Monday, February 4, 2013

How Do You Identify Get Rich Quick Ads & Other Online Scams

There is one thing you should note before continuing on: If you remain a complete skeptic of almost anything not proven and set on concrete, you could miss out of many life changing events that may first require a leap of faith.

I bold the key phrases bellow for those who wish to read strait to the point; if you want to learn more about that specific topic, then read on - Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Wikipedia are also friendly companions.


  1. The first typical feature well known to many is the 'Too Good To Be True' statement. If it sounds (or looks) too good to be true, then it probably is. Almost all ads appeal to viewers' envy and desires and usually the scam-type ads will include hooks or hangers to get you as the viewer to 'click' and learn more - even to get 'involved'. A few familiar examples would be:
    • "Language Professors HATE Him!"
    • "One easy workout trick that will make you ripped in one week!"
    • "Dad quit his job: He makes $4000 online playing video games!" - When it comes to money ads, check for over exaggeration, do your research. Large numbers are always a sure sign of something suspicious. (Note: large amounts of money isn't going to leave the hands of any smart investor with out first assurance that s/he will benefit - money is wither worked for or won through means of gambling - the world is rough and money is hard to come by [w/o work] so don't expect anyone online to simple 'hand you money for free')
  2. If you decide that it's worth a shot to investigate, then by all means, click the link! (I must warn that some sites or ad-redirecting links may bring you to a site with malicious, fraudulent, or in other words, explicit content, so do be prepared for the worst!) The next obvious details you will see to dictate immediately if something is a scam, is the style of the website. 
    • Unusually large scaled fonts
    • Fonts have a 'handwritten' theme instead of a professional Arial, Times New Roman, or Tahoma
    • Key features are enlarged and are highlighted, typically in red and yellow colors
    • Graphical arrows directing your focus and actions
    • Stock photos - scams tend to use images that are usually used to promote or sell something instead of stating somethings' existence (not provoking impulse); business-like photos are a sign that there is something that requires a purchase, though, not all the time does that mean the item(s) or business is part of a scam or gimmick - it is important to do research on these topics, maybe someone else already walked in your footsteps, but don't trust it until you feel your self that what they're saying may be legit.
  3. Investment required first - The only times I have ever seen a need to invest money in order to make money was when I either A. needed to start and maintain a website, B. purchase the necessary equipment, software, and supplies, or C. buy and sell stock in the stock market. Some have also asked the question, "Well, if I'll be making money, why can't you (as the promoter) admit me and I just pay you back?" - this is one way how the scammers make their money. Watch out, some of their stories are pretty convincing!
  4. Insufficient or no contact information readily available. It is understandable when an owner hides his or her contact information to avoid spam, but professional businesses - especially when dealing with money - always have a valid email and phone number available for customer support (usually located next to the website's copyright info or in the site navigational directory).
  5. Excessive amount of information required for registration. What better info to use to solicit ads than through a phone number or home address? If you think a site is asking for more info than it needs [as a requirement] to register, then I think something is up. Take extra caution when a new site requires card or bank information - look for a 'secure' symbol in the upper left of your URL address bar. For most browsers, it will appear as a green lock. DON'T enter any information regarding if you don't see the 'OK' symbol first!
  6. URLs can be sneaky! Check your URL and make sure the correct address appears. This is a sneaky phishing filter trick, where you take a well know URL and mutate it a little to fool the viewer at first glance: www.facebook.com -> www.fakebook.com OR google.com -> www.goog.le.com
  7. It's an interesting thing, because the scammers don't want you to leave their site, especially when they're so close to picking your pocket book. The popup windows that get your attention with lots of symbols such as *** and --- and "Don't Leave!" - which pop up either when you first arrive or, most commonly, when you leave.
  8. Try to avoid most, if not all, money ad or survey related links; they are benefiting from you, however, you are not benefiting from them.

If you want to make money online and not risk scams and solicitations, the best things to look into:
For cosmetics or other products:
  • Read as many reviews as needed from trusted sources. (I would suggest Amazon.com)
  • Watch uploaded videos of progress or products in action. (YouTube seems to do the job pretty well)

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