Directory-listing service apologizes for creating fake Medium/Substack accounts in clients' names
ayushtweetshere · x · 2026-11-08
Indie developer Justin discovered that JanuBuilds, a directory-listing service, had created Medium and Substack accounts in his name and even posted another client's content on his Substack. The founder publicly apologized with concrete remediation:
- Removed the post, issued a full refund, and will still replace the links with proper directory listings for free
- Permanently stopped creating accounts on Medium, Substack and similar platforms; the service is now strictly directory listings like G2, SourceForge and AlternativeTo
- Every customer will soon be able to pick which sites they're listed on
A cautionary tale about gray-area practices in SEO outsourcing — and a model of how to handle the fallout: admit fault, narrow the scope, compensate.
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