- Report: #1086698
Complaint Review: Gold Seal Reviews - Berkely California
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Gold Seal Reviews
918 Parker Street Berkely, 94710 California, USA
Web:
http://www.callistomedia.com/
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
Gold Seal Reviews Gold Seal Reviews Rockridge Press, Callisto Media Ads are placed everywhere, including Craigslist, from this company, looking for freelance authors to buy a kindle book written by Rockridge Press,write a review, and post on Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble for a reimbursement fee of the electronic book and a fee of $25 (wired to PayPal). Berkely California
I responded to an ad on Craigslist looking for writers working from home. Gold Seal Reviews was the company listed and an email was provided, asking me to provide additional information. I was called by a woman named
"Lili" and asked if I would review a new book out by a publisher (turns out to be the same company, Rockridge Press). I was asked to purchase the ebook and post the reviews on three sites: Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble. Once proof of posting was available, Callisto Media sent money to my PayPal account. The turnaround time required was 2 days and there was a strong indicaqtion this would be a regular stint ("welcome to our family or writers"). Despite multiple emails from "Lili" indicating there are more books to be reviewed coming, none have. I suspected in the beginning this was a scam for otaining demographic info or retaining more members to the online stores of B&N, iTunes, and Amazon, or more.
In doing research on this company, others have been duped using the same m.o. and same name - "Lili," Now this is the first time I have posted on Ripoff Report. Who is to say that Ripoff Report is not looking for my demogaphics? It just has to be "caveat emptor" across the line. Hope for the best and be prepared to be taken advantage of.
There are multiple levels of deception here but in all honesty, I should have known better when I was asked to purchase the product before I got paid. Writers tend to lapse into being naieve when work has been slow.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jurisrachel
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,
My experience with this company has been positive.
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, May 13, 2014
[I didn't click the employee-of-this-company box because review-writers are independent contractors, not employees. Maybe I'm overthinking it ... . *shrugs*]
I also first saw this ad through Craigslist and was skeptical - as readers of Craigslist ads of course should be. However, my experience with this company has been nothing but positive - though you'll certainly never make a living doing this.
I've been doing reviews for them for five months or so, at a rate of usually one a month. Payment for your review is always shockingly prompt, you're always completely reimbursed for buying the e-book, and the people that I've interacted with are very pleasant and helpful.
I can't speak to why the company didn't get back to this lady. It might be that they didn't like the quality of the reviews she wrote. (Though I certainly don't know, Diane; please don't take that personally.) Just because they didn't have her do further work, I'm not sure how there are "multiple levels of deception here." I certainly don't think this company is a scam. Most of the books have been interesting, and getting paid to read and write a brief review seems like a good deal to me.
