Adaptive Marketing, whose advertisements for “free credit scores” featuring Ben Stein were criticized by the anonymous blogger “Flaneur de Fraude,” has given up its quest to identify the anonymous blogger. Unfortunately, rather than admitting that it had no basis for seeking the discovery, Adaptive sought to save face by claiming that its request for discovery is “moot” because it claims that it has identified the blogger. According to its court filing, the villain whom they want to sue for defamation is Franklin Seegers, who allegedly lives in Washington, DC.
A few minutes research online would have told them how wrong that is. According to the Washington Post, in 2006 DC resident Franklin Seegers was sentenced to 40 years for his role in a violent drug gang known as Murder Inc. Federal Bureau of Prisons records show that Seegers can now be found at the Butner Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina. These are the brilliant sleuths who charge $29.95 per month for protection against identity theft for Internet users who call to get their “free” credit score?
Ill be out of the country until July 6. I will have only sporadic email access while I am away, even when I CAN get online I do not plan to respond to anything other than emergencies. I will check email and reply when I come home.
If this is a real emergency, and you want to be sure I get the message, contact Marybeth Stiles, mstiles@citizen.org. She will have the best information about how to reach me.
Ill be back in the office by July 2, and perhaps a day earlier.
Posted by: Paul Levy | Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 05:45 AM
So, Adaptive either thought they were uncovering in this filing a blogger who preferred to remain anonymous (in which case, they - or more likely their lawyers - really didn't do their homework) or they didn't care and thought they'd landed on a good way to bow out and save face (in which case, they've dragged in the "real" Franklin Seegers and his home address unnecessarily). Adaptive Marketing: malicious, stupid, or both?
Posted by: This name withheld to protect the innocent | Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 04:15 PM
Roberts - did you actually read any of the information about this case? The blog is very clearly not the work of a jailed drug lord, whom I doubt has used his time behind bars to bone up on complex financial and commercial fraud issues (or French, for that matter). This situation couldn't be farther from the cases you're alluding to. And I'd hesitate to hire a lawyer who couldn't tell the difference.
Posted by: This name withheld to protect the innocent | Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 04:11 PM
I find myself wondering if it's a pseudo-clever ploy on the part of the plaintiff to discredit the blogger. "See? Only a vicious criminal would say anything bad about us!"
Posted by: Bergman | Monday, October 12, 2009 at 08:13 AM
Almost as effective as Reputation Defendurrrrrrr.....
Posted by: Marc J. Randazza | Thursday, October 08, 2009 at 11:53 PM
Is Franklin Seegers barred from using the Internet? I have helped a few client who have been harassed online by people behind bars.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Roberts
internet Libel Victim's Advocate
www.rexxfield.com
Posted by: Michael Roberts of Rexxfield.com | Wednesday, October 07, 2009 at 04:04 AM