Scam.com is another of the complaint websites that has built authority by enabling anyone to say whatever they want online. Just the idea of being on this site should scare the heck out of any company. What’s worse than being called a scam? Sure, a company might have a problem with a customer who then lodges a “complaint.” But complaints can usually be remedied in some manner. In business, being called a scam is like a mortal wound.

We can remove scam.com posts, but as I have said before it doesn’t mean that we have to agree with how the site operates and the damage that it can cause.

I guess the main beef with sites like Scam.com is that they let anyone say anything they want but then don’t really do anything else. Back in the golden age of television news, shows like 60 Minutes and 20/20 (and to a lesser extent local consumer reporters) would uncover actual scams and then actually do something about it. The great Mike Wallace would chase down executives who scammed people and make them answer for their ill-gotten gains. Even consumer groups provided some relief for folks who were legitimately scammed. Sadly, sites like Scam.com seem to mainly promote an open forum that does as much harm as good to companies, institutions and brands.Read more