Wouldn't it be great if you could make money from home, and achieve more freedom, time, and independence?
The answer is: Absolutely! This lifestyle of digital entrepreneurs is undoubtedly suitable for everyone, and for this very reason, attempts have spread under the slogan (profit through the Internet) of people selling inferior and fake products and programs.
With a little research, it becomes easy to separate the lies from the truth.
What is Internet fraud?
Determining what a fraud is is not always easy.
Scam is - according to Wikipedia - an attempt to take someone's money by gaining your trust in the beginning.
However, with this definition, it can be said that all fast food restaurants fool us by placing fake pictures of delicious big burgers, while what they are really selling is nothing more than: bread with spices, and a small piece of meat buried in the middle!
So, what makes the scam so, is not clear.
One of the popular techniques in the world of making money online is to sell only a portion of (the result). Either because the seller knows only a specific part, and tries to sell it to you, or because he is trying to set a trap for you (so you can trust him and ask for more).
For example, you recently watched a tutorial to teach the secrets of making your videos on your YouTube front pages. No one can make such a promise, and if someone finds - by chance - a simple "trick" that really works, they will definitely not share it publicly, and even if he does share it, its effect will not last for long because of YouTube's algorithms!
At the end of the session, I was surprised by the lecturer saying: "Most likely, this strategy will not work with videos in areas where competition is intense, but there is no doubt that it will work when competition decreases." Oh really!?
So, as we can see, the session did not fulfill its promise.
However, it contained some really good information, and its owner clearly put a lot of effort into making it.
So, was that a scam? Unfortunately, even though the course provided some good information, its owner used a "bait" to sell it. Some might call it a "fraud."
How do you discover fake ways to profit from the Internet?
The following 5 tips (or pointers to watch) may seem counterintuitive to some. However, its being intuitive might not prevent us from making bad decisions, especially when it comes to money.
Promises of a better life "attractiveness" that drives smart people to fall victim to these scammers!
1. Are you dreaming of getting rich quick?
The most popular (and easiest to find) method, everyone knows that making money online takes some time.
Some of these scams are flagrant as they claim you can get rich in a simple 3-step process.
Here's a good example of a scam:
Only 3 steps separate you from achieving ($ 1 million in a month):
Step 1 / "Account setup and login".
Step 2 / Follow the steps in our training course step by step.
Step 3 / "Receive money on your bank account".
Is that all I have to do? Register for the training course, receive money in my bank account and enjoy life afterwards?
Not everyone can make money that easy. (In fact, the course owner did it!)
Now, let's get serious
Some of these programs claim that you can get $ 10-20 for spending a few minutes on a simple task, meaning hundreds of dollars an hour.
I am not saying that it is impossible to earn hundreds of dollars an hour, but if there was a foolproof way (like putting $ 10 in a machine, and getting $ 20 out for you), companies would hire one or more people to accomplish this task, pay them their wages, and then fill their bank accounts with the remaining money. To retire their owners in their thirties! The reason nobody does this is because earning money is not that easy.
2. Pay first ... then we will tell you the secret
If you were a normal person like me, you wouldn't put your credit cards into a payment machine without knowing exactly what you're paying for.
The same rule applies when buying something online.
However, many of these scams take a different approach. They ask for money up front. They show you a page with results of some successful deals, telling you that you will only know the true "secret" if you pay the fee.
The truth is that there is no "secret".
Make money online like any other business: it takes work and you have to learn how to do it.
Nobody sells "secret" auto repair. Or the "secret" of playing the piano.
All are skills that require knowledge, training and practice.
If you are looking for piano lessons, you will not be sent to a page with a "Buy Now" button.
What you will likely see is a course description outlining everything you'll learn, a timeline, and maybe even the course goals and outcomes.
Usually, a (legitimate) program to make money online will explain, at least some details, what they teach and what you will do.
3. Pay $ (.) For the trial version, with a money-back guarantee
I put only 1 point in parentheses, because the amount may not exceed $ 1!
But why would someone request such a request?
To be honest, this method is not considered a fraud, except that such a request aims to determine your classification (as a serious buyer / mere visitor), which is the basis for the next step.
On the surface, this does not mean that you are being deceived. But it is something that you should be aware of.
4. Do you authorize us to automatically renew the service?
Membership / subscription-based sites (which come with a reduced trial version) often include something that many may overlook: their auto-renew policy.
Before registering, it is best to do some research. Do not forget that you provide these sites with sensitive information (most importantly: your bank account or credit card information). So, be sure to make sure that their payment system is safe. Contact technical support and ask them about the site’s cancellation policy and procedures. For example: Do they need 30 days before canceling?
A scam like this can work (even if they really commit to canceling), it is enough that they bill every subscriber for the 30 days before the cancellation, and they will make a fortune. Some will fight to get their money back, but many will be happy to cancel the subscription and consider the first month's fee (trial tax).
And they may trick you in another way: like you buy a product that you think is one-time, only to discover that it works as a monthly subscription. Not everyone tells you this when registering!
5. Mr. unknown!
If you can't find a clear way to communicate, take this as a big warning sign!
You may come across a for-profit system that claims to teach you how to generate revenue with 5 (and up to 6 zeros), but the only way to communicate between you and its creator is an obscure email address!
Legal firms, especially those talking about investigating such amounts, will display information about who owns the company, who runs it, and so on.
They usually have a "contact" form or the ability to open a tech support card.
When spending a large amount of money (as many of these programs require), you should be able to contact support before purchasing.
Send them a message, ask them a question about the program, and make sure someone is already on the other end before transferring money and signing up.
Finally,
If you decide to participate in a for-profit program, there is no guarantee that you will get what you are looking for! But with a little research and attention to the indicators mentioned in this article, you can avoid such fake ways of making money online.
