The Scam that is Angie's List

I sincerely don't mean this in any kind of sense of bitterness but something struck me today – it's instructive one might say. I caught the headline that Bill Oesterle, the founder of Angie's List died of ALS at the age of 57. It's a national story.

For those of us who have encountered Angie's List, we know that it's a big scam. It's possible (I suppose) that it might work for those in the city, but it certainly does not work in a rural area. You pay a fee and supposedly they throw all this work your way. I've talked to numerous service-sector people that get angry when you mention either Angie's List or Home Advisor – both are considered to be large-scale scams, that take advantage of those providing services and do little for homeowners. They don't meet their obligations and yet they certainly take your money – nickel and diming you for an endless series of worthless leads.

Even the rating and review mechanism is apparently corrupt. I never considered for a moment joining – I have no interest in such things. But I did learn years ago that someone had 'reviewed' me and I wanted to see what was written. Not having an account – I couldn't see it, or at least that's how it was at the time. That angered me and I contacted Angie's List. My experience with them was terrible to say the least and I walked away from the exchange determined to never have anything to do with them. The review was positive but that's beside the point.

I don't know anything about the founder of the organisation, but I do know it is something of a scam, as both service providers and homeowners testify. If one lives an honest life, works hard, and dies – no one cares, at least not in this age.

But if you're famous and a millionaire – then your death is covered in the news and you get an obituary in the New York Times.

There's nothing profound here other than a blatant testimony to the way the world works and the nature of its corrupted values.