Negative SEO & Extortion Emails

[Dustybones]

Thought I would share this as discussion about negative SEO has increased in this forum. I'm curious as to what you are all seeing out there these days.

Why Negative SEO is Becoming an Industry of It’s Own

By now, you have probably heard of negative SEO, even if you’re not completely sure of the specifics. Some of you may have even been victim to an attack, possibly without knowing it. It’s a definite threat, but many in the highest positions in the SEO community still doubt it exists, including the people at Google who might be able to put a stop to it.

and here are a few things you can do to protect yourself against negative SEO

How to Protect Your Website from Negative SEO<o></o>
The entire SEO industry experienced a major transformationover the past two years. As a result, many online marketers have dramaticallychanged their strategies. Ranking high in Google for competitive keywords isnot as easy as it was three years ago.<o></o>

NOTE from Linda - See Negative SEO Extortion Emails below

 

[Linda Buquet]

Actually since you brought up negative SEO attacks Justin - check this...

WARNING: this extortion email is going out to TONS of SEOs and LOCAL SEOs TOO!

PAY $1500 or I'll Nuke Your Site.
<a href="http://searchengineland.com/google-responds-mass-negative-seo-extortion-emails-200689">Google Responds To Mass Negative SEO Extortion Emails</a>

I've been remotely involved...

One of my new local search consultants that just started training with me, sent me a copy of that exact same extortion email and asked me what to do.

I alerted Jade, Matt Cutts, John Mueller and a couple of Webmaster Top Contributors. Then Dejan SEO and a couple others started reporting getting the same email.

1st he emails asking for an SEO quote. Then after you reply (and he knows he has a live person on the hook) he follows up with the extortion email, demanding $1500.

Here is a post from Dejan SEO with a copy of the same email threat:
<a href="http://dejanseo.com.au/hello-extortion-email/">Hello, this is an extortion email.</a>

So if you get the email, follow the suggestions at the SEland post.

Have you gotten the email?
<meta property="og:type" content="article"><meta property="og:title" content=""><meta property="og:description" content="">
<meta property="og:image" content="http://nowscape.com/scams/Scam_images/scam_alert.jpg">

 

[Scott Rawlins]

Unbelievable!

 

[Linda Buquet]

You guys only see what I'm doing on the public side.

I sometimes end up investing an entire day going back and forth with Google or consultants, doing vigilante work like this, because of some kind of scam. (And folks wonder why I don't have time to get the new advanced course finished.)

Would be nice if everyone was just honest!

 

[Dustybones]

It is a shame Linda. Especially when people like us try to do good. We just keep fighting...

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Lol. Doesn't this guy know this was going to happen sooner or later? Oh man...

I imagine his identity will be found out and this will be one of the more embarrassing moments of his life. No one would bite on that anyway.

I don't think he thought this one through...