There are steps each person can take to minimize being taken by a scam. Research is key when looking to become a customer of a company. By doing your research you can get a clear outlook on the company and if you should do business with them.
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 not sure 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!
