Avoid @empirekred if you value your cybersecurity, safety and privacy.

Yesterday I received an email from a Carlos Sanchez, Lieutenant of Investigations, Criminal Division of the San Francisco District Attorney’s office, asking that I respect the confidentiality of criminal investigations as regards an individual connected with EmpireKred.

With Nance Larson confirming the prior existence of a “goon squad” yet trying to deny it’s existence in 2014, times are crazy at EmpireKred (owned by Kred), formerly Empire Avenue.

We continue to recommend avoiding EmpireKred.

Obviously no one suspected a formal “goon squad” at Empire Avenue,  the term  was used by Chris Voss to describe actions by players and customers of Empire Avenue that were highly abusive and not stopped, just like occurred in 2014 and continuing by Nance Larson, Chris Sandys, Gareth Davies, et al.

Next week I intend to contact the San Francisco District Attorney’s office and confirm the contents of the letter.

I had no idea of any pending criminal investigation against anyone I have written about in connection with the “goon squad” of Empire Avenue (now EmpireKred), however this seems to be confirmation as to the seriousness the San Francisco DA’s office attaches to the matter.

I am also unaware of the full scope of the investigation.

 

@WanderinPoet And how did they help you ? according to them they just sent a request to twitter because you sent so many emails for help

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) October 26, 2015

 

Lieutenant Sanchez has confirmed that his office (the consumer mediation department) opened files, and assisted with my issue with twitter.

That issue arose from utterly reprehensible and abusive conduct by the Empire Avenue “goon squad”.

A file was opened in November of 2014, and again in January 2015 subsequent to Keith Gill’s very strange report to Twitter that caused an unjust suspension.

The CA DoJ also opened a file (x-ref 615640) and the matters were generally resolved to my satisfaction with Twitter unsuspending myself and announcing changes to their “abuse policy”.

Changes with Ethel Newlin of the SF DA’s office credited blogging by this blogger with helping change by documenting the incredible abuse by these people of their own customers on Twitter.

Steven Krohn corroborated the changes to Twitter’s “abuse policy”,  also of EmpireKred, in a phone call to Ethel Newlin on 2/5/2015, one day after Dick Costolo’s internal discussion on Twitter’s internal forums which was published on The Verge on 2/2/2015.

Conversation is archived on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/messages/archived/stevenkrohn215

 

Obviously Gareth Davies doesn’t believe his reprehensible and highly abusive conduct can cause any repercussions.

They may be far more serious than he knew.

I have no idea why any company would abuse it’s customers so extensively that they cause policy changes and investigation by regulatory agencies, whether at a civil level, or criminal.

I only know that the “goon squad” of Empire Avenue (now EmpireKred) has done so.

And Chris Sandys wanted that abuse kept “off the record.”

These animals  clearly do not value their customers or consumers.  They are best avoided until Kred cleans house.

 

As my concern is and has been protecting consumers from these animals I shall continue to blog about EmpireKred and their “goon squad.”

This will be my last reference to the SF DA’s office in connection with the matter.

If anyone asks what’s going on, I shall simply refer them to this post.

 

Who On Earth Is #EmpireKred Staff #NanceLarson Speaking To (Besides Herself) On #Twitter?

Most adults address those they are talking to.

Not “Freak” Nance, EmpireKred Staff and “goon squad” of doxing her own customers fame.

Who is “Freak” Nance addressing here?

Another lie. I didn't even kno who they were, had to ask. Search cabal

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) December 4, 2015

Was not is. Learn to read. You just love drama. Guess that's why they call you the drama QUEEN!!!

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) December 4, 2015

 

As far as I can determine, virtually no one reads her tweets or interacts with her on Twitter.

According to social media expert Gareth Davies she’s an expert at spam.

 

I nominate @NanceLarson for a Shorty Award in #spam because she deserves it !!

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) January 12, 2014

 

Klear corraborates this, noting a high volume of tweets, but little interaction.

Very few people even seem to wish to communicate with her.

 

According to unnamed sources from EmpireKred, Nance Larson is,

 

How often does Nance Larson flip out on people in the EmpireKred forums?

Why is Nance Larson an admin of a forum or have any position of authority?

Her record of abuse of Empire Avenue (now EmpireKred) customers is clear.

Avoid EmpireKred while Nance Larson is there in any capacity, from customer to volunteer.

You just have no idea when the “goon squad” will show up to abuse you.

 

What If Everything Was Like #Klout? Former Klout Score Evangelist Changes Mind About #Klout?

“Social Sales” rock star, leader of EmpireKred (now owned by Kred),  and former Klout score gaming evangelist Keith Gill, AKA #DigitalKeith, knows this.

Keith Gill, AKA Digital Keith is a corporate marketing manager for @avisolve.

Klout is a tool for measuring your social media presence and influence.

Like Kred, it’s just a tool, it’s not an end to itself or the end all be all of measuring your social media presence.

Woke up this morning and noticed my #KloutScore jumped to 80… is #Klout even important? https://t.co/a5LX9IEb1G pic.twitter.com/g15d2X9Xoq

— Keith Gill (@DigitalKeith) November 22, 2015

 

Apparently Nance Larson, former team leader at Empire Avenue, and now staff at EmpireKred (owned by Kred), feels their competitor Kout,  “is no fun.”

 

Do you care?? Klout is old. No fun. https://t.co/wyxYob0X4h

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) November 22, 2015

 

You never know who you are interacting with that has tremendous influence in social media or beyond.

But what if all social media interactions were like Klout tweets or Kred tweets where people give and get thanks for telling others how much influence they have?

Even on personal matters not related to their professional conduct online?

I gave @SoftwareHollis a +K on CRM. https://t.co/fLevvIrIBr

— Keith Gill (@DigitalKeith) December 4, 2015

Good job @DigitalKeith! You're among the top 0.8% of people talking about Information Technology.#klout https://t.co/aYB4yIf9Vs

— Ken Larson (@Smalltofeds) November 30, 2015

]

 

Would this level of social interaction improve your presence?  Improve your dating life?

Or would you consider such interaction and discussion an invasion of your privacy, and such people who do so as socially deviant?

 

 

 

 

How Sick, Twisted And Deviant Is This #EmpireKred Leader?

Chris Sandys (@usafa_93), leader of EmpireKred,  is one of the worst liars and trolls I have ever encountered in my life.

I recommend avoiding EmpireKred while he’s on their social media platform in any capacity, whether as leader or customer.

You simply never know when he will show up and launch a tremendous diatribe of abuse and EmpireKred simply will not stop the abuse by their leaders.

I had a friend, a fashion model and TV host (also an Empire Avenue customer) who had her twitter account hacked and a personal DM published.

She considered it a tremendous invasion of her privacy and abuse of her account.

Subsequently, as I reported the issue to Twitter I told them in an email that abuse of popular accounts was driving away people from Twitter.

Dick Costolo, then CEO, admitted as much in an internal memo published on The Verge 

“It’s no secret and the rest of the world talks about it every day. We lose core user after core user by not addressing simple trolling issues that they face every day.”

 

As Twitter was proving non responsive to tremendous abuse piled upon myself by the “goon squad” (Chris Sandys, Keith Gill, Gareth Davies, Nance Larson) of them Empire Avenue (now EmpireKred), I filed complaints with the San Francisco DA’s office and CA DoJ.

The CA DoJ opened their inquiry into Twitter on 12/30/2015, and the San Francisco DA’s office opened files in November 2014, and again on 1/12/2015 after Keith Gill’s abused Twitter’s report function.

Chris Sandys and troll twitter celebrity Nancy Abt were happily trolling my attempt to help my friend on Twitter.

#ihearditthroughthegrapevine @DigitalKeith @USAFA_93 when someone argues on #twitter in #espanol Mas Problemas Ahead for them! #oyvey 🍒🍒

— fancienanc (@Fancienanc) September 19, 2014

https://twitter.com/USAFA_93/status/513468016265555968

@USAFA_93 @DigitalKeith you know I studied espanol por siete Anos en mi escuela but guess I did not read the entire convo lol 👫👫 4 some?

— fancienanc (@Fancienanc) September 21, 2014

 

The issue was my friend being hacked and an invasion of her personal privacy.

The DM was NOT about what Chris Sandys stated, he’s a liar.

The hacker was subsequently suspended after admitting on twitter in a tweet that he had hacked the account.

Chris Sandys chose to lie about what was going on, referring to my friend as “goth girl” and the name of my satirical blog, Andy Kaufman’s Kavalkade Krew, as some sort of “crew.”

The only “crew” is a figment of Chris Sandys sick and twisted imagination.

Chris Sandys seems to me to be a paranoid delusional, inventing falsehoods, making false allegations and generally being one of the worst trolls ever encountered on twitter.

All in a vain and failed attempt to keep abuse of Empire Avenue’s own customers “off the record.”

Subsequently he was warned by twitter for making non violent threats.

However due to his efforts to keep the abuse of Empire Avenue customers “off the record”, and my blogging on that issue, (amongst others) Twitter changed their abuse policy, according to Ethel Newlin of the San Francisco DA’s office.

This was corraborated by Steven Krohn, also of EmpireKred, in a phone call to Ethel Newlin on 2/5/2015, one day after Dick Costolo’s internal discussion on Twitter’s internal forums which was published on The Verge on 2/2/2015.

Conversation is archived on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/messages/archived/stevenkrohn215

 

 

The abusive “goon squad” of Empire Avenue, now EmpireKred helped change Twitter’s “abuse” policy through their open abuse on twitter of myself and others.

Abuse that included Empire Avenue customers and others (twitter’s customer irregardless) and stretched back years.

Their abuse of Twitter’s customers was so bad (and twitter’s mishandling of that abuse so egregious) that the San Francisco DA’s was looking into criminal charges against Twitter for their mishandling of the situation, according to Ethel Newlin of the San Francisco DA’s office.

Due to the interstate (and international) locations of these trolls, Ethel Newlin recommended filing with IC3 and the FTC.

Gareth Davies is apparently in England, Keith Gill in Arizona, Nance Larson in Florida and Chris Sandys in Connecticut.

That is if they really are who they say they are.

 

 

The San Francisco DA’s office handled the entity that was in their jurisdiction, Twitter, to my satisfaction.

I simply documented the “goon squads” actions.

Gareth Davies, leader at EmpireKred, was suspended by Twitter for tweeting the private information of a customer of Empire Avenue, and violent threasts toward that same customer.  He has an extensive history of abusing other customers of Empire Avenue’s.

Chris Sandys, leader at EmpireKred, was warned by Twitter for non violent threats.

Keith Gill, AKA Digitalkeith, was moderated by instagram for cyberbullying, and had his twitter account locked (replaced indefinite suspension).

Nance Larson failed to stop all these acts, and participated in the doxing of a customer, and recently corraborated the existence of the “goon squad” at then Empire Avenue.

https://twitter.com/DigitalKeith/status/615610077014134784

 

California is definitely NOT a corporatocracy, despite whatever Keith Gill and his fellow goons might say.

 

 

 

 

 

#EmpireKred Staff #NanceLarson Continues to Corroborate Existence of “Goon Squad”, Attacks On Customers

Nance Larson, Staff at EmpireKred continues to insist she’s not a member of the “real” goon squad.

 

I am and never have been a member of the so called goon squad. What afraid to ask Chris Voss for the real members?

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) December 4, 2015

 

Of course one has to wonder why a social media company would have had a “goon squad” in the first place?

The “Goon squad” that attacked customers was first reported by Chris Voss of the Chris Voss Show in 2011 on his blog,

Empire Avenue Fail 5 post overview: Over 5 posts on my blogs I documented issues with Empire Avenue, from their rogue volunteers, running a “wall of shame” on Brands, attacking Brands reputations online, not answering complaints, having a “goon squad” of endorsed volunteers attacking customers who complained, refusing to discipline internally thereby encouraging more attacks on Brands, etc. What I witnessed was the worst travesty in the annals of customer service I have ever seen. After a month of private discussions with EA to change things, I went public. Only then did they begin to change, but the attacks on me and others grew by their “goon squad.” In the end, I went to EA’s Angel Investor and EA had to shut down its Chat Room and Chat Mod “goons squad.” EA shamelessly has never apologized or produced it damning chat logs as promised by their CEO. This is one of those posts, you can read the rest by Search in the upper right for ‘Empire.’ Don’t play EA or if you do save your REAL money.

A company is responsible for overseeing its reps and volunteers that are endorsed and sanctioned by the company, in making sure they are in line with a Company code of conduct. Let me ask you something, if you were to go into Walmart or Nordstoms, make a complaint with Customer Service would you expect or allow yourself to continually be attacked and bullied by their Company volunteer staff? Then over a month it continues and gets worse the more you complain? I’m warning everyone with no question to avoid Empire Avenue. If your Brand comes under the ire of one of their rogue Chat Mods, Empire Avenue can’t protect the bashing of your Brand and doesn’t seem to care in my opinion. I’m telling people to run from this company, keep your money or ask for a refund. This is a perfect example of a social media fail everyone should be blogging about and making lesson plans on!

 

Now it’s my opinion that any Leader, team leader and subsequently staff member that fails to stop the doxing and vicious attacks on another customer, and participates herself is solidly a member of a “goon squad.”

For her part, Nance Larson, a retired banker, claims to have not known what doxing was at the time she participated in the act.

That the “goon squad” of 2011 isn’t composed of the same people as in 2014 or 2015 is immaterial.

It’s the pattern of conduct exhibited by customers (“goon squad”) and subsequent to 4/2014 leaders and team leaders (Nance Larson) that firmly establishes the “goon squad” mentality prevalent at Empire Avenue.

Those same leaders and Team Leader (now Staff, Nance Larson) remain at EmpireKred in positions of authority.

Would you entrust your limited advertising budget to a company that has a history of having a “goon squad”?

Gareth Davies, leader at EmpireKred, was suspended by Twitter for tweeting the private information of a customer of Empire Avenue, and violent threasts toward that same customer.

Chris Sandys, leader at EmpireKred, was warned by Twitter for non violent threats.

Keith Gill, AKA Digitalkeith, was moderated by instagram for cyberbullying, and had his twitter account locked (replaced indefinite suspension).

Nance Larson failed to stop all these acts, and participated in the doxing of a customer.

Nance Larson is an utter failure as a leader in failing to protect customers from the abuse of others and for actively participating in it.

For this, she is solidly a “goon squad” member in my opinion.

#EmpireKred Leader and (Lack Of) Truth in #Advertising

Concerned about truth in advertising?

Keith Gill, AKA Digitalkeith is currently a corporate marketing manager at @avisolve.

Apparently Keith Gill, AKA DigitalKeith, leader of EmpireKred and “social sales rock star” was not.

Nor were the admins of Empire Avenue as they allowed Keith Gill to run his demonstrably false advertising through Empire Avenue social media promotions “missions” system.

When I was in email correspondence with the San Francisco District Attorney’s office Ethel Newlin of the San Francisco DA’s office told me to file a FTC complaint against Mr. Gill.

And I already had.

 

And the FTC took the complaint.  Into a huge database…  Where it will never be seen again most likely.  However enough complaints might merit some activity and Mr. Gill is now on the radar.

However Mr. Gill’s conduct was so egregious that the District Attorney’s office recommended the action.

 

 

 

 

#EmpireKred Staff Troll #NanceLarson And The Meaning of “Volunteer” #socialmedia #eav

When EmpireKred Staff Nance Larson (“goon squad” troll) can express a coherent thought she might be worth listening to.

Other than recently confirming the existence of the “goon squad” (which we knew anyway just by watching her actions) lots of her tweets are utter lies and fabrications.

“Volunteers” don’t have “shares” (Nance Larson’s words) of a company that they paid to help run.

And a great many of the accounts listed as moderator or admins are managed by PeopleBrowr.

So no, it’s not clear if Nance Larson, who is a “Leader” was a Team Leader and thinks she has “shares” is purely a “volunteer.”

Volunteers don’t transact for the ability to help run a company….

That much is perfectly clear.

 

@DigitalKeith players on EK understands staff means it's an EK community run by volunteers. Outsides know jack chit

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) December 3, 2015

 

 

 

Announcing the next phase of Empire Avenue http://t.co/VFpfInnZ38

— Empire Kred (@EmpireKred) April 2, 2014

 

Nance Larson is identified as “staff” by the EmpireKred website, is a former team leader and has been gifted the Leaders package.

That is all.

She is a tremendous liar.

#EmpireKred Staff #NanceLarson Acknowledges Abusive “Goon Squad” That Attacked Customers

Nance Larson, staff of EmpireKred, has acknowledged the existence of the “Goon Squad” at Empire Avenue in 2011.

Do you trust your safety and privacy (and limited social media advertising budget) to a company that had a “goon squad” attacking customers?

Why would a social media company have had a “goon squad” to attack customers?

According to Chris Voss of The Chris Voss Show, noted social media expert,

Over 5 posts on my blogs I documented issues with Empire Avenue, from their rogue volunteers, running a “wall of shame” on Brands, attacking Brands reputations online, not answering complaints, having a “goon squad” of endorsed volunteers attacking customers who complained, refusing to discipline internally thereby encouraging more attacks on Brands, etc. What I witnessed was the worst travesty in the annals of customer service I have ever seen. After a month of private discussions with EA to change things, I went public. Only then did they begin to change, but the attacks on me and others grew by their “goon squad.” In the end, I went to EA’s Angel Investor and EA had to shut down its Chat Room and Chat Mod “goons squad.” EA shamelessly has never apologized or produced it damning chat logs as promised by their CEO. This is one of those posts, you can read the rest by Search in the upper right for ‘Empire.’ Don’t play EA or if you do save your REAL money.

A company is responsible for overseeing its reps and volunteers that are endorsed and sanctioned by the company, in making sure they are in line with a Company code of conduct. Let me ask you something, if you were to go into Walmart or Nordstoms, make a complaint with Customer Service would you expect or allow yourself to continually be attacked and bullied by their Company volunteer staff? Then over a month it continues and gets worse the more you complain? I’m warning everyone with no question to avoid Empire Avenue. If your Brand comes under the ire of one of their rogue Chat Mods, Empire Avenue can’t protect the bashing of your Brand and doesn’t seem to care in my opinion. I’m telling people to run from this company, keep your money or ask for a refund. This is a perfect example of a social media fail everyone should be blogging about and making lesson plans on!

 

Goon squad was in early 2011 and did not include anyone you called goon squad. As Voss to tell you who they are. You like to make up stories

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) December 3, 2015

 

Nance Larson is a tremendous liar.

Interestingly Empire Avenue’s response in the general community was the same in 2014, they closed the general community forums down.

And the vicious attacks started on other social media platforms.

@chrisvoss name the goon squad that caused chat room to close in 2011

— nancelarson (@nancelarson) December 3, 2015

 

I am unaware of any permanent roster of “goon squad.”

However Gareth Davies (Leader of EmpireKred) , had an interesting response to Chris Voss, after being not being named in a tweet as a “goon squad” member.

Obviously a pattern can be established indpendent of actual participants, that is a “goon squad” that attacks customers that have complaints.

@WanderinPoet So @CHRISVOSS is there something you would like to say to me? your friend here seems to think so?

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) October 26, 2015

 

 

Shortly after the new Empire Avenue Board was formed, in January 2014 Gareth Davies began doxing a number of customers.

@mdashf so do i phone you on +94.37441450 or go see your mom at Nagen Kumar Dash, Mahisapat, Dhenkanal ?

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) January 6, 2014

 

@SteffenBieser tried to call you on +49.3067969867 but you dont answer you still at Glambecker Ring Berlin – Marzahn-Hellersdorf 12679 ?

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) January 29, 2014

@samjwest first time i think no issue just remove it, second i think there warned and they ignore my request

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) May 14, 2014

 

@WanderinPoet well if your labeling me as a bully i may as well be one to you the games will begin soon 🙂 @Fancienanc @USAFA_93

— Gareth ツ (@me_gareth) September 6, 2014

 

With other threatening conduct, it’s clear what Gareth Davies is.

This took place shortly after “The Cleaners” was announced by soon to be announced Brand Manager/Admin Kita Champion.

What’s the difference between a “Goon Squad” and a “Cleaner”?  I suggest semantics.

It’s a group of people that abuse customers by violent threats, doxing, trolling and cyberharassment.

 

Gareth Davies has been suspended by Twitter for tweeting a customers private data and violent threats.  He was additionally warned for violent threats.

Chris Sandys was warned for non violent threats.

Keith Gill has been moderated by Instagram for cyberbullying and had his twitter account locked (replaced indefinite suspension.)

Nance Larson has participated in the doxing of customers.

This is the “Goon Squad.”

#ChrisSandys, The Communal Jihadi Leader of #EmpireKred #Eav #socialmedia

Why does EmpireKred have an inherited “goon squad” of vicious evangelists that are willing to use threats against other customers in order to keep a long record of abuse of customers “off the record”?

What kind of company not only bullies their own customers, refuses to act to stop bullying by leaders and then attempts to silence the reporting of that bullying to other consumers so they can be informed about what may happen to them if they spend money at Empire Avenue (now EmpireKred)?

EmpireKred.

It’s strange that Chris Sandys, leader of EmpireKred would transmit a message that the bullying and attacks on customers should be “off the record” rather than deal forthrightly with the bullying by Gareth Davies and others of other customers.

However that’s exactly what Chris Sandys has done.

Then, unable to silence the blogging, he, Nance Larson, Keith Gill and Gareth Davies have engaged in continued bullying to include doxing, violent threats and non violent threats, fabrications and false allegations to try to exert pressure to silence the perfectly valid content being generated.

https://twitter.com/USAFA_93/status/669677674097475584

 

An example of Chris Sandys lies.

I haven’t been banned from EK.  In fact, the “support” desk indicates I have no relationship with the company and am not a customer.

That’s ok.  That’s perfect, that’s just how I like it now.

It leaves me free to write exactly what happens at EmpireKred without worrying about their Terms of Service that they don’t apply to the vicious acts of Chris Sandys, et al, but do apply if you report false advertising by Keith Gill…

Imagine, being suspended for being worried about false advertising being run through Empire Avenue’s social media promotions system.

Even as Robby Ball, admin failed to act to stop the falsehoods as they were being reported directly to him on Facebook.

Want to be abused by a company that won’t act to stop abuse by Chris Sandys, Keith Gill, Nance Larson and Gareth Davies?

Give EmpireKred a try with your limited ad budget.

With a long history of attacking customers (Stretching back years) , you simply never know when you will be attacked by them.  They’ve done it before, can do it again.

PS:  My side is clear.  It’s the US.  Chris Sandys side is the non Constitution acknowledging or knowledable of side.

Chris Sandys remains one of the worst liars I have ever encountered.  Strangely the other “worst liars” are these same people from EmpireKred…

Chris Sandys has been warned by twitter for non violent threats for his part in the conduct that led to a CA DOJ inquiry of Twitter’s behavior in all this.  (Much of the abuse by Empire Avenue, now EmpireKred leaders has taken place openly on Twitter.)

https://twitter.com/USAFA_93/status/669759450740322304

 

 

Hobbled By #SocialMedia Beggars Trying to Steal Your Sunshine?

To many so called “social media experts” and “social sales rock stars” are social media dingleberry klingons trying to rub off some of your shine into their shaded area.

Don’t be fooled by their chatter amongst themselves.

Just watch what they do.

For instance Keith Gill, AKA DigitalKeith buys tweets on fiverr, spams and trolls celebrities, and engages in cyberbullying to try to control what other people write about, even if it’s perfectly valid subject matter.

These people simply should be avoided, blocked and left to their own devices.

Say no to Social Media beggars and klingons!

(Not coincidentally these people are Leaders at EmpireKred.)

Leave them to their shaded playground, and move into the light where the organic goodness grows!

Protect your community from the wild uncouth weeds of social media.