Identifying Differences Between Internet Scams and Real Opportunities
Posted by speedbump164 at 4/7/2007 11:44 AM and is filed under Online scams,Home Based Business Articles 
It is truly amazing what people will say to sell you an online business. Now granted, I am marketing my home business
but I don't lie to people to get what I want. I don't tell them they
will get rich overnight or show them my income spreadsheets to make the
jealousy/greed factor kick in. It is almost guranteed that if a site
is promising you money beyond your wildest dreams, with doing no work
at all, it's a scam. Be cautious though because websites are getting
better at disguising themselves.
You need to do your research first, just like I did. Take a look at the company you will be building your business off of. Look at their history, the type of products they market, their reputation, the stability of their business model or marketing plan, the type of system they use to generate your income streams etc....A legitimate home business is exactly the same as job opportunity with only a few exceptions. You can't expect to get promoted if you aren't qualified for the postion, right? It is the same with work at home jobs too. You have to build your business first. This is why it is so important to look at which company you will be using as your foundation. If the company you choose is not solid or at least established in the Internet Marketplace your business will fail before it even gets off the ground, and once again you will feel cheated, taken advantage of, and scammed.
Seriously, there is some really stupid stuff out in cyberspace that I can't believe people fall for these days. Unfortunately for some of us, being scammed is almost guaranteed at least once while on our quest for the perfect Internet business opportunity. For others, creating the scams is their livelihood and thus it is proclaimed as a "home business".
A simple keyword analysis, using major players like Google and Yahoo to test keyword search popularity, on phrases similar to "earn money today", "quick cash", "fast cash", "money", "income", etc... will come back with thousands of hits. Why you ask? This is because people are always looking for a simple way to make a quick buck with little or no effort, and it really sells!
In the minds of most people this is the definition of a home based business; so while they are looking for these ways to make money online and actually end up being victimized by a scam, the first group named is those who are actually recruiting or advertising for legitimate home business opportunities because the entire group becomes a stereotype. Many entrepreneurs are getting nailed and affiliate marketing is developing a bad name because of a bias that is generated as a result of these online scams. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way negatively attacking the victims of these scams. It is more so the bias or negative image that is created by them.
You can't expect to become a millionaire overnight, unfortunately, it's just not possible. There is nothing wrong with needing to make some extra cash or even searching for it on the Internet. Just know that nothing in this world is truly free...Except for my business opportunity, that is...Ha, Ha, Just Kidding!
Everything comes with a price; now that might not necessarily be in the form of spending money. It could be that you are agreeing to receive emails from the company, or you are a statistical number for some research firm, or your name is sold to partner companies, mailing lists, etc...NOTHING IS FREE! For example, with my home business you have to confirm your interest by registering and then again to receive my emails. I also require that you invest your time, your motivation, and that you remain dedicated to my Team. I am getting a little off track though so let's continue.
Any opportunity that self proclaims riches beyond your wildest dreams is most likely hiding the simple fact that it is going to take time to get there. You must establish a presence first and then build your business off of that. If no one knows you even exist, how do you expect to market anything on the Internet?
These online scams have been doing their research and they are most definitely counting on the fact that you will let your guard down. They realize that people are getting better prepared to identify scams and therefore they begin to target their content more towards the idea that their visitors will automatically reject their opportunity in 30 seconds or less. This moves the website's focus into triggering a subliminal human reaction. They use tactis like having you visualize wealth or what you would do with millions of dollars which is a drastic change from the days when the focus used to be the comfort of working from home or owning your own home business.
It is human nature to want more and to need more, especially as we watch the economy evolving at lighting speeds. The online scams thrive on this and have begun to base their entire marketing plan around it. Please don't get this confused with targeted or online marketing. I am specifically addressing those sites that use and abuse a person's desperation to change their life in order to take advantage of them during their times of weakness and vulnerability. I have even come across scams that have wanted to use my credit as an investment in their business; claiming that the banks do it and look how rich they are.
Wherever there is a need or a desire, there will also be scams. People will sometimes lose everything and end up buried deep beneath a blanket of debt. Sadly enough, they were only trying to fulfill a dream or passionately searching for a legitimate opportunity. It was never really about the overnight wealth....Was it?....It was about change....an investment in their success.
The FBI has an awesome resource for reporting these online scams or fraud. It is called IC3
(Internet Crime Complaint Center) http://www.ic3.gov/
I really urge you to check this site out if you've been scammed or even think that you might have been. Just don't abuse it! It is not a reason to file a complaint just because you are pissed off or don't like something that you signed up for. Regret or failure does not qualify as a scam, but regretting that you spent hundreds of dollars on an illegitimate business is. The complaint process is very simple, where people like us can at least try to save each other from becoming victims of an Internet scam.
Well, that is enough for now.
Feel free to use this article on your site, but it must include the Author's Statement with all links intact.
About the Author:
J.B. (speedbump164) is a medically retired U.S. Army Sergeant. After sustaining several injuries, while supporting the Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign, he was soon made aware that his 5 year old son had leukemia. The severity of his disabilities prevented him from working a normal job, and in a desperate attempt to support his family, he started what would soon become a very successful home based business while working with the largest affiliate network in the world.
As his business grows, he reaches out to others who have felt a similar desperation or a need to change their lives and uses his articles to help them establish a successful internet business. Make sure to subscribe to his BLOG and also check out his website at:
www.workathomejobs101.com or the Internet Business that changed his life forever.
You need to do your research first, just like I did. Take a look at the company you will be building your business off of. Look at their history, the type of products they market, their reputation, the stability of their business model or marketing plan, the type of system they use to generate your income streams etc....A legitimate home business is exactly the same as job opportunity with only a few exceptions. You can't expect to get promoted if you aren't qualified for the postion, right? It is the same with work at home jobs too. You have to build your business first. This is why it is so important to look at which company you will be using as your foundation. If the company you choose is not solid or at least established in the Internet Marketplace your business will fail before it even gets off the ground, and once again you will feel cheated, taken advantage of, and scammed.
Seriously, there is some really stupid stuff out in cyberspace that I can't believe people fall for these days. Unfortunately for some of us, being scammed is almost guaranteed at least once while on our quest for the perfect Internet business opportunity. For others, creating the scams is their livelihood and thus it is proclaimed as a "home business".
A simple keyword analysis, using major players like Google and Yahoo to test keyword search popularity, on phrases similar to "earn money today", "quick cash", "fast cash", "money", "income", etc... will come back with thousands of hits. Why you ask? This is because people are always looking for a simple way to make a quick buck with little or no effort, and it really sells!
In the minds of most people this is the definition of a home based business; so while they are looking for these ways to make money online and actually end up being victimized by a scam, the first group named is those who are actually recruiting or advertising for legitimate home business opportunities because the entire group becomes a stereotype. Many entrepreneurs are getting nailed and affiliate marketing is developing a bad name because of a bias that is generated as a result of these online scams. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way negatively attacking the victims of these scams. It is more so the bias or negative image that is created by them.
You can't expect to become a millionaire overnight, unfortunately, it's just not possible. There is nothing wrong with needing to make some extra cash or even searching for it on the Internet. Just know that nothing in this world is truly free...Except for my business opportunity, that is...Ha, Ha, Just Kidding!
Everything comes with a price; now that might not necessarily be in the form of spending money. It could be that you are agreeing to receive emails from the company, or you are a statistical number for some research firm, or your name is sold to partner companies, mailing lists, etc...NOTHING IS FREE! For example, with my home business you have to confirm your interest by registering and then again to receive my emails. I also require that you invest your time, your motivation, and that you remain dedicated to my Team. I am getting a little off track though so let's continue.Any opportunity that self proclaims riches beyond your wildest dreams is most likely hiding the simple fact that it is going to take time to get there. You must establish a presence first and then build your business off of that. If no one knows you even exist, how do you expect to market anything on the Internet?
These online scams have been doing their research and they are most definitely counting on the fact that you will let your guard down. They realize that people are getting better prepared to identify scams and therefore they begin to target their content more towards the idea that their visitors will automatically reject their opportunity in 30 seconds or less. This moves the website's focus into triggering a subliminal human reaction. They use tactis like having you visualize wealth or what you would do with millions of dollars which is a drastic change from the days when the focus used to be the comfort of working from home or owning your own home business.
It is human nature to want more and to need more, especially as we watch the economy evolving at lighting speeds. The online scams thrive on this and have begun to base their entire marketing plan around it. Please don't get this confused with targeted or online marketing. I am specifically addressing those sites that use and abuse a person's desperation to change their life in order to take advantage of them during their times of weakness and vulnerability. I have even come across scams that have wanted to use my credit as an investment in their business; claiming that the banks do it and look how rich they are.
Wherever there is a need or a desire, there will also be scams. People will sometimes lose everything and end up buried deep beneath a blanket of debt. Sadly enough, they were only trying to fulfill a dream or passionately searching for a legitimate opportunity. It was never really about the overnight wealth....Was it?....It was about change....an investment in their success.
The FBI has an awesome resource for reporting these online scams or fraud. It is called IC3
(Internet Crime Complaint Center) http://www.ic3.gov/
I really urge you to check this site out if you've been scammed or even think that you might have been. Just don't abuse it! It is not a reason to file a complaint just because you are pissed off or don't like something that you signed up for. Regret or failure does not qualify as a scam, but regretting that you spent hundreds of dollars on an illegitimate business is. The complaint process is very simple, where people like us can at least try to save each other from becoming victims of an Internet scam.
Well, that is enough for now.
Feel free to use this article on your site, but it must include the Author's Statement with all links intact.
About the Author:
J.B. (speedbump164) is a medically retired U.S. Army Sergeant. After sustaining several injuries, while supporting the Operation Iraqi Freedom campaign, he was soon made aware that his 5 year old son had leukemia. The severity of his disabilities prevented him from working a normal job, and in a desperate attempt to support his family, he started what would soon become a very successful home based business while working with the largest affiliate network in the world.
As his business grows, he reaches out to others who have felt a similar desperation or a need to change their lives and uses his articles to help them establish a successful internet business. Make sure to subscribe to his BLOG and also check out his website at:
www.workathomejobs101.com or the Internet Business that changed his life forever.
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