RKS Web Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I own a BBQ Brand in Calgary Alberta. I am the Chef and Business Development Manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Moz Web Media LLC, and what were your goals?

**FRAUD ALERT** We hired Moz Web Media to manage our social media and digital marketing ads, social media posting, digital design, blog writing, article writing, SEO and content writing on an on-going monthly basis.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We had a few phone meetings and after an exhausting experience with local marketing companies that did not give much value or care for their charges, we decided to try this company that gave a good sell pitch and pricing was reasonable with employees based out of North America.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

We went through a brief discovery phase and first drafts were very much not on brand. Much of the work was incomplete by end of month one. I later learned their focus was not on our marketing but in using passwords to further access our financial accounts and setting up bank accounts locally in order to siphon money from our accounts.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

Worked with a sales onboarding manager and account manager, Patrick. They claim they are from Chicago, but most of their network seem to be in India. I believe they have an extensive ring of associates.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

As mentioned above, within a month of hiring this vague International company, 2 bank accounts were linked with our Square account to which we had provided access to in order to set up promotions and such. No promotions were ever created, but less than a month after signing on with them on Aug 27 a local RBC bank was linked and siphoned a total of $26,000 from our catering sales deposits to another account.

These transactions were not noticed until Sept 20 sadly by our accountant who couldnt match our bank deposits with catering sales...and bc we had 3 stores set up we were still receiving deposits so the culprit had an understanding of our business and how to effectively do this without being immediately noticed. Moz Media was one of 3 managers who had access to this account, with the other 2 being employees working with us.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

During the short time we had hired them as well we got multiple notifications that our email was involved with Phishing Scams. So the culprits had spent time gaining access to our email passwords among other items.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They followed up and presented as very professional at first. But there "sales" guy didn't respond to emails after we were passed off to our "account rep".

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

As mentioned, we very much believe this company is false and we will be having them investigated for the fraud that ensued shortly after we entrusted them with our marketing and accesses. $26,000 was stolen from us in this time, and we deeply couldn't afford this loss during a struggling time as a restaurant in the mid of a pandemic. The only thing we did differently during the month we experienced all of this fraud and theft was to hire this highly suspicious company.

We see various other people have had issues with them but somehow can't prove it. I would recommend not to trust them AT ALL and find a company that doesn't have fake google and video reviews. The work they MAY do for you is a cover up for what is happening behind the scenes as far as i have experienced.