HowToPay

A summary of what happened?

HowToPay is an online financial service that claims to offer secure billing and payment solutions. Established in 2002, the company operates its own servers and provides global PCI-compliant software and services. However, HowToPay has been implicated in several controversies, particularly concerning its association with MacroPay, another payment service provider.

Key Individuals and Corporate Connections

• Cameron McKean: Founder and CEO of HowToPay, McKean’s leadership has come under scrutiny due to the company’s alleged involvement in fraudulent activities. He was also the founder of the now-defunct FreedomBank, which offered similar financial services.
• Adam J. Clarke: CEO and founder of MacroPay, Clarke has been linked to HowToPay through business partnerships and shared personnel. He served as the client and merchant manager at FreedomBank, indicating a longstanding professional relationship with McKean.

Allegations and Complaints

1. Misappropriation of Client Funds: Reports suggest that HowToPay and MacroPay have collectively misappropriated approxrom clients. Affected customers have struggled to recover their funds, facing unresponsive customer service and a lack of accountability from both companies.
2. Unregulated Operations: Both HowToPay and MacroPay reportedly operate without oveized financial regulatory authorities. This lack of regulation raises concerns about the legitimacy and security of their services, as there is no external body ensuring compliance with financial standards.
3. Opaque Business Practices: The intricate connections between HowToPay, MacroPay, and the defunct Frearly involving McKean and Clarke, have led to allegations of deceptive business practices. Critics argue that these associations are intentionally obscured to mislead clients and evade scrutiny.

Customer Experiences

User reviews of MacroPay, a company closely associated with HowToPay, are tive. Common complaints include:

• Unresolved Disputes and Chargebacks: Customers report that MacroPay entertains false disputes and chargebacks, often discriminating against non-U.S. clients. Communication with customer support is described as frustrating and ineffective.
• **Lack of TransparClients express dissatisfaction with the company’s opaque operations and unresponsive customer service, leading to a general sense of mistrust.

The associations between HowToPay, MacroPay, and their leadership, particularly Cameron McKean and Adam J. Clarke, have raised significant concerns regarding their business practices. Allegations of fund misappropriation, unregulatedeceptive practices suggest a pattern of behavior that poses substantial risks to clients. Potential users are advised to exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence th these entities.

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

What was HowToPay trying to hide?

HowToPay‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling HowToPay in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information HowToPay may be trying to remove from the internet –

Investigative Report on HowToPay: Allegations, Complaints, and Controversies

Introduction

HowToPay, a financial services company founded in 2002, presents itself as a secure and efficient payment processing platform. Despite its claims of offering PCI-compliant global services, the company has been mired in allegations of fraudulent activities, poor customer service, and regulatory concerns. Further complicating its reputation is its close association with MacroPay, another payment provider accused of similar misconduct. This report investigates the adverse news, allegations, lawsuits, complaints, and controversies surrounding HowToPay, providing a detailed account of its operations and the risks faced by its clients.

Background of HowToPay

HowToPay is led by Cameron McKean, who also founded the now-defunct FreedomBank, a financial service provider with a history of controversies. The company offers online billing and payment solutions, operating its own servers and claiming adherence to strict security standards. However, its partnerships and business practices have attracted significant scrutiny.

Connections to MacroPay

HowToPay is closely linked to MacroPay, a payment services provider led by Adam J. Clarke. Clarke previously served as a client and merchant manager at FreedomBank, tying him to McKean’s earlier ventures. Critics argue that this association reflects a pattern of opaque business practices and raises concerns about the legitimacy of both entities.

Allegations Against HowToPay

1. Misappropriation of Client Funds

• Nature of Allegation: Multiple reports suggest that HowToPay and MacroPay have collectively misappropriated funds from their clients. The most notable claim involves approximately $100,000 in client funds being withheld without clear justification.
• Client Testimonies:
  • “After weeks of back-and-forth, I still haven’t seen my money. Their support team keeps giving me the runaround.”
  • “It feels like they are intentionally stalling to avoid repaying my funds.”
• Implications: The inability to access funds undermines trust and calls into question the company’s financial stability and commitment to ethical practices.

2. Unregulated Operations

• HowToPay operates without oversight from major financial regulatory authorities, leaving clients unprotected in case of disputes or insolvency.
• MacroPay, its partner, is similarly unregulated, compounding fears about the security of funds processed through these platforms.
• Expert Opinions:
  • Financial analysts warn against using unregulated payment providers, as clients lack recourse mechanisms like arbitration or compensation schemes.

3. Opaque Business Practices

• Concerns: The intricate connections between HowToPay, MacroPay, and the defunct FreedomBank have led to allegations of deceptive operations. Observers suggest that the companies intentionally obscure their relationships to evade scrutiny and maintain the appearance of legitimacy.
• Impact on Clients: Lack of transparency erodes trust, particularly for businesses relying on these platforms for financial transactions.

4. Poor Customer Service

• Clients report unresponsive and unhelpful customer support as a persistent issue.
• Specific Complaints:
  • Emails and calls go unanswered for extended periods.
  • Support staff provide generic responses without resolving issues.
  • Clients attempting to recover funds are met with deliberate stalling tactics.
• Client Experiences:
  • “Their support team was useless. Every time I asked about my missing funds, I was told to wait another week.”
  • “It’s clear they don’t prioritize their customers once they have your money.”

Customer Complaints and Negative Reviews

Common Themes in Reviews

1. Delayed and Denied Payments:
   • Several clients claim that HowToPay failed to process their payments or refunds in a timely manner.
   • Some allege that payments were outright denied without valid explanations.
2. Chargeback Manipulation:
   • Users have accused HowToPay and MacroPay of manipulating chargeback disputes, favoring U.S. clients over international ones. This selective behavior has drawn criticism for its discriminatory undertones.
3. Unethical Business Practices:
   • Allegations of false advertising and deceptive marketing practices have been leveled against HowToPay. Critics argue that the company overpromises on its capabilities while failing to deliver.

Partnership with MacroPay

Shared Allegations

MacroPay, a company frequently associated with HowToPay, has faced similar accusations of fund mismanagement, lack of transparency, and poor customer support. Their shared leadership ties—particularly between Cameron McKean and Adam J. Clarke—raise concerns about systemic issues within both organizations.

Negative Publicity

• Online platforms such as Gripeo and DirtyScam have published detailed accounts of customer grievances, linking both HowToPay and MacroPay to unethical practices.
• Example Complaint: “Both HowToPay and MacroPay seem to operate in tandem to scam clients out of their hard-earned money.”

Key Individuals

Cameron McKean

• Founder of HowToPay and former head of FreedomBank.
• His leadership history has been marred by controversies, including the alleged mismanagement of funds at FreedomBank.
• Critics argue that McKean’s track record reflects poorly on HowToPay’s current operations.

Adam J. Clarke

• CEO of MacroPay and former client manager at FreedomBank.
• Clarke’s connection to both MacroPay and HowToPay has drawn suspicion, with some alleging that he plays a central role in the financial misconduct reported by clients.

Regulatory and Legal Concerns

1. Absence of Licensing:
   • Both HowToPay and MacroPay lack oversight from established financial regulators, raising red flags about their accountability and legitimacy.
2. Potential Legal Actions:
   • While no major lawsuits have been publicized, the volume of client complaints suggests that legal challenges may arise as more evidence of misconduct comes to light.

Conclusion

HowToPay operates in a cloud of controversy, fueled by allegations of fund mismanagement, unregulated practices, and poor customer service. Its close ties to MacroPay, another embattled payment provider, further complicate its reputation. For potential users, the risks associated with using HowToPay are substantial, particularly given its lack of regulatory oversight and history of client disputes.

Recommendations for Clients

1. Exercise Caution: Avoid engaging with unregulated payment providers like HowToPay unless absolutely necessary.
2. Conduct Due Diligence: Verify the regulatory status and client reviews of any financial service provider before entrusting them with funds.
3. Seek Alternatives: Numerous well-regulated and reputable payment platforms are available, offering greater security and transparency.

In the evolving landscape of digital finance, cases like HowToPay underscore the need for stricter oversight and better consumer protections to prevent unethical practices and safeguard client interests.

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of HowToPay (or actors working on behalf of HowToPay), we will inform HowToPay of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that HowToPay may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from HowToPay, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to HowToPay to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

Since HowToPay made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which HowToPay is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for HowToPay

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is HowToPay Committing a Cyber Crime?

Yes, it seems so. HowToPay used multiple approaches to remove unwanted material from review sites and Google’s search results. Thanks to protections allowing freedom of speech in the United States, there are very few legal ways to do this. HowToPay could not eliminate negative reviews or search results that linked to them without a valid claim of defamation, copyright infringement, or some other clear breach of the law.

Faced with these limitations, some companies like HowToPay have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. HowToPay is certainly keeping interesting company here….

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by HowToPay creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

In committing numerous offences, HowToPay either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about HowToPay, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. HowToPay is in great company ….

What else is HowToPay hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [HowToPay] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on HowToPay that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.