For the past year I’ve been receiving calls from an automated message from 29 Prime (I know it’s them specifically and not a affiliate as I talk to the representatives each time they call me) asking me to “Press 1 to update your free Google 411 listing”. Since I know there is no Google 411 listing anywhere (proof = http://lmgtfy.com/?q=google+411) and I’m always curious to what they are trying to sell so I press 1 to talk to a representative. In the past year of getting these calls (around 1-5 per week) I’ve heard so many promises about rankings but many representatives that can’t answer questions.  I’ve even been mysteriously disconnected when I start to ask the hard questions about what would actually be done. When I try to call back the number it never connects to the company. It seems very elusive in my opinion. The website says they have a “Do not call list” but guess what… my number has been on it for 9 months now and I still keep getting calls which I’ve verified as 29 Prime with the representative that answers.
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Read what Google really says about SEO companies:
“Be wary of SEO firms and web consultants or agencies that send you email out of the blue”
“No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.”
“Be careful if a company is secretive or won’t clearly explain what they intend to do. “
http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291
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Here’s a list of the phone numbers that I personally have been called from and I’ve tried to call back:
859-740-2334
619-704-2766
503-468-5227
915-996-2895
405-283-8500
949-797-7199
As I suggest with all people that have been called out of the blue, read the reviews from others that have used that companies service. Many of the reviews seem false (but I can’t be sure) but I do know from just my little blog here that people are posing as customers that really aren’t. I have the emails and comment ip address’s to prove this.
Here’s a couple places where I found reviews:
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/9159962895
http://www.yelp.com/biz/29-prime-newport-beach-2
http://complaintwire.org/complaint/eqQBAAAAAAA/29prime-com-or-29-prime-scam-fraudulent (includes information about their previous companies and scams)
http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/29-prime.aspx
If you’re looking for search engine optimization then go with a company that has good, real reviews, satisfied clients (ask for a list and contact them to see what they say), that can answer the tough questions about what is happening, and that is being transparent with what it is doing…
Get in touch with my company www.delusionaldesigns.com if you’re looking for web design or search engine optimization.
UPDATE AND EDIT —– 5/13/12
I received a letter today (5/13/12) asking me to cease and desist internet defamation of a certain company.  I’ve edited my post to make sure that all of my statements and opinions are fact that actually happened to me. I must disclose that I’ve never used their services so I can’t comment on them. My issue isn’t their service but the way of robotically calling phone numbers that are either purchased or scrapped from web sites. The representative’s I’ve talked to told me they “got my phone number from my website that isn’t ranking highly”.
I must state that I never encourage or promote any defamatory statements and all comments on my blog. All comments belong to and are owned fully by the person making thecomment. Just the same as Google, Yelp, and a million other review based web sites around the internet. Here is a link to exactly what a defamatory statment is – http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/what-defamatory-statement#perSe. As stated above all of these statements and opinions made by me are fact thus not defamatory at all. Also another good read on substantial truth – http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/substantial-truth
ANOTHER UPDATE —— 5/13/12 —-
I just got off the phone with a representative there (after three calls from me which two were dropped and the third was just a message to get back to me). I told them I had received the Cease and Desist letter that they sent and I had revised all of my reviews and postings to make sure that everything I said was FACT.  The original post was opinion based which I’ve willingly now changed to all fact based.
UPDATE —- 3/13/2013 —
503-208-7620 - Another company called Cyber Center or MyCyberCenter.com (their on page SEO sucks!) doing the same robo calling tactics as 29Prime. This is a local number to Oregon (my current location) so it’s obvious they are targeting this geographic area. I assume it must be profitable… at least for a little while until they get busted robo calling people over and over again. The representatives I talked to were friendly though but they wouldn’t clearly answer my question about “Are you actually employed by Google?” since their opening pitch was all about being a Google Places Specialist. Hint Hint… It’s called Google+ Local now.
UPDATE —- 3/21/2013
206-445-6301 – Another company called Our Local Listings (no website to be found?!?) called today. I talked to two reps which guaranteed me they could rank me for any keywords I’d like. I was skeptical so I asked for sure if they could rank me for “Portland SEO” and “Portland Web Design”. Both of those terms are extremely competitive (which I know).  The first rep. transferred my call to another rep. without telling me. The second rep. asked to forward me to a manager because I surprised him by telling him that both of those terms are not local search terms (Google’s 7 pack with the side map are known as local search results) so they would be much harder to rank for. While waiting for my call to be forwarded it mysteriously was disconnected. That’s convenient. I tried to give a call back at the same number but it’s just a recording stating they have to have an automatic removal from their calling list to comply with FCC regulations… sounds sketchy to me. I would think that most reputable businesses wouldn’t have this type of recording on any kind of phone line.
UPDATE —- 5/16/2013
503-928-4933 – Another company that is robo calling phone numbers. They use an Oregon phone number (probably because I’m more likely to answer) but are a California company?!? From what I see on their web site – http://www.localseosuccess.com is owned by another company, Innovative Holdings, INC and that they have another company doing (maybe the same company) their SEO for them called Victory SEM.  I’m not sure of the quality of their service but they are making it sound like they are working for Google when they robo-call me. No thanks!
Well, not exactly. I’m not a fan of 29 either, but actually it is possible to be on the front page of Google – you just need a competent and ongoing SEO campaign to do so, which is not cheap…and you need to understand you’re not going to be there for every potential area combined with keyword phrase, nor would you want to be. If you’re a plumber do you want to reach someone clicking on your site from 75 miles away? Maybe if you’re in Alaska the answer’s yes, but not in Orange County.
Then again, losing your shirt from no new business isn’t cheap either.
You have to find a company that you trust and don’t assume that everyone who calls you is automatically suspect.
@Ing – I fully know and understand that it’s possible to be on the front page of Google. I’m an SEO myself and have had the ability to get many clients to the front page of Google and the major search engines. That isn’t my issue with or have to do with my issues with 29′ Prime.
My issues are:
Calling over and over
Not being able to answer questions about what they actually do (and hanging up when they don’t know the answers)
Telling the people they robo call that they are Google
Calling people out of the blue
Guaranteeing top placement on Google
Dialed from number doesn’t work when returning a call
I don’t assume that every company that calls me is suspect but you said it correctly when you said “you have to find a company”. That’s the better way! A good SEO should come up pretty decent in a search, right?
I’ve actually used their service and got what they promised. They made a little website for me, and I have over 100 keywords on the first page of Google. Honestly, I don’t really know how they do everything, I didn’t ask a ton of questions, figured it was worth a gamble. Maybe you should talk to the guy I signed up with, he was pretty knowledgeable
@Mack
You guys at 29Prime, Locallistings, TopSEO, Yourlocalmerchant, or whatever you guys are running as, are doing a great job of trying to fix the company reputation.
I would believe you’re a customer but:
~ Your comment was at 10:18pm and I got an email to me from an employee from 29prime at 10:27Ppm on the same day. Weird coincidence.
~ Oh yeah, the IP address of both the comment and the email are the same.
mack, the company plant. tell you bosses they are going to jail for their scamming . . just a matter of time . .FU 29prime
It’s very spammy. Don’t companies know that if they hound people like that on the phone, then they’re going to get a scam reputation? Why don’t they comprehend that? They just waste so much time and money that they could have put into legitimate advertising endeavors…
Puzzled…
I got a call from this company for an interview… I saw their posting on craigslist, now after reading this I am very skeptical of this company.. I only applied as doing data entry and clerical duties and it did mention inbound and outbound calls… they also called me more than once and left me messages trying to set up an interview so it seems a little desperate…
he is EXACTLY RIGHT . .this company has been harrassing me for close to a year . .phone calls to the company do not help stop the illegal phone calls . . .cease and desist from your ILLEGAL operations 29 prime .. you want to sue me??? BRING IT ON . .I have phone records to PROVE IT . . .
I’m a current employee (6+ mos.) and can say that We do all We can to accurately service each and every client. No-one Here is purposely calling DNC’d numbers. If You’d like Your phone number removed from Our call database please go to (edited to remove link) and remove Your number.
I was also defrauded by 29’Prime
Hello,
Thank you for your blog site.
I am emailing to let you know that I also was a victim of 29’Prime.
I was called by 29’Prime on April 17, 2012, and given a sales pitch that they could place my website on Google Page 1 (for a minimum of 3 out of 10 keywords) and of course I was a little doubtful, but I listened to their guarantees (“Rank On Google Page One in 60 Days…or IT’s FREE”.
So I decided to try them out.
Their initial Set-up charge on my credit card was $299.
The following day, April 18th, they called me to remind me and clarify that I would be receiving a Google Postcard with a 5 digit PIN from Google, and that I MUST call them immediately upon receipt of my Google PIN for them to activate my account and begin the SEO for my 10 keywords.
Again I asked how long this would take, and he replied 3-5 days, at the most, and to make sure that I called 29’Prime as soon as I got it.
I then asked him again, how long will it then take for my site to rank on Google Page One? and he confirmed that it could take up to 60 days, but often some of my keywords would rank sooner, even in 30 days or less.
Again I asked him to confirm that if they could not get at least 3 of my keywords to rank on page one in the 60 days, their service was FREE … and he assured me that the 29’Prime Guarantee was exactly that: “Rank On Google Page One in 60 Days…or it’s FREE”.
Later that same day a charge of $99 appeared on my credit card statement (apparently for the first month’s ‘service charge’).
Four days later I had not yet received my Google PIN, so I emailed them a service ticket…immediately received a service ticket auto-confirmation response…but no one ever personally replied or answered my questions, and no one ever called me to resolve my inquiry!
One month after signing up, May 17th, I still had not received my Google PIN.
Later that same day a charge of $99 appeared on my credit card statement (apparently for the second month’s ‘service charge’).
So I sent another email service ticket…and again I received the same auto-responder service-ticket auto-confirmation response…but no one ever personally replied or answered my questions, and no one ever called me to resolve my inquiry!
19 days later, May 26th, I finally got fed-up with them totally ignoring me and emailed the following:
“I am extremely frustrated and angry at the total lack of service from 29 Prime…
Since my initial payments of $299 on Apr 17th and $99 on Apr 18th, I had waited for 29 days for your postcard with my PIN number to arrive in order to activate my account!
Nothing had come…
Another payment of $99 was taken from my credit card again today, May 17th, and still nothing has been done with my account.
So I had by then already spent $497, with absolutely nothing to show for.
So I wrote you an e-mail with my displeasure and also placed a service ticket (#21928) to get an answer, but no one ever responded!
I was completely ignored…
So after patiently waiting for another 8 days, with no response from anyone human, I received an automatic auto-responder canned e-mail!
Your service is absolutely non existent and deplorable. You should be utterly ashamed!
It is now 38 days and I still have not received my PIN or even one single courtesy or follow-up call from any one at 29 Prime…
This is terribly and shamefully unprofessional behavior.
I have been in the construction service industry 30 years and I personally respond to every call within 8-12 hours, by myself, with no secretaries.
Your total lack of response is absolutely inexcusable and unacceptable.
This morning, May 26th, I finally made a phone call and waited, and was finally told that I was now first in line in the queue when a recorded message directed me to leave a voice message, so I opted for speaking with a service consultant, and waited, and repeated the process twice, and waited, and waited, until finally I could wait no longer and left a voice message…but no one responded to my message either.
I now have come to realize that 29 Prime cannot be relied upon or trusted at all. Your service really stinks!
I am so incensed with 29 Prime…yet I am still by the grace of God restraining my anger…for now…
I actually trusted your promise: “Front Page Placement Or It’s FREE”!
Well the reality and the fact is that I already paid out $497 and 29 Prime has done absolutely nothing for me in 38 days, not even activated an account.
This is absolutely disgusting and totally intolerable!
NOT ONE SINGLE thing was done! An Absolute BIG FAT ZERO?
EXCEPT TAKE MY MONEY !
I thus demand a FULL REFUND of all my monies paid to date…and an immediate termination of any further or future payments ever again.
PLEASE REVERSE ALL AMOUNTS CHARGED TO MY CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY
– ALL CHARGES UP TO THIS DATE – ALL $497 – AND NOT ONE RED CENT LESS –
AND DO NOT EVER APPLY ANY FUTURE CHARGES – EVER AGAIN –
YOU DID NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO KEEPING YOUR PROMISE
I DEMAND A FULL REFUND – NOW – – IS THAT CLEAR ENOUGH ?
Furious,
—
Peter L Brennerâ€
Well, as usual… that was totally ignored as well, just like all of my other attempts.
8 days later, June 4th, I sent another email cancellation notice, and again was ignored on my third attempt.
I realized that in 2 weeks they would again be charging my credit card with another $99 for their ‘monthly service charge’ so I then called my credit card company to bar this merchant and stop 29’Prime from taking any more money from my account, and also initiated a dispute to reverse the first 3 charges (total of $497) for NON-PERFORMANCE of so-called services. So Mastercard proceeded to reverse these 3 charges on my behalf. Boy was I relieved!!!
The next day, surprise, surprise! I got an email from 29’Prime …
Never got any responses before this, not even once, until I finally cut them off and got the 3 previous charges reversed…!
They had the gall to sound surprised as to ‘Why I had Cancelled?”
So I sent them a long email with all of the service tickets’ numbers and finally they responded by email that they had closed my account and confirmed that my account was now shutdown.
And yet the “push-button Template webpage” they had put up for my so-called personal account, was still live, and still is today (August 13th, 2012) as of this writing.
Then about two weeks ago the BAD NEWS came that 29’Prime had sent my credit card company a 12 page record of service performance and Mastercard had re-billed my account with the 3 original charges, and I was out $497 …
I have tried several times to dispute these fraudulant charges with Mastercard, but they insist that since I voluntarily gave 29’Prime my card number and agreed to their TOS that I am on the hook…
In order to re-open my dispute I now have to prove to Mastercard that 29’Prime DID NOT perform the service as per their Terms Of Service, by providing an unbiased Third Party letter on that company’s letterhead, providing a documented Second Opinion to the improbability of 29’Prime ever achieving their promises, demonstrating they did not perform the service, and that they violated their TOS…(since I paid for 60 days but nothing at all was done), and only then can my dispute be re-opened, with no guarantee that I will get my money back.
So the long and short is that I have been screwed out of my $497…
29’Prime is a scam and they will try to take you for as much money as they can.
Please beware…Stay away from them like the plague.
I sure would love to get these crooks behind bars, where they can no longer scam innocent business owners, but first must try to help all of us victims to get some of our stolen money back while we still can.
—
Peter L Brenner
Toronto, Canada
August 13, 2012
P.S. I give my express permission for you to publish this story on the site.
@tyler – Thanks for the information Tyler. The problem is DNC isn’t for business to business and your company most likely knows this. My clients ask me all the time “how do I stop these calls” but unfortunately there’s nothing to do because they are scrapped, robotically from their web site. They can’t remove their phone number from their web site as they need clients and customers to be able to call…
@peter – Wow that’s a huge comment. I think you break the record for the longest comment on my site 🙂 Thanks for your story. It’s terrible to hear that you feel like you got ripped off. It seems to be a common theme with most of the “real” comments from people.
@Adam: Thx for calling these guys out, there are real SEO companies and these guys give SEO a bad name
@Peter Brenner: There is still hope! These guys have bad reviews everywhere so you leaving reviews everywhere won’t get them to refund you but there is a client of theirs that they cheated just like you… except he got his money back!
http://beware29prime.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/29-prime-scam-victim-gets-refund/
I hope you get your money back and get the SEO from a reputable company.
I worked as a closing manager / reseller office for 29 prime, under multiple company names 29 local, 29 maps, reliable places. I left after they opened a branch called rocketfuel.com which wasa ” give us a $1 and we will bill u for the next two months campaign lol “…… all they do is mass hire random retards who can read two pages , get a business owner on the phone so we can close them with details, deliver them all the guarantees which is all BS, its really just 2 key words the first 30-90 days which is real. just search next door for your business and you will be on the first page. thats your terms and condition. a verbal call thats recorded. so the best way to get ur money back is too go too court ask them for the recording ( there phone systems suck 70% of the time it wont record, trust me I know.) they just fired the entire customer care department and compliance department they are ready too rename again. the shitty part is all you guys who got scammed did agree to a stupid Terms of Condition and that aint the employees fault. the only thing i can tip you on is do the research on a company thats going to charge you a couple grand 2 be on the front page stop impulse buying lol be safe guys and sorry.