The internet is bursting with excellent opportunities for making money. Unfortunately, it’s also teeming with unscrupulous scammers who seek to get rich by scamming honest people of their hard-earned money.
Here is how you can save thousands of dollars by making sure you can recognize a scam when you see one.
One of the popular scams is the “business in a box” hoax. If you’re currently looking for a business idea, chances are you’ll come across this kind of scam. The “business in a box” pitch looks something like this
wow, sounds like a sweet deal, or does it?
Think about it… if a company is selling an opportunity to sell their product, chances are they’ve sold the exact same opportunity to thousands of other people. (After all, why would they limit their profits by selling the rights to that product only to you?). That means you have to compete against thousands of other people who are selling the exact same product, with the same website, using the same marketing strategies you are.
Do you want to be contesting with those many identical competitors? (No!).
Not only that, if the product was really that hot, why isn’t the company selling it itself, instead of merely selling the opportunity to sell it? Because they know they are not going to make that money that way.
To make sure you’re not sucked in by this kind of scam, I’m going to show you how to filter the REAL money making opportunities from all the trash out there, with this handy ‘Scam Detector Check List”
You know you’re dealing with a scam IF:
#1. The company can’t prove a successful track record
If you’ve never heard of the company before and they can’t offer solid proof they’ve got a successful track record, then how can you trust them to help you make money? Be skeptical. Ask questions. if they say they’re a successful company, ask for proof!
#2. You can’t talk to a company representative in person
Before you make a significant investment in a business opportunity, give the vendors a call. Talk to them in person. Ask them hard questions. If they don’t make it easy for you to talk to them in person, then don’t do business with them.
#3. Former customers have lousy things to say about the product
A little bit of research goes a long way.Try typing “the name of the program + scam” of “the name of the program + customer review” into Google and see what results you get. If the majority of the results are from former customers saying the product is a scam or a waste of money, then whatever you do, don’t make the mistake they did.
#4. 1000s of other people are selling the EXACT same thing
If your “business in a box” package includes a product for you to sell, do a search on the name of the product in Google and go through the results.
How many people are selling the exact same product? Say hello to you competition! (And how many of them are using the exact same website the company is trying to get you to buy?)
If a lot of people are selling that product, and you can’t see any way to offer a unique selling proposition that makes your offer stand out from the crowd, then quite frankly, you’re going to find it extremely difficult to make money at all.
#5. They can’t show legitimate testimonials from recent customers
If you’re making a significant investment in a business opportunity, the company you are purchasing from should be willing to put you in contact with other successful customers. Companies get these requesst all the time, and good companies have many successful customers who are happy to give them a personal reference at a moments notice.
Look for testimonials that names, photographs and URLs, if possible. The more information that proves the testimonial giver is a real person, the better.
If the testimonial has a URL, go to that persons website and check it out. Does it look like a website of someone who is making good money? Look for the contact information on the site and then email that person and ask him or her directly about the product you’re thinking about buying.
If the person says yes, it really is a good deal, and is still experiencing good results with that product, then chances are it’s the real deal.
However, be on the look out for DATED testimonials. if people were able to make money using this package four years ago, but the profits have long since dried up, the product’s not going to do you much good now, is it?
#6. The company is charging YOU money to sell THEIR products
If a company is making a product that millions of people are going to want to buy, why wouldn’t they simply sell it themselves instead of making other people pay for the opportunity to sell it for them?
The truth is, companies like this know their “affiliates” aren’t going to generate any sales. That’s why they need to get your money up front! Anyone who has been running a highly successful affiliate program for years will tell you — they can never make their affilates pay to sell their products. The affiliates are doing them a favor!
#7. The company makes outrageous income claims without backing them up with proof
If a company says their product will have you earning tens of thousands of dollars within a matter of weeks, BE SKEPTICAL. There is no magic bullet on the internet that can promise a five figure income in 30 days or less.
The truth is building a profitable business takes TIME. Sure, you can have a profitable business in less than a month… but you’ll probably have to wait a few more months before the money really starts pouring in.
So whenever you see outrageous income claims, ask yourself, where’s the proof.
Look for testimonials that back up these claims. If someone claims to have made incredible money from using a system, track them down via their URL and ask them if it’s really true. And be sure to listen to your “inner radar” to determine whether the person is genuine or not.
Above all, do your research and ask lots of questions. If you follow these guidelines, chances are you’ll make the right decisions and pursue the right opportunities. When it comes to online success, there is no magic pill. If you want to start a real business on the internet, you need to be prepared to put in the time and effort to build it.
Just remember, when you’re thinking of buying into an “online cash machine” opportunity, use your common sense. Because if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
So if you’re thinking about starting a home based business you need to hear this insightful free audio.
It’s a business opportunity that has literally created thousands of new millionaires over the past few years. What makes it so appealing is that it’s the kind of business you can grow right from your own home. It’s not labor intensive and it can continue to grow well beyond your personal efforts.
No matter how great an opportunity may seem, there are always pros and cons. This audio will give you the unvarnished truth so you can find a business that’s right for you and be successful.
And the best part is IT’S FREE! Click here to get yours.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Internet marketing expert Derek Gehl specializes in teaching real people how to successfully start, build, and grow their own profitable online businesses on small budgets. To get instant access to the step-by-step strategies, tools, and resources he’s used to grow just $25 into over $60 Million in online sales, visit: http://www.internetmarketing.com _________________________________________________
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