Here are some ways and a few tips that may help people avoid scams online – especially money making scams.
First, and foremost, people should do some research before purchasing anything online. Obviously, the scammers know that this is likely, so if you are conducting research, and the research shows that there are many reviews, or that they are all suspiciously positive without giving out much info other than their unjustified “thumbs up,” this situation should be a “Red Flag” to you.
Here are some other, easily seen…
Red Flags:
- Fake BBB Badge – No pop-up that verifies the site.
- Fake VeriSign Seal – No pop-up that verifies the site.
- Amazing claims of actually “being a millionaire” from using the product.
- Diminishing Opportunity – Time Urgency.
- Testimonials listed on the web-site, but not abundantly found in your research.
- Seemingly overuse of major company logos, celebrity, or political name dropping, “as seen on TV” claims or other media.
- Overuse of Money Back Guarantee Seals, Reassurances or Claims.
- Grammatical and/or Spelling Errors.
- Domain forwarding or finding other names for the same product.
- Deceptive claims – deemed deceptive by someone else you may know and trust.
Something Doesn’t Add Up:
Now, I’m not saying that a site or product shouldn’t be believed because it has some grammatical mistakes, or that there is a seemingly overuse of the Money Back Guarantee. What I am saying is that if it’s overly used, or things just “don’t seem right,” or it’s “too good to be true,” you may be right! So, it’s definitely worth it to take a closer look, do more research, or just take a step back and wait a bit before you purchase something from unscrupulous sellers who deceive people for a living.
Another thing I do when researching a site for more info is to look up the “WhoIs” info. This site will tell you who owns that specific domain (unless, of course, they have purchased the privacy feature), and where it was registered. The information you find there may also shed some light on the site’s claims. For instance, one of my reviews I wrote was about a product called “Home Cash Code.”
Foreign Country Registration?
When I looked up the WhoIs info on that specific domain, I found the domain was registered in Panama. And, when I looked up the forwarding domain, that domain was also registered in Panama.
Now, why do you suppose a perceived American woman writing about her being a millionaire and working at home has her domains registered in Panama? Right, Red Flag!
Fake Verification Seals & Emblems:
As for the Fake BBB and Fake VeriSign logos (newly changed to Norton Secure), it’s unfortunate that many people don’t even know that those logos and emblems are supposed to open into a pop-up box to tell the reader the link and site has been verified. Did you know that? Here’s How to Verify a VeriSign Seal.
If you have been defrauded or scammed, and you wish to file a complaint, you may do so here:
Work At Home Scams:
http://www.onguardonline.gov/articles/0002a-work-home-scams
Job Scams:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0243-job-scams
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center:
https://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx
Here are more links to the respective sites:
Fake BBB badge report:
https://www.bbb.org/us/contact-us/trademark/
Truste:
https://feedback-form.truste.com/watchdog/request
Verisign:
https://www.symantec.com/contact/authentication/seal-abuse.jsp
McAfee:
https://www.mcafeesecure.com/
If you have any products you’re interested in, and would like more information, feel free to submit them to me. I am always looking for a good research project to share with my readers. You may reach me on my profile at Wealthy Affiliate, or you may always leave a comment below.
Thank you for your visit, and I look forward to hearing from you!
To Your Wealth!
