by John Darer CLU ChFC CSSC RSP CLTC
If you are really running an open bidding system, then why would you trash the largest company with the biggest muscle? Why wouldn't you include them in the bidding?
StructuredSettlement-Quotes (dot)com, which purports to be "America's #1 Structured Settlement and Annuity Marketplace" yet its only published US address is a mail drop at an office center, is back at it again, building back links to its JG Wentworth review page. The number of back links was in the thousands until we exposed the scheme in January along with a similar one targeting Woodbridge Structured Funding.
In January we exposed their methodology using "wordpress themes" which contained anywhere from 1-4 back links to the SSQ website from websites, in far off countries, with mostly completely unrelated subject matter.
Now. according to our research, SSQ is apparently using spam forum registrations. Whether done by hand or via a bot, such registrations use the bio section of the forum registration to deliver their message and a back link to the website. Note the words "jgwentworh reviews is a live link on the actual webpage.
Download SSQ Spam forum registration v JG Wentworth example 3 2-23-2013
Download SSQ Spam forum registration v JG Wentworth example 2 2-23-2013
Download SSQ Spam forum registration v JG Wentworth example 1 2-23-2013
I've been able to identify over 100 back links going into the SSQ JG Wentworth review page at the time of posting. Many of these forums are in remote locations or obscure publications, ostensibly to avoid detection unless someone has relevant forensic tools to discover them.
Back links help promote the webpage that is linked to. While SSQ provides "reviews" of other companies it has primarily singled out JG Wentworth, Stone Street Capital and Woodbridge Structured Funding for this treatment.
On May 4, a social media mention on the JGWComplaints blogpsot web page linked to SSQ's Yelp.com page.
As I have previously reported, SSQ is tied to Genex Capital, a Vancouver, BC Canada based factoring company that is led by Roger Proctor and its COO Boris Drubetsky. In August 2012, it was announced Genex Capital became a member of the National Association of Settlement Purchasers (NASP), of which JG Wentworth is a founding member.
The NASP Standards of Conduct state:
"Business practices that reflect negatively on the secondary market, which are unfair or deceptive, or which attract criticism from courts, legislators, regulators, or participants in the primary market pose a significant threat to the continued viability of the secondary market. Companies, firms, entities, or individuals that engage in these practices are not welcome in NASP and will not be invited to join NASP or to continue their membership"
Surely there's a better way to compete for business that reflects better on the structured settlement secondary market. The structured settlement watchdog encourages Genex Capital to be transparent about its role in SSQ and for the the leadership of NASP to speak with the leadership of Genex Capital about this.
SSQ Structured Settlement Factoring Company Reviews April 25, 2013
Structured Settlement Quotes (SSQ) Hosted by Genex Strategies Officer February 10, 2013
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