Okay, I'm going to be really honest with you here:
Scammers are everywhere on the Internet. Whether it's your first time trying to make money online, or it's your hundredth, you're still open to the threat of scammers.
And if you really need the money you're trying to make online, it's easy to be sucked into them in the hopes that everything will turn out alright.
For a lot of these methods, you'll be safe from make money online scams. I've done everything I can to make sure that these sites are scam free. But, they can come in many forms:
- Fake clients Fake buyers People looking to loan you money People offering training courses that guarantee a job
And many, many more. So, before you do venture out into the world of online earning, make sure you're vigilant to these scams…
The 10 Most Common Make Money Online Scams
According to research from This Is Money in the UK. these are the top 10 most common scams you need to be aware of. And as you'll see almost all of them target your bank account in some way:
Other Scams You Need To Look Out For…
While those are the main scams that make their way around the Interwebz, there are also other, more subtle scams that you could fall victim to. Here they are under the microscope:
If you're looking to get into Freelancing you need to pay attention to people who pose as clients. They'll often send poorly worded emails that look like the one below, and ask odd questions, like if you accept credit cards or bitcoin payments:
You may also find that they ask you to take on work for a percentage of their profits when the business finally goes ‘live.' If you see this, I'd cease communications altogether. While they may seem genuine, there is a good chance that they aren't.
Fake Buyer Scams
For most sites you'll be covered for this, so you won't have to worry if you're using a large site like eBay or Amazon. However do be careful if you're using one of these sites and people ask you to sell outside of the site.
For example, they ask to buy your item at a higher (or reduced) rate outside of the site. There is a good chance you're being targeted for a scam, and I'd recommend walking away.
Pyramid Schemes
In a world of Herbalife and Juice Plus, pyramid schemes have started to make a comeback under lots of different guises. They often call themselves Multi Level Marketing programmes, or other similar names.
Basically, you start making money by selling a product. Then you recruit someone and you start making money from what they earning. And the more people you recruit the more money you'll make. While the premise sounds legit, these can often be really big scams.
You might be asked to:
- Purchase a batch of products Make an investment of a couple of thousands dollars Buy a ‘license' to sell the product
And they can leave you out of pocket, with no way of getting the money back, other than to sell their products. But these companies often disappear into thin air overnight, too. Best to avoid them at all costs.
The Training Course Scam…
This is a really easy one for people to pull of with the rise in video and online courses. And it comes in two main forms:
These people will advertise a job possibly remotely that fits your niche and skills. Then, they'll say before you can be accepted to the job, you have to complete this training course that costs you x, y or z amount of money.
You will never have to pay for training for a job, but if you're even just a little unsure, check with the employer and do some in-depth research about the company.
False Promises:
These come in the facade of sales pages offering you skills like, How To Make $100,000 Blogging This Year , and they'll come with a brilliant sales pitch and maybe even videos. But, once you purchase and click through…nothing.
You're just $200 short and no further forward in your career.
Make sure you always do you research and look for reviews, or employer information, before you try any of these.
