| They're out there. Millions and millions of them. | | | | battle is won. |
| They surround you in an orchestrated dance, | | | | Okay, so the other half of the battle is upon us. |
| salivating at the prospect of a juicy meal, a | | | | We're focused now, like Rome's Maximus ready |
| hapless soul wandering in their midst. No warning, | | | | to throw-down against the Germanic barbarians. |
| no sympathy, no chance. They fix their gaze on | | | | In this case, the barbarians are the still salivating, |
| you like a hypnotist; you are soon under their | | | | scamming marketers looking to make a final play |
| spell. Now the only question is, which one of them | | | | for your wallet. The best way to defeat them is |
| will have their way with you? Just like a lost hiker | | | | to have a plan and be decisive with that plan. |
| who happens upon a lion's den, all you did was | | | | Know exactly what you are looking for. If you |
| innocently Google "make money online." | | | | think "make money online" means hooking up with |
| Searching for money-making opportunities | | | | a brick-and-mortar that pays you to work at |
| shouldn't feel like being lost in a jungle filled with | | | | home, then find that particular type of work. Just |
| wild, starving animals ready to rip you apart. | | | | make sure that it is a real company with a real |
| However, everyday well-meaning individuals allow | | | | address and a real phone number; and it doesn't |
| themselves to fall into the trap of believing they | | | | require you to pay anything up front. If you are |
| will make $2,500 a day in their underwear while | | | | unsure, then call the company. If the person on |
| watching Jerry Springer. While this is possible, it | | | | the other end sounds unprofessional or annoyed |
| certainly isn't going to happen with little effort as | | | | that you called, then that should raise a red flag |
| most of these online scams would have you | | | | that, at best, you may be dealing with a mediocre |
| believe. The key to choosing a real online business | | | | operation. A professional organization will have |
| opportunity is first recognizing the scams that are | | | | people who will welcome your call and answer any |
| just screaming at you. | | | | questions you may have. |
| "Make $300+ Daily Processing Rebates!" This | | | | Usually making money online involves managing |
| particular advertisement is probably one of the | | | | several websites, having an online store of some |
| most insidious "business offers" going around the | | | | kind or affiliate marketing. All of these require |
| web today. This simply implies that you will work | | | | long-term skills and techniques that may take |
| for a company that will pay you hundreds of | | | | some time to learn but are necessary if you're |
| dollars to process rebates. Cool! You'll take that, | | | | going to succeed in this unapologetic environment. |
| right? After paying $200 for this work-at-home | | | | You should be looking for a comprehensive |
| gem, you quickly realize that it's not what you | | | | program, offering a money-back guarantee, that's |
| expected. First, you're told to promote a product, | | | | going to teach fundamental skills and provide |
| such as an ebook, that costs $30 with a 50% | | | | specialized knowledge that will serve you for a |
| commission. You'll offer a rebate on the book for | | | | lifetime. There are legitimate ways to make |
| $5. So, when the book is sold, you'll earn $15. You | | | | money online, but without the specialized |
| pay the customer the $5 rebate and you take | | | | knowledge of running an affiliate program, |
| home $10. To promote this product, you have to | | | | choosing and exploiting niche markets, SEO |
| open advertising accounts with Google or Yahoo; | | | | tactics, pay-per-click techniques or various |
| and if you do not have specialized knowledge on | | | | methods of generating traffic to a website, you |
| how to maneuver within this space, you will lose | | | | will be doomed for failure. Make sure the |
| hundreds to thousands of dollars trying to | | | | opportunity you choose doesn't just surface |
| promote this product that generates only a $10 | | | | these topics while avoiding the depth analysis and |
| return. | | | | real-world illustrations that most people require to |
| As the old adage goes, if anything sounds too | | | | learn. |
| good to be true, then it probably is; but we allow | | | | While recognizing scams is half the battle to this |
| ourselves to believe maybe this is the one. And | | | | internet business game, the other half is knowing |
| why do we believe that we will be paid $100s of | | | | what to look for in a quality program. Realize that |
| dollars an hour to take surveys when this makes | | | | you're going up against seasoned veterans and |
| no logical sense? Or better yet, why would | | | | multi-billion dollar corporations. You wouldn't apply |
| anyone pay us to shop? The marketers of these | | | | for an Accountant's position without having |
| programs aren't stupid. In fact many of them are | | | | learned Accounting in college or in a vocational |
| very intelligent and understand the human psyche | | | | program, would you? The same holds true for |
| as well as any gray-haired Harvard professor. | | | | working an online business. Don't take it lightly |
| They prey on your vulnerabilities and emotions | | | | because it's online, "cool" and carefree. It's |
| with the promise of quick cash for doing | | | | business. And like any other business of making |
| practically nothing. Intuitively we know these are | | | | money, the stakes are high and you need |
| scams, but the human mind is imaginative and | | | | specialized knowledge to succeed. The internet |
| believes what it wants depending on the moment. | | | | business game plays on a huge field; big enough |
| If people searching for online opportunities | | | | for you to get swallowed up or big enough for |
| recognize this truism of themselves and take the | | | | you to get your slice of the pie. |
| time to research common scams, then half the | | | | |