Beware of some business websites - they are a conn

Some may be harmless - but they are annoying and deceiving and often with incorrect shopping hours.

We classifiy them  as a conn bcause of the the effort made to tempt business owners into making a website (when they have not got one)  or pay for corrections to the 'false' site.

Here is an example, without mentioning the name of the business, which has been established in Neath for over thirty years, certainly before the days of the Internet.

The business has four (unofficial) websites visible when you search Google. One is with Yell, an off-shoot of Yellow Pages,   The others include the Red Directory and the rest by lesser known media companies.

ALL are NOT approved by the business ower.   One lists his father's name who died 11 years agon.   Another website lists his opening hours on Thursday afternoon and all day on Sunday, which are incorrect.

Admittantly the busines owner should make an effort to  chase these firms - but, like us, believes that this is exactly what they want him fo do.   His policy, rightly of wrongly, is to ignore them.  It so happens his busineess is doing very well without help from the Internet - our concern in that people are being misled by this practice - including one reader who attempted to make an appointment on a Thursday afternoon.

Remember, this is happening here in Neath and possibly all over the country - so be alert when you seach Google and avoid the so called false websites.

PS............ Remember websites are often looked at just for the telephone number of a business.    This is far more cost effective than using one of the 118 services.    You will note that Yellow Pages is getting smaller with each edition as people are turning to the Internet - that may be the reason for Yell's interest in making websites.