Scam on you!

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Are you looking to earn money online? Maybe you're already skeptical, and want to check out a company or a new product. You'll find a great list of resources here to help you do your research.

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I know from experience that earning money online is possible - I've done it right here with Squidoo. What I haven't found out yet is whether or not I can make a living online. This is a question that anyone who's considering making their primary income from internet endeavors should be prepared to face.

You've probably seen the different ways to make money online: affiliate marketing, paid surveys, endless opportunities for you to get rich. So many programs that promise you can make money on autopilot. If these were true, wouldn't everyone already be rich?

While it's possible to earn money online, it's still true that getting rich quickly with minimal effort is a myth. People who want to make money off of you will try to make you believe they've found the secret code or system. Don't fall for it!

Many opportunities seem almost too good to be true, but a deep-seated desire to believe in possibilities, coupled with a convincing sales pitch, can lead to a decision that may bring only regret and headaches in the future, not to mention the heartache of being let down after so much personal time and money has been invested. So, if you've been searching for "how to make money online," remember to proceed with caution and do your research before investing your time and money.


Read on to find out what everyone should know about internet scams and how to avoid them. Plus, ways to report scams to the authorities. By reporting scams we can make a difference. Scammers need to be stopped!

New links will be added as I find them, so be sure to check back now and then ...
UPDATE: Links were added one by one, and have all been listed together in the module titled "All Together Now!"

A Few Current Examples of Work-from-Home Scams

Job scams evolve with struggling economy
(KFSN) -- A new form to an old scam has hit the Central Valley. Residents are now being offered to work from home, but it could cost them thousands. A Fresno woman contacted Action News with a warning. She said she was offered hundreds of dollars to ...
Top Job Scams of 2011
The Better Business Bureau is seeing a lot of secret shopper schemes, work-from-home scams and other phony job offers, but the worst job-related scams can dash your hopes and steal your identity. These online forms are nothing more than a way to ...
On Your Side/Call 4 Action Are work at home jobs for real?
... who would not want to work from home? Although there are some offers that may be legitimate, you really need to watch out. There are a lot of these schemes out there that are either down right scams or not quite as lucrative as they seem.

learn how to avoid scams with these great books

All over the internet people are searching for how to make extra money; maybe you're looking for new ideas to make money; after you've searched long and hard and found that there is really no easy way to make money; you might still ask someone who knows everything about how to make money quick; what is the absolute best way to make money for a person who needs it desperately? I want to make money as well so we are all in the same boat; is it really possible to make money squidoo and can i do it in my spare time?; I'd really like to learn consistently and without personal expenditure in other words for free just exactly how to earn money and not risk my personal information or go into debt which i really can't afford right now or ever.
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“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke”



Scam artists have probably existed since the beginning of time, but has the emergence of internet spread what seems to be a virus that strips people of integrity? Has the temptation to make fantastic sums of money - at the expense of others- propelled previously honest people to embark on less-than-admirable endeavors? Horrifying!
AIM Global scam, ACN scam, Webstarts scam,is Scholarship points a scam? Cho-Wa scam
Certainly, many more people than ever before are looking for ways to supplement their income (or lack thereof), through internet opportunities. Unfortunately, it seems, one is more likely than not to encounter internet scams.
AIM Global scam, Webstarts scam, stars makeup haven scam, Cho-Wa scam, free credit report scam, scam on you!
This is exactly why we need to participate in protecting ourselves by being aware of the facts. The opportunities to get scammed are endless, so what do we do? Be aware. Knowledge is power. Just being aware and skeptical of any offer could save you a lot of headaches. There are plenty of resources available for our protection, so the possibility to make money online is still viable. We just need to proceed with caution. Beware of anything that sounds too good to be true - it usually is.
AIM Global scam, Webstarts scam, Cho-Wa scam, free credit report scam
The aim of this lens is to create an overview of some very basic ways to avoid getting scammed. That's the first step - the idealist in me would ultimately like to see the eventual eradication of all internet (and other) scams, but let's be realistic. One person can only do so much. Together, we can do a lot more. Remember the slogan "If you see something, say something." Don't let known scams go unreported.

Let's put an end to these demoralizing practices now!

back to integrity

"Hoping to live the American dream, being in position to enjoy the same social, economic and cultural rewards of those who already "have" what I "want" - does not mean that I am not required to earn it. Whispering "sweet nothings" in the ears of voters, pandering to their self-centeredness and short-sightedness, does not mean that they are suddenly qualified to receive a highly-leveraged loan for home ownership. Wealth, fame and power - at least for most people - mere middle class mortals - come before work only in the dictionary.

The time is now to pay attention to what is happening and make sure each person, through his or her actions, blows the whistle when fraudulent behaviors threaten to undo what has been, and could be again, an effective and powerful economic and political system. If a deal sounds too good to be true, then very likely, it is!

Lesson: Just say NO to false prophets selling "house-of-cards" loans and sophisticated "hustlers" with articulate and flawed schemes to steal money."

read the full article
...
Center for Integrity in Leadership
High-Speed, Accurate and Effective Management and Leadership Consulting

you can make a difference!

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Gooooooooooooogle?

One of the most common categories I've seen lately is for "Google Cash" or "Google AdMoney" where people claim that Google will pay you for posting links. The ones I read were really convincing, and it seemed to make sense that Google would pay for this kind of work. After reading the first one, I mentally cataloged it as something to undertake in the near future. Having read the same claims from others again and again, I really was nearly convinced that this was legitimate. Luckily, it occured to me to visit Google's homepage and search for the opportunity. At the bottom of their site you'll find a link for "About Google." It took quite some time before I found the disappointing truth, so how I got there is a bit foggy, but it was posted on the Google Blogs. That's right - sounded legitimate but wasn't! I was fortunate to discover this before it was too late, but I really feel for those who've gotten sucked in. The following links should be helpful for anyone who's been "scroogled," or anyone wanting to research a possible Google scam.

Jus about everywhere you'll see things like work at home on internet, but need to ask yourself are paid online surveys scams, in addition to discovering numerous facts about how to make money online, protect yourself from the countless scams and frauds that abound in cyberspace, the various avenues for reporting email fraud, and how to make a living online

been scroogled?

If you're wondering whether a money-making program using the Google name is a scam, it's easy to check - just ask the Google Webmaster! If you've already been scammed (sorry!) you can report this to the webmaster ... here are the links:

Google links

Ask the Webmaster
post questions to the Google webmaster here
Report fraud directly to Google
If you've been scammed, do something about it - report it to the Webmaster!

Make money with Google

it is possible to earn money with Google!



Learn how to make money online with Google! All you need to earn money with Google, is a free Blogger account, combined with a free AdSense account. It does take time to build up a steady stream of traffic, though. The best way to make money blogging, is to write about something you feel passionate about. In other words, forget about making money - write what you love and the money will follow!



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Are paid online surveys scams?

have you tried surveys?

You've heard it all before: "Earn $1000 a day with paid surveys!" Honestly, does this sound a bit overoptimistic? Sales pitches often use clever phrases (usually in small print, hoping people won't notice) such as "results not typical." That phrase "results not typical" kind of says it all: these fantastic results may happen, but usually only once in a blue moon. Use common sense and good judgement, and you won't be disappointed later. Use the following links to get reports from others who've tried to make money online. Just keep in mind that you don't know these people, either; so take everything with a grain of salt. Good luck!

IM Report card
100's of reports/reviews on Internet Marketing products - check for scams
ivetriedthat.com
"I've Tried That - We lose money so you don't have to!"



image courtesy of Darklady74 on Photobucket

How can we stop them?

(no violence, please!)

a bit of humor to lighten the mood

Use common sense and good judgement!15 points

Research the site/company you're planning to sign up with!

13 points

Tell their mother!

7 points

Educating their potential customers

4 points

Read All About It!

The more searching I do, the more evidence I come across of people who have fallen prey to scammers. The specific scams currently being run are far too numerous to list here, and one could imagine that new scams emerge on a regular basis. Luckily, I happened across two well-organized sites where one can search, browse, or file a complaint for others to read.

Both of these links are written "by the people, for the people."

browse thousands of reports from others on specific scams

...

Ripoff Report
File a report, search by company/individual/or report #, or just browse. Includes alphabetical listing of categories/companies they call "Top Rip-off Links." 465,648 reports filed so far!
Complaints Board
At time of writing - 7,295 PAGES of complaints! Search by Company or Product name, browse by category, or submit a complaint for others to read.

DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT !!!

If you've fallen victim to a scam, or are aware of one - report it to the authorities!
FTC complaints
submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission

research before you regret!

Better Business Bureau
the one we know and trust ...
who is.net
search any ".com" address or domain - very useful

watch out for bogus company names like "You wish you knew," addresses like Anytown, USA and the like (at least these are obviously scams)

sound advice

These videos will give you helpful tips from the bbb and others. If you've been wondering about Lockerz.com have a look. To answer correctly in the quiz that follows, you'll need to watch the one tagged "The Truth About Affiliate Marketing Scams and Internet Marketing Make Money Online Schemes" (unless you happen to guess the right answer!).

Is Work at Home Scam or Real Deal?
by ComplaintsBoard | video info

13 ratings | 10,723 views
curated content from YouTube

Quick Question

Yahoo! Answers search results

is * a work online scam?

All anyone has to do to get an idea of how many scams are running rampant all over the internet, is to go to a site like Y!A and post a question. A typical question that comes up ALL THE TIME is "Are there any legitimate work at home opportunities that aren't scams?" Over and over people are asking this, and it's almost comical how many of the "opportunities" offered are obviously scams. The scammers will never stop trying to fool people (unless they're caught), so our best defense is to stop being so trusting. A clever salesperson can sell just about anything to anyone. So the next time you're looking to earn money online, ask yourself or ask someone else - "Does it look like a scam?"

Loading Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
Important!

To reiterate ... "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." This is the most basic rule of thumb! Be skeptical and do as much research as possible.

BBB Scam Alerts

this is an RSS feed from the BBB

If there are any new scams the BBB wish to warn people about, they will show up here.

Loading Fetching RSS feed... please stand by

from the BBB ...

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All together now!

CHECK FOR SCAMS
...
Better Business Bureau
the one we know and trust ...
who is.net
who are these people?
Ask the Google Webmaster
post questions to the Google webmaster here
IM Report card
100's of reports/reviews on Internet Marketing products - check for scams
ivetriedthat.com
"I've Tried That - We lose money so you don't have to!"
Oodle Safety & Fraud Center
oodles of info from a BBB member!
REPORT SCAMS
...
FTC complaints
submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Report Scams and Fraud with Oodle.com
good for checking and/or reporting scams
Consumer Fraud Reporting
another good link to government sources

make sure to share this information with your friends - let's put an end to scams now!

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Has any one heard any buzz about squidoo money; i desperately passionately want to make money. Data Network Affiliates must be a , DNA scam, Google Money , Adsense , Cash, Google Money Tree scam, Acai Berry , Lucid Deals , luciddeals.com, home-based internet business, is it really entirely possible what about probable to make money online, craigslist Yahoo! mail , and stars makeup haven scam. This whole identity theft thing is really scary. Work from home scams are all over the place and everywhere, start your own business could be a good idea, never tried the quantum jumping scam, Is Itellyouthat.com safe, adult face book verification, is cellphonetreasure.com a scam?.Paraslim Force and Facebook gold scam Goodlife Market Research complaints appscomp.com x3player Stars makeup haven scam ps3 ligthfix.com John Robert Powers Free Cruise and Easy Corporate Money scam complaints about multiple instaces of purported buxmillionaire beezid online surveys scam, ACN, Lockerz.com. Cash Crate comes up quite often but might not be so bad after all. It's really despicable that some would stoop to perpetrating job offer scams! easywork-greatpay.com sure looks like a scam. What about is listia.com a scam? legitimate?, is Creativejobscentral.com? Pixdrop.com complaints, ps3lightfix.com scam on you! Instant Online Paycheck created by Travis Stephenson and Kris McCarty; gets mentioned extremely often on the work at home forums.

Blessed!

this lens was blessed on January 1, 2011

What a thrill to get my third SquidAngel blessing, this time on the first lens I ever created! The blessing came on 1.1.11. Feels like 2011 will be a very good year. Thanks so much, hotbrain (who happens to have 111 fans!!!)!

Baby Angel VII







Blessed again! March 19, 2011
My 11th SquidAngel blessing - awesome!
Thanks, hayleylou!

In Truth There Is Love





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