One leading broker is accusing a competitor of using his name to attain leads through Google’s ad services.
One leading broker is accusing a competitor of using his name to attain leads through Google’s ad services.
“I did a Google search of “Butler Mortgage” and at the top of the page (there was) an ad: ‘Butler Mortgage – Second Mortgages @ great rates,’” Ron Butler of Verico Butler Mortgage told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. “This is a totally different broker than Butler Mortgage; different license number (and) here’s the thing: this is 100 per cent illegal.
“FSCO’s prime advertising rule is very simple: all advertising must be in the broker’s licensed name.”
MortgageBrokerNews.ca contacted Ron Goodfellow of Mortgage Central – the brokerage linked through the ad – who said he had no knowledge of the ad.
“As I was telling Ron I was unaware of this situation until this situation and I told the I.T. person to pause the campaign that is going on,” Goodfellow said. “Before I could get that sentence out Ron informed me he has filed a grievance with FSCO so basically I will let FSCO decide if I did anything wrong … I didn’t know what was happening.”
The ad has since been removed.
According to Butler, Mortgage Central isn’t the first competitor to use ads that are linked to his name.
“Other brokers do the same,” Butler said. “The key difference is when they pay for Google ads based on the term “Butler Mortgage” it is legal because they do not use my name.”
“I did a Google search of “Butler Mortgage” and at the top of the page (there was) an ad: ‘Butler Mortgage – Second Mortgages @ great rates,’” Ron Butler of Verico Butler Mortgage told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. “This is a totally different broker than Butler Mortgage; different license number (and) here’s the thing: this is 100 per cent illegal.
“FSCO’s prime advertising rule is very simple: all advertising must be in the broker’s licensed name.”
MortgageBrokerNews.ca contacted Ron Goodfellow of Mortgage Central – the brokerage linked through the ad – who said he had no knowledge of the ad.
“As I was telling Ron I was unaware of this situation until this situation and I told the I.T. person to pause the campaign that is going on,” Goodfellow said. “Before I could get that sentence out Ron informed me he has filed a grievance with FSCO so basically I will let FSCO decide if I did anything wrong … I didn’t know what was happening.”
The ad has since been removed.
According to Butler, Mortgage Central isn’t the first competitor to use ads that are linked to his name.
“Other brokers do the same,” Butler said. “The key difference is when they pay for Google ads based on the term “Butler Mortgage” it is legal because they do not use my name.”
