411Locals is one of the more aggressive local seo firms in both their pre and post sale tactics, aggressive to the point of absurdity. This recent poster on my blog explains his experience with them. If true it should be illegal but like in the case of the computer repair shop in Phoenix there is no obvious regulatory action or enforcement to prevent this sort of behavior:
I used 411 Locals a year ago for about 3 months. I decided to leave them and they have done their best to ruin my company Image on line. They have changed my listings to several different companies, they have listed me under different company names and used bogus telephone numbers which in turn has mis directed my customers. When I spoke with them they informed me the web is a free domain and they can post what they like. I am 45 years old and been in business for 20 years. I have never seen a company that has the power to alter the outcome of my business income such as this company with absolutely zero regulation. I have now hired an attorney to look over all the info that I have and see if i can legally do any thing about it. They need to be hit with multiple law suits at the same time and force them to pay up for legal services and hit them where it hurts…
And in the ultimate bit of irony, it turns out the 411Locals has joined the Nevada BBB and they have a A rating. Only in America could these two have become partners in crime.
The web may be a free domain, but if they are in the USA, they still have to abide by the law. Based upon the allegations, 411 Local could easily be sued for the torts of Tortious Interference in Business Relationships and Defamation.
I would suggest your client take screen grabs of all his web properties so that they do not change them once they get sued.
Comment by Richard Hornsby (10 comments) — March 14, 2012 @ 2:52 pm
I agree. It sounds a lot like tortious interference.
Comment by Brian Combs (31 comments) — March 14, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
@Richard & Brian
While it might violate laws, the ability to get someone to enforce those laws without going broke are often insurmountable.
Comment by Mike (2500 comments) — March 15, 2012 @ 9:26 am
Wow! – someone at 411 has too much time on their hands… what a disgrace.
Comment by Andy Kuiper (232 comments) — March 15, 2012 @ 3:18 pm
I don’t know why someone running a legitimate business would waste their time doing that to a former customer? How do they know that you won’t decide to use there business again down the road? Plus that time could be spent getting new customers, or spending more time working on things for your existing customers.
Comment by Ryan (21 comments) — March 15, 2012 @ 5:29 pm
@Ryan
While your logic generally applies, it seems that the folks at 411Locals walk to the beat of a different drummer. See this post.
Comment by Mike Blumenthal (1962 comments) — March 15, 2012 @ 5:44 pm
Wow, I can’t belive they are doing that….
Comment by Ryan (21 comments) — March 15, 2012 @ 6:09 pm
You’ve definitely got a case. If they attempted to sabotage you after you dropped them as a client, they are guilty of extortion (provided it can be proven that they did as you allege). This is no different than mafia gangsters in the 1920′s going from business to business demanding that each pay for “protection” or else face the consequences. These included having property stolen, the building burned down at night, etc.
If you can get the ISP’s and owners of each respective website used as a gateway to attack your business to turn over the IP addresses and client/customer information (in the case of the ISPs), you’d have a surefire case that would be nearly impossible for them to defend against.
You might even win without having to prove their identity if you can put together a solid circumstantial case against them. You’ve obviously got to be able to prove sufficient damages to make it worth your time and monetary investment (attorneys fees with no guarantees, etc.). However, assuming you can prove damages and put together a compelling case that no one else could be responsible for the attacks (their claims that they can do as they wish on the internet may be sufficient in and of themselves), I don’t see how they could get out of a ruling favoring you.
It seems like an open-and-shut case to me. Defamation law and extortion laws don’t cease to exist because the medium happened to be the internet. Whoever is advising them legally is a moron if he or she is telling them it’s okay to taunt former clients whom they’re now sabotaging with pompous claims of immunity in which they defiantly admit guilt in attempting to intimidate you.
This of course assumes you’re telling us a truthful and accurate account — which most of your readers, myself included, would agree is the case, and which I do not doubt for a minute.
You should definitely lawyer up, and anything you can do to boost the provability of your losses will only help get the judgement over and done with quickly.
One request I have is that if indeed the matter does go to court and you win, please be sure to email me with a link to the post about the trial. I really wouldn’t want to miss that one because I’m busy and hadn’t checked in in a while…
Comment by Peter Egan (10 comments) — March 15, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
Contact me please. We have been jacked around by 411 locals for months now. Lied to, and deceived. Have had enough and are filing law suit! Let me know if you would like to jump on this band waggon!!
Comment by Leah (2 comments) — January 2, 2013 @ 8:07 pm