Getting close to funding. Currently at $87,852.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2065029795/pinball-gremlins-pinball-machine

Yes they are doing amazing. I mean a 10K & 9K just today and then yesturday a 10K & 9K guys. I mean this thing sat for days without cash coming in. Now were down to the wire and it's magic! I just love a good magic show. So now all this magic cash flow, we should see a machine for sure now. They said they would have a machine by the Chicago show! Exciting hum! Can't wait to see what they promised, I mean the cash doeasn't stand in the way now. choo choo all aboard the hype train!

.

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VONNIE_D_88K.jpg

Very interested to see if this actually gets funded. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some backing out towards the end. Judging by the comments left by backers and looking at their backing history, I have a feeling there are some bots who have contributed.

Hmmm.... are these bots? First, they all joined Kickstarter in June. They all have beautiful, generic looking profile pictures, and they all pretty much have backed the same projects...

https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1176021336
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1145796510
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1475231944
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1391982303
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1500788332
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/2114115309
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/966830095
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/819674192
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1029447741
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/1482913125

There are more but I got tired of copying these into this post.

You can see them here (while they last):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2065029795/pinball-gremlins-pinball-machine/backers

Wow... it's amazing how such a diverse collection of people would all have interests that include pinball, God, self-help apps for when you get arrested, toothbrush training, etc...

Nice bust (again). WTF is up with VonnieD and these bots?

How does this work? Are real people making these fake accounts to just get their projects funded so they get money from the few actual backers?

Are there actual bots that just do this to mess with people's kickstarter campaigns but then never pay?

What is the reason and why?

I am not familiar with the ins/outs of the social funding sites.

I'm assuming these bots are not plants from Vonnie D, so what purpose do they have? I'm curious what the motivation is for someone to do that.

I would love to know the reason behind this also. Maybe they do this to generate a false sense of excitement and activity?

I had pledged $10 but after seeing those bots I removed my pledge. No way will I be involved in anything that smells this fishy.

Funny. There are more female backers than I've seen at most pinball shows.

Looking at those fake accounts, all their backed projects are failures that did not receive funding.

Pinball Gremlins is the only one that is close to being successful and another bot or 2 will push it over the edge, but then what happens?

Greatest kickstarter to date and the only one I have ever funded.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryangrepper/coolest-cooler-21st-century-cooler-thats-actually

I saw that and thought it was cool, but if it has a battery with enough capacity to run a blender for more than a few seconds, isn't going to weigh a ton?

--Luke

There are actually bot services for hire, because people are more likely to back a project that looks like it's going to be successful. There are also some ones that do it just because the ops think they are helping out projects.

You are more likely to pledge if its 90% of the way there on the last day than 20%. Also, if your kickstarter just barely misses, it's not so negative as one that only gets 10% of the way.

Once the pledges go over the funding amount, the bots will back out and cancel. If it never reaches the funding level, no problems.

DISCLAIMER: I am not at all accusing VonnieD of doing this.

Has anyone talked to Barry Oursler about all this and verified that he is involved? I heard a recent podcast with him being interviewed on it (Gameroom Junkies?) and there was zero mention of any of this.

Here's my guess: Vonnie D. contracted out with China/Russia/wherever to seed a bunch of money (or at least pretend money) to his own kickstarter -- the same way that people put a starter dollar in their own tip jar/guitar case/whatever to "prime" the real paying audience.

The only odd thing is that the amount is far higher than you'd expect for this kind of shenanigan. I suspect a translation or decimal error between here and China/Russia/wherever. The "backer bot" thing (well done, ChadH!) can really only point to Vonnie D, ultimately.

Vonnie D, Wes Upchurch,

Can you please address these recent questions about these suspicious pledges? It is only your reputation on the line here.

You always have to ask what is the motive here. It does not look good.

12 more (bots?) have pledged since toyotaboy posted his screen shot two hours ago. Currently at 104 backers.

I honestly thought this was a joke the entire time. Now it looks like a really interesting case of fraud.

Looks like their budget for kickstarter bots was similar to puppet videos...

Should have splurged a little for the bots that were slightly better at hiding the fraud.

If you want a smooth transition have a prototype to show what the game will be before putting your hand out for money.

Looking at all of these backers it makes me wonder about the other backer he mentioned.

I wonder if that backer is a rich member of a royal family currently in exile that only requires his bank account information to deposit $40,000,000 of which he will be given 10% for helping them get their family fortune out of the country.

Good luck getting this table built by July 2015 without problems...

If they are this close, they should just have a buddy pledge $12k. I hope they make it.

Yeah.... I was ready to give Vonnie D the benefit of the doubt before checking all these links.

Ooof....pretty brazen.

Scam written all over it..... tapping out.

Go for it.

Reverse Google image search on some of the backers avatars show them belonging to differently named people.

For example: Look up Michael Turner, San Diego, CA. on the backers list. (About half way down the list).
https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/435556554

.. It belongs to a Jordi Pedrol of Barcelona, Spain.
http://in.linkedin.com/in/jordipedrol

I found a couple of others in that pack of recent investors with the same misleading results. Proof of the bots theory.

As a life long entrepreneur and investor I wished them well knowing the difficulties in launching a new venture. For this and other reasons I conclude they have no credibility.

Kim

Hello anyone out there? oh it's an answering machine. Yes, People you can buy your bots the same place you get your puppet shows. Feedback, reviews and so much more.
Some of us tried to tell you something smells. So let do a run down just to catch some of you up with high hopes.

1 - Puppet Show Bomb ($5.00)
2 - Bankruptcy (what a partnership) Wait, I mean he said he had many business ventures that just wasn't his cup of tea.
3 - Closed for drug dealing oops Sorry, that was wrong on my part incense burning I forgot!
4 - A fired employee of a pinball company (Oh wait that never got out) Sorry
5 - Bots that drop cash? Wow must be the same printing company our government keeps using. Sorry Robin...NO politics allowed here I won't do that again I promise
6 - Look at all the positive feedback on that page! Wow from people that never saw anything! Loving it... Surly this will be the ground breaking to a all new pinball project. I mean what does Stern, JJP or Skit-B or any of theses other pinball guy's know? You insulted them in your video.
Oh hey guy's, sorry but your script writer for the video SUCKS! But, hey what do you expect for $5.00?

You know, I am holding on to hope! It's almost funded! Chicago is just around the corner, if I can just hang in there

Ok enough on the sarcasm!

I know, I know I have been so harsh on you guys. I mean I did offer to pay for your booth in Chicago once you produced a pinball to show. So you can't say, hey we do not have 1 back here! Let just call it like it is, You have a dream, Hey, I would love to make a pinball machine. Who wouldn't? your past, well it sketchy, but who's it's?
I do have a heart and I am a very compassionate person. However, you guy's need to stop all this and stop all this false marketing and draw up a new plan on how to succeed in life and reach you dreams. Your not fooling many here. Heck most of theses guy's & gals here are much older than you (Including me). They have seen it all and know first hand what is going on. They are seasoned and wise in their years. There is nothing wrong with not having the money to do something you want to do. Most have been there way before you and there will be many after you, It's called life....Many have failed, but pulled it all together and made it big, and you can to.

I do wish you the best, but not like this, and the way your going about it.

Tell us more about this one.

C'mon guys.

Bots simply love pinball.

Bots are ones & zeros kind of creatures.

They are attracted to the random 'ball is wild' play of the silver ball.

Don't blame Vonnie for the bot love.

You beat me to it, but since I already did the searches, I'll post them anyway.

Henry Nelson
Jody Olson
Michelle Wilson

Wow. I just had to do a google image search using my headshots. Luckily I'm still just me.

I am going to let the dead dog lie and sweep this one under the rug. It's really the least of the issues.

Honestly I would fire this guy!

It says he is the guy behind the marketing and the brain storming partner. I think he should get out of VD's head before it explodes. Oops to late! I did laugh after reading this. Read between the lines. I worked for an arcade place so I am the expert.

Screen Shot 2014-07-25 at 11.20.15 AM.png

He's rode more than 100 roller coasters and has played laser tag at more than 40 arenas across the country. He has to be the real thing. WOW!

Screen Shot 2014-07-25 at 11.34.58 AM.png

pulled my pledge. I liked the concept and artwork, but just way too much deception and sleaziness for me.

Well y'all can bet I'm taking lots of notes as to what not to do with a kickstarter campaign
... though some of these nonos are really obvious...

Oh wow. They have celebrity backers.

cooper-Business-Hairstyles-Men_medium.jpggrey-beard_medium.jpg

You all sound like you dont want a new pinball company to have succes. Not sure why that is.

A company with a product yes. Anyone seeing an opportunity to suck pin funds out of the market with nothing in place, not so much.

Wow... the bot pledges keep rolling in. Vonnie/Wes, can you please turn off the bot program? It's really looking pathetic right now.

they are they are tired from all the hard work. So, they turned on the bots.

Calling them a company is a stretch.

It's like the storyline to superman 3 or something...
000bdf2f3baeb7060c1f100f85894c15f46883b0d350d87468e961710f05564b[1].jpg

Well, this has been enlightening. Glad to wisen up to what can go on Kickstarter for any campaign.

This is pretty troubling if true ... isn't there a way to report them on kickstarter so they can check into this ... crushes my view of kickstarter if this is something that can (and likely would be done) ...

I have to admit, at first when I saw someone post that he had problems with the IRS, I felt it was going a little too far. But after the botting today, I had to start looking, I couldn't help it. It kept getting more and more weird and fascinating.

From blogs created by Wes where he conducts interviews with himself as an expert on Go Carting, Adrenalin Rushes, and Adventure: (Declaring himself a "Visionary")
http://www.wesleyupchurchblog.com/

To running for Secretary of State of Missouri
http://vote-mo.org/intro.aspx?state=mo&id=moupchurchwes

To Wiki Articles about business leaders:
http://wikiland.net/wesley-upchurch/

... where he presumably wrote a very grandios description of his journey as a visionary.

Wesley Upchurch (b January 29th, 1987)
"Wesley Upchurch first realized his passion for customer service and social entertainment in 2004 when he accepted a full-time role with the Melting Pot restaurant in downtown Memphis. This opportunity exposed Wesley Upchurch to a host of friendly patrons, whom he would engage in conversation to enliven their dining experiences. After four years as a restaurant manager..." (Doing the math, he was 17. I'm not sure The Melting Pot would have put a 17 year old kid in charge.)

Also saying that, "Wesley Upchurch is both a CIW (Certified Internet Webmaster) Professional Designer and a Certified Web Professional." - I've been in I.T. for 20 years. If I saw this credential on a resume, I'd throw it out. Certified Internet Webmaster????

.... and on to being a self appointed expert on paranormal activity. Posting videos with a computer voice narrating facts, citing Wesley Upchurch as the expert:

And dude, more power to you with your interested. Run for governer, pretend to have Rolling Stone interview you because they want to know your thoughts on the Karaoke business, put the word "Visionary" or "Entrepreneur" on your business card. But now you're trying to take money from people to further your weird world of make believe.

It's sad really. I can't stop clicking links because I each click takes me somewhere weirder... erp, yep there it is... LinkedIn - Graduated from Universidad San Juan De La Cruz in Costa Rica with a bachelors in Web Design and Development.... keeps on getting weirder.

Oops, someone just pledged $10,000. It got pulled back, I'm guessing that it got too close to actually funding with all of those fake pledges and it had to be dialed back.

He was the "Experience Manager" , which sounds like "Host".
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesupchurch

Narcissist much?

There's a whole host of options to get people to shill your Kickstarter on Fiverr.com and probably even more in the darker parts of the Internet. If you looks at pictures, some are clearly fake (Bradley Cooper, Jeff Bridges) and others appear to be scraped from throughout the Internet (LinkedIn, shopping site models, etc)