How to Tell a Real Offer from a Scam

How many times have you been sitting at a red light and you see a sign that states, “Make $1000 a week! Call ###-###-####”? For a brief moment you probably wonder if, by slim chance, the sign might be true. Could you actually get rich if you just called that number? Naaaaaah. By the time the light turns green, your inner skeptic has you convinced it’s a silly hoax.

And then you’ve got those Internet “Get-Rich” programs (aka. scams) that assure you that you’ll make millions in 30 days or less. Are these fake, too? They must be. After all, making money can’t be that easy.

Well, your intuition is probably right. Making gobs of money is not "that" easy and anything that's worthwhile will require some effort. Nevertheless, there are legitimate money-making opportunities on the Internet that actually can and do work in your favor. In fact, I am going to show you just a few web programs that have ACTUALLY worked for me, and by that I mean, actually paid me moolah – real, green money.

But first, how do you determine the real offers from the scams? The truth is lots of web and email offers are designed to COST you money – not make it – so you have to be careful. At the website About.com, I found some helpful information on how to tell a real offer from a scam:
  • Find out how you’ll be paid. Some ‘jobs’ get you to work for nothing. For example, you post ads on internet bulletin boards, but you don’t earn anything until someone signs up. If that doesn’t happen, you’re out of luck.
  • If an offer guarantees you’ll get rich quick, leave it alone. Anything that sounds too good to be true is a financial trap.
  • They ask you to send money. Legitimate employers don't charge fees to hire you. They also don’t sell you information, software or kits to get you started.
  • Let someone else read the offer. Some scams are hard to detect. For example, you might receive a detailed contract that asks for banking information so your check can be direct deposited, but once they get your info, they drain your account and disappear. So let someone else take a second look at it.
These are just a few red flags to look for when attempting to make some extra cash from the Internet. They key is - remember, you’re wanting to make money, not spend it – when a company is asking for your credit card # or Social Security #, you’re almost always setting yourself up for a BIG disappointment. If you're in doubt, do your research. I can't emphasize that enough. If the offer sounds a little fishy, it probably is.

Okay, okay, as promised, I said I would outline some online programs that have worked for me, and I will be true to my word and post them on here…………tomorrow.