KickstarterForum.org

OK. So lets get this clear from the outset, I truly hope that this is not a scam as it is now just getting beyond a joke, the amount of smartwatch projects that have turned out to be a load of bollocks and just plain scams.

Examples:
IGG. Ai watch - rip off scam
IGG. Kreyos - $1.5 million rip off scam.
KS. Rock watch - rip off scam (caught with fingers in the cookie jar, just in time).

Then there is the Omate (KS) and now the Neptune Pine (KS) , not as devious as those mentioned above, but used every trick in the book to hoodwink contributors.

I presume that the book 'The art of the smartwatch scammer' does not exist. But if it did do you think it would go something like this:
Step 1. Create the appearance of a genuine new unique project that is your own design, by showing 'sketchy' drawings on the campaign page.
Step 2. Buy a cheap $50 Chinese mini smartphone or mobile phone watch off alibaba.
Step 3. Unscrew the casings, remove the circuit boards and photograph them and put the pictures onto the campaign page to give the appearance of a prototype in the making.
Step 4. Better still connect the battery back up to the circuit board and take a video of you swiping the screen etc. Always guaranteed to in crease contributions.
Step 5. Either use a casing from an existing Chinese mobile phone watch, or use a good photo realistic software to create some rather real looking renderings. (remember to add a few scuffs and cuts in the rendering for that authentic worn look). Hint: Don't fall for the trap, like pictures on the Neptune pine campaign where the light hitting the supposed real watch casing casts a shadow in the wrong direction.
Step 6. Before the campaign starts make sure to use some press release software to send press releases to publications such as Cnet, tech crunch and techno buffalo who all have an automatic system for uploading articles. Then present the publication logos on your campaign page with quotes from the articles. Do not link to them though, because people may actually click on them and realise that they are all the same and that you are actually quoting yourself!.
Step 7. Get your campaign running and make every hint possible in your description that you will be manufacturing them yourself in your home country. Never tell anyone that they are to be made cheaply in china, until nearing the end of the campaign.
Step 8. Throughout the campaign, be very selective about answering questions in the forum, maybe one answer to a easy to achieve unimportant question, then ignore the next 10 to 20 hard hitting questions. Then drop back on and answer another soft easy achievable question and then ignore 10 to 20 etc. etc. Up to the end of the campaign. Don't worry, there are plenty of people who will answer for you.
Step 9. Always agree to every request for stretch goals no matter the fact that they cannot be achieved.
Step 10. Take the money and have a go at trying to source a reasonable supply of cheap Chinese products. If you struggle don't worry, just keep the money anyway and have a nice holiday.

Now go take a long hard look at the Neptune Pine. Hmm!

Wow, people must really love smart watches. I've backed for $1 so if it does go sideways I'll be able to post in the KS comments section. Thanks for the tip!

I know. Good move VaporStarter. $1 contribution to be able to put your 10 cents worth into the KS comments.

I am not an expert on marketing techniques, but it does appear that these shady characters seem to know just exactly what to say to spur on contributions.

I realise that the book 'The art of the smartwatch scammer' probably does not exist, yet!, but these campaigns all have a lot in common.

What never ceases to amaze me is that KS do not realise that there is a case just waiting to happen, where someone takes one of these campaigns to the European courts (known for siding with the common man), and get a ruling in their favour that KS are actually liable for the campaigns on their platform. Or IG or any of the others for that matter.

There are laws where businesses by way of the fact that they have entered into an agreement have a certain amount of liability from the others actions. I am sure its called quasi or something like that.

Maybe a lawyer reading this can put is right there. Certainly on a no win no fee basis there are literally $millions that is just begging to be claimed back by contributors who have either:
1. not got what they expected.
2. got it late (months or years later) by which time the technology was well out of date.
3. found that it did not work as described.
4. or did not get it at all.

If anyone wants to try this route I am making my offer here now to put a couple of $'s into a pot to help to pay the costs.
Can you imagine what would happen if a case like this was ruled in favour of a contributor and the ruling said that the crowdfunding platform KS,IGG etc was equally liable.

Hey in fact I am tempted to run a campaign on IGG for funds to take KS to court.

Sometimes I do not know whether to laugh or cry.

Keep up the good work ifony, it's more people like you that we need to help bring attention to a growing problem in crowdfudning. Please continue to keep us updated to any developments or new shady projects you encounter.

"Hey in fact I am tempted to run a campaign on IGG for funds to take KS to court." Lol.

@sbriggman yes I was a bit over enthusastic with that comment.
However,as an update to the neptune pine smartwatch campaign I have kept an eye on the comments. There is a great concern that within a few days of them receiving an awful lot of contributors hard earned money, they are not answering at least 10 of the most important questions about their product.

Interestingly. A few answers that make some sense on the Neptune comments. So a little bit of improvement there.

As for the Omate smartwatch on KS. So far a handful of people out of the 3,000 or so have received theirs. However, it looks like most have problems. Could quality be an issue. ?
We will just have to wait and see when a good few have found there way into the hands of contributors and there is more feedback. Lets hope for those guys that in general its good.

Thank you for updating us. Awesome work on encouraging transparency on Kickstarter.

Oh bollocks. Now that is not a good start to 2014.
As I suspected, Omate is also now turning out to be a Scam.
I thought that backers had started to receive Omates. Turns out those who have are actually just getting cheap and nasty Chinese mobile phone watches.

This campaign from the start looked really fishy. Based in NY, yet the guy running it lives in China.

In the campaign page it clearly says that the Omate is a newly designed product. Certainly not just a re-sale from China, which is, as far as I am aware, is against Kickstarter rules to be using the platform just to resell existing products made elsewhere.

I am also now very doubtful about the Neptune. You see this also claims to be a newly designed product. Supposedly to be manufactured in Canada. Yet after asking a few questions on the board it looks like it will also be a Chinese watch. To be honest it is very similar to the original wimm labs 1 (an early wimm labs [post google buy out]) Chinese watch, which sells for about $70. Kickstarter contributors as usual were falling over themselves to donate up to 4 times that amount for a blue sky product/idea/dream/scam whatever you may want to call it.

I sincerely hope that the Omate people and Neptune people do at least try to do the right thing. But ?

I'll keep watching and update you guys.

Oh. By the way.... HAPPY NEW YEAR. And congrats to Mr Briggman for this wonderful sounding board. CHEERS.

ifonly wrote:As I suspected, Omate is also now turning out to be a Scam.

Wow, 16,436 posts in KS main comments for Omate. I gave it a quick look through and seems to be quite the debate going on over there.