One product review site to avoid at all cost

Maybe they sell favorable reviews?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/one-product-review-site-to-avoid-at-all-cost/

ByJonathan BerrMoneyWatchNovember 14, 2014

The editorial staff at CompareCamp and sister site FinancesOnline, whose colorful infographics have been featured on prominent media outlets such as BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post and Wired, appear to have a distinguished journalistic pedigree. The product review and personal finance sites' listed authors claim to have written for a range of blue-chip media firms, including The Washington Post, Philadelphia Enquirer, Charlotte Observer and others.

That would be impressive -- if it were true. The entire seven-person staff at CompareCamp -- which provides product reviews on buzzy topics ranging from technology and ritzy homes to mountain bikes and fast-food -- appears to have fictitious biographies, while their personal photos consist of stock or stolen images.

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Though lying on the Internet is hardly unique, the systematic approach employed in this case is unusual. Not only do the contributors on the site seem phony, but the company behind it might not be genuine, either. Kristin Ruby, owner of Ruby Media Group, a similarly named public relations and social media firm based in New York, said the Polish company "stole" her online identity.

"It's very strange," said Ruby, a noted social media expert who has been in business for five years. Her firm, which offers a range of PR, research and other services, is contemplating legal action against the namesake company for trademark infringement.

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The deceptions at the site unraveled partly through some crowdsourced sleuthing by media blogger Jim Romenesko and his readers. Romanesko noted the close physical resemblance between supposed CompareCamp writer Robin Renford and Columbia University professor Chris Blattman.

Contacted by CBS MoneyWatch, Blattman was trying to keep a low profile. "I feel the best thing to do is to ignore it," he said.

The apparent deceptions weren't hard to unravel. Another CompareCamp author, Alex Hillsberg, claims in his bio on the site to have a master's degree in economics and a bachelor of arts in journalism studies from the University of Denver. But Paul McCarty, the school's assistant registrar, said he could find no records of any student having matriculated under that name.

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[similarly for the other writers]