From CDBaby - Sonic bids in hot water, be wary of them

May 2008

FULL ARTICLE: http://cdbaby.org/stories/08/05/30/7898376.html

Be wary about using sonicbids right now !
There is an ongoing investigation, to be taken to the FTC, regarding one of their "drop-box" scams. (One among many scams and major complaints that members have been blogging about and reporting to the BBB, FTC, and so forth).
They have dozens of "dead" drop boxes, so that customers submit to promoters who have pulled their opportunity down from the website, YET sonicbids leaves these attractive offers open and available for c.c. payments.
Sonicbids and CEO Panos Panay continue this scam unabated, as well as allowing many unproven "promoters" to operate scams DIRECTLY on their website. Sonicbids only requirement for a promoter to operate on their site regardless of their credentials, is $$$$.
Even their ballyhooed NACA deal is very risky - one needs to put up close to $1,000 dollars in total fees just to have a chance at one of those gigs. And worse, there recent NXNE promotion bilked artists who unwittingly submitted to this event well beyond its closing date - without being notified as such, and since then dozens of artists have filed for refunds so far not forthcoming.
Sonicbids is so ashamed and afraid of all these potentially very damaging complaints getting out of the bag they no longer allow the pubic to view their forums, and also now have swept these posts that have "outed" them (as well as any and all critical posts from customers dealing with numerous un-responsive "promoters") well beneath a newly minted "Lounge" that only allows “raw-raw” blogging.