Scammed – To be or Not to be!
Author: Val Burnett

Website: http://www.mbpadvertising.com

As of late there have been a couple of programs that are

being promoted on the internet that many of us “experienced”
program owners and/or marketers find questionable. Well to
be quite blunt, they could not possibly deliver what they
promise and have in the past experienced unethical business
practices and customer issues with their previous sites.

If any program claims to email members of another program
and claim double-optin, get clarification, do your research.
If any program claims to send mail to millions, really
analyze the FAQ and find out who and how they do this. Ask
Questions! If they don’t state how exactly, then move on.
Anything that is stated on a website should be backed up
with clear data. If you can not verify the statements on the
websites are true, then sit back and do your research before
you put out your hard earned money.

Trust me on this, it is always best to delay a signup and
satisfy your own curiosity and possibly even save you a
few bucks. Always better to be safe then sorry. Do not get
taken in by the hype of reaching billions of people for a
small fee, it is usually small for a reason. If the program
is a “scam” or “all BS with no meat” then you will save a
few bucks, not be taken again plus you will help stop lining
the pockets of the supposed program owner that makes all the
promises and delivers nothing.

Please do your research before you purchase any service or
product on the internet. It will save you heartache, your
money but also the confidence you should have in programs
and program owners that are there to help you and do back
up what they promise. I am not saying research every
program before you sign up, as you know there are quite a
lot of experienced marketers that have a very good
reputation and if you did search the net for issues regarding
them, you would probably have a hard time finding any.

I am saying to do your research on websites where you are
notsure who the owner is or a website that promises a lot
but when you think about it you wonder if it is even possible
if they can deliver it. Is there too much hype? Can you clearly
see who owns the site? Do they hide? Are there
testimonials? Is there a phone number as well as address of
the company clearly displayed? All of the answers to these
questions should play a big part in your decision when you
join a program.

When you first look at a website can the following items be
easily found?

– FAQ
– Company information
– Owner Information
– TOS
– Privacy Policy
– Contact information

By researching this information and seeing if the company
provides you with multiple ways to contact them show that
they will not skip out after you have paid them. Also test
out their customer service, ask them about their refund
policy before you sign up, ask them about their TOS or what
others have found good about the program (testimonies).
Wait and see how long it takes them to answer but also the
type of reply they provide. If it is vague and your answers
are not truly answered the way you wish, then move on to
another program.

One of the things I do is search for the program through
Google. Sometimes it can help reading other customers
results, responses or issues when they joined the website in
question. Another thing I always do is go to
http://www.whois.net and put in the URL of the program. I
check to see who owns the domain and website, I use the
information found on Whois and perform a check through
Google for the program owner’s name.

If I am not sure of the reputation of the owner of a program
and before I attach my name to a program or spend my hard
earned money signing up, I want to know who I am dealing
with. This is especially true for anyone that promotes other
peoples programs. Are you after the quick buck and don’t
care what happens to the people you refer to that website?
Or do you truly want to refer others to programs that do
deliver what they state?

If you see a website that has one page with no other
information and no clear contact information including where
the company resides, I would think twice before joining it
before I did some intense research.

By taking the time to research you are giving yourself the
tools and the knowledge to make an informed decision. By
taking the time, you are also able to share the information
you have found and help others make informed decisions.

When it comes to the internet it is easier for some to
hide behind websites, make some cash and not back up
what they promise to deliver. It is time that we as consumers
stop lining their pockets and speak up and let them know
what we will and will not take.

You are the one that holds the key to the associations you
make on the internet. Make associations that will help not
harm you and your fellow marketer.

There are hundreds of program owners out there that give
you everything you need to make an informed decision
stick with the ones that are honest, have ethics and a
good reputation.

Your future is in your hands and only your hands. Be
informed and do your research! It is your choice –
Scammed – To be or Not To be!

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Val Burnett is owner of many responsive marketing
programs found at http://www.mbpadvertising.com
Plus publisher of BizMajic News 41,000 Subscribers
http://www.bizmajic.com
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