Stop The Easy Google Profit Scam – Updated June 24th
May 28, 2009 by Brie
The Easy Google Profit scam (also known as Google Treasure Chest and Google Money Tree) has taken thousands of people for a ridiculous amount of money. Every single day, more and more people are falling prey to, not only the original creators of the program, but both the knowing and naive internet marketers.
Here’s the lowdown on this scam:
Unscrupulous marketers have flooded the search engines, forums, Facebook, Twitter and a wide number of CPA networks with eye catching ads, promising thousands of dollars per month placing little google ads. Many of these ads even point to sites that are made to look just like a reputable online version of local newspapers.
http://miamigazettenews.com/business/2009/main.php (opens in a new window)
http://usajobjournal.com/ (opens in a new window)
As you can see from the links listed above, to someone newer online, these pages can seem very convincing and real. They are full of supposed testimonials and comments about the Easy Google Profit system, all of which are obviously fake.
I personally love the commentor who says:
Mikey says:
April 13, 2009 at 9:12 pmThanks for the info, just started this 3 weeks ago. I’ve gotten 2 checks for a total of $1900, pretty cooll.
For those of you who may not know, Google Adsense sends checks monthly and approximately 30 days after the end of the month. For someone starting the program 3 weeks earlier, it would have been virtually impossible for him to have received 2 checks…
Once a buyer has been hooked into thinking they are ordering a CD for only $0.99 – $2.95 (depending on the offer), their own little hell begins. This is where reading the fine print on absolutely everything you order online becomes SO important. At the bottom of every Easy Google Profit order page, in light grey fine print, is the notice that within 10 days, you agree to have your credit card charged an additional $72.71 monthly. One of the reason many people miss this, is the fact that the additional charges are written out in characters, not numerical format. The $72.71 appears as seventy-two dollars and seventy-one cents. How low is this…
This fine print ALSO details how the lucky buyer of the scam will also be subscribed on a monthly basis to 2 additional programs, for the low price of $24.95 and $14.95. Easy Google Profit is now costing you approximately $113 each and every month. Not only that, but you will be lucky if you even receive the CD via mail.
Actually, you ARE lucky if you don’t receive CD! Wide-spread reports indicate that the CD has a trojan virus on it, allowing gosh knows what access to your computer. If you have already ordered Easy Google Profit, and are awaiting your CD, do not run it on your machine.
I asked someone who contacted us over at TotalTreasureChest to send me a scan of the envelope they received. On the envelope, there is a contact email address of support@googletreasurechest.com. This is NOT a valid email address folks, so don’t bother even trying to send anything to them.
The owner of Easy Google Profits (aka Google Treasure Chest and Google Money Tree) has been identified as Infusion Media Inc, GoogleTreasureChest.com, InternetIncomeInitiative.com, and Jonathan D. Eborn, by the Texas Attorney General. Formal charges have been laid against this group. Here is the latest update we have found:
On April 24, 2009 the Texas Attorney General’s Office announced charges for operating a fraudulent work-at-home scheme against Infusion Media Inc, GoogleTreasureChest.com, InternetIncomeInitiative.com, and Jonathan D. Eborn (”Defendants”), whose “GoogleMoneyTree.com” promised six-figure earnings for conducting specialized Google and Yahoo Internet searches. According to the state’s enforcement action, GoogleMoneyTree failed to clearly inform purchasers that they had been enrolled in monthly memberships and had only seven days to cancel their trial membership. Purchasers who failed to cancel within seven days were automatically charged $82 on their credit card statements each month. In addition to the unexpected credit card charges, customer complaints obtained by state investigators indicate that GoogleMoneyTree failed to actually send the “free kit” and refused to honor customer refunds. The state is seeking an injunction, civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, as well as restitution for purchasers.
Here is the link to the full charges made by Texas. (also opens in a new window)
From the hundreds and hundreds of reports and comments we have read, it seems calling this company to cancel the charges does not work, despite receiving a cancellation verification code. The customer service company that handles these requests are always polite and seem to be helpful, but 95% of the time the refunds and cancellations never actually occur. Most consumers have had to actually cancel their credit card and have a new number issued.
I strongly advise anyone who has purchased Easy Google Profit, Google Treasure Chest or Google Money Tree, to contact their credit card company or bank asap, and advise them of the situation. They are in a position to give you the best advice.
Update: June 19th
More proof you need to cancel your credit card immediately, from one of our commentors below:
Ed says:
June 19, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Yeah, i was duped as well. I read the article on MSN. So comming from a trust worthy site i purchased the kit that i never received and was charged the $72 in just a few days. I canceled my card the day i found out. Since then they have been accessing my account some other way and charging me $73 from somewhere overseas everyday. Now i have to close my whole account and open a new one.Ed says:
June 19, 2009 at 2:02 pm
No, they billed my card twice for $72 in two days time. After i canceled my card they started drawing it out of the account directly from some place overseas for $73 daily so far. My bank and I are fighting this right now.
Update: June 24th
We received an annonymous email from someone duped by Easy Google Profits, Grants Springs, and SafeLock. Here are the details:
I have been to the Attorney General, BBB and the FTC.. The FTC stated that everytime they track them down and get to the address they are gone. They are very good at what they do. Forget trying the upteen numbers. They give you the run around to tire you out and keep your money….Go to the Fraud Dept. of your bank, file a claim for a charge Back. That is the only way you will ever see your money again.
But first always call a nd cancel this service or they will keep charging your credit card. That is first and foremost. There numbers are:Google Chest 888-705-1275
Grant Springs: 888-247-2155
Safe Lock: 866-879-1266
Help Stop Others From Being Duped!
To help stop this fraud, reduce the number of people marketing this scam and save other unsuspecting people from getting duped, leave a response below with any other details or assistance you have. If you have been duped, let us know. It helps others who have know that they are not alone.
Let’s get these guys SHUT DOWN!
== Joanne ==
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They took $99.00 out of my account for nothing, this is a scammmmmmmm.
Im so upset. They ripped me off. They stole 99.00 out of account. Im a single mother thinking this may be a godsend and they stole my money. What are the channels you went through to get your money back any advice.
Hi Jeremy…I also did this!! I feel very stupid now!! But I signed up for 2 kits because it said it was better with both. So I paid $1.95 for 1 and $2.95 for the other…Then a little over a week later I see I was charged $81.32. I called the number that was on my bank statement and they said no refunds because I already agreed to the terms and conditions..I said I never saw any of that and he basically said it was my fault for not looking. So I got off the phone and was madder than heck..So I called my back and explained the situation and she said it was just sitting in as a memo and it hadn’t actually gone thru as a real transaction yet and to call back when it does and i can fill out the form for a complaint and do a charge back…So I pulled it up the 4 days later and the CHARGE WAS GONE!! I am so happy I can’t even tell you….I think that because I cancelled my card before it actually went thru as a real transaction that it got rejected when it tried to go thru….
So you need to cancel your card..If they have already taken the money and it went thru as a real transaction fill out the form at your bank or credit card company and have them file a charge back to try and recoup the money. They will never give you a refund if you call. They will be rude and will hang up on you. I was hung up on TWICE and talked to like 5 different people..Also if you ordered from the other company as well then you need to call them, because besides the $81.32 that I was almost charged, the other company had automatically signed me up with 2 other companies and that was going to be $77 a month for a total of $160 bucks a money for this stupid scam…..But cancel your card because I have read that they will come back 2 or 3 months later and try and charge you AGAIN!! And report it to the BBB or the FTC…The more reports they get they will know how serious it is!
THIS EASY GOOGLE PROFIT THING I WAS NOT DUPED BUT HEARD ABOUT IT JUST TRYING TO SELL SO STUFF ON CRAIGS LIST PEAPLE EMAIL YOU LIKE THEY WANT TO BUY THEN SAY I CAN HELP YOU MAKE MONEY GO TO THIS SITE WHICH IS PUSHING EASY GOOGLE SO I WILL LIST THERE EMAILS HERE JULIETTE ROWE <PMQZOFBLNOC @ GMAIL.COM AND ENDA HENDERSON<DLHGVGNNTSXKOY@GMAIL.COM
I SAY LETS SPAM THEM SEND THEM SO MUCH EMAIL THEY WONT HAVE TIME TO SCAM INOCIENT PEOPLE
I am betting there is no point emailing those 2 addresses. If you take a close look, both look to be spam email accounts. Most normal people dont create accounts with a bunch of random letters like those are.
Generally that’s a dead giveaway…
I have also stumbled upon a craigslist posting which led me to a blog which boasted about this money-making scheme… I was leary, I followed the link to the Easy Google Profit kit ordering site and read the fine print and got the heck out of there without entering my credit card info — then i researched some more which is what led me here… just wanted to add the guys name and address that sent me there in the first place – BUYER BEWARE!!! jonlewisblog.com and jon@jonlewisblog.com
Yep, I’m in the UK, and was looking for advice on using Adwords on google. Found a nice lady’s blog, saying she’d send advice to anyone via email if they sent some funds to cover her costs – it was $1 and i was happy to pay to get some advice. I read what she sent, didn’t find it helpful, and thought nothing more about it.
Then today I see £39 taken from my credit card, and it seems I’ve been duped. Can’t find her blog any more, but I’m disgusted at this! I don’t remember agreeing to any terms, but if I did, it sounds like it’s easy to miss this small print.
Steer clear of anything that claims incredible income with minimal effort. Remember “You reap what you sow” and if all you’re sowing is a few hours a week with the understanding that you’re going to make it big, you’re probably being scammed. And before trying these things out, read blogs like these to see if you can learn from another person’s mistake before making it yourself.
Thanks for the info. I am a husband and father, I work full time at a processing plant, and I have went back to college full time this semester. I am taking 17 hours in school so I have cut back on my hours by switching jobs at the plant where I work. My wife doesn’t work and just stays home with the boy. I have been praying and trying to find a way to make some extra money because things are getting tough. I saw the add for easy google profit and just briefly read over it. It seemed like a good idea at first look but then I thought I would research it and now I’m glad I did. If anyone has any advice or tips that might help me in trying to find a way to either suplement this loss in income or if at all possible replace my full time job, online I would greatly appreciate it. I have to do something. You can send an e-mail at calebborn71@yahoo.com thanks again
Excellent post. Thank you for the info. I just had a reader ask me if I knew what showed up on cc statement when they bill you. Like what name or company name. Does anyone know? Thanks in advance!
Julia
Julia´s last blog ..$25 Restaraunt Gift Cards for $3 20% Gap $30 Express Limited Torrid & More
It appears as BusinessOpKit.com and GrowFunds.com they say they are not affiliated with each other but they are in some way else I wouldn’t have it on my statement.
I am so upset. I believed this scam. I trusted the site. I thought it was from Google. Little did I know. Come to find out I was told the company’s name is Your Blog Profits. I think this is Easy Google Profits. I don’t know what to do. I can’t believe I was duped. I read everything on the screen and did not see anything about this charge. Yes they got me for 74.97. I am going to make sure they don’t take any more out. I too have a cancellation reference number. I wish there was someone out there that would listen and shut these people DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone out there who think this works, IT DOES NOT WORK!!!!!!!!! IT IS A SCAM!!!!!!!!!
They got me too. I thought it was legit as it was through Google, boy was I wrong… I didn’t even know they billed me twice in two months.. What I did was call my Credit card company and told them that these payments weren’t authorized by me. I filled something out and they issued me a new card and changed my account number. If you can do this I suggest you do.