Now I'm not trying to discourage people from starting Home based business through the Internet, but rather guide the people past the Business opportunities available on the net that are bogus and illegitimate. These are more popularly termed as Scams. There are numerous opportunities available on the Internet for starting a home-based business successfully. Some of these opportunities are really success oriented. However all these business strategies require hard work and dedication besides thorough knowledge about the market.
Some of these opportunities are quick and easy way of making money. Before getting involved into any business opportunity through the Internet, people must make themselves cautioned against the fraudulent scams. They should not get carried away by people who try to fool others using fake testimonials, documents, guarantee cards, and offering huge income potentials in short period of time.
There are many reliable work at home jobs on the Internet. These jobs do not claim to give easy money in short period of time. These jobs are based on hard work and open-minded communication between the employers and trusted employees through telecommuting. These jobs are more or less similar to the regular jobs in many ways. The employee must first qualify for the job that is offered. He must then develop trust with the employer through dedicated work. Most of these telecommuting jobs are treated as part time opportunities. Another way of working on the Internet is to work as freelancer or on independent contract. You can work as article writer, consultant, editor, designer and numerous other ways. With all these type of opportunities the risk of getting involved in scams is less.
The Internet business opportunity scams are more common in sales endeavors. The scrupulous people who run the Internet scams are always on the look out for a naïve wishful and desperate surfer. Many homemakers, and elderly people become a prey under these scams. Before getting it to any business option, people must get a thorough knowledge about these scams. They can get all the necessary information from the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission. These organizations help you to keep away from the Internet based scams and also help to verify the offers on the net and file complaints if necessary. Another way to avoid scams is to start up the home based business after getting the necessary information from the Small business Administration.
It is essential for people to come forward and report the scams however small be the money involved. Scams have proliferated through Internet because of the access to millions of customers. The most commonplace for Internet scams is through the auction sites. Fraudulent merchandise sales sites are on the rise. The scammers try to allure customers by offering hard to find goods such as electronic gadgets. Thousand of shoppers who whisk their money have never received their goods. The people are advised to be skeptical of sites, which offer the goods at incredibly low prices.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
'Net Scam #5: Xbox Giveaway
5. "Congratulations, You've Won an Xbox (IPod, plasma TV, etc.)"
The setup: You get an e-mail telling you that you've won something cool--usually the hot gadget du jour, such as an Xbox or an IPod. All you need to do is visit a Web site and provide your debit card number and PIN to cover "shipping and handling" costs.
What actually happens: The item never arrives. A few months later, mystery charges start showing up on your bank account. The only thing that gets shipped and handled is your identity. (A more benign variation on this scam drives you to a site where you're asked to cough up your contact info and agree to receive spam from advertisers until unwanted e-mail is coming out of your ears.)
The risk: Identity theft, as well as lost money if you don't dispute the charges.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: When did I enter a contest to win an Xbox (iPod, plasma TV, etc.)?
The setup: You get an e-mail telling you that you've won something cool--usually the hot gadget du jour, such as an Xbox or an IPod. All you need to do is visit a Web site and provide your debit card number and PIN to cover "shipping and handling" costs.
What actually happens: The item never arrives. A few months later, mystery charges start showing up on your bank account. The only thing that gets shipped and handled is your identity. (A more benign variation on this scam drives you to a site where you're asked to cough up your contact info and agree to receive spam from advertisers until unwanted e-mail is coming out of your ears.)
The risk: Identity theft, as well as lost money if you don't dispute the charges.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: When did I enter a contest to win an Xbox (iPod, plasma TV, etc.)?
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
'Net Scam #4: Postal
4. Postal Forwarding/Reshipping Scam
The setup: You answer an online ad looking for a "correspondence manager." An offshore corporation that lacks a U.S. address or bank account needs someone to take goods sent to their address and reship them overseas. You may also be asked to accept wire transfers into your bank account, then transfer the money to your new boss's account. In each case, you collect a percentage of the goods or amount transferred.
What actually happens: Products are purchased online using stolen credit cards--often with identities that have been purloined by phishers--and shipped to your address. You then reship them to the thieves, who will fence them overseas. Or you're transferring stolen funds from one account to another to obscure the money trail.
The risk: Sure, you can make big bucks for a while. But after a few months, you're going to look inside your bank account and find it cleaned out. Worse, when the feds come looking for the scammers, you're the one they're going to nail.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: Why can't these people receive their own darn mail?
The setup: You answer an online ad looking for a "correspondence manager." An offshore corporation that lacks a U.S. address or bank account needs someone to take goods sent to their address and reship them overseas. You may also be asked to accept wire transfers into your bank account, then transfer the money to your new boss's account. In each case, you collect a percentage of the goods or amount transferred.
What actually happens: Products are purchased online using stolen credit cards--often with identities that have been purloined by phishers--and shipped to your address. You then reship them to the thieves, who will fence them overseas. Or you're transferring stolen funds from one account to another to obscure the money trail.
The risk: Sure, you can make big bucks for a while. But after a few months, you're going to look inside your bank account and find it cleaned out. Worse, when the feds come looking for the scammers, you're the one they're going to nail.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: Why can't these people receive their own darn mail?
Monday, November 22, 2010
'Net Scam #3: 419 Letter
3. Nigerian 419 Letter
The setup: You receive an e-mail, usually written in screaming capital letters, that starts out like this:
"DEAR SIR/MADAM: I REPRESENT THE RECENTLY DEPOSED MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE FOR NODAMBIZIA, WHO HAS EMBEZZLED 30 MILLION DOLLARS FROM HIS STARVING COUNTRYMEN AND NOW NEEDS TO GET IT OUT OF THE COUNTRY..."
The letter says the scammers are seeking an accomplice who will transfer the funds into their account for a cut of the total--usually around 30 percent. You'll be asked to travel overseas to meet with the scammers and complete the necessary paperwork. But before the transaction can be finalized, you must pay thousands of dollars in "taxes," "attorney costs," "bribes," or other advance fees.
What actually happens: There's no minister and no money--except for the money you put up in advance. Victims who travel overseas may find themselves physically threatened and not allowed to leave until they cough up the cash. (FYI, "419" is named for the section of Nigeria's penal code that the scam violates.)
The risk: Serious financial loss--or worse. Victims of Nigerian letter fraud lose $3000 on average, according to the FBI. Several victims have been killed or gone missing while chasing a 419 scheme.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: Of all the people in the world, why would a corrupt African bureaucrat pick me to be his accomplice?
The setup: You receive an e-mail, usually written in screaming capital letters, that starts out like this:
"DEAR SIR/MADAM: I REPRESENT THE RECENTLY DEPOSED MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE FOR NODAMBIZIA, WHO HAS EMBEZZLED 30 MILLION DOLLARS FROM HIS STARVING COUNTRYMEN AND NOW NEEDS TO GET IT OUT OF THE COUNTRY..."
The letter says the scammers are seeking an accomplice who will transfer the funds into their account for a cut of the total--usually around 30 percent. You'll be asked to travel overseas to meet with the scammers and complete the necessary paperwork. But before the transaction can be finalized, you must pay thousands of dollars in "taxes," "attorney costs," "bribes," or other advance fees.
What actually happens: There's no minister and no money--except for the money you put up in advance. Victims who travel overseas may find themselves physically threatened and not allowed to leave until they cough up the cash. (FYI, "419" is named for the section of Nigeria's penal code that the scam violates.)
The risk: Serious financial loss--or worse. Victims of Nigerian letter fraud lose $3000 on average, according to the FBI. Several victims have been killed or gone missing while chasing a 419 scheme.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: Of all the people in the world, why would a corrupt African bureaucrat pick me to be his accomplice?
Sunday, November 21, 2010
'Net Scam #2: Phishing
I truly appologize for the large gap in my posts. As many of you may know, my wife has been pregnant for a while now...nine months to be exact. She has recently given birth, and, as of August 20th, we are the proud parents of Kathryn Lynn McValentine. Please excuse these gaps in posts, my dear readers, for I am back! If you recall, I am in the middle of revealing five of the Internet's most vicious scams.
2. Phishing Scams
The setup: You receive an e-mail that looks like it came from your bank, warning you about identity theft and asking that you log in and verify your account information. The message says that if you don't take action immediately, your account will be terminated.
What actually happens: Even though the e-mail looks like the real deal, complete with authentic logos and working Web links, it's a clever fake. The Web site where you're told to enter your account information is also bogus. In some instances, really smart phishers direct you to the genuine Web site, then pop up a window over the site that captures your personal information.
The risk: Your account information will be sold to criminals, who'll use it to ruin your credit and drain your account. According to Gartner, phishing scammers took consumers (and their banks, who had to cover the charges) for $1.2 billion in 2003.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: If this matter is so urgent, why isn't my bank calling me instead of sending e-mail?
2. Phishing Scams
The setup: You receive an e-mail that looks like it came from your bank, warning you about identity theft and asking that you log in and verify your account information. The message says that if you don't take action immediately, your account will be terminated.
What actually happens: Even though the e-mail looks like the real deal, complete with authentic logos and working Web links, it's a clever fake. The Web site where you're told to enter your account information is also bogus. In some instances, really smart phishers direct you to the genuine Web site, then pop up a window over the site that captures your personal information.
The risk: Your account information will be sold to criminals, who'll use it to ruin your credit and drain your account. According to Gartner, phishing scammers took consumers (and their banks, who had to cover the charges) for $1.2 billion in 2003.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: If this matter is so urgent, why isn't my bank calling me instead of sending e-mail?
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Top Five Online Scams
You might think Web surfers have started to wise up to Internet rip-offs. But you'd be wrong. Here's how scammers are trying to dupe you today.
After years of trying to recover from the dot-com hangover, the Internet is booming again. Online retail sales increased by 26 percent in 2005, according to comScore Networks. In September 2004, the number of domain name registrations hit 64.5 million--an all-time high. You know what else is on the rise? Internet crime.
Complaints about online fraud nearly doubled from 2004 to 2005, according to a December 2005 report by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. Research firm Gartner estimates that nearly 10 million Americans were hit by online fraudsters last year--largely due to a wave of phishing e-mails seeking to steal users' identities.
In fact, phishing attacks seem to be the new, hot scam. Scammers send you an e-mail that tries to lure you to a legitimate-looking Web site where you'll be asked to enter personal information. The thing is, it's all fake; and if you fall for it, someone is ready to take your Social Security Number and start opening credit card accounts.
The FBI recently began warning people of scammers posing as tsunami-relief organizations. And late last month, the FBI warned that someone out there was even posing as the FBI itself--sending a fraudulent e-mail with the subject line "FBI Investigation" and trying to lure people into buying products from a separate, fictional scam artist whom the Feds were supposedly on to.
Confusing? Sure. But just ask yourself this: When was the last time the FBI sent a polite e-mail when they wanted someone's cooperation in an investigation?
Thousands of con artists, grifters, fraudsters, and other denizens of the dark are trolling for victims online. Can you recognize online fraud when you see it? Over the next 5 posts I'll provide you all with a quick guide to the Top 5 scams and schemes you're most likely to find on the 'Net. Here's the first one:
1. Auction Fraud
The setup: Online auction fraud accounts for three-quarters of all complaints registered with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (formerly the Internet Fraud Complaint Center). There are many types of eBay chicanery, but the most common one is where you send in your money and get nothing but grief in return.
What actually happens: You never get the product promised, or the promises don't match the product. The descriptions may be vague, incomplete, or completely fake. One scammer accepted bids for Louis Vuitton bags that she didn't own, and then scoured the Internet looking for cheap knockoffs that cost less than the winning bid. She managed to collect at least $18,000 from bidders before she got nailed. A buyer thought he'd purchased a portable DVD player for $100, but what he got instead was a Web address for a site where he could buy a player for a $200 discount. The stories are virtually endless.
The risk: You get ripped off, losing time and money. If you spill the beans about the scam, the seller may retaliate by posting negative eBay reports about you using phony names.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: Who in their right mind would sell a $200 bag for $20?
After years of trying to recover from the dot-com hangover, the Internet is booming again. Online retail sales increased by 26 percent in 2005, according to comScore Networks. In September 2004, the number of domain name registrations hit 64.5 million--an all-time high. You know what else is on the rise? Internet crime.
Complaints about online fraud nearly doubled from 2004 to 2005, according to a December 2005 report by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. Research firm Gartner estimates that nearly 10 million Americans were hit by online fraudsters last year--largely due to a wave of phishing e-mails seeking to steal users' identities.
In fact, phishing attacks seem to be the new, hot scam. Scammers send you an e-mail that tries to lure you to a legitimate-looking Web site where you'll be asked to enter personal information. The thing is, it's all fake; and if you fall for it, someone is ready to take your Social Security Number and start opening credit card accounts.
The FBI recently began warning people of scammers posing as tsunami-relief organizations. And late last month, the FBI warned that someone out there was even posing as the FBI itself--sending a fraudulent e-mail with the subject line "FBI Investigation" and trying to lure people into buying products from a separate, fictional scam artist whom the Feds were supposedly on to.
Confusing? Sure. But just ask yourself this: When was the last time the FBI sent a polite e-mail when they wanted someone's cooperation in an investigation?
Thousands of con artists, grifters, fraudsters, and other denizens of the dark are trolling for victims online. Can you recognize online fraud when you see it? Over the next 5 posts I'll provide you all with a quick guide to the Top 5 scams and schemes you're most likely to find on the 'Net. Here's the first one:
1. Auction Fraud
The setup: Online auction fraud accounts for three-quarters of all complaints registered with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (formerly the Internet Fraud Complaint Center). There are many types of eBay chicanery, but the most common one is where you send in your money and get nothing but grief in return.
What actually happens: You never get the product promised, or the promises don't match the product. The descriptions may be vague, incomplete, or completely fake. One scammer accepted bids for Louis Vuitton bags that she didn't own, and then scoured the Internet looking for cheap knockoffs that cost less than the winning bid. She managed to collect at least $18,000 from bidders before she got nailed. A buyer thought he'd purchased a portable DVD player for $100, but what he got instead was a Web address for a site where he could buy a player for a $200 discount. The stories are virtually endless.
The risk: You get ripped off, losing time and money. If you spill the beans about the scam, the seller may retaliate by posting negative eBay reports about you using phony names.
The question you've gotta ask yourself: Who in their right mind would sell a $200 bag for $20?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Secret Affiliate Weapon Review
Is the Secret Affiliate Weapon the Real Deal or Just Another Over-Hyped Internet Business that Never Really Delivers?
Ewen Chia has done it again with his Secret Affiliate Weapon membership site. In this Secret Affiliate Weapon review I will list the pros and cons of this affiliate business opportunity.
Despite all of the hype on the internet there are just a few proven ways to make money online. Affiliate marketing is one of them. If done right affiliate marketing can make you a fortune. Well, Ewen Chia is one of these people making a fortune online as one of the Internet's super affiliates and now he is sharing his secrets with everybody.
Secret Affiliate Weapon is advertised as an easy way to get started in affiliate marketing. Easy enough for a "Newbie" to start making money right away. I really didn't think it explains affiliate marketing simple enough for a person that knows absolutely nothing about the internet to start raking in large amounts of cash. Don't get me wrong, he has put together an easy to follow plan that anyone can follow, but I think he overestimates most people's knowledge of Internet marketing. He shares his own proven marketing system that will generate a ton of cash, just not as quickly as it is promoted.
All in all, Secret Affiliate Weapon is as advertised and even more!
The membership is extremely cheap for the information that you receive. A lifetime membership is an amazing one time cost of only $9.97! I was amazed at the information he supplies. A few are listed below:
If you are looking for a business opportunity then I would highly recommend Secret Affiliate Weapon. In all my years marketing online this is one of the few programs that delivers as promised.
Ewen Chia has done it again with his Secret Affiliate Weapon membership site. In this Secret Affiliate Weapon review I will list the pros and cons of this affiliate business opportunity.
Despite all of the hype on the internet there are just a few proven ways to make money online. Affiliate marketing is one of them. If done right affiliate marketing can make you a fortune. Well, Ewen Chia is one of these people making a fortune online as one of the Internet's super affiliates and now he is sharing his secrets with everybody.Secret Affiliate Weapon is advertised as an easy way to get started in affiliate marketing. Easy enough for a "Newbie" to start making money right away. I really didn't think it explains affiliate marketing simple enough for a person that knows absolutely nothing about the internet to start raking in large amounts of cash. Don't get me wrong, he has put together an easy to follow plan that anyone can follow, but I think he overestimates most people's knowledge of Internet marketing. He shares his own proven marketing system that will generate a ton of cash, just not as quickly as it is promoted.
All in all, Secret Affiliate Weapon is as advertised and even more!
The membership is extremely cheap for the information that you receive. A lifetime membership is an amazing one time cost of only $9.97! I was amazed at the information he supplies. A few are listed below:
- A member's only blog that he packs full of affiliate marketing tips and tricks.
- All of the tools you need to promote any type of affiliate program.
- Several affiliate marketing articles and tutorials, including a video tutorial on how to get started making money quickly.
- He even offers up to 5 ways to earn income by promoting Secret Affiliate Weapon yourself.
If you are looking for a business opportunity then I would highly recommend Secret Affiliate Weapon. In all my years marketing online this is one of the few programs that delivers as promised.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Planning: An Internet Marketing Strategy Many Site Owners Overlook!
Planning just might be the most important Internet Marketing Strategy you will ever use.
Your Internet marketing strategy should include time in reading about all the marketing tools you are planning to implement on your site. Any great strategy is going to involve various types of tools all at the same time for a great overall effect on how your pages are ranking in the search engines and how your customers perceive your business online in the first five seconds they stop at your site. A visitor to your site is just that, a visitor. To increase business you want to turn these clicking visitors into buyers. You have to have a strategy to keep their attention, to talk to them more than once, and for them to visit your site more than one time.
A good strategy is going to first involve planning what you have to offer, and how you are going to offer services or goods. A solid method in delivery is very important in your overall marketing strategy because you will also tell the market about what you have to offer, how they can get it, and how the transaction is completed.
Each page if your own door to the Internet. What many online do not realize is that with improvement to the Internet and with keywords, search engine ranking and such, a visitor could be entering your site on the sales page, on the article page, or on the search page. Each page is unique and should be treated as best as possible for turning visitors to clients.
A great web strategy is going to involve one that you will know, and see the results, of what pages are being requested most often, and what potential customers are doing from that point. Are they then leaving the site, clicking on other pages, making a purchase or what? Use a strategy that will allow you to see where those surfers are heading right after leaving your site. This could be a cookie but cookies expire quickly and that still report to you what you need to know for marketing purposes.
In creating an Internet marketing strategy, you will need to set goals for your site. That you will not spend money on advertising and on pay per click, but that you will use marketing tactics and techniques to get additional traffic and additional rankings so you get visitors that you can then turn into customers. First focus on setting goals which includes finding out about the tactics and tools you have the time, knowledge and ability to use on your site.
As you set goals, you should keep in mind that it would require a little work on your own part to find the best tools and Internet marketing strategies for your own site. Set goals such as working on one marketing technique per week. After a few weeks you will have implemented all the tools and tactics, you can for your web pages and for learning more about your web market.
Set goals in putting the information you receive from your Internet marketing strategies to work for you. Make it a point to review and read all the reports available with the use of your marketing strategies to find out where visitors are going, what they are seeing on your site, and how many people who are coming to your site are purchasing from your site. As you create a strategy for your site, and for your marketing strategies, you will take each step one at a time, and build a very profitable and thriving business online.
Your Internet marketing strategy should include time in reading about all the marketing tools you are planning to implement on your site. Any great strategy is going to involve various types of tools all at the same time for a great overall effect on how your pages are ranking in the search engines and how your customers perceive your business online in the first five seconds they stop at your site. A visitor to your site is just that, a visitor. To increase business you want to turn these clicking visitors into buyers. You have to have a strategy to keep their attention, to talk to them more than once, and for them to visit your site more than one time.
A good strategy is going to first involve planning what you have to offer, and how you are going to offer services or goods. A solid method in delivery is very important in your overall marketing strategy because you will also tell the market about what you have to offer, how they can get it, and how the transaction is completed.
Each page if your own door to the Internet. What many online do not realize is that with improvement to the Internet and with keywords, search engine ranking and such, a visitor could be entering your site on the sales page, on the article page, or on the search page. Each page is unique and should be treated as best as possible for turning visitors to clients.
A great web strategy is going to involve one that you will know, and see the results, of what pages are being requested most often, and what potential customers are doing from that point. Are they then leaving the site, clicking on other pages, making a purchase or what? Use a strategy that will allow you to see where those surfers are heading right after leaving your site. This could be a cookie but cookies expire quickly and that still report to you what you need to know for marketing purposes.
In creating an Internet marketing strategy, you will need to set goals for your site. That you will not spend money on advertising and on pay per click, but that you will use marketing tactics and techniques to get additional traffic and additional rankings so you get visitors that you can then turn into customers. First focus on setting goals which includes finding out about the tactics and tools you have the time, knowledge and ability to use on your site.
As you set goals, you should keep in mind that it would require a little work on your own part to find the best tools and Internet marketing strategies for your own site. Set goals such as working on one marketing technique per week. After a few weeks you will have implemented all the tools and tactics, you can for your web pages and for learning more about your web market.
Set goals in putting the information you receive from your Internet marketing strategies to work for you. Make it a point to review and read all the reports available with the use of your marketing strategies to find out where visitors are going, what they are seeing on your site, and how many people who are coming to your site are purchasing from your site. As you create a strategy for your site, and for your marketing strategies, you will take each step one at a time, and build a very profitable and thriving business online.
Recommended Marketing Gurus
I thought you might want to know a few of the most recommended Marketing Gurus on the Internet!
Ken Envoy - Ken Envoy has become one of the leading marketers online today. He has developed an innovative style and system that has surged him to the top of the Internet Marketing World. He is a Master at utilizing words and content to market web sites. His Site Build It website development software is the finest on the internet. Ken has a solid understanding of what drives the internet and how to successfully market in it.
Corey Rudl - How can you argue with $40,000,000.00? That is Corey's Internet Sales! He has the best selling Internet Marketing Course for 6 years in a row now. He is one of the leading mentors online and has a long list of successful students. Corey has not just raised the bar but set it in several areas in Internet Marketing.
Yanik Silver - The best copy writer on the internet! Yanik has compiled a new style of marketing and is quickly rising to the top of the internet world. He has proven himself by developing products that are highly useful to an Internet Marketer. They are not just fluff! If you are looking for someone to help get you on the way to internet success then Yanik is a great one.
Ken Envoy - Ken Envoy has become one of the leading marketers online today. He has developed an innovative style and system that has surged him to the top of the Internet Marketing World. He is a Master at utilizing words and content to market web sites. His Site Build It website development software is the finest on the internet. Ken has a solid understanding of what drives the internet and how to successfully market in it.
Corey Rudl - How can you argue with $40,000,000.00? That is Corey's Internet Sales! He has the best selling Internet Marketing Course for 6 years in a row now. He is one of the leading mentors online and has a long list of successful students. Corey has not just raised the bar but set it in several areas in Internet Marketing.
Yanik Silver - The best copy writer on the internet! Yanik has compiled a new style of marketing and is quickly rising to the top of the internet world. He has proven himself by developing products that are highly useful to an Internet Marketer. They are not just fluff! If you are looking for someone to help get you on the way to internet success then Yanik is a great one.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Method for Finding Deals on eBay
There are steps you can take to make sure that you are getting a great deal on the items you obtain through eBay. These same steps will also help to shield you against fraud.
Start with the auction in question. Make sure that you read every word of the description and the auction details.
Pay special attention to what the description and auction details do not say. For example, is a guarantee mentioned? Is the item new? Is it authentic? Is there evidence of authenticity? Look for auctions that provide the right information, and just keep away from those that do not.
Who will pay the shipping and handling costs? Often, the buyer pays these costs, but sometimes, the seller tries to charge more than the actual shipping and handling costs are. Be careful of high shipping costs, especially for items that will be auctioned off at a very low price. Note when the item is supposed to ship after the bidding has ended.
Don't make the mistake of bidding on an item merely because it is a 'good deal.' It is only a good deal for you if the item is something that you really want or need. A lot of people simply bid for the sake of bidding - or winning - without having any real need for the item in question. Before bidding on items that you do want or need, it's best to check prices around the Internet and the prices available from offline sources as well.
Learn more about the seller. What is their rating? Read their feedback page. Not learning more about the seller can be very costly. Sometimes scammers make their auctions sound like really great deals. Be cautious of prices that seem to be extremely low.
Start with the auction in question. Make sure that you read every word of the description and the auction details.
Pay special attention to what the description and auction details do not say. For example, is a guarantee mentioned? Is the item new? Is it authentic? Is there evidence of authenticity? Look for auctions that provide the right information, and just keep away from those that do not.
Who will pay the shipping and handling costs? Often, the buyer pays these costs, but sometimes, the seller tries to charge more than the actual shipping and handling costs are. Be careful of high shipping costs, especially for items that will be auctioned off at a very low price. Note when the item is supposed to ship after the bidding has ended.
Don't make the mistake of bidding on an item merely because it is a 'good deal.' It is only a good deal for you if the item is something that you really want or need. A lot of people simply bid for the sake of bidding - or winning - without having any real need for the item in question. Before bidding on items that you do want or need, it's best to check prices around the Internet and the prices available from offline sources as well.
Learn more about the seller. What is their rating? Read their feedback page. Not learning more about the seller can be very costly. Sometimes scammers make their auctions sound like really great deals. Be cautious of prices that seem to be extremely low.
Sunday, November 07, 2010
Six Figure AdSense Publisher Shares How He Did It
Earlier in the week I was visiting a discussion forum (I don't remember which one) and came across a product that I wish I'd stumbled across in my first months of blogging (and not now 3 years later). It's called AdSense Videos and it's produced and presented by a British AdSense publisher by the name of Michael Cheney.
Michael earns over $19,000 USD per month using AdSense (that's more than $600 a day) and has obviously spent a lot of time researching how to get the most out of the ad network.
In this product he's produced a series of 9 videos that take you from the basics through to more advanced tips.
I like Michael's videos not only because he knows what he's talking about but because he presents in a non hyped up way. He also has a great balance between showing the potential that someone using AdSense can earn with it but also making it clear that it's not 'easy' money (ie. it takes hard work). He's obviously put some hard work into it himself (as he has these videos) and over time he's managed to build his earnings up from just a little a day (the way we all start) into well over six figures per year.
While I've managed to build my own AdSense earnings up to levels that I never would have imagined I can't begin to imagine how much quicker I'd have gotten there if someone had put these videos in front of me three years ago.
So Who is it for?
I'm not going to recommend this for all AdSense publishers. If you've been in the game for a while you probably won't learn heaps from these videos. While I always enjoy hearing different publishers talk about AdSense (especially those who make good money) I didn't learn a lot that was new. However if you're at the start of your AdSense journey you might want to seriously consider the investment. It will also be good for intermediate AdSense users wanting a brush up or wanting to see how others do it.
The beauty of a resource like this is you get to see and hear someone explain their approach all in one place. Those critiquing resources like this will always say that you can get most of it for free online in forums and blogs - this is true - but here you get it all in one spot.
So if you're newer to the AdSense game or you've been at it for a while and want to hear and see someone who's using AdSense successfully head over to AdSense Videos and get yourself hooked up either with the full product or his free taste and see 5 day video course (which will give you a taste to help you see if it's the product for you.)
Michael earns over $19,000 USD per month using AdSense (that's more than $600 a day) and has obviously spent a lot of time researching how to get the most out of the ad network.
In this product he's produced a series of 9 videos that take you from the basics through to more advanced tips.
I like Michael's videos not only because he knows what he's talking about but because he presents in a non hyped up way. He also has a great balance between showing the potential that someone using AdSense can earn with it but also making it clear that it's not 'easy' money (ie. it takes hard work). He's obviously put some hard work into it himself (as he has these videos) and over time he's managed to build his earnings up from just a little a day (the way we all start) into well over six figures per year.
While I've managed to build my own AdSense earnings up to levels that I never would have imagined I can't begin to imagine how much quicker I'd have gotten there if someone had put these videos in front of me three years ago.
So Who is it for?
I'm not going to recommend this for all AdSense publishers. If you've been in the game for a while you probably won't learn heaps from these videos. While I always enjoy hearing different publishers talk about AdSense (especially those who make good money) I didn't learn a lot that was new. However if you're at the start of your AdSense journey you might want to seriously consider the investment. It will also be good for intermediate AdSense users wanting a brush up or wanting to see how others do it.
The beauty of a resource like this is you get to see and hear someone explain their approach all in one place. Those critiquing resources like this will always say that you can get most of it for free online in forums and blogs - this is true - but here you get it all in one spot.
So if you're newer to the AdSense game or you've been at it for a while and want to hear and see someone who's using AdSense successfully head over to AdSense Videos and get yourself hooked up either with the full product or his free taste and see 5 day video course (which will give you a taste to help you see if it's the product for you.)
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Blogging to the Bank Review
Blogging to the Bank, was created by Rob Benwell who shares that 'ahah' moment with us. Like many Internet marketers he had been struggling to see some success when he struck that moment when something worked for him, and worked well.
Rob has discovered a way to use blogging to help him generate over $500 a day.If you have not yet gotten into blogging to promote your main website, or websites, this ebook can be invaluable. For a guy who didn't finish school, Rob has a knack for teaching.
This is a short ebook. Only 39 pages, but it is filled with good easy to follow information. There are lots of screenshots and he walks you through the process of setting up your blog and getting the settings right. Blogging to the Bank also includes information on optimizing your blog.
What blogging techniques will you discover?
Anyone marketing on the Internet for a while knows that blogging can be a way to bring traffic to a main website and increase search engine rankings. And they can be an extra source of income, or even your main source. With these blogging methods you can accomplish both. This concept is not exactly new, but he has taken it to a whole new level.
$500 a day may not be a lot to some people, but consider, he has not been using this blog system for a long time. I'm sure that figure will skyrocket in the next few months for him, and a lot of others who put his Blogging to the Bank methods into practice.
Two of the strategies in Blogging to the Bank are, I admit, a little scary. In all fairness, Rob does warn you to think about whether to use them or not.
I had a little trouble warming to his method once I read these strategies in the book. So I re-read it and still think most of his blog strategies can be used even by us timid folk. And the scary ones can be toned down to meet our particular threshold for risk.
The price of the book is reasonable. It comes with three bonuses including a large list of high paying keywords. It has a 60 day guarantee. For the income producing information you'll discover it is a good value.
In his Blogging to the Bank strategy Rob recommends using Blogger which is free, and tells you which two templates have worked best for him.
Discover more about it or claim your copy of Blogging to the Bank.
Rob has discovered a way to use blogging to help him generate over $500 a day.If you have not yet gotten into blogging to promote your main website, or websites, this ebook can be invaluable. For a guy who didn't finish school, Rob has a knack for teaching.
This is a short ebook. Only 39 pages, but it is filled with good easy to follow information. There are lots of screenshots and he walks you through the process of setting up your blog and getting the settings right. Blogging to the Bank also includes information on optimizing your blog.
What blogging techniques will you discover?
- What to name your blog
- How to optimize your blog
- How to get the settings right in your blog
- What templates work best for blogging
- What space on your blog is the best money producing spot
- How to select affiliate products that will make your blogging profitable
- Where to place adsense on your blog
- How to get traffic to your blog quickly
- How to get lots of backlinks through blogging
- Special unique advanced blogging techniques to get massive traffic and links and increase income potential many times over
Anyone marketing on the Internet for a while knows that blogging can be a way to bring traffic to a main website and increase search engine rankings. And they can be an extra source of income, or even your main source. With these blogging methods you can accomplish both. This concept is not exactly new, but he has taken it to a whole new level.
$500 a day may not be a lot to some people, but consider, he has not been using this blog system for a long time. I'm sure that figure will skyrocket in the next few months for him, and a lot of others who put his Blogging to the Bank methods into practice.
Two of the strategies in Blogging to the Bank are, I admit, a little scary. In all fairness, Rob does warn you to think about whether to use them or not.
I had a little trouble warming to his method once I read these strategies in the book. So I re-read it and still think most of his blog strategies can be used even by us timid folk. And the scary ones can be toned down to meet our particular threshold for risk.
The price of the book is reasonable. It comes with three bonuses including a large list of high paying keywords. It has a 60 day guarantee. For the income producing information you'll discover it is a good value.
In his Blogging to the Bank strategy Rob recommends using Blogger which is free, and tells you which two templates have worked best for him.
Discover more about it or claim your copy of Blogging to the Bank.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
The Latest Email Scam Is Nothing New
This post is an answer to one of my reader's question. Keep the questions and comments coming...I'm always interested in what you really want to be reading here.
Q: I recently received an email that supposedly came from eBay that said someone had attempted to log into my eBay business account without authorization (whatever that means). The email instructed me to click a link to re-enter and confirm my account information to make sure that my account had not been hacked. Being naturally paranoid I contacted eBay directly and found that my account had not been hacked and that this email was actually from someone trying to steal my eBay account information. Is there nothing that can be done about this kind of thing? -- Wesley C.
A: The only thing you can do, Wesley, is be thankful that your paranoia kicked in because you were about to fall victim to just one of the latest attempts by thieves to steal your personal and credit card information.
As you discovered, the email you received was not from eBay, but from someone using a forged email address that gave the impression that the email was really from eBay. If you had clicked the link to "re-enter and confirm" your personal and credit card information, you would have been taken to a website that probably looked a lot like eBay, but was really a fake site created for the sole purpose of stealing your information. You would have been instructed to enter your eBay account information and other personal information, including your social security number, checking and savings account information, driver's license number, and credit card number. In the end you would have supplied the thieves with everything they need to steal your identity.
The eBay scam is just the latest in a long line of sophisticated attempts to steal personal information through online means. Customers of PayPal, Amazon, Dell Computer, eTrade, Bank One, and many other online merchants have been the target of such scams in recent years.
The shear number of eBay customers is the main reason that eBay has become the most popular target of scam artists trying to steal personal information from individuals and businesses alike.
As we talked about in an earlier post, thanks to the Internet, stealing someone's identity has never been easier. At any given moment, there are thousands of Internet thieves using all manner of high tech wizardry in an attempt to steal personal and business information from unsuspecting souls, and many times they can gain access to this information simply by asking the person to provide it through fraudulent means, like a fake email.
While most people are familiar with identity theft, most business men and women never think about it happening to them, at least on a professional level. Consider this: if a criminal can learn your business checking account number or the number of your company credit card, they can steal far more from your business than if they had simply knocked down the door and carted off your desk.
Here are a few ways to protect you from business and personal identity theft:
For more information on what to do if identity theft happens to you visit http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm.
You should also remember that no reputable online company will ever ask you to log in and completely re-enter your account information. Think about it. They already have this information. Why would they ask you to provide it again? The answer is: they wouldn't.
Be careful out there.
Here's to your success.
Q: I recently received an email that supposedly came from eBay that said someone had attempted to log into my eBay business account without authorization (whatever that means). The email instructed me to click a link to re-enter and confirm my account information to make sure that my account had not been hacked. Being naturally paranoid I contacted eBay directly and found that my account had not been hacked and that this email was actually from someone trying to steal my eBay account information. Is there nothing that can be done about this kind of thing? -- Wesley C.
A: The only thing you can do, Wesley, is be thankful that your paranoia kicked in because you were about to fall victim to just one of the latest attempts by thieves to steal your personal and credit card information.
As you discovered, the email you received was not from eBay, but from someone using a forged email address that gave the impression that the email was really from eBay. If you had clicked the link to "re-enter and confirm" your personal and credit card information, you would have been taken to a website that probably looked a lot like eBay, but was really a fake site created for the sole purpose of stealing your information. You would have been instructed to enter your eBay account information and other personal information, including your social security number, checking and savings account information, driver's license number, and credit card number. In the end you would have supplied the thieves with everything they need to steal your identity.
The eBay scam is just the latest in a long line of sophisticated attempts to steal personal information through online means. Customers of PayPal, Amazon, Dell Computer, eTrade, Bank One, and many other online merchants have been the target of such scams in recent years.
The shear number of eBay customers is the main reason that eBay has become the most popular target of scam artists trying to steal personal information from individuals and businesses alike.
As we talked about in an earlier post, thanks to the Internet, stealing someone's identity has never been easier. At any given moment, there are thousands of Internet thieves using all manner of high tech wizardry in an attempt to steal personal and business information from unsuspecting souls, and many times they can gain access to this information simply by asking the person to provide it through fraudulent means, like a fake email.
While most people are familiar with identity theft, most business men and women never think about it happening to them, at least on a professional level. Consider this: if a criminal can learn your business checking account number or the number of your company credit card, they can steal far more from your business than if they had simply knocked down the door and carted off your desk.
Here are a few ways to protect you from business and personal identity theft:
- Never give out your first name, last name, business name, email address, account passwords, credit card numbers, bank account information, PIN number, social security number, or driver's license number.
- Change your online account passwords every 30 days. Believe it or not, a hacker who steals your personal information can often guess your online account passwords in about two minutes. If your Charles Schwab online account password is your birthday or the name of your first born or family pet, count on a hacker cracking that code faster than you can say "Open Sesame."
- Never provide personal information in response to an email or telephone call. Just because someone calls and says they are from Dunn & Bradstreet and need to confirm your business information does not mean they are really from Dunn & Bradstreet.
- Never give your business credit card number over the phone to place an order with someone who has called you unsolicited. If you are interested in what they are selling get their number, check out their company, then call them back to place the order.
For more information on what to do if identity theft happens to you visit http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs17a.htm.
You should also remember that no reputable online company will ever ask you to log in and completely re-enter your account information. Think about it. They already have this information. Why would they ask you to provide it again? The answer is: they wouldn't.
Be careful out there.
Here's to your success.
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