Yesterday I won a bid on priceline so I shared my result on biddingfortravel. However, I found that I am blocked this morning. The message showed that my IP is banned.
The reason is pretty obvious. I did not use her link for priceline bidding so my IP is blocked. The first time when I posted my result a while ago, she replied and asked me to use her link next time. Yesterday I just bid on priceline directly (I forgot to use her link) and then posted my result on her website. She must find out that I did not use her link so I am blocked now.
At the same time, I used a different computer (different IP) and I have no problem browsing the website.
I will suggest everyone never post your result on her website, unless you use her link to bid on priceline. (She makes money from that)
This is a long-known problem and the main reason I don't post on BFT anymore - haven't for years. If you really want the info on that site, use some anonymizer though honestly I am not real familiar with how they work. Or just check out the more friendly betterbidding.com
Don't feel bad. A LOT of people have been blocked for not using her links. I was just blocked a couple of weeks ago for not using the link. You would think Sheryl would be happy just to receive winning bid posts.
It is unfortunate that BFT was a good resource to use for priceline, however the site will suffer for lack of posts by all the people she has blocked. The other site betterbidding.com is good, so hopefully more people will post there.
You can get blocked at Biddingfortravel for a myriad of reasons. If you don't follow their exact program, you are persona non grata. It's not like flyertalk. I don't even bother with them. I booked a hotel through them, when I got to the hotel, they were overbooked and would not "walk" me. I had to drive back home two hours (plus gas and tolls). When I complained, I was told that I was too negative and thus was blocked. No lie!
Wow, Sheryl has really taken this to the next level. Here is a website that will show you how to use SSH to tunnel through an unblocked box to get to their website. I use this method all the time when traveling and I am weary of the local network.
I was banned from BFT Thursday (Nov. 20, 2008) because of a contact initiated by Sheryl herself. After I had posted a permutation-bidding strategy for S.F. hotels, she sent me the following private message:
Why don't you post your Priceline bids on BiddingForTravel.com?
—Sheryl
I've posted a dozen. Ever since the board migrated to Yuku, they're no longer in the archives. Good to hear from you!
—Sluggh
Please understand that in the course of administering BiddingForTravel.com over the past 9 years, I've learned a lot about how people may say one thing and do something else. Your lack of posting history makes your post today unusual and all of your posts, especially those since May 1 when we migrated from Ezboard to Yuku should appear through your profile. None do. Something seems very fishy to me.
—Sheryl
I haven't traveled anywhere since May 1. How do you square the following link with a "lack of posting history?" http://biddingfortravel.yuku.com/topic/10468. Something's fishy all right, and it's on your end. My profile page shows I've made 23 posts. So where are they all?
—Sluggh
And then I was banned. I'm reminded of Seth Rogen's character in "Freaks & Geeks" when he asks Lindsey to explain why her father won't let her out at night. "So, who's your dad — Hitler?"
Welcome the club. The owner of the website would just as soon have NO info if she can't make money off it LOL!
It's enterataining to watch someone with NO social skills attempt to run a business. Of course if you work for a company and accessed BFT via your work then you may have blocked the ENTIRE company. My last company was blocked LOL!
I have never heard of this site but I took a peek. All I can say is wow. These 2 caught my eye and would keep me away just for the fact she posted these: It is super easy to get around all of that but why waste your time?
Programs: UA 1P, OnePass, Worldperks, Hertz 5*, Avis Preferred
Posts: 925
I've never understood why Sheryl is so hostile to people, especially with such an outdated board...you can even look and see how the participation has gone down significantly which I'm sure a lot of it has to do with her bad attitude and banning people. Obviously she doesn't understand how to have a productive board where people wouldn't mind supporting her if she wasn't so nasty...
__________________
"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." -- Catherine Aird
Obviously she doesn't understand how to have a productive board where people wouldn't mind supporting her if she wasn't so nasty...
It may be a simple matter that the BFT Administratrix's clique-ish camarilla of slavish sycophants produces (along with first-timers who have not yet 'sinned') enough revenue for her to not care about the lost reports on the board.......
__________________ * * * I Survived the Great FlyerTalk Outage of November 2009!!!!! * * *
I was banned this morning by Sheryl when I made the "mistake" of not using the A-B link. She also banned my company's IP (3,000 employee). Unbelievable.
The Sheryl BS goes back a long way. She's strangely anti-social it seems. You'd think she'd let it go at some point.
I have fought online wars and lost some and won some, but seriously, she need to step back. Taking the time to ban pretty much everyone is just ridiculous. Batty woman fiercly clicking and banning to protect.. well.. whatever she's protecting.
I've had real mega-conglomerate-rolling-in-money companies steal from me outright online (content/media) and put up less of a fuss then she does over someone not using her link.
I received a rather nasty email from Sheryl after posting on FT that I've been banned on biddingfortravel. She is obviously monitoring this board. So watch what you are saying or be banned also!
Bidding for Travel blocked my IP
It is super easy to get around all of that but why waste your time?
