When you find some make money from home program that sounds too good to be true, you can find product reviews, reports of possible shady practices, and forum postings by satisfied or disgruntled customers. Here’s how you can do an Advanced Search on Google to get reliable, third party information on any possible online scam or bogus work at home program.
“If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.”
You’ve probably heard it so many times it seems cliché. You’ve seen all the magazine ads, sales letters and web pages about easy ways to earn lots of money
in your spare time. Some even suggest you can become enormously wealthy.
I’m not going to name names here. I’m sure you’ve seen how these operators try to grab your attention. Using such come-ons like “Make $150 a day typing at home.”
“Earn extra money filling company surveys.” “Make money with Google.” “Make money while you sleep.” “Earn money online with no product and no web site.”
And it’s not just income opportunities. Weight loss is another market bombarded by hype. There are supplements, appetite suppressants, and information products, all promising to be THE solution to your stubborn fat or uncontrollable appetite.
The travel and tourism industry is also full programs promising to save you thousands of dollars on all the vacations you’ll be taking for the rest of your life. Most of them ask for a large, up-front membership fee. Are they worth it?
There is a way you can prevent yourself from being swindled. Rest assured there are good products, programs, systems and courses being promoted online.
Whether it’s earning money, losing weight, going on vacations, saving money on prescriptions, credit repair… the all too familiar questions remain “This all sounds too good to be true. “Will I end up feeling like a fool or will I pass on a good deal?”
Don’t reach for your credit card yet. There is something you need to do first.
If there is any kind of scam, or the company hasn’t lived up to its promises, chances are there will be reports published by consumer groups and forum postings by disgruntled customers. The Internet has made it a lot easier for ordinary individuals to “blow the whistle” on these modern day snake oil merchants.
How do you find all these reviews, reports and forum postings by disgruntled customers? Just like you would find any other kind of information on the web.
“See what you can Google up on this…” has become a popular expression nowadays.
Open another browser window. Get the name of the product, company, author, etc. Log onto Google and enter the name of the company and/or program or product. Use the names of the people involved. Enter these in the text blank.
You might have to do an advanced search if your initial query did not return
any reports of fraudulent practices. Here’s how to do an effective Google Advanced Search for product reviews and cautionary reports on possible fraud. Click on the Advanced Search link on the Google home page to the right of the query blank. Notice these three form blanks. Find web pages that have…
Blank 1. all these words:
Blank 2. this exact wording or phrase:
Blank 3. one or more of these words:
There are other form fields on the advanced search page but they are relatively unimportant. The Three above are the essentials.
Blank 1: words describing the product, like home, typing, surveys, forms, etc.
Blank 2: the name of the site or company or program.
Blank 3: any three of the following: scam, fraud, complaint, review, report.
I would always include the word ’scam’ since this alerts you to the possibility of dealing with a swindler or accepting a fraudulent offer.
Alternatively you could place the company name (if just one word) and the web site URL in Blank 1, plus perhaps a few important keywords and/or the name of the ‘guru’ touting the program. Omit the http:, the www. and even the .com of the URL.
On Blank 2 you would type a phrase taken directly from the web page
in question relating to the product or program promoted, for example
“Typing at home” or “Filling out surveys”.
Once again, always include ’scam’ in Blank 3.
Once the search listings are displayed, look for the descriptions that either sing praise of the product or warn you that it is a scam. Right click on the link in the listing and select “Open in a new tab”. Open three tabs and examine each page to start forming your basis for whether what you’re considering getting is worth whatever the asking price.
I’m sure if the site in question is a shady operator, you’ll find a listing for a forum post in www.scam.com.
After reading at least five different reports, articles and forum postings, you’ll be able to make a more intelligent and informed decision about whether or not to become involved in whatever they’re trying to sell you. It is always best to read what amounts to ‘third party testimonials’ or independent evaluations of the offer.
Especially when someone else expresses dissatisfaction with the purveyors of fraudulent schemes and programs.
If you see favorable reviews, your more likely to be satisfied with your decision.
At the very least, it’s the best way to avoid being burned.
November 6th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Post this message to online forums? A lot of forums moderators
would probably frown on this. After all forums were developed as a way for members to share ideas and opinions and seek advice from other members. As a member of a forum, you need to show that you can bring value to the group as this is what makes them popular. You need to be careful about whether your posts even hint of an attempt at generating business, and such posts are to keep within the theme of the particular forum.
True, you can post in forums to drive visitors to your web site, you must do it in such a way to offer solutions to members’ concerns and provide value to the forum as a whole.
Posting such a blatant message about a chain letter scheme would stick out like a sore thumb.