The Internet can be a rough neighborhood sometimes.  If someone has a negative experience with your company, product or service, they can hide behind the anonymity of the Internet to try and smear your company’s name and ruin your online reputation.  There are dozens of Web sites that allow individuals or rival competitors to post complaints about your business.  One of the most popular online complaint sites is Scam.com.

How does Scam.com work?

Scam.com is set up like a basic message board system, where users can register for free and post about companies, products and services that they believe are “scams”.  Scam.com touts the site as a place where “people can debate the merits from the consumer’s or business owner’s perspective.”  User interaction is encouraged, and users will often piggy-back on an original post to discuss their own experiences, either positive or negative, with the business in question.

How can I remove or amend a complaint on Scam.com?

Scam.com notes that they do not take any responsibility for the claims made by their members, and that the entities being discussed on the site may not necessarily be scammers.  There is no formal process on Scam.com to remove or amend a complaint.

Websites like Scam.com enjoy broad First Amendment protections that shield the site from liability for hosting defamatory messages or posts about your business or product.  Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides that “[no] provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider,” and that “[n]o cause of action may be brought and no liability may be imposed under any State or local law that is inconsistent with this section.”

How can I reply to a complaint on Scam.com?

Anyone can reply to a complaint on Scam.com.  All that you need to do is register for free on the site and respond to the original post.  The most important thing to remember before replying to a defamatory post on Scam.com is to think twice before typing and send a response.  It may be satisfying to tell someone how wrong they are about your company or product, but if you come off too harsh it can backfire on you.

The best course of action is usually to consult with an online reputation management firm.  In addition to utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to promote the positive things people are saying about you or your company online, a reputation management company can help you craft an effective response to negative feedback on Scam.com.