| ♦ REFRESH to rotate MAAMAW'S CLICKY NOTES thru this space..... Timely Tips, Best of the Boards & More ♦ |
Be sure to visit the Current Message Board when you're finished here. We're very friendly, so don't be shy... just jump right in and post your question. Scams outnumber legitimate biz ops about a bzillion to one, so it's well worth your time. |
| | View Thread | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg | |
|---|
FIB - Scams 101 - Ye Olde Archives
Posted By: Sandi Bowman In Response To: Moral Dilemma... Critter Adoption... Prime Web Real Estate (MaaMaw)
Tuesday, 18 April 2006, at 10:38 p.m.
> Sorry, I know I've been asking a lot of questions lately, but I'm up to my
> eyeballs in decisions.
> When I bought AmericaZoo, the upper right corner of every critter page (
> this one, for example ) had an "Adopted By" button (and a few
> were actually adopted but I don't believe any money changed hands, as the
> site was not for profit at that time).
> I've gotten quite a few requests lately to "adopt an animal" --
> one man for his grandson who loves pangolins, a lady for her little boy
> who loves something I can't pronounce, a guy for his girlfriend on their
> anniversary, etc.
> I have a big problem with this, and I think I'm going to take it down.
> I can't give up my "prime real estate" to do "free
> adoptions," so I would have to charge for it (and as far as I can
> tell, these people assume they would have to pay so that doesn't seem to
> be a problem).
> Here's my dilemma:
> I think when you "adopt an animal," there should be... welllll,
> an animal.
> When you adopt an animal on the San Diego Zoo website, your money is going
> to the care and feeding of a live one.
> Some virtual zoos do have "adoptions" and I have no clue where
> the money goes, but I don't feel right "adopting out" my virtual
> critters and putting the money in my own pocket.
> Eventually I'll have different things in that upper right corner
> including my own ads for things like AmericaZooKids, my newsletter, and
> various products. (Maybe I'll sell advertising there someday, but I
> have a problem with that too.)
> I even plan to put a donation button on some pages to "help support
> AmericaZoo" -- but I don't like the idea that some people who
> "adopt an animal" may not understand that a real animal isn't
> going to benefit (you can put the facts in front of their eyeballs, but
> that doesn't mean they'll read 'em).
> Am I going off the deep end here?
> Should I just say, "Sure you can adopt a pangolin!" and take the
> money?
> I think I should thank them and refer them to a real zoo.
> ???
> Luv,
> MaaMaw
A suggestion that might work for you: there are many non profits supporting animals in various habitats. Why not set up a link (maybe even rotating links) in a less prime area that people can donate to? Most of those groups have direct links that you can put on your site so you never have to handle the funds or anything. It's not quite like people are trying to do now but close enough for most folks.
Some of the groups offer a nice thank you certificate etc. Alternatively you could automate the downloading of a certificate, complete with the person's name that the donation is made for. That'd be only for the folks that donate through your link, of course.
Just brain-stormin' a bit to see what works for you.
Sandi Bowman
| | View Thread | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg | |
|---|
FIB - Scams 101 - Ye Olde Archives is maintained with WebBBS 3.11.
|
| PLEASE READ THIS LEGAL NOTICE CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU FILE A LAWSUIT OR EVEN WASTE TIME THINKING ABOUT IT. It has been done before, but never successfully. In fact, the last dodobird who tried it ended up being ordered to pay more than $77,000 in attorney fees ($65,000+ to my attorneys and $12,000+ to my co-defendant's legal advisor).
If your attorney is worth his salt, he's going to tell you that the expense of filing a lawsuit you can't win is a whole lot worse than any "damages" resulting from messages posted on this insignificant little chunk of cyberspace. NEWS FLASH: I didn't just climb down off that ol' turnip truck yesterday. I'm well aware that expressing a negative opinion, relating one's personal experience, and restating provable facts are all legal in this country and do not constitute libel, slander, or defamation -- so you don't want to play games with me, and you sure don't want to start something you aren't prepared to finish. I don't take threats lightly, and I don't accept bribes (or did you call it a "mutually-beneficial arrangement"?). I'll turn you in faster than you can yell, "ARREST ME, I'M SCUM!!" Do yourself a favor and turn your legal team loose in greener pastures. Although we may, from time to time, monitor or review discussions, postings and the like on the Friends In Business (Scams 101) Message Board, we are under no obligation to do so. We are not responsible or liable for any claim arising from the content of any such discussions or postings or for any error, defamation, libel, slander, omission, falsehood, obscenity, pornography, profanity, danger, or inaccuracy contained in any information contained within such locations on the Site. You are prohibited from posting or transmitting any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, or profane materials or any material that could constitute or encourage conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law. You are likewise prohibited from posting any false claims against any company or individual. We will fully cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity of anyone posting any such information or materials. By posting messages and/or content on the Friends In Business (Scams 101) Message Board, you give permission for Lesley Fountain/Friends In Business/Shoestring Success Publications to display, distribute and use the posting and content for publication, advertising, promotion, excerption or example. You grant Lesley Fountain/Friends In Business/Shoestring Success Publications complete, perpetual, but non-exclusive rights to use, archive, reproduce, adapt, modify, distribute, sub-license, repurpose, rework, compile, or offer for sale or resale the messages, postings or content appearing on this site in whole or in part, throughout the world and universe, on a royalty-free basis without remuneration. If you cannot accept or agree with the terms of service for this website and discussion board, you are advised not to post on this board. In closing, I would like to remind you once again that it is still legal, in this great country of ours, to express a PERSONAL OPINION, as long as it is presented as opinion and not as fact. And finally, all you scammers out there will do well to remember that TRUTH IS AN ABSOLUTE DEFENSE against charges of libel, defamation, and slander... so if you're operating just a hop, skip, and jump ahead of the law, you might want to think twice before doing anything stupid... (AND SHAME ON YOU!!). |