Google+ a New Growth Area for Spam Artists

Legend tells us the content of the first phone call was, “Watson, come here, I need you.” The second call, as everyone knows, was from a telemarketer selling timeshares. The same pattern is found a century or so later in the online world.

The latest new thing, of course, is Google+, the search giant's take on Facebook and other social media sites. And just as Facebook offers a “Like” button and Twitter a “Follow” button, Google+ offers a “+1” button.

The idea behind these is that we can share great articles, earth-shattering news and profound insights with our online friends. But just as often, the buttons are are hijacked by spam artists who use them to artificially inflate the search engines' ratings of Web sites selling nostrums, dumb products and sky-high loans.

Among the more blatant practitioners of this black art is Plussem.com, which will sell you what it claims are 50 +1's for $19.99.

Strictly legit?

Plussem claims that its service is strictly legit, even though it would seem to amount to bribery. After all, paying someone for a favorable review is not exactly what passes for ethical and above-board conduct, now is it?

Here are the claims Plussem proudly makes for its clicks:

1. All +1′s come from people with a google account that has been verified by phone (Phone Verified Accounts)

2. All +1′s come from real people. No bots are being used!

3. All +1′s are being given by manually going to your website and clicking the +1 button

4. It’s untraceble because the +1′s are being given from different IP’s

5.  All +1′s are given dripped over a couple of days so it looks natural

And just who is Plussem.com? Well, it's hard to say. The site's domain name servers are in Britain and the domain holder's identity is blocked by PrivacyProtect.org, an Australian company that – for a few dollars – will act as the public face of anyone who doesn't want his, her or its real name associated with a Web site.

And just who are the people who have these Google+ accounts who are willing to click on any site imaginable for their share of that $19.99?

"Make money at home"

Well, we don't know any of them individually, at least as far as we know. But it's not hard to find the ads that lure them into the Internet's darker recesses. Just type “make money with Google+” and you'll find page after page of ads mapping out the path to riches – and all for doing nothing but lounging around in your bathrobe and helping to mislead other consumers.

Since Plussem is, presumably, outside the United States, it may not be of much interest to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which takes a dim view of fraudulent reviews and has lately begun moving against some of the more blatant examples.

The FTC recently fined Legacy Learning Systems $250,000 for deceptive advertising practices.  Legacy Learning Systems, publishers of the "Learn & Master" Guitar course had been accused of planting phony reviews for years.

"Whether they advertise directly or through affiliates, companies have an obligation to ensure that the advertising for their products is not deceptive," said David Vladeck, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, commenting on the great guitar gin-up.

Does this mean you shouldn't be influenced by +1's or that you shouldn't spend your money on companies that promise to deliver the very best bribery services available? Quite honestly, it's up to you. Forewarned is forearmed. As long as you know what you're dealing with, the decision is yours.

Should you accept money from the likes of Plussem? That's up to you too but if you do, please don't come crying to us later if you decide that you didn't get your fair share of the take. You know what they say about honor among … well, you know the rest.