arghyle

Few things get on my nerves more than my email address being given out. I realize things are practically fair game when you sign up for a free service, but it’s still disappointing (and infuriating) to see it actually happen.

This time I received an email to the google email address that I only use for PRnewswire (a necessary evil if you have to get press releases) from some company trying to sell me a database listing information on 300,000 media outlets in the US.

The emails asks for $100 for the list, but the sketchy web site behind it, tooex.com, says “Tooex is the worlds largest provider of media contact information specifically designed for your press release needs. Our database is comprised of nearly 500,000 contacts across the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. For as little as $200 dollars you can buy a complete database with a list of all the press contacts in your region or, for $1400 dollars, you can buy our entire database.” The title of the site is “Hello World!”, which isn’t too surprising…

Anyway, I’m not interested but I this service, which seems like it’s some kind of scam, but I am going to investigate a bit more.

Here is the email. I changed my email address so I don’t get any more spam and removed my old work address as well (it’s nice to know this is floating around the web):

reply-to  Moises Ortega <moises@tooex.com>
to  “Cangeloso, Sal” <EMAIL+ADDRESS@gmail.com>
date  Jun 13, 2008 11:57 AM
subject  Hi Cangeloso

Cangeloso, Sal
Editor
XYZ Computing

Hi Cangeloso

I was wondering if you would be interested in a media list of all the media outlets, contact people etc across the USA.

I put together the list late last year and updated it again in March this year for a business that my partner used to own and just sold but I really have no idea what to do with it and my partner decided who better to offer it to than a Weblog.

The list contains approximately 300,000 entries of pretty much all media outlets across the USA broken down (roughly) into every media category (radio, television, magazines, newspapers, online news/bllogs, cable, college newspapers, industry associations) and is then broken down by specialty, circulation, contact name, address, email, phone, fax and so on.

The list is current to March 2008.

I have no idea how to price it so I figured $100 USD for the database on a first-in / first-served basis and I am happy to give you access to a large sample of it prior to purchasing  - basically whatever you need to make a decision. If you want to negotiate just let me know =P

If you are interested please drop me a line or call me on any of my  office numbers below. You will reach a voice prompt somewhere along the line but ignore them and dial extension 9006 and you will reach me. Email is also fine (and probably quicker if you, or I, are busy).

My only condition of sale is that it must not be re-sold, bartered, donated or otherwise gifted/given away to anyone else - its for your own use. I imagine though that it could help you get word out about yourself.

AnywayCangeloso, if you would get back to me and let me know it would be great. I figure I will make this offer for 20 or so people [although I sent it to far more - using my list] n the basis that something might come along/someone with an idea for a better way to recoup my time and money in having created it and because I do not want it distributed too widely.

I appreciate your time Cangeloso.

Regards,

Moses Ortega

P.S. Let me know if you want an emailed sample of the database.

Extension 9006

Divisional Consultant - Latin America
Specialist Economic Advisors
2102 Business Center Drive, Suite 130
Irvine, California 92612
United States of America

(323) 657 0260    Los Angeles        California
(415) 358 1870    San Francisco        California
(619) 331 0999    San Diego            California
(202) 380 3133    Washington        DC
(321) 281 3820    Orlando            Florida
(708) 667 4840    Chicago            Illinois
(347) 230 6555    New York City        New York
(215) 220 3955    Philadelphia        Pennsylvania
(972) 586 7133    Dallas Fort Worth    Texas

Normally I wouldn’t jump out an blame a service like PRnewswire, but everything sort of adds up, given the use of that specific email, the information listed about me, etc.

Ahe whole ordeal is both invasive and highly suspicious. I’m try to be careful about giving out information, but ultimately lots of things get down with our personal information that we know nothing about, especially once you get on a few press lists. In this case I saw by the email that it had to be linked in some way to PRnewswire, which I will probably be canceling this week. (I’ll probably finally make the shift 100% to RSS if it’s feasible).

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