Dear Clients!
Consequences of website being blocked
On July 12, 2021, user access to the ai.marketing began being interrupted. By midnight we have figured out that due to some anonymous complaint ai.marketing was listed in the “list of prohibited resources on the territory of the Russian Federation” by the Roskomnadzor. The access to the website supposedly was limited according to clause 15.3 of the Federal Law "On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection" dated July 27, 2006 N 149 -FZ, for "dissemination of information containing calls for mass riots, the implementation of extremist activities ..." and other formulations that have absolutely nothing to do with the activities of Wexford.
Internet providers and various resources kept are updating their own lists and started blocking allowing traffic to our website.
The circumstances of the block itself are highly suspicious. Chronology:
1) We were experiencing a very strong DDos attacks from the 10th to the 12th of July. The CIS payment processing infrastructure was attacked.
2) Sudden block by Roskomnadzor has followed without mandatory notice to remove "illegal" information required by law.
3) We were informed through “unofficial channels” that there are no actual claims against us and only a pretext was needed. It is not yet clear who initiated the whole process.
When one tries to reach the website from Russia it says that the website is blocked in accordance with clause 15.3 of the Federal Law "On Information, Information Technologies and the Protection of Information" dated July 27, 2006, N 149-FZ for "disseminating information containing calls for mass riots, carrying out extremist activities ... ". But:
1) The company has never voiced out any political slogans and the activities of Wexford have nothing to do with calls for riots, the implementation of extremist activities ... "and other formulations of the mentioned law.
2) In accordance with subparagraph 1.1 of paragraph 15.3 of the above mentioned Law 149-FZ of July 27, 2006, Roskomnadzor had to immediately notify us of the need to remove what they believe to be "illegal" information so that we could voluntarily eliminate the "violations". Which of course was not done.
As a result:
1) The website cannot be accessed from most of the internet providers in Russia.
- We recommend installing VPN services to access the website.
2) Clients from all over the world were not able to log into accounts opened using Google and VK since they were blocking connections to the "prohibited" website.
- Measures were taken to restore client access to accounts. All accounts are acceptable now.
3) Overall payment infrastructure has been affected. API communication with banks that accept payments, as well as with payment companies that make cashback payments to customers are being interrupted.
- The API message routing with payment companies is being changed to restore interruption free operation of the website's payment infrastructure.
4) Cashback operators stopped cashback payments until Roskomnadzor waves the block.
- Cashback aggregators constantly monitor the traffic sources for them to be "clean" as retailers do not want to receive supposedly "toxic" traffic that can somehow affect their reputation. When you go from our website to the aggregator site the browser sends "reffer" - a value that allows them to identify the website - the source of traffic.
After we got into the blacklist the service for our accounts is suspended until we resolve the issue with the block. Sales continue to be counted but withdrawals from cashback accounts are limited.
- We are launching an independent cashback platform an analogue of Letyshops, so our traffic can pass through it. This traffic will not be blocked by aggregators. The platform is technically ready. We are integrating the cashback programs, CPA networks, etc. to the platform.
5) Blockchain operations are stopped It takes a long time for us to get cashback paid after the retailer pays to the aggregator.
Wexford has always paid cashback as soon as it was confirmed by the retailer. As the matter of fact it was “an advance” that was processed long before the money was received from the aggregator in order to reduce the actual waiting time for customers.
- We were forced to stop the “advance” cashback payment as we received information about delays in cashback payments from cashback aggregators. All cashbacks will be paid immediately after the website is removed from the Roskomnadzor blacklist.
6) Active advertising campaigns are blocked.
The accounts with advertising balances themselves are safe. But advertising campaigns need to be re-created for new domains. New domains are in the process of being registered.
We will begin to recreate advertising campaigns for unspent budgets gradually as new domains are launched.
7) The problem with payment gateways in Russia.
We cannot transfer to or process payments from bank cards temporarily. Processing companies monitor blacklists. Financial monitoring departments of payment companies stopped operations on our accounts until all the circumstances are clarified and the issue is resolved with Roskomnadzor.
A plan to normalize the situation:
1) Launching a new cashback platform
2) Launching advertising campaigns for advertising purchased after 12th of July.
*** We recommend not to buy ads until the official notification that the website is back in operation.
3) Re-creating advertising campaigns for unspent budgets that were stopped.
4) Integration of he Chinese processing for payments in RMB. Integrating UAH and Euro processing to minimize the risk to experience similar problems in the future.
5) Appealing against the decision of Roskomnadzor to place the website on the blacklist.
6) Unlocking cashback account balances. Paying out all the cashback using money from the Protect fund as necessary.
The website shall be back in operation in a week or so.
