Assessing the Credibility of Internet Money Making Websites
Much has been written about the "money-making opportunities" on the internet. Despite the numerous claims that easy riches are just a mouse-click away, most of the sites show you the rainbow, but seem to keep the pot of gold hidden for themselves. That's not to say the opportunities don't exist. There are many opportunities to earn money, whether it's a little extra income, or enough to replace your current job. The trick is to find the right opportunity.
But how?
Do your homework. In legal terms it's called Due Diligence. It refers to doing enough of examination so you know what results to reasonably expect. To help in your due diligence, you should ask the following questions:
1.) Does it sound too good to be true? This should be the first thing you ask. One of the harsh realities of life is that there's no such thing as a free lunch. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Look for unrealistic claims. Can you reasonably expect to make $1,000 a day with only 10-15 hours work a week? If that were true, why would they need to go through all of the trouble to try and recruit you?
2.) Did you learn about this "opportunity" from an unsolicited e-mail? If the answer is yes, run away. Now! No legitimate company is going to spam their opportunity. There are enough ways to get the word out on the internet. If a company is resorting to spam, that's an obvious indication that there are problems.
3.) Do they charge a fee to join, or monthly membership fees? While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it should make you stop and reconsider. Some companies will charge a small up-front fee to help eliminate people that are looking for easy money, and sign up for every opportunity on the net. The thought is, if you invest a little bit of your own money, you will be more motivated to work toward succeeding. However, you should be very wary of companies that charge a large fee to join, and charge monthly "membership" fees. These companies are making profit off of every thing you sell and every person you recruit. Monthly fees are just another way for them to make more money off of you (that's money out of your pocket).
4.) Is there clear contact information? Look at their website. You should be able to find contact information without too much effort. Make sure there is a name, address, phone number, and email address. If the business is legitimate, there is no reason for them to hide or deny you this information.
5.) Do they respond to requests? This is a simple test. Call or email them with a question (just make something up). Do they respond promptly?
6.) Do they show up on the "Scam report" websites? Are they discussed in forums? This is anther crucial part of the homework process. However, you shouldn't necessarily believe everything you read. Many people post to forums with their own agenda. They may be trying to steer you away from one company and toward one that they are associated with. Take what you read with a grain of salt, but it may lead you toward more questions that you should be asking.
7.) Are they listed by the Better Business Bureau? If they have a BBB logo on their site, check to make sure they are actually a member.
8.) Look for the Terms of Service. Read and understand what's written. I know it can be confusing trying to wade through all of the "legalize", but this is where they tell you what to expect.
9.) Do you make money from selling a product, or from signing up more members? What are they paying you for? If they have a product to sell, they will give you an indication of what that is without making you sign up first. The more mysterious and secretive they are, the more you should beware. Avoid companies that spend all their efforts telling you how much you can make by recruiting others. That sounds more like a Ponzi scheme than a legitimate business.
10.) How long have they been around? Again, this isn't the determining factor, but if the company has been in business for a while, it's a strong indication that they have a legitimate business model
There are many legitimate opportunities on the web, and there are many more more scams. Before you leap at a new opportunity do you homework. It's worth the time and effort.
