty sure it is though. Those dang, acai berries. USELESS.

]]> By: GeorgieGirl http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4809 GeorgieGirl Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:12:18 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4809 John, thanks for the warning. I have run into a bunch of the bogus blogs lately. It's too bad there isn't a better filtering system out there to stop the phony blogs. One of my friends has started using the acai berry juice and she swears it makes her feel better. I have been leery of trying it. Back to the bogus blogs. It makes sense the google ads on the weight loss blogs would lead to fake blogs... they pay for the ad space. I won't pay to advertise my personal weight loss blog. LOL It was hard enough to get real to my fellow weight loss bloggers. Am I making any sense at all here? Anyway... thanks for the phony blog alert. I appreciate the warning! John, thanks for the warning. I have run into a bunch of the bogus blogs lately. It's too bad there isn't a better filtering system out there to stop the phony blogs.

One of my friends has started using the acai berry juice and she swears it makes her feel better. I have been leery of trying it.

Back to the bogus blogs. It makes sense the google ads on the weight loss blogs would lead to fake blogs… they pay for the ad space. I won't pay to advertise my personal weight loss blog. LOL It was hard enough to get real to my fellow weight loss bloggers. Am I making any sense at all here? Anyway… thanks for the phony blog alert. I appreciate the warning!

]]> By: steve@weightlossweapons.com http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4808 steve@weightlossweapons.com Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:16:36 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4808 Great post John :) Thanks for getting the word out. These sites are in all the major advertising networks, MSN, YPN, Adsense and more are popping up everyday. I know a lot of people say that the people getting scammed get what they deserve, but I don't think of it that way. We've all had our weak moments when your weight loss isn't coming as quickly as you want and you think there has got to be a better/easier way? These fake blogs and sites prey on that weakness with their lies. If we show people that these claims are just not true and how fake they really are, maybe we can get them back on the right track before they make a huge mistake. Steve Great post John :)

Thanks for getting the word out. These sites are in all the major advertising networks, MSN, YPN, Adsense and more are popping up everyday.

I know a lot of people say that the people getting scammed get what they deserve, but I don't think of it that way.

We've all had our weak moments when your weight loss isn't coming as quickly as you want and you think there has got to be a better/easier way?

These fake blogs and sites prey on that weakness with their lies. If we show people that these claims are just not true and how fake they really are, maybe we can get them back on the right track before they make a huge mistake.

Steve

]]> By: Andrew is getting fit http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4807 Andrew is getting fit Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:01:29 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4807 There are a lot of dodgy folks out there I'm afraid. There are a lot of dodgy folks out there I'm afraid.

]]> By: Israel http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4806 Israel Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:38:44 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4806 Yeah, I grabbed the list and added it to prevent these types. And update it often when I find a new one. Yeah, I grabbed the list and added it to prevent these types. And update it often when I find a new one.

]]> By: Greg Hayes http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4805 Greg Hayes Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:37:05 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4805 This is a great piece of information to have. As you may have discovered, I'm new to blogging, and while it comes as no surprise that sites like this exist, I hadn't considered their advertising presence. As you've probably noticed, I'm more into slow, sustainable changes, rather than trying for the quick fix. Also good to know about the Colon Cleanse. My wife and I have discussed this product a few times, and I don't understand how such a thing could work. Thanks for the good info. This is a great piece of information to have. As you may have discovered, I'm new to blogging, and while it comes as no surprise that sites like this exist, I hadn't considered their advertising presence. As you've probably noticed, I'm more into slow, sustainable changes, rather than trying for the quick fix.

Also good to know about the Colon Cleanse. My wife and I have discussed this product a few times, and I don't understand how such a thing could work. Thanks for the good info.

]]> By: Dan - Home Calisthenics http://www.johnisfit.com/2009/01/14/beware-phony-weight-loss-blogs/#comment-4803 Dan - Home Calisthenics Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:16:56 +0000 http://www.johnisfit.com/?p=1221#comment-4803 Hey John, I've noticed these fake blogs are becoming more prevalent. It's a shame because they detract from the great work that genuine bloggers (like yourself) post. Regards, Dan. Hey John,
I've noticed these fake blogs are becoming more prevalent. It's a shame because they detract from the great work that genuine bloggers (like yourself) post.

Regards,

Dan.

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