Day 41: Threatened with legal action over negative review - Contena
Yesterday, at 9:48 p.m. I received an email from Kevin Fleming, founder of Contena.co, threatening me with legal action regarding a blog post I wrote on March 6,2017.
His email read as follows:
Conny,
We have discovered an article that was written by you which contains false, defamatory statements made against Heroic, LLC d/b/a Contena.co
You are hereby directed to CEASE AND DESIST ALL DEFAMATION OF CONTENA’S CHARACTER AND REPUTATION.
If this content is not removed within (5) business days, we will will pursue all available legal remedies, including seeking monetary damages, injunctive relief, and an order that you pay court costs and attorney’s fees.
Please reply in writing as soon as the defamatory content is removed to avoid further action.
Thank you,
Kevin Fleming
Founder,
Contena.co
Personally, I don’t know what Kevin gets so upset about because everything I wrote in my blog post was true.
Contena does charge a fee for writers to become members of the site. This fee can be paid in one lump sum, or prospective writers can make six payments of $99.
As a freelance writer, I belong to several writing sites and not one of them has ever charged me a fee.
Registration usually involved listing personal details or personal details and a test article. Never did any of the sites ask for money.
Needless to say, when threatened with legal I took the blog post down. So much for freedom of speech and freedom of the press. It would seem that one can only speak freely when positive things are being said.
As a professional freelancer, I constantly keep an eye out for new opportunities. So when I noticed a website called Contena, I was quick to apply.
I received the response that the website currently didn’t take on any new writers, but that I would be notified when there were vacancies. True to their word, a short time later I received a notification that Contena would be “opening its doors” to 50 new writers on February 28th at 12:00.
I had high hopes, kept myself available on February 28 and visited the site for registration as soon as I got the green light.
My hopes were smashed within seconds. To become a member of Contena, writers were required to make six payments of $97. I’m not in the habit of swearing, but on this occasion I thought … WTF!
I’m a member of two other freelance sites and they never asked me for a penny. On the contrary, they pay me.
No sooner had I said no to Contena’s offer, or I received an email …
“Earn $1,000 a month. You complete our course and use Contena to land one client. This client is willing to pay $100 per article and wants 3 articles week. Each article takes you about an hour to write.”
The next day another email …
·You are making $100 / hour.
·You are making an additional $1,200 / month.
·You are working 12 hours a month.
As an experienced freelance writer, I didn’t believe a word of it and neither should you. If this were true, just about everyone who can string two sentences together would quit their job and become a freelance writer. No more getting out of bed at the crack of dawn, no more commuting, no more braving the elements, no more working for peanuts.
Cortena promises people who work only 12 hours a month to make $1,200. Can you image how much one would make if you were to apply yourself from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.!
This is all bogus of course. Clients don’t pay writers $100 for an article. Most clients offer 3 to 5 cents per word or $20 to $25 for a 500-word article.
Established writers might get as much as $50 for an article, but that is still a far cry from the $100 Cortena promises.
Cortena itself is doing very well though. Imagine if 50 writers fell for their scam, that is $97 x 6 x 50. That is $29,100 and all they had to do was set up a website, make some promises and then wait for unsuspecting, naive writers to fall for their scam.
Whoever visits the Contena website will see that they have plenty of jobs available, but all of them are bogus. Click on a link, any link, and you are forced to register and pay. After you've paid, the jobs disappear, supposedly taken by other writers. When I asked some to the point questions, I never heard from Kevin (the founder of the scam site) again.
If you’re a writer, far better to become a member of Constant Content or Crowd Content. You don’t have to pay a penny and you’ll have plenty work to keep you busy.
As a freelance writer I’m always on the lookout for new opportunities. So, when I noticed a headline that read “Writers Wanted” I clicked to read the details.
The ad read as follows:
Writers wanted for a high volume of work for a newly created website. Must be experienced in informative article writing, on subjects such as fashion, personal care, nature, architecture, and technical writing. Please send resume and two samples of your work to ... (and there was an email address).
Twenty-four hours later I received a response that the manager was pleased with my submission and could I please let them know my rate expectations.
This I thought a little strange. I’ve worked for a few websites and there’s never been any room for negotiation. The project manager informed writers of a set rate for their work, and writers could take it or leave it.
Not knowing what to charge, I Googled “Writing rates” and “Writing rates per word” and found out that the going rate is anywhere between $0.40 to $2 per word.
So that’s what I communicated with my potential employer.
Another twenty-four hours later I received the reply that my paying standards could not be met. Okay, I was flexible. If it meant regular work, I was prepared to work for less.
The next email was a bit of a shock though. The website owner informed me that for a 1,000 word article he was paying his writers $4.
If you’re like me, you just leaned a bit closer to your computer screen, squinted a little or adjusted your eye glasses ... $4 for a 1,000 word article? Did you read that right? Yes you did, that’s the offer I got.
Needless to say, I turned it down. This wasn’t just working for peanuts, or shells of peanuts, this was working for dust of shells of peanuts. Now I do wonder ... did he get anyone to agree to this rate? Is anyone desperate enough to work for so little money?
People in general are against sweatshops, which is considered slave labor, but isn’t getting paid $4 for a 1,000 word article considered slave labor too?
Recently I saw
an ad posted on Facebook from Real Writing Jobs. The ad stated, "I
need to earn $200 or I will be homeless".
Being a freelance writer,
I was interested what they had to offer. As it turns out, I need to pay
$68 to join.
I wonder, how
can someone who is about to become homeless afford $68?
This is the ad.
Part of the text is missing, but you'll get the picture.
RealWritingJobs.com - Get Paid To Write
URGENT: DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
SEE HOW YOU CAN START EARNING MONEY DOING SIMPLE WRITING JOBS!
The worldwide recession has resulted in tens of millions of layoffs with many predicting that the layoffs will only continue in the coming years. Maybe you've already been laid off or you're worried about it possibly happening to you in the future, RealWritingJobs is the perfect solution to help you make money part or full time.
One job industry experiencing **EXPLOSIVE GROWTH** is online writing jobs! Companies NEED your help creating content so they can attract more visitors to their web sites and blogs and we'll show you how people are making TONS of money writing from the comfort of their own home!
Let's talk about the proof!
This was the first check I received after completing my first writing job. Yes, it is only for $110 and it isn’t going to pay your rent, but this was just the beginning... the next thing I knew, I was writing all the time. I began to make a full-time income from writing jobs right from the comfort of my own home!
Just imagine getting checks like this every single month! Some people are earning in EXCESS OF $100 PER DAY! We can't guarantee you'll make that much, but if you're not making at least $20 / day with this program, then the only excuse you can have is that you're turning down too many writing jobs.
Look at how people are earning a FULL TIME INCOME writing online:
*These are real earnings observed by individuals participating in job freelancing websites
We have positions open right now!!
Here are some examples of past jobs available:
PROOF READERS NEEDED
Looking for online proofreaders to start as soon as possible! Will be working on pieces for corporate communications, ad copy, direct mail, ads and web content. $18/hr to start. Part Time and Full Time positions available.
REVIEW LOCAL RESTAURANTS
We're a new worldwide restaurant review directory and we need reviews for tens of thousands of restaurants worldwide. We will pay $27 for each restaurant review you write for us. 150-200 words per review.
REVIEW WEB SITES FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT
We need to hire 20 people to review web sites for our child protection software. We need you to find sites to block that are not kid friendly. YOU MUST BE 18 OR OLDER. Pay is $20 per hour, it is part time to start with full time potential if you do a good job.
Your earnings are 100% dependent on your skill level and amount of time dedicated*
How is this possible?
The only other "industry" that has this huge of a demand for new "workers" is the military! To get started writing you just need to be 18 and willing to work, no experience required for many cases, although obviously some employers will require experience or a particular area of expertise. Believe me, writing a few articles is not only fun when it is something you are interested in, but it is also a lot easier than going through boot camp!
With content becoming more and more important online, the demand has been surging for people to run company blogs, write short articles and maintain different company facebook/twitter/myspace accounts. This type of work is still new, and MANY PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THESE JOBS or how to find them even if they do.
We have done the hard part for you, and can give you direct access to top employers! There is such a huge demand for online content, that we literally cannot send them enough job candidates!
Exactly who can Join?
We accept members from all countries however we are giving preference to people living in United States of America and offer you instant access to THOUSANDS of available jobs so you can get started right away!
In order to participate in this incredible opportunity, we do have some requirements. Please see below:
Must be 18 years or older to join
Must have access to the internet
Have at least 1 hour a week to dedicate to this
The ability to follow directions
Complete the writing jobs you are given
Some assignments may require previous experience / requirements
If you meet these requirements, you can sign up today and start picking which writing jobs you want to start working on TODAY! We just ask that you are professional to whoever you are doing these easy assignments for. Please don’t make us look bad by not finishing a writing project once you start one.
JOIN TODAY AND GET THIS INCREDIBLE BONUS!
$3780 IN FREE WRITER’S TOOLS!!!
As long as you have at least an 8th grade education, with these incredible tools you can start writing high quality articles and stories quickly and easily which means money in your pocket today!
Here is what you get with this incredible bonus package:
Because we need additional writers immediately in United States of America, we are offering a 50% off coupon today! Act now because we cannot guarantee this will be available in the future.
Enter the Coupon CodeCoupon Issued: February 26th, 2013
Enter the coupon code below
to get your HALF OFF
discount for Real Writing Jobs
Select Your Payment Method
A membership to RealWritingJobs.com can be ordered anytime night and day! Even if it is 3 a.m. on a holiday, you can still receive instant access to the members area where you can start doing writing jobs and making money right away!
Price: $68.00 (before coupon code)One Time Billing. No hidden charges. Safe, Secure and Discreet billing.
This is a one time fee only. You will never be re-billed. Clickbank sells our products/services - they are a trusted online retailer specializing in digitally delivered products.
60 Day Money Back Guarantee Receive instant access to our members' area for 60 full days and if at anytime you are not happy you can receive a 100% full refund on your membership fee!
Based in Toronto, Ontario, we are a company looking for qualified individuals
to help out with writing tasks such as:
- short stories
- movie scripts
- sales scripts
- articles
- news feeds
- PR websites
- blog posts
. . . and more.
Job Duties Include:
- Draft and create consumer content for lifestyle and health related websites
- Research new products and services with the relation to the consumers
- Create projects for blogs and other new media
- Brand messages with reaching a large online audience
You'll have the opportunity to work big name companies and popular websites in
several niches from news, geography, sports,
entertainment, travel, and others.
Qualifications:
- Highschool Graduate or GED qualified with an interest in writing for blogs,
stories, and other publications
- Experience in Journalism, English, Communications or other related fields
- Strong written communication skills with ability to proofread effectively
- Ability to manage multiple projects
- Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel)
- Internet access / online access
This is a part-time and full-time job, depending on your availability. Hours
are flexible from 10 to 40 hours per week.
Travel is not required. Pay is discussed via communication after application
process.
Please email us at rebeccaworkingjob@gmail.com with your full name and resume.
We will contact you soon within 24 hours Location: Toronto
Compensation: TBD
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or
commercial interests.
EARN A
PART-TIME OR FULL TIME INCOME FROM YOUR HOME
With Your New Writing Career You Can...
·Work From Home
·Set Your Own Hours
·Work Directly Online
·Earn An Excellent Income
·Pick Topics To Write About
·View New Jobs Everyday
Get Paid To
Write Articles & StoriesThousands of topics to write about!You get paid for every article you write!
Help Improve
Books & Movie ScriptsGive your suggestions and input and get paid $$$!Turn your spare time into real money!
Get Cash For
Writing Blog PostsCreate
simple blog posts or comment on blogs!Get paid cash for writing blog posts!
No Experience Required to Join
On the following page comes the catch
RealWritingJobs.com
- Get Paid To Write
URGENT:DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
SEE HOW YOU CAN START EARNING MONEYDOING
SIMPLE WRITING JOBS!
The worldwide recession has resulted in tens of millions of
layoffs with many predicting that the layoffs will only continue in the coming
years. Maybe you've already been laid off or you're worried about it possibly
happening to you in the future, RealWritingJobs is the perfect solution to help
you make money part or full time.
One job industry experiencing**EXPLOSIVE GROWTH**is online writing jobs!
Companies NEED your help creating content so they can attract more visitors to
their web sites and blogs and we'll show you how people aremaking TONS of moneywriting from the comfort
of their own home!
Let's talk about the proof!
This was the
first checkI received after
completing my first writing job. Yes, it is only for $110 and it isn’t going to
pay your rent, but this was just the beginning... the next thing I knew, I was
writing all the time. I began to make afull-time incomefrom writing jobs right
from the comfort of my own home!
Just imagine getting checks like this every single month! Some
people are earning in EXCESS OF $100 PER DAY! We can't guarantee you'll make
that much, but if you're not making at least $20 / day with this program, then
the only excuse you can have is that you're turning down too many writing jobs.
Look at how people are earning
a FULL TIME INCOME writing online: *These are real earnings observed by individuals participating
in job freelancing websites
We have positions open right now!!
Here are some examples of past jobs available:
PROOF READERS NEEDED
Looking for online proofreaders to start as soon as possible!
Will be working on pieces for corporate communications, ad copy, direct mail,
ads and web content. $18/hr to start. Part Time and Full Time positions available.
REVIEW LOCAL RESTAURANTS
We're a new worldwide restaurant review directory and we need
reviews for tens of thousands of restaurants worldwide. We will pay $27 for
each restaurant review you write for us. 150-200 words per review.
REVIEW WEB SITES FOR INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT
We need to hire 20 people to review web sites for our child
protection software. We need you to find sites to block that are not kid
friendly. YOU MUST BE 18 OR OLDER. Pay is $20 per hour, it is part time to
start with full time potential if you do a good job.
Your earnings are 100%
dependent on your skill level and amount of time dedicated*
How is this possible?
The only other
"industry" that has this huge of a demand for new "workers"
is the military! To get started writing you just need to be 18 and willing to
work, no experience required for many cases, although obviously some employers
will require experience or a particular area of expertise. Believe me, writing
a few articles is not only fun when it is something you are interested in, but
it is also a lot easier than going through boot camp!
With content becoming more and more important online, the demand
has been surging for people to run company blogs, write short articles and
maintain different company facebook/twitter/myspace accounts. This type of work
is still new, andMANY PEOPLE DO NOT EVEN
KNOW ABOUT THESE JOBSor how to find them even
if they do.
We have done the hard part for you, and can give you direct
access to top employers! There is such a huge demand for online content, that
we literally cannot send them enough job candidates!
Exactly who can Join?
We
accept members from all countries however we are giving preference to people
living in United States of America and offer you instant access to THOUSANDS of
available jobs so you can get started right away!
In order to participate in this incredible opportunity, we do have some
requirements. Please see below:
·Must be 18 years or older to join
·Must have access to the internet
·Have at least 1 hour a week to dedicate to this
·The ability to follow directions
·Complete the writing jobs you are given
·Some assignments may require previous experience / requirements
If you meet these requirements, you can sign up today and start
picking which writing jobs you want to start working on TODAY! We just ask that
you are professional to whoever you are doing these easy assignments for.
Please don’t make us look bad by not finishing a writing project once you start
one.
JOIN TODAY AND GET THIS INCREDIBLE BONUS!
$3780 IN FREE WRITER’S TOOLS!!!s long as
you have at least an 8th grade education, with these incredible tools you can
start writing high quality articles and stories quickly and easily which means
money in your pocket today!
Here is what you get with this incredible bonus package:
Because we need
additional writers immediately in United States of America, we are offering
a 50% off coupon today! Act now because we cannot guarantee this will be
available in the future.
Enter the Coupon CodeCoupon Issued: January 27th,
2013
Enter the coupon
code below
to get your HALF OFF
discount for Real Writing Jobs
Select Your Payment Method
A membership to RealWritingJobs.com can be ordered anytime
night and day! Even if it is 3 a.m. on a holiday, you can still receive instant
access to the members area where you can start doing writing jobs and making
money right away!
Price: $68.00(before coupon code)One
Time Billing. No hidden charges. Safe, Secure and Discreet billing.
This is a one time fee only. You will never be re-billed.
Clickbank sells our products/services - they are a trusted online retailer
specializing in digitally delivered products.
60 Day Money Back Guarantee Receive instant access to our
members' area for 60 full days and if at anytime you are not happy you can
receive a 100% full refund on your membership fee!
When you read an ad that promises writers TONS of money you should already smell a rat. Writers don't make tons of money, if they did everyone would become a writer.
That is
not the end of it though. There are NO
writing jobs, but for every sucker Rebecca snags, SHE GET CASH.
The only other "industry" that has this huge of a demand for new "workers" is the military! To get started writing you just need to be 18 and willing to work, no experience required for many cases, although obviously some employers will require experience or a particular area of expertise. Believe me, writing a few articles is not only fun when it is something you are interested in, but it is also a lot easier than going through boot camp!
We accept members from all countries however we are giving preference to people living in United States of America and offer you instant access to THOUSANDS of available jobs so you can get started right away!
