Robert Sexton of Star Positions is a Spammer and I'm filing a complaint with the LA Better Business Bureau

I just received an unsolicited e-mail from Robert Sexton of Star Positions.   

I've posted the text of the e-mail below.   

Basically, Mr. Sexton and his company are offering search engine optimization.  Of course, the problem is that he's offering his services unsolicited by spamming e-mail addresses, bulletin boards, and forums, and what's worse, threatening anyone who attempts to out him.

Want proof?   Google ""star position" "robert sexton" spam".  You'll get this link which contains a really interesting thread.

"You know,
I also received this email from a Robert Saxton"

"Robert Sexton and his Star Position company are notorious spammmers. He tries to play high and mighty but a few of our company email alias are bombed with UCE from him on a regular basis."

"This outfit sends from comprimised open-relays such as the current one 66.174.76.167

I was once getting over 10 spams from this guy everyday until firewalling the blocking all the sending IP's"

Other people have gotten similar spam from Star Positions, like this woman.

Apparently, Mr. Sexton doesn't know about the CAN SPAM Act, which has the following requirement:

It requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender's valid physical postal address.

Yeah, um, Bob, I don't see a valid physical postal address with this e-mail.

I wonder what the penalty for that is.

"Each violation of the above provisions is subject to fines of up to $11,000."

Hmm...  that's going to cost them a pretty penny.

Now about that valid posital address?

Google says it is:

16787 Beach Blvd, Suite 742, Huntington Beach, CA

Just in case anyone wanted to know.  :)

The law that Mr. Sexton IS however familiar with is the one he uses to threaten people who try to out him.  Using Google's index cache, I found a site that is no longer up that posted an e-mail from our spammy friend:

One of my people emailed you in error. You've seen fit to put her phone number on it. In case it has not dawned on you, you are actually by doing this in violation of certain Penal Codes for the State of California -> look up 'cyberterrorism' 'cyberstalking' specifically California Penal Code 646.9 'actions which would be designed to put an individual in fear for their safety'

I'm going to look at your site again in 24 hours. You are going to be a good chap and remove any phone numbers from any postings relating to my company, Star Position. And before you blow this off, or do something truly even more stupid than what you have done, I suggest you do a google search for California Penal Code 646.9 and related topics. We are based in California.

Best Regards,

Robert Sexton
Director of Business Development, Star Position US and Star Position UK

Seems that Star Position employees make these kinds of "errors" all the time.  Good thing there is absolutely no reason why this company would have any reason to fear their safety if I posted the same phone number that they not only e-mail out to thousands of people, but is also available on Google.

That number again?  949.215.0022


I did find a really useful posting to a thread related to Star Positions:

"This loser SPAMs everyone. Forward his crap to spam@uce.gov (the FTC). If enough people do it, they'll finally investigate his a**"

But what about the actual service?  Is this a legit business just using illegitimate marketing techniques?

From the same forum above...

"Star Position does not deliver.
 
I know because I paid for their service almost a year ago.
I received at most, 200 visitors.
Many of the visitors were from outside of the US,
Many of the visitors were the same person repeatedy.
(I know because I dropped cookies on them)"

So the full text of that note? 

Check it out below, while I go file a complaint with the LA Better Business Bureau.

"Without being seen first on the major search engines, your

website can be little more than a glorified business card."

"If your site is seen first on the search engines, chances are

you're the one people will tend to contact. It's that simple."

 

What do a Realtor, a major bank, an attorney, and a natural health

clinic have in common? They are among the over 13,000 companies

who have discovered a better way to be seen first on YAHOO, MSN,

GOOGLE and thirteen other search engines. A way in which their

sites are always seen first, 100% of the time, across the major search

engines, even above the sponsored links, but WITHOUT having to pay

the sometimes exorbitant charges associated with the 'pay per click'

sponsored links.

 

This is possible due to search toolbar technology, with over 26 million

downloads, which are predominantly US-based. This allows us to place

you first 100% of the time across the major search engines, exclusively,

across our whole Network!  For everyone who has the toolbar installed

on their PCs, you are about to see what they see on the major search

engines!

This is the placement we do for Chase Bank. What you see above even

the names of the search engines is Chase Bank's actual website! The

search term 'BANKING' always points to their site on the Network, across

the top sixteen search engines, including GOOGLE, YAHOO and MSN!

 

This is the placement we do for a Los Angeles Realtor, Kathryn Bishop.

What you see above even the names of the search engines is her actual

website! The search terms 'LOS ANGELES REAL ESTATE' and several others

always points to her site on the Network, across  the top sixteen search

engines, including GOOGLE, YAHOO and MSN!

 

And lastly, this is the placement we do for Stone Canyon Mortgage, What you

see above the names of the search engines is Stone Canyon's actual website!

Stone Canyon has the generic search term 'MORTGAGE' pointing to their

website on our Network, across the top sixteen search engines, including

GOOGLE, YAHOO and MSN! What we've done for Stone Canyon on a nationwide

level, we can do for other mortgage companies on a more localized level.

You too can have this guaranteed type of exposure. Our normal run on the

  Network  goes for one year, but for those who register with us, by the end

of this week , you will only pay for the first six months.  As for the cost, you'll

probably spend more over the next year for your morning coffee than you

would spend for this.

We do make specific guarantees, including a money back guarantee.

Call for details.

I can be reached at my office, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific time.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.

 

Best regards,

 

Robert Sexton

Director of Business Development, Star Position

Phone:        800.481.2979, ext 2001

Direct Line: 949.215.0022