There are so many “Make Money Online” products out there that it can sometimes be difficult to know what's a scam from what isn't. The unfortunate fact is that there are many unethical money-hungry scam artist out there that have perfected the art taking advantage of people who don't know better. Fortunately, there are some simple ways that you can equip yourself so that you do not fall prey to these wicked people.

So how do you protect your pockets from these guys? By doing your research.

Lets say you head about an “Amazing product” that is making many people millions of dollars. The website looks legit and has many testimonials from “average people” just like you and I. Don't buy on impulse, because there is a very high probability that you will regret your decision later.

How to do your research

A great place to start uncovering the juicy details of any online program is with Google. Type the name of the product or marketer into the search engines to see if there are any obvious scam reports. Do searches with the name followed by terms like “scam” and “review” and see what information you can uncover. However, while doing this type of research, be aware that many marketers use the word “scam” to lure you into a nice detailed (and positive) review of the product.

After doing these google searches, you will potentially find many articles dealing with the product. Always read these pages very carefully, with the intention of getting as much information about what the product/service is about.

You should also be aware that with just about every product/service out there, there will be a disgruntled customer or two. Some people can be impatient and even angry if they encounter a minor technical difficulty and don't get a response within 30 minutes. Other, more dishonest individuals, try to tarnish the reputation of products to attempt to reduce competition.

The main thing you are looking for is that that the positive reviews far outweigh the negative ones. If not, it is better to stay away from that product/service. It is better to be safe than sorry.

In my opinion, the best way to find good quality program is by getting personal recommendations from trusted sources. There are a few persons that I consider to be my mentors. Most of the time when I am interested in finding out about a topic, I check with them to see what/who they recommend. By doing so, I know that I will find quality programs because I trust their judgment.

Find honest people who know more than you do, and trust their recommendation. They wouldn't want to risk hurting their own reputation by providing you with a poor product recommendation.

So, the take home message is – NEVER trust the claims of the website/marketer. Even screenshots of earnings can be falsified. Do your own research and make sure you understand EXACTLY what you are getting into before you take the plunge. If you are investing your time and money, you want to be sure it's a good program beforehand.

There is one more VERY IMPORTANT point that needs to be emphasized when it comes to making money online. There is a myth circulating around the internet that it is possible to make a lot of money without working hard. This might not be something that you want to hear, but the fact of the matter is that THAT'S A HUGE LIE. This concept is sold by many online programs and it is a concept that works, because it aroused the fantasies of unsuspecting individuals.

Yes, there are people who make lots of money online without working too hard. However, in order to reach where they are, there was A LOT of work that had to be done. Years of learning, many failures and (hopefully) many successes. Do NOT believe that you can immediately do what they do without investing a considerable amount of time and effort.

About the Author Leslie Samuel


Leslie Samuel a business coach for high-performing entrepreneurs. As the host of the Leslie Samuel Show, he teaches how to build an online business. "Changing the world one post at a time” is the mission he strives towards. As a former university professor, he has a passion for education. He's the founder of Interactive Biology, a blog and YouTube channel dedicated to making biology fun for students and teachers. As the head of training for the Social Media Marketing Society, he helps social media marketers get the training they need to stay on the leading edge of social media.

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