Yet another Google Wave invite scam

October 13, 8:48 AMGoogle Wave ExaminerScott Yates

Previous Next

19 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Google Wave Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Google Wave invites are still a hot ticket, even though most of the initial reviews have been somewhat tepid. I think most of those reviewers are missing the larger point about why Google Wave matters, but I'll get into that in another post soon.

Today I need to do my part for the internet, and alert people against getting false hope.

I've written before about Google Wave scams, and even Google Wave scams designed to look like they are helping combat other scams.

Now there's another flavor of scam which has the wrappings of something that could look legitimate: Companies offering help with Google Wave invites that is actually no help at all. I've seen a few, but to my mind the worst offender is CC: Betty, which is actually a legitimate company that has a modestly interesting product.

Whoever is running the @ccbetty Twitter page, unfortunately, is breaking the rules of netiquette.

They are finding all the people who tweet about the desire for a Google Wave invite, and urging them to click a link that just goes back to CC:Betty. It's like they are saying to someone who is hungry: "Hey! Here's something that can help: Go outside and with some chalk write down the things you'd like to eat."

Look, if you don't have a Google Wave Invite, don't worry. It's just a function of the fact that you aren't lucky enough to be in the particular right place at the right time.

I've compared Google Wave to time, but let me make another comparison. It's like Google is building an amusement park, and everyone wants to go check it out. The problem is that the only thing built right now is the parking lot, and the little shuttle that takes you around the park. A few rides are under construction, but they are pretty much just versions of what you can do on the web now.

So, just relax and be sure to subscribe to this Examiner so that you will know when it will actually be important to be on Wave, and by then it will be easy to do so.

Thanks for reading.

I am playing with Wave every day and reading lots, but I am open to all suggestions about what aspects of Wave to cover. If you have a tip, well, I'm like a waiter: I live on the tips. Contact me on Scott, or via Twitter using the button below.