InkPop.com, Are spammers and a security risk for their users. DONT USE THEM. They suck

They are spammers

I got this email 6 times this week as they spammed all my different magazines searching for SEO link backs. There is a few things that piss me off about this email.

1. They say that they really like my website, yet they send the same carbon copy email to all my magazines making me think that they never even visited my site before contact us.
2. A smiley face emoticon in what I guess you where trying to pass off as a semi-professional pitch? What are you twelve?
3. I hate spammers and this is email is spam. I go out of my way to make it as hard (posts like this) and expensive as possible for spammers like this to operate.
4. We have a system set up for sponsorship that would let them get a link on the site to their site. The correct way to advertise on a magazine, but that costs money and supports our magazine and they want it for free.

After I got this email I emailed them back telling them what I thought of them. Then copied and pasted the email on to their contact us page as well as their forms.

They are a security risk for you and your children

I had to sign up to their forms before I was able to make a new posts. I used a random password because I didn’t trust them. After I signed up I got an email with my password as plain text. That means two things;

1. They are storing YOUR password as plain text in their database. This is really bad and there is no need for it. If their web servers are compromised then the hackers will have access to your password and personal information that they can use to try and attack other sites you are registered with. See this post for more information A perfect example of why you should use the same password on different websites.
2. They are sending YOUR password as plain text in emails. Snooping wireless traffic is easy, Snooping for words like passwords in text makes it even easier to get peoples passwords. Anyone that is listening to your connection while they foolishly send this email, now has access to your account and your password. If you use that password in more then one place they can guess at other places you are registered at and login as you.

They don’t protect your privacy, your passwords, and put you at risk. InkPop.com is dangerous.

There initial email

I'm Jett. I really like your site, and you're linked to a lot on other writing/book blogs. I work for Harper Collins and more specifically InkPop.com. The site just re-launched a week ago and we're really excited about the new look and new features. HPC editors are still reviewing submitted works in our kick-ass contests, but what's new is the fresh badge system we have to promote individual profiles. It's definitely still a YA/Teen writing site, but we like to think our audience is pretty diverse, and most of all, passionate. I'm writing to you to see if you'd perhaps consider writing a blurb/mention about the new digs? We care about young writers continuing to write their best work, and HPC is devoted to producing the kind of books its readers want to read most. The editors of the site are super responsive and take all complaints/concerns into consideration. Considering the hodgepodge pack of writing communities available today, InkPop is a much-needed refresher. Thanks so much for hearing me out. Take care. :) -Jett