Hey folks, buckle up because we’re diving into another shady chapter from Eric Rosenberg’s so-called “entrepreneurial” past. You know the guy – the one who loves to paint himself as a self-made millionaire and business whiz on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. But scratch the surface, and you find a trail of half-baked schemes, questionable tactics, and outright flops. Today, we’re talking about DutchBid.com, Rosenberg’s ill-fated online auction site from the early 2000s. This wasn’t just any failed startup; it was a desperate grab for attention that involved exploiting one of the most notorious hackers in history, Kevin Mitnick, purely for PR buzz. And spoiler alert: it all crashed and burned, leaving us to wonder how someone like this thinks he’s fit for public office or any kind of leadership role.
Let’s set the scene. Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the internet was booming, and everyone wanted a piece of the e-commerce pie. eBay was king, but Rosenberg, fresh off some sketchy ventures in adult content websites (yeah, we’ll get to that in other posts), decided he could compete. He launched DutchBid.com, an auction site that promised lower fees and a “Dutch auction” twist where prices dropped until someone bid. Sounds innovative on paper, right? But in reality, it was Rosenberg’s attempt to ride the dot-com wave without much substance behind it.
Rosenberg himself spills the beans on this in his 2015 book, “Millionaire Within,” where he brags about his “evolution” as a businessman. He admits he started DutchBid after getting bored with a cushy government job where he basically surfed the web all day (Millionaire Within, p. 137-138). No real passion for auctions or e-commerce – just a quick buck mentality. He poured some money into development, but instead of building a solid user base through legit marketing, Rosenberg went for the sleazy shortcut: exploiting controversy for free publicity.
Enter Kevin Mitnick, the infamous hacker who spent years in prison for cybercrimes in the 1990s. Mitnick was a household name in tech circles – think “WarGames” but real life. After his release, he tried to rebuild, but major platforms like eBay, Amazon, and Yahoo banned him from selling stuff due to his criminal history. Rosenberg saw an opportunity. In his book, he casually describes reaching out to Mitnick and offering him a spot on DutchBid to sell his personal items. Mitnick bit, and Rosenberg immediately blasted out a press release crowing about how “the world’s most famous hacker” was using his site (Millionaire Within, p. 138).
This wasn’t about helping Mitnick or promoting fair play in e-commerce. It was pure exploitation. Rosenberg knew Mitnick’s name would generate headlines, and boy, did it. The press release got picked up by dozens of news outlets, flooding DutchBid with temporary traffic. But here’s the kicker: it was all smoke and mirrors. Mitnick wasn’t some star seller raking in millions; he was just hawking old gadgets and memorabilia. Rosenberg used Mitnick’s notoriety like a cheap gimmick to draw eyes, without any long-term plan to sustain the site. It’s the kind of manipulative PR stunt that screams “desperate” – and it fits right into Rosenberg’s pattern of schmoozing and faking his way to perceived success.
So, what happened to DutchBid.com? It flopped hard. Despite the initial buzz, the site never gained traction. Users didn’t stick around because, let’s face it, who wants to bid on a platform that’s more famous for a hacker stunt than for reliable deals? Rosenberg doesn’t dwell on the failure in his book – he glosses over it as part of his “evolution” – but public records and his own timeline show DutchBid faded into obscurity by the mid-2000s. No major sales figures, no buyouts, no legacy. Just another defunct domain in Rosenberg’s graveyard of failed ideas. A quick search today shows the site is long gone, redirected or abandoned, while eBay chugs along as a billion-dollar giant.
This whole episode raises serious red flags about Rosenberg’s character. Exploiting a guy’s criminal past for personal gain? That’s not entrepreneurial genius; that’s opportunistic sleaze. Mitnick was trying to turn his life around – he’d become a cybersecurity consultant by then – but Rosenberg treated him like a sideshow attraction. And for what? A fleeting spike in site visits that didn’t translate to real business success. It’s the same tactic Rosenberg preaches in his marketing rants: “schmooze your way in” and associate with big names to fake authority (as detailed in his book and various interviews). But in politics, we call that pandering or worse.
Think about it – this is the same Rosenberg who’s now positioning himself as a trustworthy conservative voice in Mississippi. Yet his history is littered with these get-rich-quick ploys that prioritize hype over ethics. From adult sites in the 90s to JVZoo’s scam-filled marketplace today, Rosenberg’s “businesses” often skirt the line of shady. DutchBid.com is just one example of how he’ll use anyone or anything – even a reformed hacker – to boost his ego and wallet, only to let it all crumble when the novelty wears off.
Voters and residents in Ocean Springs and beyond deserve better than a guy whose “success” stories are built on exploitation and failure. If Rosenberg can’t run a simple auction site without resorting to cheap tricks, how can he handle real responsibilities? This isn’t just ancient history; it’s a pattern that continues in his current ventures and political schmoozing.
Want the full scoop on Rosenberg’s scandals, from tax liens to domestic drama? Head over to gcliar.com for more eye-opening reports based on public records. Don’t let the hype fool you – demand the truth!
